Cahill House News Article

In the above photo there appears to be a ghostly form of a woman standing next to the fireman. She is on his right side. She has on a long dress and seems to be looking out onto the area below. Her features are visible in detail as are her hands.

Cahill House Destroyed in Fire:

Spirits Free?

By Nanci Campbell

Daily Herald Staff Writer

The state fire marshall has been summoned to investigate a fire which destroyed an old residence on Kimball Drive, a once elite three story house long suspected by many to be haunted. Flames erupted in the second story of the frame structure about 1;20 p.m., where ironically a seance had been held the night before. Owned by Dr. Kandall Gregory of Gulfport the home had been unoccupied since June 1969. The seance was held with the Gregory's permission. Gulfport Fire Superintendent Haynie said at the scene that the "fire was suspicious". Numerous groups most of them having the Gregory's consent have visited the home in recent months to delve into the supernatural mysteries which have been reported there.The Reverend David Bubar a former Baptist minister from Memphis, a para-psychologist, visited the home last fall and predicted the structure would be destroyed by fire before it could be demolished.

"Small fires have appeared unaccountably for years in the building and Bubar said "spirits" inhabiting the home could not be set free until a fire destroyed the house. Vacant for over a year the house was scheduled to be torn down in the near future and the properly subdivided. Hurricane Camille had delayed the demolition of the house. The unexplained fires have occurred time and again and some were discussed by Mrs. Gregory at Dr. Barbars investigation.

"My son walked into his bedroom one afternoon and his school jacket, laying across his bed burst into flames. It was partially destroyed before he could put out the fire. That was Nov. 17,1963."

"I came in from shopping one day," she recalled, "and upon opening the cabinet under the kitchen sink, saw a little red candle burning there. I called my maid, accusing her of trying to burn the house down. The maid said she had found a candle earlier in the same location."

A generation of of coast people have grown up under the whispered rumor that "the old Cahill House is Haunted." Since Hurricane Camille, several windows in the home were boarded up and rain damaged the flooring on the third level. During the Gregory's occupancy of the home they were plagued by numerous occurrences that could not be explained.

"My feeling on moving here was simply one of not being alone. I felt like I was always being watched," Mrs Gregory said. "We were often awakened to hear what sounded like footsteps running through our room. In the same room my son awoke to what looked like a little boy about 4 years old coming out of the closet. The child continued on through the bedroom and out the door. My son ran after him and there was no one there." Reporting another instance she said, "My son was sleeping on the den sofa and at 4:30 a.m. was awakened to see a luminous figure flowing in the darkness. It moved across the room until as it reached the far window it disintegrated."

"On the day President Kennedy was assassinated , my children awoke in the morning to see what appeared to be blood dripping down their draperies and smeared on the window pane. None of us had an injury. Dr. Gregory took samples of the substance and examined it at his office. It was type RH positive human blood. The owners of the house have heard footsteps on the stairs, terrible moaning sounds and screams. Mrs. Gregory said she started wearing ear plugs so she couldn't hear the sounds as well. The Gregorys related other strange events that happened while others resided in the house. The son of former owners met accidental death on the grounds in a tractor mishap. The spirits speaking through Babar told of murders, of bodies of women and children being butchered in an upstairs bathroom, of young women "brought over from Louisiana" being abused and of abortions at the house. The "spirits" claimed to be of those people who met violent deaths while the house was in use as an NCO Club during WWII. The structure built in 1915 by William Stewart was a subject of interest in April 1969 to Susie Smith, noted parapsychologist, ghost hunter and author. A chapter of her most recent book is devoted to the Cahill House.

