INTERVIEW — TAPE #5, SIDE #2
Q: Mark Gordon Russell (interviewer)
M: Maxine Mc Wethy (the mother)
W: Bill Mc Wethy (Maxine's husband)
T: Twyla Eller (daughter)
B: Brenda Bell (daughter)
K: Kim Carrell (daughter)
R: Jerry Bell (Bill's son)
S: Steve Eller (Twyla's husband)
J: Billy Joe Mc Wethy (Bill's son)
V: Reverend Bennie Matthews (at funeral for Jearld Carlton Bell 1935-1995)
Y: Megan Eller (Twyla's daughter)
T: . . . when they came through, they were still there. (“MEGAN” “ME AND HIM”) When me and him started hollering.
B: They just got over there, though. (“YEAH”)
M: Yeah, but he had just about everything —
B: They just got there.
M: — going to take Kim to Ada. (“UH-HUH” )
T: There’s another car pulling up there too.
Y: Mama.
M: “I’m going to go get him some clothes to wear tomorrow.” That’s all I know.
B: They just left a few minutes before you all got here. (“UHHHH”)
Y: Mama. ([FIONA MANNING] “HI”)
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THE VOICE OF MY FRIEND FIONA MANNING CAN HE HEARD ON THE TAPE HERE.)
M: I’ve got to go put some of that stuff up in the kitchen and clean up.
Y: Mama.
M: I’m wore out.
( . . . )
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THERE IS A STRANGE HUMMING SOUND HEARD ON THE TAPE HERE AS STEVE SPEAKS.)
S: I think I hear another owl’s call. (“POLICE WORK”)
K: This one’s high-pitched.
Q: I think I heard it too.
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THE HUMMING SOUND ENDS HERE.)
(“COME ON NOW”)
T: Yeah, it’s close.
Q: You’ve heard them call your name too?
R: No.
Q (to Brenda) But you have?
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: A MOMENTARY TAPE RECORDER MALFUNCTION IS HEARD ON THE TAPE HERE.)
(“RIGHT”)
B: Yeah.
S: That doesn’t sound like an owl, whatever it is. (“DOESN’T IT”) It sounded like Michael.
Q: I sort of heard a (“LITTLE HOOT”) hoot.
T: The owl?
M: Michael, are you (“WHO”) out there?
T: Oh. (“WHO”)
S: It sounded like it was coming from way up over there.
M: Get out of them bushes, Michael. (“HEAR THAT”)
K: There it is.
M: Way up there. (“IN LOS ANGELES”)
T: One time the neighbors (“DON’T LOOK”) came over. (“RACHEL YEAH” “MARK” “GIVE SHERRY THE BOOK”) Some time the neighbor was coming over (“EVERYWHERE” “TO BED”) to steal Bill and Mama’s tiller.
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THERE IS THE SOUND OF A HORSE WHINNY IN THE DISTANCE HEARD ON THE TAPE HERE)
M: That’s a horse there.
T: And he started it up and took off with it. And Michael said, “BILL, THERE’S SOMEBODY STEALING YOUR TILLER. GET HIM. GET HIM.”
Q: Oh my Gosh. ( “THAT WAS”)
T: Wasn’t that funny?
Q: That’s what the Bell Witch did.
M: We loaned that to the neighbors. (“IT”)
Q: Once the spirit told the family “THEM DAMN SHAKERS SHAN’T STOP THIS TIME” and perfectly impersonated the voice of one of their slaves to send the dogs after them and drive them away.
M: Oh really?
B: Did you tell him about that horse talking? (“HM HM HA” “YOU KNOW ABOUT —” “PEARL” “— FINANCIAL PLAN”)
K: Show us the book. (“UH”)
Q: You know, it’s probably not a good idea. (“PEOPLE”) They’d probably think if any of you had read it — it could be hurtful later on in terms of your (“CRE”) credibility or things like that. (“IT DOESN’T REALLY”) Reading about the Bell Witch isn’t really satisfying because it’s sort of piecemeal, anyway. It’s very similar to your case. I just don’t think — at this point anyway (“IT WOULD”) it would be a good idea. Because there’s many different articles and versions of the story. (“BUT” “YOU KNOW”) I think you really should check (“THE ANC”) your ancestry in terms of (“THE — THE”) the Bells (“WHY”) to see if (“NO”) your family tree hooks up somewhere.
T: That would be weird, wouldn’t it? (“TOTALLY WEIRD”)
R: The last thing you worked on was (“WELL HE — HE”) similar to this one?
Q: He chose the husband (“FOR”) for the daughter in the family. He didn’t want her to be with another of her suitors and paired her up with another one.
R: Oh, it was a woman?
Q: Well, the (“MAIN THING”) — the daughter was sort of like the battery. She would have fainting spells and —
W: (to Maxine) How far can you go back with the Bells? (“ME”)
M: I don’t know. We had a family tree of them once. (“NIGGER” “WELL SOMEBODY TALKED TO BILL” “YEAH” “HU HU HA” “UH-HUH” “DID IT BRANCH OUT”)
Q: They probably have at the library where Brenda got — (“YOU KNOW THAT”) that information about the previous Bell family. Probably that would be the same place to get more information. (“YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS” “THEY’RE STRAIGHTER THAN WILLIAM”) Actually, I think libraries offer interlibrary loans. (“NO” “I PROBABLY CAN EVEN”) I probably can research that from L.A. even.
T: As usual the family is broke.
M: You must have names though, don’t you?
Q: Well, yeah, but you sometimes get lucky when you start to research something. (“YOU KNOW”)
K: Daddy’s mama had a weird name, didn’t she?
B: Swatzell.
K: No. Her first name. (“ZONA”)
M: Zona.
T: Zona Leona.
Q: (small laugh) Zona Leona.
R: That ain’t weird.
T: That is a weird name.
B: That sounded like a song to me (“SHHHHHH”) — Zona Leona! (laughs)
S: Sounds like somebody into the cards and things. (“WHY’D YOU DO THAT” “NO” “THE TWILIGHT ZONE” “YOU BEEN PAYING INTERCOURSE” “FULL MOON HAVE LONG TO LIVE” “MARDUK IS GOING TO LIVE IN COALGATE NEXT YEAR” “THROW ME ON THE TRUCK”)
T: What did you say (“MAMA” “HERE” “KAREN [PHONETIC SPELLING] IMMATEAR”) was the name of your psychic friend that I reminded you of? The one who reads Tarot cards?
Q: Her name is Fiona. (“WHAT”) Strange name. (“YEAH”)
M: Is that right?
Q: Fiona Manning. She’s of Greek and Australian ancestry. She lives in L.A. now. (“WITH HER” “NO” “EH EH EH HE” “I HATE” “YOU KNOW”) When I first met her she was first working for the soap opera magazines as the liaison for Australia. But now she’s reading Tarot cards for a living at a psychic bookstore. (“HUH”) I don’t really think she is psychic but I think the Tarot cards help her a lot.
B: I’d love to get some of those cards.
M: I have to go check the stereo. (“JUST LIKE MY AUNT ELEANOR” “WHAT’S THAT”)
( . . . )
(“M”)
Q: I heard that too. (“IT SOUND”) It might have been a horse. (“BUT”) It was very —
T: Good — a hound dog. (“I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU” “ADAM”)
Q: It’s amazing what little things you hear — what strange little noises. (“I KNOW” “COUNTRY NEEDS TIRES” “AM”)
T: What kind of night sounds do you hear in L.A.? Gunshots? (“YEAH” “OOH WHO WHO WHO WHO”)
Q: Yeah. You hear a lot of gunshots. (“MINE” “RAW GANG UP”)
T: Like we hear the crickets. (“FOOTPRINT” “YEAH” “MEXICO”)
Q: And helicopters. (“YOU KNOW THE WAY”) Helicopters are flying over head constantly. They’re either the police or the TV news shows. (“SIGH” “HEAR A GUNSHOT NOW AND THEN”) Of course, the earthquakes rumble and then sometimes when (“RIGHT”) the space shuttle lands (“NO”) nearby you hear two big booms.
M: What town do you live in?
Q: In L.A. (“WHAT I MEAN”) It’s the Echo Park district.
