New Haven, Connecticut became the scene of a mysterious ghost sighting in July 1900. Some people scoffed at the residents near Mapledale cemetery because they were excited over a ghost who danced nightly over newly made graves. The believers in the ghostly realm had witnessed the madness, while the non-believers had not.
For three dark and gloomy nights many people gathered at the cemetery gates, and the ghost, being a well-bred and considerate specter, did not disappoint them. It walked regularly and danced with its usual grace. Mr. John Bertam and Mr. George E Backmailer were skeptics and laughed at the suggestions that a ghost would dance in a cemetery. They declared the events of manifestation to be absurd.
One night the young men announced that they would clear up the ghost mystery and placed themselves on guard duty in the cemetery, thereby winning many compliments for their courage –until the ghost appeared! Then the two brave men took to their heels and never stopped running until they were totally exhausted. They swore that nothing would persuade them to enter the cemetery again at night as long as the weird manifestations continued.
Several spiritualists were among those on guard at the cemetery gates that night. They explained it by saying that it was a spirit seeking someone it had wronged in life. It was not determined whether it was a man ghost or a woman ghost, but it was properly attired, according to all traditions, in a long, flowing robe of white.
It violated one of the rules of ghosts, however, in that it made its appearance before the stroke of midnight. It was about 11:00 the night when it suddenly appeared out of nowhere and floated about for nearly thirty minutes. It then vanished into thin air in the most accepted fashion.
From the stories told of those who had seen it, the ghost appeared to be most unpredictable in its movements, having no meaning or purpose. Sometimes it moved slowly, and then darted along the pathway. Occasionally it stopped. At times it hopped from mound to mound, and when it found a newly made grave performed a curious slow, and yet dignified dance.
The Evergreen Cemetery Association of New Haven Historic Fund welcomes your donations to their research and restoration programs. Visit them at: www.evergreencem.org
769 Ella T Grasso Blvd
New Haven, CT 06519
Haunted Places Examiner: Debe Branning nazanaza@aol.com
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