Personal Observations of Cahill House

The summer of 1969 was a summer that can never be forgotten. Lots of things happened here that summer. The biggest being a gal that went by the name of Camille. I saw my first dead body thanks to her and I learned a lot of lessons that helped me cope when her sister Katrina blew by for a visit. Those are things that are branded in your mind and your spirit but they are not the most startling things that happened that summer, not by far.My nanny was always fascinated by anything supernatural or paranormal and she took me lots of places so that I could tell her what I saw or felt, if anything, this was because I was born with a cowl. I am not sure if this really means anything or is just an old superstition but she thought I was some kind of barometer so off we went.In the city that I still live in there was once upon a time a house with quite a reputation. It was known as the Cahill House even though Cahills had not owned it or lived in it for years.This house had quite a history, it had been a private home and during the war it was used as an USO building. There was talk of it being used for possible whore house activities. While it was a private home it saw more then it's fair share of tragedy. The years that I knew of it, it was owned by a local doctor and his family.My Nanny did not worry about social lines or the fact that a few famous names had been involved with investigating this home. She made contact with the doctor's wife and they became friendly, friendly enough for my grandmother to get permission to go into the house. The family no longer lived in the home, but the home was fully furnished down to beds still being made, books on shelves in the library , dishes in cabinets, all the furniture in place, lamps, nick-knacks, you name it , it was there.My family descended like a plague of locusts. While there, people broke up into small pairs or groups so that more ground could be covered. I did not like the third floor at all, was unhappy with all the doors into the kitchen and did not like the family plot out back. I stayed under the huge arbor a lot. I would walk it down to the bayou and back. My nanny wanted to know what I was doing and I said I was just waiting for us to leave. When the scream came I was with an aunt. She was my nanny's sister. She thought the scream was from one of her daughters so off we went. When everyone gathered it was to find that everyone had heard the scream, everyone agreed it was a woman but no one would admit to being the screamer. As it was getting late we called it a day and went off to our homes. That night at my great aunt's we all got together to eat and rehash the day. The older kids who ranged in age from 17 to 15 all asked if they could take a car and just go riding, they were told yes but they had to take me, the idea being that since I was only 12 then they could/ would not do anything stupid. RIGHT!You guessed it, in the dark armed with only 2 flashlights and a lot of stupidity we went back to the house that had documented proof of the walls actually bleeding. Yes bleeding, when tested, it was human blood. I did not want to go in. I was forced because I was not going to ruin every one's good time because I was a baby. I went in. Right after you entered the home to your right there was a doorway. I stepped into this doorway grabbed the door frame and refused to budge. They broke out lighters and scattered like roaches all over that house. My youngest aunt who is only 4 years my senior at that point had enough sense to know if something happened to me her butt would be in a crack she might never get out of, stayed with me. We kept one of the flashlights.As she tried her best to get me to let go and explore we heard a door open and close and open again to the right of us in the room that we were standing in the doorway of. She quickly flashed the light in there and the room was furnished but devoid of life and the side door was not only shut but had 2 boards nailed across it.My aunt slowly moved the flashlight over every surface of the room and there was nothing out of the normal to be seen.I guess I need to tell you that the room you enter when you first came into the home was like a huge living room type of room. Big heavy pieces of furniture, large oak bookcases, an oak table that was massive in size and was said to have needed 6 men to lift. End tables, couch, love seat, chairs, lamps, the room was full, and under it all was a wall to wall 20 by 24 antique rug. Great rug, I loved it then and wish I was able to afford something like it now.On the far side of the room were 2 beautiful glass paned french doors and right north of them was this rather plain looking door, I always thought it looked kind of like a closet door, but it was really the door to the stairs. The stairs were enclosed in the wall, there was no grand staircase just stairs that went up the side of the wall, shut the door and no stairs, open it, step up, turn to your left, and start climbing.As we were looking for what had made the noise that sounded like a door we heard someone shout, someone else scream and then we heard the running feet, as they came thundering down the stairs the first cousin out, tripped and fell over the rug, the one I told you about earlier, the one under all the furniture, well it wasn't under it anymore, it was rolled up and in front of the stairs, (No, we never heard a sound, all that furniture had to have lifted up and the rug roll up as nice as you please and we never heard anything.), blocking them so to speak, you had to stop and kinda climb over to get into the main room. Well to make a long story short I refused to move out of my doorway while everyone was either screaming, crying or grabbing someone , I would not budge.With us that night were several male cousins and one male friend of theirs. He was the one who got down and said we have to leave, if you are that scared, I will carry you and I looked at him and said we can't get out the front. I do not know how or why I knew that but I was certain that the front door was a trap of some kind and someone was going to get hurt. He looked at me and said then where, and I looked at the french doors and said there. He said that is on the other side of the room and I said and that's why it safe. It's waiting at the front door. He grabbed me and ran for the doors, we crashed through them, everyone started following, 2 male cousins got cut that night going through the french doors, though the cuts looked more like bites, we made our way down the arbor to the bayou and walked until we could get into the neighbors yard and make it back to the street. We had to go back to the driveway to get the 2 cars and while we were driving off the front door opened and slammed shut 3 times.I think something was angry. I know I never went back, I also know that I was glad when it burned.

