The 'Bell Witch' Talking Poltergeist Case

 

 

A profusion of events unlike anything commonly known to have ever happened before is chronicled to have been experienced by John Bell and his family while living on the south bank of the Red River in Robertson County, Tennessee during the early nineteenth century.  One of John's sons, Richard Williams Bell wrote about his family's experiences in a manuscript that he entitled Our Family Trouble.  These memoirs are included in the case study An Authenticated History of the Bell Witch (1894) by Martin Van Buren Ingram (1832-1909).  

 

The version of Ingram's book that is currently available to be read online has some added materials at the beginning and conclusion of the file and is not typographically precise.  Two other significant books about this 'talking poltergeist' case are The Bell Witch: A Mysterious Spirit (1934) by Charles Bailey Bell and The Bell Witch of Middle Tennessee (1930) by Harriet Parks Miller — published in a tandem 1972 edition "reproduced in facsimile" from a Nashville bookseller. 

A newspaper editor and publisher, M. V. Ingram wrote in the Preface about compiling "corroborative testimony . . . transmitted to the present generation of the surrounding country through family reminiscences of that most eventful and exciting period of the century, which set hundreds of people to investigating, including Gen. Andrew Jackson . . ." 

Ingram reminded that "Newspapers were few and far between at the time these events transpired . . ."  Richard Williams Bell wrote his recollections in 1846, describing "a sufficient number of incidents to give the reader a general idea of the phenomena and the afflictions endured by our family."  The manuscript was inherited by his eldest son, James Allen Bell, who consented to publication of his father's memoir among the testimonials gathered by Ingram.

Some passages denounce the haunting presence as culpable not only for physical ailments experienced by Richard's father and sister but even for his father’s death.  An undiagnosed malady was reported to have sometimes left John Bell unable to talk or eat while there was an interval when Betsy Bell was described as having been subjected to recurring fainting spells accompanied by a severe asthmatic condition.  Richard Williams Bell acknowledged: "There is no positive evidence that these spells were produced by the witch.  However, that was the conclusion, from the fact that there was no other apparent cause."

Some authors considering the published accounts have commented on the difficulty of attributing the death of John Bell to the haunting presence as described by Richard Williams Bell.  Colin Wilson wrote in Poltergeist!  A Study in Destructive Haunting (1982): "As [Nandor] Fodor points out, there is something very odd about this death.  The witch had often revealed strength enough to strangle Bell, or kill him by hitting him with some object; yet she never made any such attempt . . ."

Quotations of the initial vocal manifestations was provided by Richard Williams Bell, beginning with:

"I am a spirit; I was once very happy, but have been disturbed."

When Richard's brother John Jr. was planning a trip to North Carolina on horseback "when the witch put in, remonstrating against the trip, dissuading John from going, predicting bad luck . . ."  John Jr. ignored the advice "and was absent six months or more, returning empty handed as predicted."

When asked "How were you disturbed and what makes you unhappy," the reply was heard:

"I am the spirit of a person who was buried in the woods near by, and the grave has been disturbed, my bones disinterred and scattered, and one of my teeth was lost under this house, and I am here looking for that tooth."

A search for the tooth was made and then:

The witch then laughed at father, declaring that it was all a joke to fool "Old Jack."

On another occasion was heard the statement:

"I am the spirit of an early emigrant, who brought a large sum of money and buried my treasure for safe keeping until needed.  In the meantime I died without divulging the secret, and I have returned in the spirit for the purpose of making known the hiding place, and I want Betsy Bell to have the money."

The family was eventually told where the treasure was to be found; however, after a hard day’s labor by Drew Bell and Bennett Porter with family friend Mr. James Johnson supervising them, the spirit was said to have laughed and ridiculed them for being so easily duped.  The most familiar of the disembodied voices was also said to comment on religious subjects.  Among the people interviewed by Ingram was Mrs. Nancy Ayers, daughter of John Johnson and granddaughter of James Johnson.  Ayers related:

The witch talked almost incessantly, gabbing and spouting about everything that was going on in the country, seemed familiar with everybody’s business, telling things that no one present knew anything about, called strangers by name and telling where they were from before they could introduce themselves.  It would also quote scripture, discuss doctrinal questions, sing songs, and pray eloquent prayers . . .

