The Only Case Where the Testimony of a Ghost Was Used to Convict a Murderer - Atlas Obscura
  • Trips
    • Upcoming Trips
    • All Trips Trips Blog
    Get the Atlas Obscura book
    Shop Now »

    Upcoming Trips

    View All Trips »

    Lisbon: Tracing the Roots of an Imperial Cuisine

    Science in the Field: Tracking Utah's Tiny Owls

    Private Trip: Tracking Utah's Tiny Owls

    Tastes & Traditions of Jewish Montréal

  • Experiences

    Quick Links

    • Online Experiences New!
    • All Experiences

    Experiences by City

    • Chicago
    • Denver
    • Los Angeles
    • New York
    • Philadelphia
    • Seattle
    • Washington, D.C.

    Upcoming Experiences

    View All Experiences »
    Online
    Seattle

    The Secret of Seattle's Disappearing Hill

    Online
    New York

    Backstage with a Magician

    Online
    Seattle

    The Hidden Lives of Owls

    Online
    New York City

    The Secret Arts: Crystal Synthesis

  • Places
    • Top Destinations
    • Newly Added Places
    • Most Popular Places
    • Random Place
    • Lists
    • Itineraries
    • Add a Place
    • forum Visit Our Forums

    Newly Added Places

    View All Places »
    Prestwich, England

    Irwell House Ruins

    53.5212, -2.2993
    Wiesbaden, Germany

    Wiesbaden Kurhaus Spielbank

    50.0863, 8.2472
    Crossing the bridge of Sant'Andrea
    Itri, Italy

    Appia Antica in Itri

    41.3136, 13.4869
    "Twisted House"
    Indianapolis, Indiana

    'Twisted House'

    39.8778, -86.1438

    Top Destinations

    View All Destinations »

    Countries

    • Australia
    • Canada
    • China
    • France
    • Germany
    • India
    • Italy
    • Japan

    Cities

    • Amsterdam
    • Barcelona
    • Beijing
    • Berlin
    • Boston
    • Budapest
    • Chicago
    • London
    • Los Angeles
    • Mexico City
    • Montreal
    • Moscow
    • New Orleans
    • New York City
    • Paris
    • Philadelphia
    • Rome
    • San Francisco
    • Seattle
    • Stockholm
    • Tokyo
    • Toronto
    • Vienna
    • Washington, D.C.
  • Foods

    Newly Added Food & Drink

    View All Food & Drink »
    A bowl of chitlins.
    Prepared Foods

    Chitlins
    Prepared Foods

    Hoppin' John

     Are you feeling lucky?
    Ritual & Medicinal

    Twelve Grapes

     A modern spread of Reveillon delights.
    Ritual & Medicinal

    Réveillon Dinner

     Cougnole de Noel.
    Sweets

    Cougnou
  • Stories

    Most Recent Stories

    View All Stories »
    Meet the Jackson Town Council of 1920-23, aka the "petticoat rulers": (from left) Mae Deloney, Rose Crabtree, Mayor Grace Miller, Faustina Haight, Genevieve Van Vleck.

    Remembering When Women Ruled a Wild West Town

     Theresa McCulla of the American Brewing History Initiative with a collection of historic beer-advertisement posters at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2018.

    How a Beer Historian Is Documenting COVID-19's Impact on Brewing

     The metal-clad men of the Middle Ages would scale ladders, among other exercises, to stay fit.

    To Work Out Like a Knight, Try Donning Armor and Extolling Virtue

     The monument, pictured here in August 2017, was once partly covered by wood. It has since been dismantled altogether.

    How an Infamous Confederate Obelisk Finally Came Down

     <em>Karakuri</em> dolls have been an ornate element of Japanese craftsmanship since the Edo period.

    What It’s Like to Build a Traditional Japanese Automaton From Scratch
  • Videos

    Most Recent Videos

    View All Videos »

    How One Man Built a Sprawling Treehouse With a Dance Floor

    6:55

    Show & Tell With Drag-Racing Legend Al Young

    12:31

    A Phoenix Made From 18,000 Keys Rises From the Ashes of a Wildfire

    10:22

    Show & Tell With Antiquarian Horologist Nico Cox

    9:24

    How a Group of Rock Climbers Saved a Ranch for Everyone

    0:00
  • Sign In Join
  • Sign In
    Join
Help us give a voice to the lesser-known stories and places around the world. Become a Member
What's near me?
Brought to you by

The Only Case Where the Testimony of a Ghost Was Used to Convict a Murderer

A graphic history of an unsettling 1897 murder case in West Virginia.

by Jamison Odone November 29, 2016
The Only Case Where the Testimony of a Ghost Was Used to Convict a Murderer
Read next

See What People of 1967 Imagined the World Would Be Like in 1999

Spoiler: lots of egg chairs, turtlenecks, and computer servants.
ghostslegendsfeatures
Support Atlas Obscura
A note from our Editorial Director

If you’re reading this, you’ve likely found joy in Atlas Obscura. Now we’re asking if you will directly support the creation of articles like this one with an Atlas Obscura membership (and get some great perks, too). On behalf of our small editorial team, it would mean the world to us.