Written by Mist

SAPS Member

The Surge

I have told very few people about this story. But decided to share it with you. It was a very psychic experience. I have had them many times in my life, but none with such accuracy as this. As with most paranormal experiences there is no way of knowing for sure what is reality and what is not. But this experience was very real to me.

Like many others, I experienced Hurricane Katrina and all of her wrath. At the time though, I was living about 100 miles north of New Orleans. The entire time she came through, I was thinking about my beloved Mississippi Gulf Coast. It has always been home. And it and the people are where my heart is and will always be.After the storm had passed we went outside. That night was hot and muggy without air. The wind still whistled and it sounded like voices floating on the breeze.

I thought of the many people who had lost their lives and how an entire part of the state had changed forever.Over the next few days we all watched as the news crews began to show the devasation. It was absolutely heart breaking to see. I had nightmares many nights and was very depressed about my Gulf Coast. The thing that saddened me the most was the loss of Marine Life Oceanarium. It was a place that I had been to on many vacations and numerous times during my childhood. I think my connection and my love of the Coast was what brought me to the ghosts here so they could tell someone, anyone their story.

And that is exactly what she did. Her name I will not disclose. She is a representative of all the hundreds of people who lost their lives. And her story is one of many.I took a nap one afternoon about two weeks after the hurricane. I had a dream about a lady. It was as though she was showing me her story as it unfolded. I could hear her windchimes clinking and I could see out of her kitchen window towards the water. I saw two women. One was younger and a brunette with chin length hair around 45, the other was about 60 and reminded me of an older Paula Deen. I saw images of Marine Life, and the women clinging to boards and the water. The power of the water was amazing. It kept coming. As it filled the room, I saw them from up above. I never heard the words the women were saying. The younger woman was the caretaker. She survived.

Only the sounds of the windchimes. The water continued to fill the room. I remember exactly what she looked like. And feeling her emotions as she realized these were her last moments. She had a peace about her. A calm feeling as she realized that the sea she loved was about to claim her life. And then there was nothing but the surge. I awoke. I went to talk to my mom and she told me the woman I had just described was in the newspaper. She then showed me an article about her. The most memorable part of the article was the last line. "She did not survive the surge." I appreciate that she shared her story with me. I think all she wanted was for someone to hear her story. And I think by hearing it, she helped me heal from the storm.

~ Poohshay ~

A Working Ghost

It was requested of each member of SAPS to write about an experience that we have had involving the paranormal. I have many. Spirits seem to like to me. They always have. They probably always will.

I have a true story. If you choose to believe is completely up to you.

Since I graduated from college in 2005, I have worked in a laboratory setting. You wouldn't normally think of this as a spooky job or a spooky setting. In fact, it is the last place I expected to run into the paranormal.

My first job was in Jackson Mississippi in 2006. I had to come in every other weekend to run tests. It usually took about 30 minutes. The facility required a numerical password for each employee. To gain entry you had 20 seconds to shut the door and enter your code before the sirens would sound and the building would lock itself, with you inside. This was to prevent anyone from stealing the control cultures we had there, since they were of a moderate threat and this was only 4 years after 9/11 so people were picky about who could handle what.

