Lady Morgana sent me an interesting story about a 7-year-old boy who went over Niagara Falls back in 1960, and survived. The survivor describes the experience of going over the falls as “total vertigo and the best way I can describe it is I was in a cloud — a cloud of mist. It was peaceful and totally uneventful.” Hmmmm… Excuse me while I add ‘Death By Niagara Falls’ to my list of potential suicide methods…
Anyway, here’s the full story if you’re interested:
When a 7-Year-Old Boy Beat the Falls
News
Today’s Legendary Yet Truly Morbid Fact!
The facts: On August 27, 1891, a passenger train jumped the tracks on a tall bridge near Statesville, North Carolina, sending seven rail cars below and about 30 people to their deaths. The legend: On the wreck’s anniversary, the sounds of screeching wheels, screaming passengers and a horrific crash might still be heard. You might also see a uniformed man with a gold watch. Shortly before 3 a.m. Friday (8/27/10), on the 119th anniversary of the Bostian Bridge train tragedy and at about the same time, between 10 and 12 ghost hunters were on that approximately 300-foot long span. They were hoping to hear the sounds of the crash, and perhaps see something. Instead, a real Norfolk-Southern train — three engines and one car — turned the corner as it headed east to Statesville, about 35 miles north of Charlotte, authorities said. The terrified “amateur ghost watchers” ran away, back toward Statesville, trying to cover the nearly 150 feet to safety, said Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Darren Campbell. All but two made it. Christopher Kaiser, 29, of Charlotte, was struck and killed. A woman who witnesses say Kaiser pushed to safety fell about 30 to 40 feet from the trestle and was injured. Her name and condition were not known Friday night. She was being treated at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. “There was no way out, said Campbell. “They almost made it.” The engineer of the train, which was traveling at its customary 35 to 40 mph, hit the horn and “stopped as fast as he could”. A woman who did not want to be identified, but who was part of the group of onlookers, told CNN affiliate WCNC, “We were there looking for what people say happened. You hear the train wreck or hear people screaming. We were just watching.”
Culled from: CNN
Can’t wait to hear the EVP’s and see the videos for *that* ghost hunt. Way more fruitful than a normal one, that’s for sure.
Facts
Don’t you just love the buried history of cities? I know I do! Turns out there are hundreds (thousands?) of slave graves in the Ground Zero area of NYC. Hmmmm… time to get out the shovel and see what I can dig up here in Chicago?
Ground Zero’s Slave Graves
News
(Yeah, I’m back… did ya miss me?)
Today’s Exasperating Yet Truly Morbid Fact!
Have you ever heard of Fox’s Book Of Martyrs? It’s a circa-1563 morbid delight – tale after tale of early Christians suffering imaginatively brutal fatalities. It’s online for your perusal… and here’s a taste.
Timothy was the celebrated disciple of St. Paul, and bishop of Ephesus, where he zealously governed the church till A. D. 97. At this period, as the pagans were about to celebrate a feast called Catagogion, Timothy, meeting the procession, severely reproved them for their ridiculous idolatry, which so exasperated the people, that they fell upon him with their clubs, and beat him in so dreadful a manner, that he expired of the bruises two days after.
Culled from: Fox’s Book Of Martyrs by John Foxe
Generously submitted by: Louise
It’s also available from The Library Eclectica if you’d prefer a copy of your own, complete with woodprints of the tortures. (That is, if you want to help the Comtesse out by buying it through her store.)
Facts
Excellent little Edgar Allan Poe site. I especially enjoy the travels of Little Edgar. I have one just like him on my bookshelf!
The Poe Project
Thanks to Kaleigh for the link.
(Oh, and I know I’ve been horrible at updating this blog lately… I got caught up in another life-sucking work project that has drained my energies and left me a worthless old dishrag drying up in the darkest corner of The Castle DeSpair. My chances of recovery are slim, but I’m trying…)
Web
These girls fascinate me… I can’t help but think about inappropriate things like – does only one girl experience orgasms? And how bitter would I be if I was the one that didn’t?
Thanks to Elizabeth for the link.
Ghastly!, Sundry
Such a sweet video. Thanks to David K. for sending this one my way.
Sundry
Sorry I haven’t been posting much lately. I got caught up in a grueling project, and you know how that story goes… Anyway, I’m finally caught up for now and I hope to be back to daily updates again.
Although I doubt any of us can afford it, I wanted to share this magnificent chair. It would be a lovely addition to the Castle DeSpair, don’t you think?
Available for some vast sum of money from Bombarock.
Trinkets
Today’s Striking Yet Truly Morbid Fact!
On December 28, 2006, a ball-style trailer hitch killed 32-year-old Sean O’Shea of Encinitas, California, when it bounced up from the roadway and through his windshield, striking him in the head before coming to rest in his vehicle’s back cargo area. The 5 or 6 pound hitch either fell off a truck or came off the back of a vehicle.
Culled from: Snopes.Com
Generously submitted by: Paradox
Facts