M: His sister lives in Pomona.
Q: That’s a bit way out. (“YEAH”)
W: I’ve lived in Orange County. I’ve lived in Anaheim. I’ve lived in Pomona, Torrance and Buena Park. (“AND YOU’VE LIVED GOOD”)
M: Anaheim is in Orange County. (“BORN IN”)
S: My other side of the family lived in Sacramento. (“OH” “BROTHER” “COCONUT” “DO YOU”) Are you from California? (“DID YOU KILL GRANDMA” “YEAH” “OKLAHOMA CITY”) Have you ever heard of Exeter?
Q: I’ve heard of it. (“MY FAMILY LIVES HERE”) Yeah, I — (“DON’T THINK”)
S: That’s where I was born at. (“NOT IN OKLAHOMA”)
R: You heard of Chico? (“CAR” “UH-HUH”)
Q: Yeah. (“ST. LOUIS IS GOING TO WIN IT THIS YEAR” “AND” “MY FAMILY” “CINDY” “EXACTLY” “CALL DON SHERRY AND BARRY” “WE HEARD SOMETHING IN THE HOUSE”)
T: We don’t like our neighbors. (“YEAH” “BACK THAT WAY” “SOMEWHERE”)
K: I think mosquitoes are eating me up. (“I THINK IT HITS YOU” “HAL” “FATHER” “HOPE” “YOUR OUT HOUSE BACK THERE” “YEAH I KNOW” “GIVE SHERRY THAT BOOK” “OKAY” “I’VE ARRIVED” “WELL”)
Q: If I had to guess, I would say your attic is where probably (“IS”) most of it is going on. (“TED”) Whatever it is. (“OH REALLY” “YEAH WHATEVER IT IS”)
T: You remember that time (“PHENOMENA”) when we had to move that door to get to the attic? (“DOME” “YEAH”) He nailed it shut one time. (“NO” “HE WAS”)
W: The nails were gone. (“THEY WISH”)
M: They took them all.
Q: Oh sure. Yeah. (“NO” “NAILS DON’T BOTHER ME” “HAVE FAITH”)
T: (about Megan) I think so. You smell her?
K: You smell her from over there?
R: I don’t smell her. (“ELLER” “WHY” “PROBABLY YOU ALL ARE IN ON IT” “CLEARLY THEY FELT IT WAS YOUR TURN” “SORRY I’M —” “SO WHY” “ACTUALLY IT’S THIS TREE I THINK” “— ABOUT TO GO OVER THERE AND” “KNOT”)
T: This is the fourth time she has pooped and I’m not going to change her. (“WHAT PROOF DO I BUILD” “A NEW CAR” “HURRYING HERE” “SOMETIMES YOU’RE MAD”)
( . . . )
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: I FOREGO INDICATING UNATTRIBUTED SOUNDS FOR REMAINDER OF THIS SECTION OF TAPE. A BETTER DESCRIPTION FOR THE MAJORITY OF THESE SOUNDS MAY BE TAP-DANCING. I REACHED THIS CONCLUSION AFTER TELLING MY FRIEND JENNIFER ABOUT THE SOUNDS. SHE HUMOROUSLY COMMENTED THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY EVEN TAP-DANCING GOING ON. JENNIFER HAS WORKED IN THE PARAMOUNT PUBLICITY DEPARTMENT AND AT ROGERS & COWAN. )
Q: Sometimes when you say “Throw a stone” it does. (“TAKE THE BUTTER KNIFE” “YES”) I mean, would it do that now? (“FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE” “GO TO HELL” “NO WAY” “PARADED ON OVER” “OUTSIDE LOOK AT YOUR HAT” “HM HM HM” “WHAT” “I THINK IADA KNOWS MATT” “HM HM HM”)
T: Michael, throw something.
M: Throw something on the table, Michael. (“MOVE THIS THING YOU KNOW”)
T: He never moved this outside one, has he?
M: Um-uh.
W: Michael. (“I NEED THREE TRIPS STEVE” “MARK”)
M: He’s too weak to move this one.
W: Michael. (“THIS” “YEAH RIGHT” “I WOULD” “WELL I DON’T KNOW” “THINK SO” “PUT CANE OVER MEGAN’S BUTT”)
M: Bill used to tell him that all the time. (“OO WHO WHO WHO WHO WHO” “I MET” “WITH ALL THE LITTLE PEOPLE” “ANYONE HE’LL TAKE” “WE’RE MAKING A NEW FILM” “REALLY”) A whole bunch of them here one time said they were going to leave and they weren’t coming back. They wanted me and Twyla to take them to Tupelo for the last time so we did. We came back. They wanted us to stay out here in the yard until they left but we didn’t know when they left. They told us, “BYE,” and that’s when they left us. And we cried. Me and Twyla were crying and crying. And we went back in the kitchen (“WHEN WE”) when they left. And about that time Michael came back. (“AND HE SAID”) “TELL BILL I SAID ‘TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE ROSES.'” Then he took off again. (“WHAT WAS SAD” “BELL”) Bill (“TAUGHT”) told him that all the time. And we cried even more.
T: That was sad.
M: I know. (“ME AND YOU”)
T: That was like a — (“BIRD PREY”)
Q: Who’s in the house? (“WE NEED HELP”)
T: Somebody was peeking out that window.
Q: I just saw — I saw him too.
S: There shouldn’t be anybody in there.
R: Did you see it?
Q: I saw something in the lit window.
T: Oh my gosh. I seen that.
( . . . )
(“FATE”)
Q: Yeah, no — I — (“NO I SAT NEAR MARK” “YOU NEVER KNOW”)
M: (laughs)
K: Who’s in there?
M: Nobody.
S: Nobody. (“KNOW WHAT YOU DID” “OH MY YARD”)
R: This is everybody right here.
Q: It was just there for a moment. (“YEAH” “YOU KNOW LOOKING OUT FOR MARK” “WELL”)
T: He yelled something at the same time.
S: What did it look like? (“MELIG”)
Q: I couldn’t really see what was it. Something moved (“INSIDE”) beneath that window. (“PANE”) A shadow. (“GOOD I CAN TRACK IT DOWN”)
T: Oh man that was great. It looked like somebody just looked out (“GOOD-BYE”) for a second.
Q: A shadow wasn’t it?
T: Nobody’s in the house?
M: No. Brenda is now. (“YEAH”)
T: I couldn’t remember who all —
( . . . )
T: Oh my gosh. That was weird.
K: It was like something looked out and it just spooked him. (“NO” “MY DAD”)
M: Oh, who done this? (“OH HE BROUGHT IT”)
Q: Oh, he brought it (“OH”) in with him.
M: Oh. Scared me to death. (“OO WHO WHO”)
T: Gosh, man, I didn’t know he did. (“HUHH”)
M: I didn’t even know where — oh, she may be hungry. (“BAY”)
( . . . )
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THIS IS THE END OF MY TAPED INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1995. THE FOLLOWING WAS RECORDED IN MY HOTEL ROOM THAT EVENING.)
Q: (speaking into tape recorder) When I called Michael, my twin brother, to tell him about the day’s events, his bed all of a sudden mysteriously started to move up and down.
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: HIS EXACT WORDS WERE: “MY BED IS SHAKING.” THE UNEDITED DRAFT OF THE FIRST DAY INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS TOTALED 307 SINGLE-SPACED PAGES. LOOKING BACK, THE ONLY INDICATION THAT TIME WAS NOT PROGRESSING AT THE USUAL PACE IS THE FACT THAT TWYLA HAD TO CHANGE MEGAN’S DIAPERS SO MANY TIMES.)
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE OKLAHOMA INTERVIEWS WAS TRANSCRIBED IN ONE OR TWO DRAFTS IN THE PERIOD WHEN I WAS STILL GAINING EXPERTISE AS A TRANSCRIBER AND ACQUIRING THE EQUIPMENT THAT ENABLED ME TO BETTER HEAR THE SPIRIT MESSAGES AND RECOGNIZE LESS PROMINENT UNATTRIBUTED SOUNDS. WHAT FOLLOWS ON THIS TAPE SIDE WAS RECORDED ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 1995, MY SECOND DAY OF INTERVIEWS IN OKLAHOMA AND THE DAY OF JEARLD BELL’S FUNERAL WHICH I ATTENDED. I BEGAN MY DAY MAKING THE COMMUTE FROM ADA TO COALGATE AND TAPED THE FOLLOWING OFF THE RADIO FOR A SAMPLING OF LOCAL COLOR. ‘R’ DESIGNATES A SUCCESSION OF THREE RADIO COMMENTATORS.)
