Witching for a Ghost

Image by j3net via FlickrPardon the pun, but I couldn't resist. A group out of Rhode Island has been lobbying the city of Salem, Massachusetts for permission to conduct an investigation in Salem's famed "Witch House" (or accurately, The Corwin House Museum).

The group, Spirit Finders Paranormal Investigators, has petitioned the city for permission to conduct a full scale investigation in the historic structure that is now a museum despite the appalling lack of reputable tales of paranormal phenomena.

The structure's only connection to the tragic events of 1692 is the fact that one of the nine judges who oversaw the kangaroo courts owned and lived in the home. Judge Johnathan Corwin, resided in the home at the time and today the structure is operated as a museum dedicated no to the witch trials but to 17th Century village life in general.

According to employees, many of whom are alone in the structure after dark while performing their duties there is nothing paranormal present. Elizabeth Peterson, director of the museum swears that in all her time working in the museum she has never felt anything strange. In fact, the only people willing to come forward with tales of paranormal happenings are those with a vested interest in the paranormal.

According to the Boston Globe, the person kick starting the ghost hunting group's fascination with this historic museum is Eric Fraize:

"I'm firmly convinced this house is absolutely haunted," said the Witch King of Salem, also known as Eric Fraize, a self-described warlock and "one of the highest-priced psychics on eBay."

Fraize suggested the Witch House to Spirit Finders as a likely hunting ground. Even the tenuous connection to the witch trials could mean restless souls still roam the place, he said, then, there was the exorcist who said the spirits of the witches followed him after he visited.

"Any 370-year-old house is bound to have generational memories," said Fraize, dressed in black and framed by the odd array of items on his mantel: skulls, statuettes of demons, a dagger, an oath to Satan signed in his blood, and a portrait of his deceased mother.

Certainly, the type of fellow one would expect to give a completely credible account.

The town is split over the plan to possibly allow the ghost hunters into the museum. Some feel it will help with tourism. After all, Peterson says that as many as 1/3 of the visitors leave immediately when they find out the house is not the home of the "witches" or that the museum does not reflect some occult past.

So, will the town allow the ghost hunt to proceed with a group whose sole source of claims is a rather dubious self-proclaimed psychic and Satanist? Hard to say, but I hope the folks listen to Ms. Peterson and politely decline the offer so they can investigate something with more solid claims.