Thank you,

Samir S. Patel
Support Us No Thanks
Already a part of our membership program? Sign in.
Love our articles?
Help us keep them coming by directly supporting Atlas Obscura.
Become a Member
$5/month $10/month $20/month
See All Membership Options
Already a part of our membership program? Sign in.
No Thanks
Keep Exploring
culture

How Mexico's Most Sorrowful Spirit Became a Cultural Phenomenon

As America's immigrant population grows, so does La Llorona's cultural stature.
Winnie Lee October 30, 2019
victorian

The Mischievous 'Ghost Hoaxers' of 19th-Century Australia

To stave off boredom, some people donned sheets and menaced the public.
Joseph Hayes October 29, 2019
ruins

The Real Story Behind Northern Italy's Abandoned 'Ghost Mansion'

"The ghost was me!" says Giuseppe Negri, who grew up at Villa de Vecchi.
Lizzie Philip October 17, 2018
bars

All It Takes to Create a Ghost Is a Good Story

A tale of two bars in Portland, Oregon.
Sarah Laskow August 31, 2018
Video • AO Docs

The Abandoned 'Ghost Mansion' of Northern Italy

2:59
Video

How the Fictional Town of Sleepy Hollow Became Real

3:09
Related

The Silver Arrow, the Real Ghost Train Haunting the Stockholm Metro

Read more

We Need Your Help

Support Atlas Obscura today so we can share wonder tomorrow.

Become a Member

$50/year $100/year $200/year
See All Membership Options

Get Our Email Newsletter

Thanks for subscribing! View all newsletters »

Follow Us

Places

  • Recently Added
  • Most Popular
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place

Foods

  • Latest
  • Food & Drink
  • Stories
  • Places
  • Add a Food

Experiences & Trips

  • Upcoming Experiences
  • Upcoming Trips
  • Trips Blog

Community

  • Travel Forum
  • Latest Posts
  • Top Posts

Company

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Work With Us
  • Advertising
  • Unique Gifts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
© 2020 Atlas Obscura. All rights reserved.

Be a Champion of Discovery

Support our mission to inspire wonder.
Why become a member?
  • Be a part of our mission to seek and share wonder
  • Join a movement of diverse but like-minded explorers
  • Help unite our community—we’re stronger together
Learn More Dismiss

Thanks for sharing!

Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.

Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.

Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook

Want a Free Book?

Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book, Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders.
No Thanks Visit AtlasObscura.com
Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders

Stay in Touch!

Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day.
Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram No Thanks Visit AtlasObscura.com
No purchase necessary. Winner will be selected at random on 07/01/2020. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Offer subject to change without notice. See contest rules for full details.

Add Some Wonder to Your Inbox

Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you.
No Thanks

We'd Like You to Like Us

Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed.
No Thanks
This website uses cookies

Atlas Obscura and our trusted partners use technology such as cookies on our website to personalise ads, support social media features, and analyse our traffic. Please click below to consent to the use of this technology while browsing our site. To learn more or withdraw consent, please visit our cookie policy.

I Accept
aoc-full-screen aoc-heart-solid aoc-compass aoc-flipboard aoc-globe aoc-pocket aoc-share aoc-cancel aoc-video aoc-building aoc-clock aoc-clipboard aoc-help aoc-arrow-right aoc-arrow-left aoc-ticket aoc-place-entry aoc-facebook aoc-instagram aoc-reddit aoc-rss aoc-twitter aoc-accommodation aoc-activity-level aoc-add-a-photo aoc-add-box aoc-add-shape aoc-arrow-forward aoc-been-here aoc-chat-bubbles aoc-close aoc-expand-more aoc-expand-less aoc-forum-flag aoc-group-size aoc-heart-outline aoc-heart-solid aoc-home aoc-important aoc-knife-fork aoc-library-books aoc-link aoc-list-circle-bullets aoc-list aoc-location-add aoc-location aoc-mail aoc-map aoc-menu aoc-more-horizontal aoc-my-location aoc-near-me aoc-notifications-alert aoc-notifications-mentions aoc-notifications-muted aoc-notifications-tracking aoc-open-in-new aoc-pencil aoc-person aoc-pinned aoc-plane-takeoff aoc-plane aoc-print aoc-reply aoc-search aoc-shuffle aoc-star aoc-subject aoc-trip-style aoc-unpinned
aoc-full-screen aoc-heart-solid aoc-compass aoc-flipboard aoc-globe aoc-pocket aoc-share aoc-cancel aoc-video aoc-building aoc-clock aoc-clipboard aoc-help aoc-arrow-right aoc-arrow-left aoc-ticket aoc-place-entry aoc-facebook aoc-instagram aoc-reddit aoc-rss aoc-twitter aoc-accommodation aoc-activity-level aoc-add-a-photo aoc-add-box aoc-add-shape aoc-arrow-forward aoc-been-here aoc-chat-bubbles aoc-close aoc-expand-more aoc-expand-less aoc-forum-flag aoc-group-size aoc-heart-outline aoc-heart-solid aoc-home aoc-important aoc-knife-fork aoc-library-books aoc-link aoc-list-circle-bullets aoc-list aoc-location-add aoc-location aoc-mail aoc-map aoc-menu aoc-more-horizontal aoc-my-location aoc-near-me aoc-notifications-alert aoc-notifications-mentions aoc-notifications-muted aoc-notifications-tracking aoc-open-in-new aoc-pencil aoc-person aoc-pinned aoc-plane-takeoff aoc-plane aoc-print aoc-reply aoc-search aoc-shuffle aoc-star aoc-subject aoc-trip-style aoc-unpinned