Richard Williams Bell wrote: "The talking was heard in lighted rooms, as in the dark, and finally in the day at any hour."  He reported that "the first exhibition of a religious nature was the assimilation of Mr. James Johnson’s character and worship, repeating the song and prayer, uttering precisely the same petition made by the old gentleman the night himself and wife came for the purpose of investigation, and the personation of Mr. Johnson was so perfect that it appeared like himself present."

One incident was related where the discussion concerned the commandment ‘Thou shalt not steal.’

A man, whose name I will call John, put in remarking that he did not believe there was any sin in stealing something to eat when one was reduced to hunger, and could not obtain food for his labor.  Instantly, the witch perniciously inquired of John "if he ate that sheepskin."  This settled John.  He was dumb as an oyster, and as soon as the subject was changed he left the company, and was conspicuously absent after that.  The result was the revival of an old scandal, so long past that it has been forgotten, in which John was accused of stealing a sheepskin.

The use of the word ‘witch’ is a reflection of how witnesses to the events perceived the spirit based upon cultural traditions.  'Kate' became a nickname for the haunting entity and, according to Mahala Darden, "The witch told someone that it was ‘Old Kate Batts,’ and this is why the witch took [was given] the name of Kate."  The quotations affirm the Source of the manifestations as stating "I am" the various people and animals seen or heard.

Ingram wrote:
 

Kate the witch never slept, was never idle or confined to any place, but was here and there and everywhere, like the mist of night or the morning sunbeams, was everything and nothing, invisible yet present, spreading all over the neighborhood, prying into everybody’s business and domestic affairs; caught on to every ludicrous thing that happened, and all of the sordid, avaricious meanness that transpired; diving the inmost secrets of the human heart, and withal, was a great blabbermouth; getting neighbors by the ears, taunting people with their sins and shortcomings, and laughing at their folly in trying to discover the identity of the mystery.

 

People now concluded that a good spirit had been sent to the community to work wonders and prepare the good at heart for the second advent.

 

Richard Williams Bell wrote:

People continued to ply our loquacious visitor with shrewd eager questions, trying to elicit some information concerning the mystery . . .

 

Then it told Calvin Johnson that it was the spirit of a child buried in North Carolina, and told John Johnson that it was his stepmother’s witch.

 

What Ingram meant by "his stepmother’s witch" was documented later in the book with an anecdote related by Nancy Ayers.

On another occasion Father said he was postulating with Kate, begging the witch to tell something about itself.  Kate replied, "Well Jack, if you will agree to keep it a secret, and not tell old ‘Sugar Mouth,’ (that was Grandfather) I will tell you."  Of course Father agreed to that.  "Now," says Kate, "I am your stepmother." 

When James Johnson expressed his doubt about this, ". . . the witch at once assumed the voice and tone of his stepmother . . ."  In the in-depth testimonial written by Richard Williams Bell, numerous other incidents are chronicled involving audible voices of manifold people, including some mysterious personalities.  There was "the introduction of four characters [Blackdog, Mathematics, Cypocryphy, Jerusalem] . . . purporting to be a witch family, each one acting a part, making night hideous in their high carnivals . . ."

Here is Richard's description of the occasion when he witnessed his brother Joel "severely whipped" — at the conclusion of this passage is one of many questionable instances in the manuscript where Richard attempts to convince the reader of menacing aspects of the haunting presence.

It happened that Joel and myself were left to occupy a room alone one night, and were troubled less than usual in the early part of the night, but Kate put in good time just before day.  It was quite a cold morning, and rather too early to get up, but Kate continued pulling the cover off and jerking my hair, and I got out of bed and dressed myself.  Joel, however, was much vexed, and said some ugly things about "Old Kate," and gathering up the cover from the floor, he rolled himself up in it for another nap.  Directly the witch snatched it from him again.  Joel became enraged, pulling at the cover while Kate seemed to be hawking and spitting in his face, and he had to turn loose the cover.  This made Joel raving mad, and he laid flat on his back, kicking with all his might, calling old Kate the meanest kind of names.  "Go away from here, you nasty old thing," he exclaimed.  Kate became furious also, exclaiming, "You little rascal, I’ll let you know who you are talking to."  That moment Joel felt the blows falling fast and heavy, and no boy ever received such a spanking as he got that morning, and he never forgot it.  It was absolutely frightful.  I could do nothing for his relief.  He yelled frantically with all of his might, arousing the whole house, nor did his punisher cease spanking until father entered the door with a light, finding him almost lifeless.