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R: “Open Bible Dialogue — Standing For the Holy Truth.” The Holy Bible says — listen to this — book of Psalms 119, 89: “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” I believe the words of God are settled, my friends. I believe that the book you can lean upon and depend upon — God has settled. And let me tell you something else. Jesus is the living word. The Bible says that Jesus was the word become flesh. The word became flesh and dwelled among us. So Jesus is the living word. The Bible is the written word and you can never separate the two of them. To do so is to do great injustice to your faith and your Christian life. Welcome back, Dr. Waite. What did you —
( . . . )
W: The Humphreys that used to live out by the hill. They say that they saw a UFO.
M: The girl who used to live here said she saw one.
W: Looking like an angel.
Q: You mean these type things?
W: Yeah. I’ve noticed that about aliens.
( . . . )
W: One time this table moved and it had to be replaced.
Q: What was wrong with it?
S: It was worn out.
Q: Yesterday when we were talking the table lurched.
W: This is the third table that we’ve had. That’s why these plastic chairs are in here now. Any other type of chair won’t last.
Q: I was told one story about how there had been a lot of activity outside and hand prints had been left on the window. Something similar happened in the Mumpesson case in England. Do you know what happened? There was a visit by the spirits of the children who died in the fire at the orphanage or something.
W: I was here. I was called to the house when those owls came out.
Q: How many owls were there?
W: Approximately from fifty to seventy-five owls.
Q: That’s quite unnerving. And I understand Centrahoma was once called Owl.
W: Centrahoma was the central switching point for the railroads and there were seven different railroads.
Q: That’s a good reason to call it Centrahoma.
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: A NATIVE AMERICAN FRIEND OF THE FAMILY—DESIGNATED ‘N’—VISITS AND I ASK HIM SOME QUESTIONS.)
Q: What Indian tribe is associated with the area?
N: This is Chickasaw country here. East of here is where the Choctaws lived.
Q: What about Boiling Springs? What Indians lived there?
N: I imagine mostly Chickasaw.
Q: There was a church I saw near an Indian burial ground. Was that Chickasaw too?
N: Well, there’s a lot of them out here.
M: You know where that round little church is, don’t you?
T: Round Lake.
Q: Is that Chickasaw too?
M: I guess.
Q: I’ll read about them. Do you think they’ll have any information about those Indians at the historical society?
N: Either that or the Chickasaw Nation Building.
M: They’ve got one in Ada.
Q: It’s always interesting to see what the local (“YEAH”) history and lore is when you visit somewhere.
( . . . )
T: Right over the fence there would be some copperheads. There was a huge one coiled up under his den. You should have seen that rattler — ohhhh.
S: What about that one we caught at the counter?
T: That was a copperhead, wasn’t it?
S: It was a water moccasin or something.
T: Usually, you don’t find —
( . . . )
Q: That was a parallel I can remember. What did you see exactly?
T: It was a little girl, I think. She was wearing something like a hospital gown.
Q: What about the time there were all those hand prints found on the window?
T: Oh yes. When they all came from the cemetery.
Q: What did Michael say?
T: He just said, “THEY’RE ALL COMING FROM THE CEMETERY.” It seemed like a whole bunch came. They were gone after one guy said five words. Witchcraft words.
Q: Were you scared?
T: Yeah. One of the words was “sator.” Each word had five letters. There were five five-letter words and one of them was “opera” — “Opera sator —”
( . . . )
W: It was just like it happened in slow motion.
K: He fell for thirty minutes before he hit the ground.
W: So Don called and a few minutes later I saw the same scene again. And then — what was her name that was out there?
T: Stacy.
W: Stacy was being interviewed. At about that same time she was asked, “How do you know this thing is Michael?” She said, “Well, Michael’s up there, right now.” And it was happening to me all over again.
Q: The chair?
W: The chair and the scene.
T: It’s funny but it looks just fine now.
W: But that was so comical the way it happened.
Q: I’m sure there are also some strange occurrences that have happened to you that you aren’t even aware of.
W: Like I said, for all of us there’s been so much happening.
Q: What I’m trying to figure out is the relationship of that meowing noise and Michael. Do you think the voice and the meowing sound are characteristics of the same entity?
W: To me, I don’t hear it as a meow. I hear him speak.
Q: That’s what I’ve been told but yesterday I heard a sound that was like a distant meowing.
W: A distant noise. Not here —
Q: Not here or anywhere. It’s sort of strange. Faraway. It sort of was here but not here at the same time.
M: It sounds faraway sometimes.
Q: How do you equate that sound with Michael’s voice?
M: I don’t have any idea. Once he was hollering “HELP ME, HELP ME.”
Q: Was it a squeaky voice?
M: There were a bunch of kids from Ada out here and it sounded like he was way back out in those woods hollering.
Q: So it tends to take on different personalities at different times?
M: Yeah, I think.
W: When they went on that digging episode out here trying to dig him up, they found at least five or six of his bones.
Q: (small laugh)
W: He would tell them, “I’M RIGHT HERE. I’M RIGHT HERE.” So they worked and worked and worked until finally . . .
M: I wish I understood it but I don’t.
J: He’s probably laughing at us.
M: He heaved a rock at Billy Joe one time that was five feet big at least. (laughs)
J: We’d throw rocks over that away and they’d come right back at you.
M: There were a bunch of Ada college kids out here. They hopped over the fence and threw rocks over there in the pond. Michael threw them back and, boy, something happened that night, didn’t it, Brenda? They came busting in the house, running in here. The time I opened that door I got hit right here with one of them wet rocks.
T: It didn’t hurt her.
M: But it didn’t hurt.
J: Remember when we stood out here and we were throwing rocks? We went out that way and couldn’t find anything. So we came back and it started from the other direction. The rocks just kept going around and around us.
M: It was like there were a whole bunch of them throwing rocks.
J: Yeah. When it started up we thought it was a bunch of kids or something around here throwing rocks at us. We kept looking and looking.
T: I remember the time when you got ran off by a rock so you had to leave.
M: That’s what I was talking about.
T: (laughs)
J: What really scared me was when that knife started at me.
M: A rock hit him out front once when he was sitting there eating.
T: It went bonk!
Q: Ouch.
M: It was about that big around and it was white-looking.
Q: But was the knife going toward people or just anywhere?
M: Well, Twyla got cut on the finger by a huge steak knife one time. He threw one that cut her finger.
Q: Are you sure the knife did it?
J: Yeah.
Q: Okay. Because there are other cases where small amounts of blood have been drawn. I don’t know what it means. What year was that? Was that an early occurrence or did it happen the year after it started?
M: That happened this year.
Q: Do you remember what month it was?
M: No. When LMNO came out here, they put two of them back in there and three in there — what do you call those things that they put up in the attic? They put about five of them in the house?
W: Lipstick cameras.
M: No. Monitors. And they heard something. They ran inside the house one day when something was moving up in the attic. They came in here and checked it out.
Q: I haven’t had time to listen to my tapes from yesterday but I was taping when it made various noises. I don’t know if the mewing will come out because it sounded sort of distant.
T: It’s on your tape.
Q: I don’t know if I can hear it. I’ll have to listen to it when it’s quiet.
M: Well, if you’re used to hearing it you can hear it.
Q: You heard it, right?
M: Yeah. It’s on your tape player.
Q: You heard it on my tape yesterday.
T: Yeah. Did you?
Q: I couldn’t hear it because I wasn’t really —
T: You have to get used to it.
M: That tape recorder makes it sound so funny too. That tape recorder you have.
Q: Well, it’s a microcassette recorder.
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: I USED AN OLYMPUS PEARLCORDER L-200.)
T: It’s not as clear as what we have on the tape recorder. I think it’s somewhere in the other room.
Q: Well, it’s not probably as strong as the most expensive models.
