Haunting Stories

In 1927, the 50 year old Karl Tanzler arrived in Key West, Florida.
Originaly from Dresden, Germany, and having recently abandoned his wife and two daughters, he now called himself 'Count Carl Von Cosel' and claimed to have nine university degrees.
He found employment as an x-ray technician and bacteriologist at Marine Hospital; in his spare time he built an airship, tinkered with curious electrical devices and played music on his home-made organ.
Then, at the hospital in April 1930, he met the woman of his dreams. Her name was Elena Milagro Hoyos, a beautiful twenty year old Spanish Cuban. She was dying from tuberculosis
From this moment on Von Cosel was obsessed. Convinced he had dreamed about her for decades and that she was destined to be his bride, he lavished her with gifts (which she accepted), proposals of marriage (which she rejected) and set about trying to cure her with electric shock machines and potions of his own devising, which included specks of gold amongst their ingredients.
Elena died in October 1931, aged just 22.
The heartbroken Von Cosel paid for a lavish funeral for his beloved, and she was buried.
However, unable to stand the thought of his darling Elena rotting underground, Von Cosel designed and built for her an ornate mausoleum. Her body was disinterred, placed in a new metal coffin and housed in the crypt. Night after night, Von Cosel sat next to her coffin and began, he believed, to communicate with Elena. She begged him to release her from her 'prison' so they could be together.
Unable to resist, one dark night in April 1933, Von Cosel stole Elena from the crypt and took her to his airship (which he had christened 'Countess Elaine' - one day, he planned to fly with Elena to the stars). Here, he began the job of resurrection. For the next seven years, he held her body together with piano wire, put glass eyes where her real ones used to be, made a wig of her own hair and, piece by piece, strenthened her skin with wax and silk. He treated her with lotions and potions and electrotherapy. Amongst his ressurection tools was a million volt tesla coil. He serenaded her with his home-made organ and slept beside her.
By 1940 the rumours could no longer be ignored. Elena's sister confronted Von Cosel and found the body. The Count was arrested and imprisoned to await trial for 'malicious and wanton disfigurement of a grave'.
Public interest in the case was huge. The local funeral home spotted an opportunity and put Elena's corpse on display. Over 6000 peaple came to view her body in three days.
REST IN PEACE ELENA

THIS IS A STORY ABOUT THE HOUSE I LIVED IN.
IT WAS RECONSTRUCTED IN 1940, BUT IT SITS ON THE ORIGINAL 18TH CENTURY FOUNDATION AND USED TO BE AN "ORDINARY" (SIMILAR TO A COFFEE HOUSE). IT WAS CALLED "BURDETT'S ORDINARY" IN THE 18TH CENTURY. SOME OF OUR FOUNDING FATHERS VISITED THIS PLACE, INCLUDING PATRICK HENRY, THOMAS JEFFERSON, AND GEORGE WASHINGTON.
AT 3AM ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT 2005, I WAS AWOKEN TO SOMETHING. I HAD THE FEELING SOMEONE WAS WATCHING ME FROM NEAR THE FOOT OF MY BED. I LOOKED-AND SAW A MAN WHO STOOD ABOUT 6 FEET TALL DRESSED IN A BROWN COLORED SUIT, WITH GRAYING HAIR. I LOOKED CLOSER AND SOON REALIZED THAT THIS MAN LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE GEORGE WASHINGTON! THE NEXT MORNING I GOT UP & SPOKE TO 2 FRIENDS OF MINE. I TOLD THEM WHAT I SAW.
I THEN BEGAN TO RESEARCH THIS PHENOMENON AND FOUND SOME INTERESTING FACTS. INDEED, MR. WASHINGTON HUNG OUT AT THIS ORDINARY. HE WAS INAUGURATED IN A SUIT WHICH MATCHES THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ONE I SAW HIM WEARING.
WE ALSO HEAR UNEXPLAINABLE FOOTSTEPS AND VOICES IN THIS HOUSE. EVERYONE WHO VISITS HERE SAYS THEY FEEL "SOMETHING." COULD IT BE GEORGE WASHINGTON?

St. Augustine is an old city and has seen and experienced so much history and death. Fort Castillo De San Marco still stands, the old City Jail, and City Gates have servived the hands of time. No wonder so many stories of haunting circulate through this time. So many suffered an untimely death and don't realize they're dead, or maybe just are finished with what they need to do.

The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon in Charleston, SC is a fascinating building. Dates back to before the Revolutionary War and is so fulll of history. Huge galas were held in the upstairs portion of the building and pirates and slave were held prisoner in the dungeon. From the great George Washington to the famouse pirate Stede Bonet, all have spent time here in one fashion or another.

The Brown Mountain lights appear along the ridge of the mountain, moving erratically. They are best seen from a distance; they disappear as you climb the mountain. No one knows what they are, but the sightings have gone on for so long that the Cherokees who inhabited the area have stories about them.
At two different places on the blue ridge parkway you can see the brown mountain lights. There are two stories to this one. 1) Its said that there was a war between two different Native American tribes. At night when it was safe the women would go out and look for there husbands with big bright torches but they were killed to so now they keep looking forever. 2) It was winter and a little girl had gone missing her father looked and looked for her she died and he died and to this day he continues the search. Brown mountain has no homes or roads built on it you cant even go on the mountain so that makes it a truly haunted place scientist have tried figure out what’s going on for hundreds of years and many people have seen these lights year after year.