The testimonials about this haunting presence encompassed not only numerous accounts of audible manifestations but also apparitions and a gamut of physical demonstrations including the movement and materialization of physical objects.  Similar occurrences may be found in books chronicling mediumship and ‘apports.’ 

The section of Richard Williams Bell’s memoir subtitled "Mother Bell’s Illness—The Witch Sings Sweet Songs and Brings Her Hazelnuts and Grapes" shows Kate treated Mrs. Lucy Bell kindly when she was suffering from pleurisy in September 1820.  Richard Williams Bell wrote that "then it was that Kate manifested a sorrowful nature . . ."

"Luce, poor Luce, I am so sorry you are sick.  Don’t you feel better, Luce?  What can I do for you, Luce?"  These and many other expressions of sympathy and anxious inquiries were given vent by the saddened voice . . .

 

When anything was wanted or called for that was needed for mother’s comfort, the witch would speak promptly, telling precisely where the article could be found.

 

It was noticeable also that Kate kept quiet when mother was apparently at rest or sleeping.

 

The same plaintive voice was heard exclaiming, "Luce, poor Luce, how do you feel now?  Hold out your hands, Luce, and I will give you something."  Mother stretched her arms, holding her hands together open, and the hazelnuts were dropped from above into her hands.

 

After some time the amazement was increased by the same voice inquiring, "Say Luce, why don’t you eat the hazelnuts?"  Mother replied that she could not crack them.  Then the exclamation, "Well I will crack some for you," and instantly the sound of the cracking was heard, and the cracked nuts dropped on her bed within hand’s reach, and the same passionate voice continued insisting on mother’s eating the nuts, that they would do her good.

Grapes were brought in the same way and Richard Williams Bell acknowledged, "From this on mother steadily improved, coming out of a severe spell that held her down some twenty days, and no one could express more joy and gladness than Kate, who also praised Dr. Hopson, the good physician, who brought her through safely."

The family was astonished by vocal manifestations when the Sunday sermons of two reverends were heard in succession.  Both had been delivered at the same time thirteen miles apart.

M. V. Ingram received a written report from Reverend James G. Byrns, the son of the man who was district magistrate during the occurrences that centered on the Bell farm.  Byrns’s objective was "to state faithfully some of the facts impressed upon me, as I have so often heard them" from his father and other witnesses to the events.   Here is an excerpt from the report.
 

Calvin Johnson told me that after some persuasion the witch consented to shake hands with him if he would promise not to catch it.  He promised and held out his hand, and instantly felt something like a soft delicate hand resting on his.  The hand was placed lengthwise on his, so that he could not grasp it.  John Johnson asked the witch why it would not shake hands with him?  The answer was, "You are a rascal, Jack; you want to catch me."  John said that was just what he intended to do.  The witch seemed to have more confidence in Calvin Johnson than any one.  It said Calvin was an honest man, truthful and free from deceit, and this was true of the man.

Ingram’s interview with Nancy Ayers, who was born in 1819, conveyed how importantly the events were regarded by the families of those who witnessed the occurrences.  Ayers told Ingram that her father, John Johnson, once had said, "Tell me where you live, and who and what you are, anyhow?"  The paraphrased answer was quoted:

 

"I live in the woods, in the air, in the water, in houses with people; I live in heaven and in hell; I am all things and anything I want to be; now don’t you know what I am?"

In the account by Richard Williams Bell, on the morning after John Bell's death ‘Kate’ is said to have indulged in wild exultations and derisive songs but these are not detailed.  After the burial, ‘Kate’ was described as having sung "Row me up some brandy O."  There may be misunderstandings of some of the Spirit’s pronouncements — "I have got him this time" may express a remark about the transition all mortals make from the Earth plane to an etheric body in another dimension to begin the so-called afterlife.