( . . . )
Q: They said the spirit pretending to be a mongoose had a squeaky voice. Mrs. Irving once reached up to it when she heard it say, —
T: Whoa.
Q: “REACH UP HERE AND YOU CAN FEEL ME.”
T: Michael has said that.
Q: What?
T: “REACH UP HERE AND YOU CAN FEEL ME.”
Q: Right. Well, one time when Mr. Irving reached up to feel his teeth “He nipped her and drew blood, afterwards apologizing and advising the use of ointment.”
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THIS WAS REPORTED IN THE HAUNTING OF CASHEN’S GAP BY HARRY PRICE AND R. S. LAMBERT. THE FOLLOWING IS A SAMPLE 1934 ENTRY IN THE BOOK’S APPENDIX A: CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF GEF’S ACTIVITIES, 1931-1935.)
July 20th. Two young visitors from Wavertree have tea at Doarlish Cashen. Gef refuses to speak but performs penny trick, also shuts Voirrey into her bedroom by means of catch fastening on the outside of her door. After the visitors’ departure Mrs. Irving scolds Gef for not talking to them and ignores his plea for food. Gef thumps on the paneling and after Voirrey has given him some biscuits throws the crumbs in her face. In reply to Mrs. Irving’s request to tell her what he is, Gef replies: “OF COURSE I KNOW WHAT I AM AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET TO KNOW AND YOU ARE ONLY GRIGGED BECAUSE I WON’T TELL YOU. I MIGHT LET YOU SEE ME SOME TIME BUT THOU WILT NEVER GET TO KNOW WHAT I AM.”
Q: So there’s a vampire element.
T: Once he told Mama he was going to show itself. He said, “COME ROLL YOUR BLANKET BACK AND I’LL SHOW YOU MYSELF.” It looked like there was a body laying there and she pulled the blanket back. There was a mask there. Wasn’t it a Halloween mask that you found after Michael told you to pull back the blanket to see what was there?
J: Yeah.
T: He said “HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.”
( . . . )
B: They just got over there, though. (“YEAH”)
M: Yeah, but he had just about everything —
B: They just got there.
M: — going to take Kim to Ada. (“UH-HUH” )
T: There’s another car pulling up there too.
Y: Mama.
M: “I’m going to go get him some clothes to wear tomorrow.” That’s all I know.
B: They just left a few minutes before you all got here. (“UHHHH”)
Y: Mama. ([FIONA MANNING] “HI”)
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THE VOICE OF MY FRIEND FIONA MANNING CAN HE HEARD ON THE TAPE HERE.)
M: I’ve got to go put some of that stuff up in the kitchen and clean up.
Y: Mama.
M: I’m wore out.
( . . . )
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THERE IS A STRANGE HUMMING SOUND HEARD ON THE TAPE HERE AS STEVE SPEAKS.)
S: I think I hear another owl’s call. (“POLICE WORK”)
K: This one’s high-pitched.
Q: I think I heard it too.
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THE HUMMING SOUND ENDS HERE.)
(“COME ON NOW”)
T: Yeah, it’s close.
Q: You’ve heard them call your name too?
R: No.
Q (to Brenda) But you have?
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: A MOMENTARY TAPE RECORDER MALFUNCTION IS HEARD ON THE TAPE HERE.)
(“RIGHT”)
B: Yeah.
S: That doesn’t sound like an owl, whatever it is. (“DOESN’T IT”) It sounded like Michael.
Q: I sort of heard a (“LITTLE HOOT”) hoot.
T: The owl?
M: Michael, are you (“WHO”) out there?
T: Oh. (“WHO”)
S: It sounded like it was coming from way up over there.
M: Get out of them bushes, Michael. (“HEAR THAT”)
K: There it is.
M: Way up there. (“IN LOS ANGELES”)
T: One time the neighbors (“DON’T LOOK”) came over. (“RACHEL YEAH” “MARK” “GIVE SHERRY THE BOOK”) Some time the neighbor was coming over (“EVERYWHERE” “TO BED”) to steal Bill and Mama’s tiller.
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THERE IS THE SOUND OF A HORSE WHINNY IN THE DISTANCE HEARD ON THE TAPE HERE)
M: That’s a horse there.
T: And he started it up and took off with it. And Michael said, “BILL, THERE’S SOMEBODY STEALING YOUR TILLER. GET HIM. GET HIM.”
Q: Oh my Gosh. ( “THAT WAS”)
T: Wasn’t that funny?
Q: That’s what the Bell Witch did.
M: We loaned that to the neighbors. (“IT”)
Q: Once the spirit told the family “THEM DAMN SHAKERS SHAN’T STOP THIS TIME” and perfectly impersonated the voice of one of their slaves to send the dogs after them and drive them away.
M: Oh really?
B: Did you tell him about that horse talking? (“HM HM HA” “YOU KNOW ABOUT —” “PEARL” “— FINANCIAL PLAN”)
K: Show us the book. (“UH”)
Q: You know, it’s probably not a good idea. (“PEOPLE”) They’d probably think if any of you had read it — it could be hurtful later on in terms of your (“CRE”) credibility or things like that. (“IT DOESN’T REALLY”) Reading about the Bell Witch isn’t really satisfying because it’s sort of piecemeal, anyway. It’s very similar to your case. I just don’t think — at this point anyway (“IT WOULD”) it would be a good idea. Because there’s many different articles and versions of the story. (“BUT” “YOU KNOW”) I think you really should check (“THE ANC”) your ancestry in terms of (“THE — THE”) the Bells (“WHY”) to see if (“NO”) your family tree hooks up somewhere.
T: That would be weird, wouldn’t it? (“TOTALLY WEIRD”)
R: The last thing you worked on was (“WELL HE — HE”) similar to this one?
Q: He chose the husband (“FOR”) for the daughter in the family. He didn’t want her to be with another of her suitors and paired her up with another one.
R: Oh, it was a woman?
Q: Well, the (“MAIN THING”) — the daughter was sort of like the battery. She would have fainting spells and —
W: (to Maxine) How far can you go back with the Bells? (“ME”)
M: I don’t know. We had a family tree of them once. (“NIGGER” “WELL SOMEBODY TALKED TO BILL” “YEAH” “HU HU HA” “UH-HUH” “DID IT BRANCH OUT”)
Q: They probably have at the library where Brenda got — (“YOU KNOW THAT”) that information about the previous Bell family. Probably that would be the same place to get more information. (“YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS” “THEY’RE STRAIGHTER THAN WILLIAM”) Actually, I think libraries offer interlibrary loans. (“NO” “I PROBABLY CAN EVEN”) I probably can research that from L.A. even.
T: As usual the family is broke.
M: You must have names though, don’t you?
Q: Well, yeah, but you sometimes get lucky when you start to research something. (“YOU KNOW”)
K: Daddy’s mama had a weird name, didn’t she?
B: Swatzell.
K: No. Her first name. (“ZONA”)
M: Zona.
T: Zona Leona.
Q: (small laugh) Zona Leona.
R: That ain’t weird.
T: That is a weird name.
B: That sounded like a song to me (“SHHHHHH”) — Zona Leona! (laughs)
S: Sounds like somebody into the cards and things. (“WHY’D YOU DO THAT” “NO” “THE TWILIGHT ZONE” “YOU BEEN PAYING INTERCOURSE” “FULL MOON HAVE LONG TO LIVE” “MARDUK IS GOING TO LIVE IN COALGATE NEXT YEAR” “THROW ME ON THE TRUCK”)
T: What did you say (“MAMA” “HERE” “KAREN [PHONETIC SPELLING] IMMATEAR”) was the name of your psychic friend that I reminded you of? The one who reads Tarot cards?
Q: Her name is Fiona. (“WHAT”) Strange name. (“YEAH”)
M: Is that right?
Q: Fiona Manning. She’s of Greek and Australian ancestry. She lives in L.A. now. (“WITH HER” “NO” “EH EH EH HE” “I HATE” “YOU KNOW”) When I first met her she was first working for the soap opera magazines as the liaison for Australia. But now she’s reading Tarot cards for a living at a psychic bookstore. (“HUH”) I don’t really think she is psychic but I think the Tarot cards help her a lot.
