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WHEN MRS. SOSNOWSKI WAS 12 (ABOUT 1930) IN PENNSYLVANIA
SHE AND HER MOTHER WERE IN THE LIVINGROOM OF HER HOUSE.
HER MOTHER WAS ROCKING HER LITTLE BROTHER TO SLEEP.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY HEARD THREE LOUD KNOCKS.
WHEN THEY WENT TO THE DOOR, NO ONE WAS THERE. ABOUT
15 MINUTES LATER A MRS. ROMIKOFF, ONE OF THE NEARBY
NEIGHBORS RAN OVER TO THEIR HOUSE FOR HELP, BECAUSE
HER BABY WAS VERY SICK. WHEN THE TWO LADIES GOT
THERE, THE BABY WAS DEAD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): BELIEF TALE

Subject headings: Observation
Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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STOLEN CORPSE OF DOG

TWO OLD LADIES IN BROOKLYN, N. Y., GOT UP ONE MORNING AND FOUND
THEIR OLD TERRIER HAD DIED DURING THE NIGHT. THEY CALLED THE HUMANE
SOCIETY WHO SAID THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE TRUCK AVAILABLE, IT BEING
SATURDAY, AND WOULD NOT BE AROUND UNTIL THE NEXT TUESDAY. THEY SAID
THE LADIES COULD BRING THE DOG DOWNTOWN IF THEY WISHED. NOT HAVING
THE MONEY FOR A TAXI FROM BROOKLYN TO THE SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS IN
MANHATTAN, THEY TOOK THE SUBWAY DEEP DOWN TO A MANHATTAN STATION
SEVERAL LEVELS BELOW GROUND. MEANWHILE, THEY HAD PUT THE DEAD DOG IN
AN OLD SUITCASE. WHILE THEY WERE TRUDGING ALONG, A YOUNG NEGRO
OFFERED TO CARRY THE SUITCASE UP THE STAIRS. HE DID SO BUT WHEN HE
REACHED THE STREET HE QUICKLY TOOK OFF WITH HIS PRIZE.

Submitter comment: ( GOTTEN ) FROM A SALESMAN FROM NEW YORK CITY
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK IS THE SETTING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): URBAN BELIEF TALE

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate

Date learned: 08-00-1964

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A GRAVE MATTER

IN THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY, THE DAUGHTER OF A WEALTHY
KENTUCKY LANDOWNER CONTRACTED A FEVER, FELL INTO A COMA, AND WITHIN
TWO DAYS PASSED AWAY. ON THE FOLLOWING DAY SHE WAS BURIED IN THE
FAMILY CEMETERY. HER BODY WAS ADORNED IN BEAUTIFUL GARMENTS AND
PRECIOUS GEMS WERE PLACED ABOUT HER ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL CUSTOM.
ON THE NIGHT OF HER BURIAL, TWO GRAVE-ROBBERS EXUMED THE CASKET.
THEY OPENED THE LID AND WERE IN THE PROCESS OF REMOVING ONE OF HER
EARRINGS WHEN, IT WAS ALLEGED, SHE AWAKENED FROM HER COMA. THE
SURPRISED GRAVE-ROBBERS IMMEDIATELY GRABBED A SHOVEL AND STRUCK THE
SCREAMING GIRL ACROSS THE BACK OF HER HEAD. THEY THEN LOWERED THE
CASKET INTO THE PIT AND RECOVERED THE HOLE.
THIS STORY BECAME A LEGEND OVER THE COURSE OF THE FOLLOWING
ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FIVE YEARS UNTIL FINALLY IN THE 1920'S LOCAL
OFFICIALS, IN AN EFFORT TO REPUDIATE THE TALE, OPENED THE GRAVE.
THEY FOUND THE REMAINS OF THE YOUNG LADY LYING FACE DOWN WITH THE
REAR OF HER SKULL BASHED IN.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD TALE WHILE A RESIDENT OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BELIEF TALE ; LOCAL LEGEND

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate

Date learned: 10-23-1965

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WISCONSIN KILLER

A MAN IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN WAS INVOLVED AND SUSPECTED IN A
NUMBER OF DISAPPEARANCES IN THE VICINITY. THE POLICE CAME TO HIS HOME
AND AFTER A BRIEF STAY, ONE OF THEM NOTICED THAT ALL OF THE
FURNITURE IN THE HOUSE WAS UPHOLSTERED IN HUMAN SKIN. LATER
INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT HIS COOKIE JAR WAS FILLED WITH HUMAN FINGERS
AND TOES.