Richard Williams Bell's commentary expressed some of the superstitious beliefs of the epoch —

Whether it was witchery, such as afflicted people in past centuries and the darker ages, whether some gifted fiend of hellish nature, practicing sorcery for selfish enjoyment, or some more modern science akin to that of mesmerism, or some hobgoblin native to the wilds of the country, or a disembodied soul shut out from heaven, or an evil spirit like those Paul drove out of the man into the swine, setting them mad; or a demon let loose from hell, I am unable to decide; nor has anyone yet divined the nature or cause for appearing, and I trust this description of the monster in all forms and shapes, and of many tongues, will lead experts who may come with a wiser generation, to a correct conclusion and satisfactory explanation.

 

In 1934 Charles Bailey Bell, M.D. brought forth additional recollections that he reported were handed down by his grandfather, John Bell Jr., a brother of Richard Williams Bell.  The Bell Witch: A Mysterious Spirit offered a profile of the case that includes more than fifty pages describing conversations between the spirit and John Bell Jr.

The visit of a gentleman from England with the expressed determination of solving the mystery coincided with "some extra performances apparently for his enlightenment."  The chapters about John Bell Jr.'s recollections mention: "The Spirit spoke all languages fluently."

Among the remembrances of Betsy Bell presented by Charles Bailey Bell was an anecdote that occurred at a site that became famous as the 'Bell Witch Cave.'

None of us ever knew of the cave being occupied by the Spirit, but on our pleasure trips we always heard its voice on the river or in the cave.

There were beautiful stalactites in the cave.  We often took candles and went back quite a ways to a big room some thirty feet high, with a kind of upstairs to it; after passing through this, the passage became small.

One time when we were "exploring the cave" one of the boys in the crowd came to a place where he had to get down on his knees and crawl; suddenly he went into a kind of quicksand deposit and soon became so jammed in he could not get out.  His candle was out and no one else could get to him; suddenly the big room and all parts of the cave were lit up as if from a big lamp.

A voice called out, "I'll get you out."  The boy's legs were seized as if by strong hands and he was drawn out with a face full of mud and nearly suffocated.

We all agreed not to tell our parents of this nearly fatal accident, but that night when the Spirit arrived at the usual neighborhood gathering at our home, it asked the parents of the boy if they had gotten the mud out of the boy's ears.  Then it told them of his predicament in the cave and advised them to put a halter on him the next time so his companions could pull him out if he got stuck again.

When I first read about the 'Bell Witch' case, I was among the readers wondering what could be the reason for the myriad of supernatural events chronicled to have occurred in the Bell household.  I decided that the mystery could perhaps become better understood in comparison with other cases.  Richard Williams Bell shared one seemingly trivial bit of information concerning the wife of a brother, Jesse, who was living away from the Bell household.

Jesse’s wife, whom the witch called "Pots," . . .

Another case that presented situations that at times in some ways were reminiscent of those associated with the Bell Witch was found in a book written in 1935 and published the following year, The Haunting of Cashen’s Gap: A Modern Miracle Investigated by Harry Price and R. S. Lambert (known as the 'Gef the talking mongoose' case).  I was startled when reading Page 29 of  the book and noticing —

The mongoose usually called Mr. Irving ‘Jim’ or ‘Pots’ . . .

‘Pots’ didn’t seem likely to be a common nineteenth or twentieth century nickname so I was left to consider how it could be found among recollections about the haunting entities in both An Authenticated History of the Famous Bell Witch . . . and The Haunting of Cashen’s Gap.  (A comparison of these cases may be read in a previous blog article.) 

Another 'talking poltergeist' that I found equally intriguing was chronicled in A Faithful Record of the Miraculous Case of Mary Jobson (Second Edition 1841) by W. Reid Clanny, M.D.

In 1995 I'd completed the first draft manuscript for a book about documented 'talking poltergeist' cases when I learned about the contemporary case in Oklahoma.  After contacting Maxine Mc Wethy and learning that Bell was the last name of her previous husband as well as some of her children, I decided that a research expedition was necessary.  I had no idea that my August 1995 visit to Centrahoma and the following events would vastly change my spiritual understanding and experiences in life.