B: I’d love to get some of those cards.
M: I have to go check the stereo. (“JUST LIKE MY AUNT ELEANOR” “WHAT’S THAT”)
( . . . )
(“M”)
Q: I heard that too. (“IT SOUND”) It might have been a horse. (“BUT”) It was very —
T: Good — a hound dog. (“I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU” “ADAM”)
Q: It’s amazing what little things you hear — what strange little noises. (“I KNOW” “COUNTRY NEEDS TIRES” “AM”)
T: What kind of night sounds do you hear in L.A.? Gunshots? (“YEAH” “OOH WHO WHO WHO WHO”)
Q: Yeah. You hear a lot of gunshots. (“MINE” “RAW GANG UP”)
T: Like we hear the crickets. (“FOOTPRINT” “YEAH” “MEXICO”)
Q: And helicopters. (“YOU KNOW THE WAY”) Helicopters are flying over head constantly. They’re either the police or the TV news shows. (“SIGH” “HEAR A GUNSHOT NOW AND THEN”) Of course, the earthquakes rumble and then sometimes when (“RIGHT”) the space shuttle lands (“NO”) nearby you hear two big booms.
M: What town do you live in?
Q: In L.A. (“WHAT I MEAN”) It’s the Echo Park district.
M: His sister lives in Pomona.
Q: That’s a bit way out. (“YEAH”)
W: I’ve lived in Orange County. I’ve lived in Anaheim. I’ve lived in Pomona, Torrance and Buena Park. (“AND YOU’VE LIVED GOOD”)
M: Anaheim is in Orange County. (“BORN IN”)
S: My other side of the family lived in Sacramento. (“OH” “BROTHER” “COCONUT” “DO YOU”) Are you from California? (“DID YOU KILL GRANDMA” “YEAH” “OKLAHOMA CITY”) Have you ever heard of Exeter?
Q: I’ve heard of it. (“MY FAMILY LIVES HERE”) Yeah, I — (“DON’T THINK”)
S: That’s where I was born at. (“NOT IN OKLAHOMA”)
R: You heard of Chico? (“CAR” “UH-HUH”)
Q: Yeah. (“ST. LOUIS IS GOING TO WIN IT THIS YEAR” “AND” “MY FAMILY” “CINDY” “EXACTLY” “CALL DON SHERRY AND BARRY” “WE HEARD SOMETHING IN THE HOUSE”)
T: We don’t like our neighbors. (“YEAH” “BACK THAT WAY” “SOMEWHERE”)
K: I think mosquitoes are eating me up. (“I THINK IT HITS YOU” “HAL” “FATHER” “HOPE” “YOUR OUT HOUSE BACK THERE” “YEAH I KNOW” “GIVE SHERRY THAT BOOK” “OKAY” “I’VE ARRIVED” “WELL”)
Q: If I had to guess, I would say your attic is where probably (“IS”) most of it is going on. (“TED”) Whatever it is. (“OH REALLY” “YEAH WHATEVER IT IS”)
T: You remember that time (“PHENOMENA”) when we had to move that door to get to the attic? (“DOME” “YEAH”) He nailed it shut one time. (“NO” “HE WAS”)
W: The nails were gone. (“THEY WISH”)
M: They took them all.
Q: Oh sure. Yeah. (“NO” “NAILS DON’T BOTHER ME” “HAVE FAITH”)
T: (about Megan) I think so. You smell her?
K: You smell her from over there?
R: I don’t smell her. (“ELLER” “WHY” “PROBABLY YOU ALL ARE IN ON IT” “CLEARLY THEY FELT IT WAS YOUR TURN” “SORRY I’M —” “SO WHY” “ACTUALLY IT’S THIS TREE I THINK” “— ABOUT TO GO OVER THERE AND” “KNOT”)
T: This is the fourth time she has pooped and I’m not going to change her. (“WHAT PROOF DO I BUILD” “A NEW CAR” “HURRYING HERE” “SOMETIMES YOU’RE MAD”)
( . . . )
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: I FOREGO INDICATING UNATTRIBUTED SOUNDS FOR REMAINDER OF THIS SECTION OF TAPE. A BETTER DESCRIPTION FOR THE MAJORITY OF THESE SOUNDS MAY BE TAP-DANCING. I REACHED THIS CONCLUSION AFTER TELLING MY FRIEND JENNIFER ABOUT THE SOUNDS. SHE HUMOROUSLY COMMENTED THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY EVEN TAP-DANCING GOING ON. JENNIFER HAS WORKED IN THE PARAMOUNT PUBLICITY DEPARTMENT AND AT ROGERS & COWAN. )
Q: Sometimes when you say “Throw a stone” it does. (“TAKE THE BUTTER KNIFE” “YES”) I mean, would it do that now? (“FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE” “GO TO HELL” “NO WAY” “PARADED ON OVER” “OUTSIDE LOOK AT YOUR HAT” “HM HM HM” “WHAT” “I THINK IADA KNOWS MATT” “HM HM HM”)
T: Michael, throw something.
M: Throw something on the table, Michael. (“MOVE THIS THING YOU KNOW”)
T: He never moved this outside one, has he?
M: Um-uh.
W: Michael. (“I NEED THREE TRIPS STEVE” “MARK”)
M: He’s too weak to move this one.
W: Michael. (“THIS” “YEAH RIGHT” “I WOULD” “WELL I DON’T KNOW” “THINK SO” “PUT CANE OVER MEGAN’S BUTT”)
M: Bill used to tell him that all the time. (“OO WHO WHO WHO WHO WHO” “I MET” “WITH ALL THE LITTLE PEOPLE” “ANYONE HE’LL TAKE” “WE’RE MAKING A NEW FILM” “REALLY”) A whole bunch of them here one time said they were going to leave and they weren’t coming back. They wanted me and Twyla to take them to Tupelo for the last time so we did. We came back. They wanted us to stay out here in the yard until they left but we didn’t know when they left. They told us, “BYE,” and that’s when they left us. And we cried. Me and Twyla were crying and crying. And we went back in the kitchen (“WHEN WE”) when they left. And about that time Michael came back. (“AND HE SAID”) “TELL BILL I SAID ‘TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE ROSES.'” Then he took off again. (“WHAT WAS SAD” “BELL”) Bill (“TAUGHT”) told him that all the time. And we cried even more.
T: That was sad.
M: I know. (“ME AND YOU”)
T: That was like a — (“BIRD PREY”)
Q: Who’s in the house? (“WE NEED HELP”)
T: Somebody was peeking out that window.
Q: I just saw — I saw him too.
S: There shouldn’t be anybody in there.
R: Did you see it?
Q: I saw something in the lit window.
T: Oh my gosh. I seen that.
( . . . )
(“FATE”)
Q: Yeah, no — I — (“NO I SAT NEAR MARK” “YOU NEVER KNOW”)
M: (laughs)
K: Who’s in there?
M: Nobody.
S: Nobody. (“KNOW WHAT YOU DID” “OH MY YARD”)
R: This is everybody right here.
Q: It was just there for a moment. (“YEAH” “YOU KNOW LOOKING OUT FOR MARK” “WELL”)
T: He yelled something at the same time.
S: What did it look like? (“MELIG”)
Q: I couldn’t really see what was it. Something moved (“INSIDE”) beneath that window. (“PANE”) A shadow. (“GOOD I CAN TRACK IT DOWN”)
T: Oh man that was great. It looked like somebody just looked out (“GOOD-BYE”) for a second.
Q: A shadow wasn’t it?
T: Nobody’s in the house?
M: No. Brenda is now. (“YEAH”)
T: I couldn’t remember who all —
( . . . )
T: Oh my gosh. That was weird.
K: It was like something looked out and it just spooked him. (“NO” “MY DAD”)
M: Oh, who done this? (“OH HE BROUGHT IT”)
Q: Oh, he brought it (“OH”) in with him.
M: Oh. Scared me to death. (“OO WHO WHO”)
T: Gosh, man, I didn’t know he did. (“HUHH”)
M: I didn’t even know where — oh, she may be hungry. (“BAY”)
( . . . )
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THIS IS THE END OF MY TAPED INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1995. THE FOLLOWING WAS RECORDED IN MY HOTEL ROOM THAT EVENING.)