Where learned: DETROIT ; 2822 EWALD CIRCLE ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): LOCAL LEGEND ; URBAN BELIEF TALE

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate

Date learned: 02-03-1968

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SOME TIME AGO MRS. HUBER WAS TRAVELING WITH SOME
FRIENDS TO VISIT HER BROTHER, WHO WAS SICK. THEY
HAD TRAVELED MOST OF THE NIGHT AND WERE IN THE
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE SOMEPLACE IN WEST VIRGINIA.
IT WAS NIGHT AND THEY WERE TIRED SO THEY STOPPED
AT AN ISOLATED HOTEL. LATE THAT NIGHT, AS THEY
WERE SLEEPING, THEY WERE AWAKENED BY A CIRCLE OF
LIGHT THAT TRAVELED AROUND THE ROOM SEVERAL TIMES
AND EACH TIME IT STOPPED AT THE HEAD OF MRS.
HUBER'S BED. THIS CONTINUED APPROXIMATELY FIVE
MINUTES. AT 1:00 A.M. THE LIGHT WENT OUT.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, THEY STOPPED AT THE DESK
TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT. THEY TOLD OF THE LIGHT IN
THEIR ROOM BUT THE MANAGER INSISTED THERE WAS NO
POSSIBLE WAY ANYONE COULD DO THIS. THEY LEFT AND
CONTINUED ON THEIR WAY. SHORTLY AFTER THEIR START,
A POLICE CAR STOPPED THEM AND THE OFFICER SAID
HE HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR THEIR OHIO-LICENCED
{LICENSED} CAR ALL NIGHT. HE WAS TRYING TO NOTIFY
MRS. HUBER OF THE DEATH OF HER BROTHER. HE SAID
HE HAD DIED AT ONE O'CLOCK THAT MORNING AND HAD
CALLED FOR HER MINUTES BEFORE HIS DEATH. HER BELIEF
IS THAT THE LIGHT IN HER ROOM THAT NIGHT WAS HIS WAY
OF SAYING GOODBYE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): BELIEF TALE

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 09-22-1969

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IF YOU WEAR A SCAPULAR AROUND YOUR NECK AND DIE WITH
IT ON, YOU WILL GO DIRECTLY TO HEAVEN. HOWEVER,
A STORY TOLD BY AN ELEMENTARY NUN GOES, A COUPLE
WAS IN A CAR NECKING AND PETTING; THEY BOTH HAD
SCAPULARS; ON THE WAY HOME, THE BOY HAD AN
ACCIDENT, IN WHICH HIS HEAD WAS SEVERED FROM HIS
BODY AND THE SCAPULAR WAS HANGING ON A TREE, THIS
INFERRING THAT HE WENT STRAIGHT TO HELL.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS TOLD BY A NUN AS A WARNING TO HER STUDENTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; LANSING-REILLY

James Callow Keyword(s): AMULET ; BELIEF TALE ; FUNCTION

Subject headings: Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 10-06-1970

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SOME TIME AGO MRS. HUBER WAS TRAVELING WITH SOME
FRIENDS TO VISIT HER BROTHER, WHO WAS SICK. THEY
HAD TRAVELED MOST OF THE NIGHT AND WERE IN THE
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE SOMEPLACE IN WEST VIRGINIA.
IT WAS NIGHT AND THEY WERE TIRED SO THEY STOPPED
AT AN ISOLATED HOTEL. LATE THAT NIGHT, AS THEY
WERE SLEEPING, THEY WERE AWAKENED BY A CIRCLE OF
LIGHT THAT TRAVELED AROUND THE ROOM SEVERAL TIMES
AND EACH TIME IT STOPPED AT THE HEAD OF MRS.
HUBER'S BED. THIS CONTINUED APPROXIMATELY FIVE
MINUTES. AT 1:00 A.M. THE LIGHT WENT OUT.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, THEY STOPPED AT THE DESK
TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT. THEY TOLD OF THE LIGHT IN
THEIR ROOM BUT THE MANAGER INSISTED THERE WAS NO
POSSIBLE WAY ANYONE COULD DO THIS. THEY LEFT AND
CONTINUED ON THEIR WAY. SHORTLY AFTER THEIR START,
A POLICE CAR STOPPED THEM AND THE OFFICER SAID
HE HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR THEIR OHIO-LICENCED
{LICENSED} CAR ALL NIGHT. HE WAS TRYING TO NOTIFY
MRS. HUBER OF THE DEATH OF HER BROTHER. HE SAID
HE HAD DIED AT ONE O'CLOCK THAT MORNING AND HAD
CALLED FOR HER MINUTES BEFORE HIS DEATH. HER BELIEF
IS THAT THE LIGHT IN HER ROOM THAT NIGHT WAS HIS WAY
OF SAYING GOODBYE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): BELIEF TALE

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 09-22-1969

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IF YOU WEAR A SCAPULAR AROUND YOUR NECK AND DIE WITH
IT ON, YOU WILL GO DIRECTLY TO HEAVEN. HOWEVER,
A STORY TOLD BY AN ELEMENTARY NUN GOES, A COUPLE
WAS IN A CAR NECKING AND PETTING; THEY BOTH HAD
SCAPULARS; ON THE WAY HOME, THE BOY HAD AN
ACCIDENT, IN WHICH HIS HEAD WAS SEVERED FROM HIS
BODY AND THE SCAPULAR WAS HANGING ON A TREE, THIS
INFERRING THAT HE WENT STRAIGHT TO HELL.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS TOLD BY A NUN AS A WARNING TO HER STUDENTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; LANSING-REILLY

James Callow Keyword(s): BELIEF TALE AMULET FUNCTION

Subject headings: Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 10-06-1970

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