On this Day - Devon's Devil Footprints

The hillsides of Devon, England are the playground of the Devil, or so some people believe. February 8 , 1855, citizen’s awoke to find single tracks of cloven hooves decorating the hillsides newly fallen snow. Panic arose in the town quickly when the tracks couldn’t be identified. They weren’t simply spanning across fields, hoof prints were found on houses, roofs, haystacks and other odd places where it would be almost impossible for a hoofed animal to walk on.

The tracks spanned almost 100 miles and were reported as being 4 inches long, 3 inches across and 8 to 16 inches. Rumors of sightings of a devil-like figure roaming around the area fueled the panic that among Devon’s inhabitants. People found comfort in arming themselves, and groups hunted the creature with no success.

Mirror Mirror, the lore of mirrors

Since ancient times mirrors or other reflective surfaces, have been considered portals to the unseen realms of spirits. Spirits have been summand through mirrors for ages. They also could be used to see the past or the future. Standing water whether it be natural or in a bowl was used like a mirror. Other items used were polished metals and crystal balls.

 In folklore mirrors are soul stealers, they have the power to rip the soul right out of bodies. It is also said that demons can enter through mirrors. Actually any spirit can use a mirror as a doorway into our world. If you see your reflection in a mirror in a room that someone has died in, it is considered an omen of death. Mirrors are said to hold souls if you would break a mirror the soul is also broken.

Black-Eyed People

Words people have used to describe black-eyed people are creepy, unnerving, threatening, sinister and even inhuman.

Black-eyed people come in all shapes and sizes, children, teenagers, and adults. Black is not a natural eye color, though dark brown and dark blue can look black under low light conditions. Most black-eyed people reports claim the entire eye is black with no or very little white on the eyes.

Most black-eyed people are male, though females are reported; they have very pale skin tone. Their hair is dark and they were dark clothing. Many reports are of black-eyed kids, they look to be around the age of 10 years old. They often don’t wear shoes and look dirty.

They are said to have no personality. Folks that have encountered these beings have felt an overwhelming feeling of fear or dread. It has also been reported that their voices are hypnotic like its very hard not to fall to temptation.

They always seem to have a problem, needing a ride or needing to use your home phone. A very strange thing that is always reported about the black-eyed people is that they always ask permission to enter, whether it is your home or car. If they are told no they get very agitated and demanding.

If you’re traveling and see one chances are you will see the same black-eyed person several times, several miles apart. They are also known to hound you all night till dawn, and then they seem to have gone away.

Those whom have actually talked to them say they often say they don’t have a home. Cameras seem to be incapable of capturing them. There is a report of a man who was in an elevator with one, when he reviewed the security camera no one was on the elevator with him.

What are they? Some folks believe they are vampires; a classic trait of a vampire is to ask permission to enter. They are also said to have hypnotic voices. Some folks seem to think they are demons looking for an easy possession. Most think they are aliens. They believe they are trying to take our form so they can fit into society.

Mike Morris

On This Day - The Dark Cloud Over August 10th

August 10th doesn't seem like a very significant day in the light of 9/11 or Friday the 13th, but this date is associated with some very dark events. Is it possible that 8/10 is cursed as well? You decide.

Charles Manson Then and Now

August 10, 1969 - Charles Manson and his cult followers kill Supermarket Executive Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary the day after murdering Sharon Tate. The LaBianca's were killed simply because they occupied the house where Manson had attended a party next door a year prior. The killings were a part of his Helter Skelter plot. Manson is still serving a life sentence without parole.

Berkowitz Then and Now

August 10, 1977 - David Berkowitz, a post office employee, was arrested on this day in the "Son of Sam' killings. Berkowitz killed 6 people and wounded several others because he said his neighbor's demon possessed dog told him to do so. Later, Berkowitz said that while he was guilty of murder, he was not responsible for all of them and blamed the satanic cult he belonged to at the time. Law enforcement believe that this claim is credible, however, no one else has ever been arrested for the crimes. The case was reopened in 1996 and as of 2004 has remained open. Berkowitz requested that he not be paroled and since become a born again Christian and counsels inmates in prison.

Clockwise from Left: Toole, John Walsh,
and Adam

August 10, 1981 - The severed head of Adam Walsh was found by two fishermen who were fishing in a Vero Beach Florida canal. Adam was abducted from a Sears department store on July 27 in Hollywood, Florida. A coroner ruled that Adam died from asphyxiation. Criminal Ottis Toole has repeatedly confessed to the crime but he has not been charged and his killer was never found. Adam's father John Walsh went on to help form the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and is host of America's Most Wanted.

Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building

August 10, 1995 - Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols are indicted for the Oklahoma City Bombings. The bombing occurred April 19, 1995 at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building and claimed 168 lives including 16 children under the age of 16. The terrorist plot was the result of McVeigh's and Nichols' anger over how the FBI handled the standoff with Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge and at the Waco compound.

Kerri L. Schultz

On this Day - A Possessed Girl is Born

June 22, 1959 – Linda Blair born. Linda Blair is the actress who played the demonically possessed girl Regan in the 1973 movie The Exorcist.

The originally book The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty was based on the true story of Robbie Mannheim who experienced an exorcism in 1949. While Robbie Mannheim is the young man’s real named, the Catholic Church used the pseudonym Roland Doe.

Examining Robbie’s early childhood, the clergy found that Robbie was an only child and spent much of his time around adults. He frequently spent time with his Aunt Harriet who was a spiritualist and introduced him to the Ouija board. When Robbie turned 13 his Aunt Harriet passed away and it is speculated that Robbie tried to contact his aunt using the Ouija board which eventually led to his demon possession.

Poltergeist activity ensued following Aunt Harriet’s death but specifically centered around Robbie. Several clergy members attempted to help Robbie but it was ultimately Rev. Walter Halloran and Rev. William S. Bolden who successfully exorcised the demon. Overall, it took 30 tries over a two month period, but when it left, the priests claim there was a large thunderclap sound within the room.

It is not surprisingly that much of what occurred during the exorcisms is disputed. Some question the details or the plausibility of some of the events. Regardless of the dissention surrounding details, a psychiatric illness cannot be ruled out.

What did you think of the movie The Exorcist? Did it scare you?

Kerri Schultz