Q: (speaking into tape recorder) When I called Michael, my twin brother, to tell him about the day’s events, his bed all of a sudden mysteriously started to move up and down.
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: HIS EXACT WORDS WERE: “MY BED IS SHAKING.” THE UNEDITED DRAFT OF THE FIRST DAY INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS TOTALED 307 SINGLE-SPACED PAGES. LOOKING BACK, THE ONLY INDICATION THAT TIME WAS NOT PROGRESSING AT THE USUAL PACE IS THE FACT THAT TWYLA HAD TO CHANGE MEGAN’S DIAPERS SO MANY TIMES.)
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE OKLAHOMA INTERVIEWS WAS TRANSCRIBED IN ONE OR TWO DRAFTS IN THE PERIOD WHEN I WAS STILL GAINING EXPERTISE AS A TRANSCRIBER AND ACQUIRING THE EQUIPMENT THAT ENABLED ME TO BETTER HEAR THE SPIRIT MESSAGES AND RECOGNIZE LESS PROMINENT UNATTRIBUTED SOUNDS. WHAT FOLLOWS ON THIS TAPE SIDE WAS RECORDED ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 1995, MY SECOND DAY OF INTERVIEWS IN OKLAHOMA AND THE DAY OF JEARLD BELL’S FUNERAL WHICH I ATTENDED. I BEGAN MY DAY MAKING THE COMMUTE FROM ADA TO COALGATE AND TAPED THE FOLLOWING OFF THE RADIO FOR A SAMPLING OF LOCAL COLOR. ‘R’ DESIGNATES A SUCCESSION OF THREE RADIO COMMENTATORS.)
R: . . . All of hell is rehearsing for Armageddon. “The Antichrist, Beast From Hell” and two others. This beautiful album is yours for $24.95. You can order today by calling right now. Remember now, Jesus Christ is the only one who has beaten the Devil. And you have that victory over the Devil by trusting Christ and obeying the holy scripture.
R: The NIV Bible is being pushed by the new liberal evangelicals because it is soft on lifestyles and allows more flexibility in doctrine. It is clearly a bible that will help bring the Catholics in what used to be Bible-believing churches together for the great horror of revelation. The new world religion needs a bible accepted by the Catholics, Protestants, Jehovah Witnesses, etc., and even new agents. The NIV is such a bible. Our album entitled “The NIV and Homosexuality” has made an incredible impact all across America and several countries. You can learn about this one world religion bible yourself. This album is available for a $19.95 gift to our radio ministry. You can call today and order your album. This will educate you, educate your pastor, your Sunday school teacher, your friends. You need this album. I hope you call today.
R: “Open Bible Dialogue — Standing For the Holy Truth.” The Holy Bible says — listen to this — book of Psalms 119, 89: “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” I believe the words of God are settled, my friends. I believe that the book you can lean upon and depend upon — God has settled. And let me tell you something else. Jesus is the living word. The Bible says that Jesus was the word become flesh. The word became flesh and dwelled among us. So Jesus is the living word. The Bible is the written word and you can never separate the two of them. To do so is to do great injustice to your faith and your Christian life. Welcome back, Dr. Waite. What did you —
( . . . )
W: The Humphreys that used to live out by the hill. They say that they saw a UFO.
M: The girl who used to live here said she saw one.
W: Looking like an angel.
Q: You mean these type things?
W: Yeah. I’ve noticed that about aliens.
( . . . )
W: One time this table moved and it had to be replaced.
Q: What was wrong with it?
S: It was worn out.
Q: Yesterday when we were talking the table lurched.
W: This is the third table that we’ve had. That’s why these plastic chairs are in here now. Any other type of chair won’t last.
Q: I was told one story about how there had been a lot of activity outside and hand prints had been left on the window. Something similar happened in the Mumpesson case in England. Do you know what happened? There was a visit by the spirits of the children who died in the fire at the orphanage or something.
W: I was here. I was called to the house when those owls came out.
Q: How many owls were there?
W: Approximately from fifty to seventy-five owls.
Q: That’s quite unnerving. And I understand Centrahoma was once called Owl.
W: Centrahoma was the central switching point for the railroads and there were seven different railroads.
Q: That’s a good reason to call it Centrahoma.
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: A NATIVE AMERICAN FRIEND OF THE FAMILY—DESIGNATED ‘N’—VISITS AND I ASK HIM SOME QUESTIONS.)
Q: What Indian tribe is associated with the area?
N: This is Chickasaw country here. East of here is where the Choctaws lived.
Q: What about Boiling Springs? What Indians lived there?
N: I imagine mostly Chickasaw.
Q: There was a church I saw near an Indian burial ground. Was that Chickasaw too?
N: Well, there’s a lot of them out here.
M: You know where that round little church is, don’t you?
T: Round Lake.
Q: Is that Chickasaw too?
M: I guess.
Q: I’ll read about them. Do you think they’ll have any information about those Indians at the historical society?
N: Either that or the Chickasaw Nation Building.
M: They’ve got one in Ada.
Q: It’s always interesting to see what the local (“YEAH”) history and lore is when you visit somewhere.
( . . . )
T: Right over the fence there would be some copperheads. There was a huge one coiled up under his den. You should have seen that rattler — ohhhh.
S: What about that one we caught at the counter?
T: That was a copperhead, wasn’t it?
S: It was a water moccasin or something.
T: Usually, you don’t find —
( . . . )
Q: That was a parallel I can remember. What did you see exactly?
T: It was a little girl, I think. She was wearing something like a hospital gown.
Q: What about the time there were all those hand prints found on the window?
T: Oh yes. When they all came from the cemetery.
Q: What did Michael say?
T: He just said, “THEY’RE ALL COMING FROM THE CEMETERY.” It seemed like a whole bunch came. They were gone after one guy said five words. Witchcraft words.
Q: Were you scared?
T: Yeah. One of the words was “sator.” Each word had five letters. There were five five-letter words and one of them was “opera” — “Opera sator —”
( . . . )
W: It was just like it happened in slow motion.
K: He fell for thirty minutes before he hit the ground.
W: So Don called and a few minutes later I saw the same scene again. And then — what was her name that was out there?
T: Stacy.
W: Stacy was being interviewed. At about that same time she was asked, “How do you know this thing is Michael?” She said, “Well, Michael’s up there, right now.” And it was happening to me all over again.
Q: The chair?
W: The chair and the scene.
T: It’s funny but it looks just fine now.
W: But that was so comical the way it happened.
Q: I’m sure there are also some strange occurrences that have happened to you that you aren’t even aware of.
W: Like I said, for all of us there’s been so much happening.
Q: What I’m trying to figure out is the relationship of that meowing noise and Michael. Do you think the voice and the meowing sound are characteristics of the same entity?
W: To me, I don’t hear it as a meow. I hear him speak.
Q: That’s what I’ve been told but yesterday I heard a sound that was like a distant meowing.
W: A distant noise. Not here —
Q: Not here or anywhere. It’s sort of strange. Faraway. It sort of was here but not here at the same time.
M: It sounds faraway sometimes.
Q: How do you equate that sound with Michael’s voice?
M: I don’t have any idea. Once he was hollering “HELP ME, HELP ME.”
Q: Was it a squeaky voice?
M: There were a bunch of kids from Ada out here and it sounded like he was way back out in those woods hollering.
Q: So it tends to take on different personalities at different times?
M: Yeah, I think.
W: When they went on that digging episode out here trying to dig him up, they found at least five or six of his bones.
Q: (small laugh)
W: He would tell them, “I’M RIGHT HERE. I’M RIGHT HERE.” So they worked and worked and worked until finally . . .
M: I wish I understood it but I don’t.
J: He’s probably laughing at us.
M: He heaved a rock at Billy Joe one time that was five feet big at least. (laughs)
J: We’d throw rocks over that away and they’d come right back at you.
M: There were a bunch of Ada college kids out here. They hopped over the fence and threw rocks over there in the pond. Michael threw them back and, boy, something happened that night, didn’t it, Brenda? They came busting in the house, running in here. The time I opened that door I got hit right here with one of them wet rocks.
T: It didn’t hurt her.
M: But it didn’t hurt.
