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Pennsylvania’s “Stoneman Willie” Finally Laid to Rest
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Residents of Reading, Pennsylvania, recently found out that saying goodbye can be hard to do. In early October, they laid to rest a local icon, “Stoneman Willie.” The unidentified mummy had become a staple of the community and a macabre tourist attraction, drawing people nationwide to Auman’s Funeral Home, where he lay in state for more than a century.
Here’s everything you need to know about this mystery cadaver and his true identity.
Pennsylvania Just Got a Little Less WeirdThe Keystone State has long cultivated a reputation for weirdness. Among its claims to fame are “Pittsburgh Potties,” freestanding toilets in basements with no bathroom-style amenities or privacy. And then there’s the state’s war on invasive lanternflies, which has somehow morphed into a bizarre pride point.
Other highlights of Pennsylvanian strangeness include Centralia, a ghost town that’s harbored underground fires since 1962 and the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. The latter boasts Albert Einstein’s brain, a “megacolon,” the so-called Soap Lady, and a gruesome collection of human remains dating from the 7th through the 21st centuries.
Apparently, Pennsylvanians have a thing for collecting dead bodies, as the Mutter Museum and “Stoneman Willie” attest. Although technically one of the oldest mummies in the United States, the folks at Auman’s Funeral Home don’t like labels.
Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'7ju-TaYfT81Us-iaAHJ5RQ',sig:'VGsAcJdmXR_Vml7czEweMZ2TMX6cH2TDcK4_PzS2NqY=',w:'594px',h:'412px',items:'1710306222',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })});Funeral Director Kyle Blankenbiller explains, “We don’t refer to him as a mummy. We refer to him as our friend Willie. He has just become such an icon, such a storied part of not only Reading’s past but certainly its present.” All this has changed with the dead man’s much-publicized interment, making Pennsylvania a little less weird.
Stoneman Willie Went Out in StyleWhat’s the backstory for “Stoneman Willie,” and how did he end up in the ground? The fated guy’s tale began (or, rather, appeared to end) on November 19, 1895. That’s when the mystery-man-turned-mummy passed away from alcohol-induced kidney failure in a jail cell in Reading. (Law enforcement had incarcerated him on pickpocketing charges.)
Because he used an alias during his arrest, his identity remained a mystery for the next 128 years. Of course, 99% of people who perished under such circumstances in the 19th century went under the radar. What made “Stoneman Willie” different? A mistake. According to Auman’s Funeral Home, a mortician trying out a new form of embalming accidentally turned Willie’s corpse into a mummy. Oops!
Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'iPFW2gXxTWN6rF22BtiD1Q',sig:'8Pi5nBloDcfbgOgfxZXsm8ZkvcW5KaYXOVbvNWPv7Oc=',w:'594px',h:'385px',items:'1712265153',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })});The level of preservation proved remarkable, with the man’s hair and teeth intact. His skin took on a leathery appearance and stone-hard texture, thus earning him the nickname “Stoneman.” With no family stepping forward to claim the body, the only natural course of action in most states would’ve been burial in a pauper’s grave. But not so in Pennsylvania!
Instead, they dressed the gaunt body up in a suit, threw a red sash over his chest, and put him to work drawing crowds of curious onlookers. The remains also served a more official purpose. Auman’s Funeral Home petitioned the state to keep the body for further study of its bizarre embalming technique. And study they did … for decades upon decades.
A Funeral Fit for an IconThey say patience is a virtue, and such proved the case for Willie. During festivities to commemorate Reading’s 275th anniversary, Pennsylvania’s favorite mummy finally got laid to rest. Festivities included a colorful parade and motorcycle hearse transporting Willie’s long-awaited casket.
Best of all, Auman’s Funeral Home used the celebration to finally reveal old Willie’s identity. In life, he went by James Murphy. The Irishman haled from New York and attended a firefighters’ conference in Reading where he ran afoul of the law … and life.
During the most poignant moment of the funeral, Pastor Robert Whitmire commemorated Murphy, noting, “Stoneman Willie … at one time may have been a beloved friend and family member.” Of course, no less could be said of him in death.
Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'gJp-T5GXTlBRKoqsG9qNxQ',sig:'K1OgNZlJSOsnX7d2t8vEmi6S5zSHwT4422Qey_4VmBI=',w:'594px',h:'417px',items:'1712264961',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })});“Stoneman Willie” became a vital (though silent) part of Reading’s community, as attested by his lavish funeral procession and large tombstone. The marble headstone reads “Stoneman Willie” in large letters, with his real name in smaller font at the base. Maybe “Stoneman” is gone, but clearly, he’s not forgotten.
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Pennsylvania’s “Stoneman Willie” Finally Laid to Rest
October 12, 2023
The Bennington Disappearances: Vermont’s Very Own Bermuda Triangle
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
You’ve heard of the Bermuda Triangle — but did you know Vermont has its very own mysterious zone?
Enter Vermont’s Bennington Triangle, a term coined by storyteller and broadcaster Joseph A. Citro. Citro is a well-known figure when it comes to the folklore, legends, and ghost stories of New England, particularly Vermont. While conducting local research, he recognized patterns tying together a number of disappearances in the area and —with a touch of local lore and legend added in— came up with the now infamous Bennington Triangle theory.
The Bennington Triangle soon became synonymous with strange occurrences, unsolved mysteries, and eerie tales, largely thanks to Citro’s dedication to documenting and publicizing these stories.
The Puzzling Bennington DisappearancesWhile the exact perimeters of the Bennington Triangle remain a tad ambiguous, we do know it is set around Glastenbury Mountain and encompasses the surrounding ghost towns of Glastenbury and Somerset, as well as Bennington, Woodford, and Shaftsbury.