For the first couple of weekends my supervisor came with me to train me on the alarm system. She always looked over her shoulder on the way in and I assumed it was because we were in a semi-dangerous part of the city. After a week or so, she told me just to ignore the sounds that I would hear soon when I was by myself. "It was the machines." I found this odd. Normally, the scientific community are pretty closed-mouthed about ghosts and the paranormal.

So I began coming in on weekends. By myself. The first two weeks were very quiet. No sounds. No bumps. Nothing. Shortly though the sounds began. As for the machines, they were all off. I checked them to be sure. My samples did not require that ANY machine be on during the entire process. But the building began to come alive with the sounds of machines clicking. Slowly at first. Then more and more as the weeks past.

My section of the lab had no windows (to protect against light or wind) and the work space counter required that I have my back to the only opening into the lab.On more than one occasion, I heard the sounds of someone pushing the carts we used to carry our supplies. I would hear it roll all the way down the hall and then stop right behind me. They had a very unique sound. The first time it happened, I thought another lab employee had come in. I wasn't even worried because it sounded so real. As I got ready to leave I saw that all of the rooms were dark, there was no one there. Just to be sure, the first time this happened, I checked with everyone the following Monday. No one had been in the lab. But they all told me that this happened to everyone there and it was like the building had its own energy, I am assuming residual. I seldom ever went in when it was quiet.

After a while I learned to expect the sounds of people working who were not actually there. I miss my weekend ghosts. It was so entertaining to hear them. It gave me the feeling that they were working away and I was in their time, not the other way around...

~ Poohshay ~

October Already?

Hey guys,
I know I haven't posted since early August, but I thought I'd update the SAPS site and tell you what's going on. I've been super busy working on my grad school stuff and what with homework and work, I haven't had the time or energy to find stuff or even update. With that being said, I'm sure nobody still even checks this so I'll probably send an email out next week or sometime soon. Some of the big news that I have is that we may have our first SAPS ghost hunt this upcoming Oct. 25. That is the day of the Halloween Party at Ann's and the idea was mentioned that maybe we could investigate a location that night for just like an hour or so. We'd do video, wireless audio (hopefully to get some EVPs, even though we won't have a white noise generator), and would be going for personal experiences. It won't be anything big, but it should be a lot of fun! Stay tuned and let me know if you'd like to do it. If there's no interest we can save it for later. But I'll let everybody know what's going on soon. So until next time,
Keep your eyes open and look for what is out there.
Joey

Virginia Update

Hey SAPS team,
Wanted to tell everybody what is up with me and SAPS Virginia. We've been having lots of fun and have gotten in some good bonding. I even had a chance to buy a Haunted Richmond book which covers places in Richmond that are haunted (duh). So after reading some of this, I found that a couple of places we have seen or been in have been haunted. But one of the coolest things we did was we went to the Byrd Theater in Carytown, which is a National Historic Place and, get this, is haunted! None of us saw anything but the place was kinda creepy and we got to see Iron Man for 2 bucks a piece. So it was good trip and we all enjoyed it even though it kinda smelled like feet. But the popcorn was the best in Richmond and the movie was awesome. Anyway, Larry and I are planning on returning next Sunday. We'll be in the Burg until the following Friday so if you need anything contact us via email or give us a call. Just wanted to tell everybody what was up, so
Until next time,
Keep your eyes open and look for what is out there
Joey

Things Going On

Hey guys,
We made it to Virginia and things are great! Virginia SAPS members are doing good and our trip went well. I'm hoping everything is great where you guys are. I don't know my plans right now but we should know that soon. I'll try to update things to keep things fresh on the site. I may do a special Virginia Hauntings sometime so keep your eyes on the site. Just wanted to put something up to let everybody know that we're good and looking forward to a little R&R.
So until next time,
Keep your eyes open and look for what is out there
Joey