J: Remember when we stood out here and we were throwing rocks? We went out that way and couldn’t find anything. So we came back and it started from the other direction. The rocks just kept going around and around us.
M: It was like there were a whole bunch of them throwing rocks.
J: Yeah. When it started up we thought it was a bunch of kids or something around here throwing rocks at us. We kept looking and looking.
T: I remember the time when you got ran off by a rock so you had to leave.
M: That’s what I was talking about.
T: (laughs)
J: What really scared me was when that knife started at me.
M: A rock hit him out front once when he was sitting there eating.
T: It went bonk!
Q: Ouch.
M: It was about that big around and it was white-looking.
Q: But was the knife going toward people or just anywhere?
M: Well, Twyla got cut on the finger by a huge steak knife one time. He threw one that cut her finger.
Q: Are you sure the knife did it?
J: Yeah.
Q: Okay. Because there are other cases where small amounts of blood have been drawn. I don’t know what it means. What year was that? Was that an early occurrence or did it happen the year after it started?
M: That happened this year.
Q: Do you remember what month it was?
M: No. When LMNO came out here, they put two of them back in there and three in there — what do you call those things that they put up in the attic? They put about five of them in the house?
W: Lipstick cameras.
M: No. Monitors. And they heard something. They ran inside the house one day when something was moving up in the attic. They came in here and checked it out.
Q: I haven’t had time to listen to my tapes from yesterday but I was taping when it made various noises. I don’t know if the mewing will come out because it sounded sort of distant.
T: It’s on your tape.
Q: I don’t know if I can hear it. I’ll have to listen to it when it’s quiet.
M: Well, if you’re used to hearing it you can hear it.
Q: You heard it, right?
M: Yeah. It’s on your tape player.
Q: You heard it on my tape yesterday.
T: Yeah. Did you?
Q: I couldn’t hear it because I wasn’t really —
T: You have to get used to it.
M: That tape recorder makes it sound so funny too. That tape recorder you have.
Q: Well, it’s a microcassette recorder.
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: I USED AN OLYMPUS PEARLCORDER L-200.)
T: It’s not as clear as what we have on the tape recorder. I think it’s somewhere in the other room.
Q: Well, it’s not probably as strong as the most expensive models.
( . . . )
Q: They said the spirit pretending to be a mongoose had a squeaky voice. Mrs. Irving once reached up to it when she heard it say, —
T: Whoa.
Q: “REACH UP HERE AND YOU CAN FEEL ME.”
T: Michael has said that.
Q: What?
T: “REACH UP HERE AND YOU CAN FEEL ME.”
Q: Right. Well, one time when Mr. Irving reached up to feel his teeth “He nipped her and drew blood, afterwards apologizing and advising the use of ointment.”
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THIS WAS REPORTED IN THE HAUNTING OF CASHEN’S GAP BY HARRY PRICE AND R. S. LAMBERT. THE FOLLOWING IS A SAMPLE 1934 ENTRY IN THE BOOK’S APPENDIX A: CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF GEF’S ACTIVITIES, 1931-1935.)
July 20th. Two young visitors from Wavertree have tea at Doarlish Cashen. Gef refuses to speak but performs penny trick, also shuts Voirrey into her bedroom by means of catch fastening on the outside of her door. After the visitors’ departure Mrs. Irving scolds Gef for not talking to them and ignores his plea for food. Gef thumps on the paneling and after Voirrey has given him some biscuits throws the crumbs in her face. In reply to Mrs. Irving’s request to tell her what he is, Gef replies: “OF COURSE I KNOW WHAT I AM AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET TO KNOW AND YOU ARE ONLY GRIGGED BECAUSE I WON’T TELL YOU. I MIGHT LET YOU SEE ME SOME TIME BUT THOU WILT NEVER GET TO KNOW WHAT I AM.”
Q: So there’s a vampire element.
T: Once he told Mama he was going to show itself. He said, “COME ROLL YOUR BLANKET BACK AND I’LL SHOW YOU MYSELF.” It looked like there was a body laying there and she pulled the blanket back. There was a mask there. Wasn’t it a Halloween mask that you found after Michael told you to pull back the blanket to see what was there?
J: Yeah.
T: He said “HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.”
( . . . )
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THE FOLLOWING IS A PORTION OF THE FUNERAL SERVICES I DECIDED TO RECORD IN CASE THE SPIRIT SPOKE OR THIS SCENE WOULD LATER PROVE IMPORTANT TO THE CONCEPTUALIZED FILM. THE REVEREND IS BENNIE MATTHEWS [DESIGNATED ‘V’].)
V: . . . because it neither sees him nor knows him but you know him for he’s well with you and will be in you. Therefore, he says, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives — give I unto you. Let not your hearts be troubled. Neither let them be afraid.” I pray that you’ll be comforted by these words of our lord Jesus Christ as he told us of the comfort that comes to us through the Holy Spirit who dwells within.
( . . . )
V: . . . (Jearld was born in) 1935 in Coalgate. Jearld passed away Thursday, August the 10th at the age of fifty-nine. He’s affiliated with the Tupelo Church of Christ. Jearld is survived by one son, Jerry Bell of Wylie, Texas; four daughters — Marla Ward of Lula, Oklahoma; Brenda Bell of Centrahoma; Kim Carrell of Centrahoma; Twyla Eller of Eureka, Oklahoma; his ex-wife, Reba Maxine McWethy of Centrahoma, Oklahoma; and ten grandchildren. He loved to tell about his grandchildren. He’s very proud of his grandchildren. He had pictures on his wall that I used to see and talk to him about. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ardrey and Zona Leona Swatzell Bell and also a brother, Ardrey Bell, Jr. I’ve known Jearld for about a year. He was one of my first patients when we opened our offices in Ada. When we first started visiting with Jearld he was home at Centrahoma and we all enjoyed going to see him because he was such a happy person. He was such a sincere fellow. He loved people. He loved to visit. He was a server. He had a serving spirit. He would do anything for you, I think, that he could do to help you out. In fact, he used to be a provider for some folks and take care of their needs. Until he got to where he had to have his own needs taken care of, and so he had to quit helping others and receive the help. I think that was a little bit hard for him to do because he was not used to being so much on the receiving end. That’s hard for a lot of us to do but he prayed to God to come into his life and into his heart. And he was able to do that graciously. As I already said, he had quite a wit and a sense of humor. When all the nurses, the social worker and I went to see him, we always enjoyed his sense of humor. He would discuss any subject with you and he has an opinion just like we all do on things. And he didn’t try to push his opinions on anybody. He was an easygoing fellow and he’s certainly going to be missed by all of us at hospital. We were glad to be able to have him as long as we did but we didn’t want to see him suffer longer. I believe it was last week when I saw Jearld last that he was wondering if I was going to get back in time. I’ve been gone to the Ukraine and he wanted to make sure I was here. And he needed me. And I believe that he partially hung on so that I could get back because he certainly got to know me well enough that he wanted me to continue to be his friend and do this last thing for him. I was glad I was able to be back in time to do it. He was suffering an awful lot. We don’t want him to suffer. We’re glad to know that he’s with the Lord now. I’m happy to say that I spoke with him about the Lord on several occasions, trying to give him the confidence that I knew he could have as a believer in Christ Jesus of where he would be when he left this world. And I believe that he had that —
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: AN UNATTRIBUTED HUMMING NOISE BEGINS ON THE TAPE HERE.)
V: — confidence when he left this world. He had received Jesus Christ as his lord and savior. He had grown a great deal —
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THE HUMMING NOISE ENDS HERE.)
V: — in the past year. Even before that time, though, he had been drawing in the Lord. He told me one time that he wished he had gotten close with the Lord years earlier so he wouldn’t have wasted some years prior to this difficult time in his life when he felt that he was. I told Jearld that the important thing was that he knows the Lord now and that he is going to be with the Lord when he leaves this world, and so he was ready to go. He told me just about a week ago, as I said, that he was ready to go and he was tired of being sick and all the trials and tribulations that went with that. He was ready for a new spiritual body and I’m happy to stand before you today and say I have all the confidence in the world that there’s where he is now — with the Lord. Now those of us who look forward to seeing him again will have to have done the same things Jearld has done, will have to make peace with God through Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and then we too can have confidence that when we leave this life we will go to be not only with the Lord but with Jearld and all of the loved ones who are now the saints in the light with the Lord in his presence. I wanted to read to you from Romans, Chapter Eight, because this is a piece of scripture that talks about the sons of God, and I think of Jearld when I read these words from the apostle Paul to the church in Rome. He said, —
( . . . )
V: Jearld knew what suffering was. Now our friend Jearld, our beloved brother in Christ, knows what glory in the Lord is like. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?” Paul’s answer is No. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. . . . Amen. Now may the peace of God, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
( . . . )
M: We’re going to head to the car. We appreciate it.
Q: How do you feel?
T: I feel fine.
Q: That was nice — that sermon.
M: It was sad.
T: It’s so much easier, I think, if you know what’s coming. Not like a car wreck. I wish we had air today. Wind. I’ve got a summer cold and I’ve been sneezing all morning. It’s about to kill me. The summer colds are worse than the winter ones.
Q: It’s hard for your body to adjust going from the hot weather outside to the cool temperatures inside with the air conditioners. Did you stay close with Jearld even after you remarried?
M: Oh yeah.
Q: That’s always nice.
M: I took care of him until he got a bed sore on his back about that big. I mean it was about that deep.
Q: Oohh.
M: The hospice nurses came out and they showed me how to doctor it but they finally had to take him to the hospital in Ada. That’s when they moved him to that nursing home.
( . . . )
Q: Who is she arguing with or —
B: Fae. Fae said she’s sorry.
Q: What did they disagree about?
M: Kim wants to be a boss too.
Q: But she’s not even the oldest, is she?
W: Fae’s the oldest.
M: No, Jerry’s the oldest, then Fae and then Brenda and then Kim.
Q: Who is Jerry married to?
M: Elnora.
( . . . )
Q: Do I go straight now?
W: Yeah.
Q: Does it cause Desireé any problems being of mixed racial ancestry?
M: Nuh-uh.
Q: I wouldn’t think so. Oklahoma’s pretty integrated.
M: Yeah.
Q: Even though you always hear about Klan activities or hate crimes happening just about everywhere. There’s always some people who don’t have a life and need to do something to pass the time.
W: They have them back here, what the hell. They’re called KKK.
V: . . . because it neither sees him nor knows him but you know him for he’s well with you and will be in you. Therefore, he says, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives — give I unto you. Let not your hearts be troubled. Neither let them be afraid.” I pray that you’ll be comforted by these words of our lord Jesus Christ as he told us of the comfort that comes to us through the Holy Spirit who dwells within.
( . . . )
V: . . . (Jearld was born in) 1935 in Coalgate. Jearld passed away Thursday, August the 10th at the age of fifty-nine. He’s affiliated with the Tupelo Church of Christ. Jearld is survived by one son, Jerry Bell of Wylie, Texas; four daughters — Marla Ward of Lula, Oklahoma; Brenda Bell of Centrahoma; Kim Carrell of Centrahoma; Twyla Eller of Eureka, Oklahoma; his ex-wife, Reba Maxine McWethy of Centrahoma, Oklahoma; and ten grandchildren. He loved to tell about his grandchildren. He’s very proud of his grandchildren. He had pictures on his wall that I used to see and talk to him about. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ardrey and Zona Leona Swatzell Bell and also a brother, Ardrey Bell, Jr. I’ve known Jearld for about a year. He was one of my first patients when we opened our offices in Ada. When we first started visiting with Jearld he was home at Centrahoma and we all enjoyed going to see him because he was such a happy person. He was such a sincere fellow. He loved people. He loved to visit. He was a server. He had a serving spirit. He would do anything for you, I think, that he could do to help you out. In fact, he used to be a provider for some folks and take care of their needs. Until he got to where he had to have his own needs taken care of, and so he had to quit helping others and receive the help. I think that was a little bit hard for him to do because he was not used to being so much on the receiving end. That’s hard for a lot of us to do but he prayed to God to come into his life and into his heart. And he was able to do that graciously. As I already said, he had quite a wit and a sense of humor. When all the nurses, the social worker and I went to see him, we always enjoyed his sense of humor. He would discuss any subject with you and he has an opinion just like we all do on things. And he didn’t try to push his opinions on anybody. He was an easygoing fellow and he’s certainly going to be missed by all of us at hospital. We were glad to be able to have him as long as we did but we didn’t want to see him suffer longer. I believe it was last week when I saw Jearld last that he was wondering if I was going to get back in time. I’ve been gone to the Ukraine and he wanted to make sure I was here. And he needed me. And I believe that he partially hung on so that I could get back because he certainly got to know me well enough that he wanted me to continue to be his friend and do this last thing for him. I was glad I was able to be back in time to do it. He was suffering an awful lot. We don’t want him to suffer. We’re glad to know that he’s with the Lord now. I’m happy to say that I spoke with him about the Lord on several occasions, trying to give him the confidence that I knew he could have as a believer in Christ Jesus of where he would be when he left this world. And I believe that he had that —
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: AN UNATTRIBUTED HUMMING NOISE BEGINS ON THE TAPE HERE.)
V: — confidence when he left this world. He had received Jesus Christ as his lord and savior. He had grown a great deal —
(TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THE HUMMING NOISE ENDS HERE.)
V: — in the past year. Even before that time, though, he had been drawing in the Lord. He told me one time that he wished he had gotten close with the Lord years earlier so he wouldn’t have wasted some years prior to this difficult time in his life when he felt that he was. I told Jearld that the important thing was that he knows the Lord now and that he is going to be with the Lord when he leaves this world, and so he was ready to go. He told me just about a week ago, as I said, that he was ready to go and he was tired of being sick and all the trials and tribulations that went with that. He was ready for a new spiritual body and I’m happy to stand before you today and say I have all the confidence in the world that there’s where he is now — with the Lord. Now those of us who look forward to seeing him again will have to have done the same things Jearld has done, will have to make peace with God through Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and then we too can have confidence that when we leave this life we will go to be not only with the Lord but with Jearld and all of the loved ones who are now the saints in the light with the Lord in his presence. I wanted to read to you from Romans, Chapter Eight, because this is a piece of scripture that talks about the sons of God, and I think of Jearld when I read these words from the apostle Paul to the church in Rome. He said, —
( . . . )
V: Jearld knew what suffering was. Now our friend Jearld, our beloved brother in Christ, knows what glory in the Lord is like. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?” Paul’s answer is No. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. . . . Amen. Now may the peace of God, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
( . . . )
M: We’re going to head to the car. We appreciate it.
Q: How do you feel?
T: I feel fine.
Q: That was nice — that sermon.
M: It was sad.
T: It’s so much easier, I think, if you know what’s coming. Not like a car wreck. I wish we had air today. Wind. I’ve got a summer cold and I’ve been sneezing all morning. It’s about to kill me. The summer colds are worse than the winter ones.
Q: It’s hard for your body to adjust going from the hot weather outside to the cool temperatures inside with the air conditioners. Did you stay close with Jearld even after you remarried?
M: Oh yeah.
Q: That’s always nice.
M: I took care of him until he got a bed sore on his back about that big. I mean it was about that deep.
Q: Oohh.
M: The hospice nurses came out and they showed me how to doctor it but they finally had to take him to the hospital in Ada. That’s when they moved him to that nursing home.
( . . . )
Q: Who is she arguing with or —
B: Fae. Fae said she’s sorry.
Q: What did they disagree about?
M: Kim wants to be a boss too.
Q: But she’s not even the oldest, is she?
W: Fae’s the oldest.
M: No, Jerry’s the oldest, then Fae and then Brenda and then Kim.
Q: Who is Jerry married to?
M: Elnora.
( . . . )
Q: Do I go straight now?
W: Yeah.
Q: Does it cause Desireé any problems being of mixed racial ancestry?
M: Nuh-uh.
Q: I wouldn’t think so. Oklahoma’s pretty integrated.
M: Yeah.
Q: Even though you always hear about Klan activities or hate crimes happening just about everywhere. There’s always some people who don’t have a life and need to do something to pass the time.
W: They have them back here, what the hell. They’re called KKK.