Although the area around the Bennington Triangle has seen a number of weird events and disappearances for a long time, the “Bennington disappearances” refer to five particular cases that took place between 1945 and 1950.
In November 1945, the curious case of Middie Rivers, a 74-year-old veteran of the outdoors, captured local attention. Rivers was out on a hunting trip with his son-in-law when the pair separated for what was supposed to be a few minutes — except that Rivers was never seen again. An extensive search only recovered a solitary rifle cartridge left behind as a memento.
Paula Jean Welden. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Fast forward to December 1946, and Paula Jean Welden, an 18-year-old Bennington College sophomore, went for a hike in the early afternoon. Witnesses recount her turning a corner and then, just like that, she was gone. Despite the case getting a lot of attention, no evidence was ever found of a crime.
The Disappearances ContinueThe Bennington Triangle took a break before claiming its next victim. But in December 1949, exactly three years after Welden’s puzzling absence, James E. Tedford vanished after boarding a bus. Tedford got on a bus in St. Albans and was seen right up to the last stop before Bennington. However, when the bus reached its destination, Tedford was nowhere to be found.
The tale grows eerier with the disappearance of young Paul Jepson in 1950. After being left briefly unattended by his mother, the eight-year-old vanished. During a police search, bloodhounds tracked him to the same highway where Welden disappeared four years prior — but the boy was never found.
Just when you think things couldn’t get stranger, sixteen days post-Jepson’s disappearance, Frieda Langer also vanished. While hiking near Somerset Reservoir with her cousin, she fell into a stream and left to change, promising to return in just a few minutes — but she never did. Langer was the only disappearance to ever be solved, but only partially. While her body was eventually found, the remains were too decomposed to determine the cause of death.
The Theories Begin…So what’s the deal with this mysterious spot? The most obvious theory is that Mother Nature is to blame. The dense, impenetrable forests, coupled with unpredictable terrains, could potentially spell disaster for even the most experienced adventurer. Getting lost, encountering wild animals, or just plain bad footing might explain these vanishings.
That, of course, doesn’t explain why there was no evidence left behind by those who vanished. Footprints? A lost jacket? Nothing definitive has ever been found.
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With no signs to explain what really happened to the people who disappeared, conspiracy theorists have looked for other possible explanations.
Many believe the Bennington Monster is to blame. A local legend that’s been chilling spines for over two centuries, the Bigfoot-esque monster is described as a towering, long-haired creature. Sightings and eerie tales about the creature abound, like the unsettling 1943 discovery of the body of Carol Herrick in 1943. The hunter, who had disappeared three days earlier, was found surrounded by large, mysterious footprints. According to reports, he had been “squeezed to death.”
Questions Left UnansweredNative American legends paint Glastenbury Mountain as sacred but cursed. So much so that the area is only used as a burial ground. In his book The Vermont Monster Guide, Citro also talks about the man-eating stone of Glastonbury Mountain, another local Native legend. According to Citro, “No one alive has seen this dangerous anomaly on Glastonbury Mountain. Native Americans knew of it, and warned people away. We can only imagine it as a sizable rock, large enough to stand on. But when someone stands upon it, the rock becomes less solid, and, like a living thing, swallows the unfortunate trespasser.”
Amid the eerie stillness of the backcountry, there have also been whispers of other potential culprits — from UFO abductions and wormholes to secret government projects All adding more layers to the enigma.
Skeptic or believer, Vermont’s Bennington Triangle is likely to send a few shivers down your spine. So if you ever venture to Vermont, maybe tread cautiously around Glastenbury Mountain… just to be safe!
By Diana Bocco, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: The Bennington Disappearances: Vermont’s Very Own Bermuda Triangle
October 11, 2023
October 10, 2023
Record Footage Of An Extraterrestrial & You Could Win $1 Million
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
People use doorbell cameras for a variety of reasons. However, actively searching for extraterrestrial life, well, that may be a first for this modern device. The video-doorbell company Ring has announced it will grant a $1 million award to anyone in the United States who documents “unaltered scientific evidence of a real extraterrestrial life-form on their indoor or outdoor Ring device.”
Your Delivery Is Here and It’s Out Of This WorldWhile the odds of someone spotting an actual extraterrestrial—and getting video of it—are rather small, Ring’s marketing department cleverly came up with this spooky idea. The contest runs until Nov. 3 and is timed to coincide with Halloween, which would be the best time of year to see aliens should they exist.
The bad news is that Ring will not grant the grand prize award to a submitter trying to pass off a human clad in an ET costume. The alien must be authentic for that kind of money.
A More Down to Earth ContestHowever, there is some good news for people who get a little creative and enjoy dressing up like aliens. Contest entrants who are unable to record a true extraterrestrial can still win an “Out of this World” prize. “To enter, simply capture and submit your most creative interpretation of an Extraterrestrial sighting on your Ring device, and you will be in the running among your earthling peers to win a $500 Amazon gift card.”
Ring will judge submissions based on a list of criteria, including how creative, funny, and engaging the videos are. Special consideration will be given to entries that include “accessories, homemade spacecrafts and Extraterrestrial-inspired communication with your Ring device.”
What A Time To Be AliveLast June, residents in a Las Vegas home may have benefitted from a Ring device after allegedly spotting a spaceship in their backyard! Three men reported that they saw an eight-foot-tall figure. The figure had “big eyes” that were “not human” after something purportedly crashed near their home. Police officers responded to the scene but found no evidence of alien life. Still, law enforcement was willing to further their investigation by setting up a camera.
People have always had a fascination with aliens, and some individuals and companies have tried to capitalize off of that interest. In 1995, Fox aired the special Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction?, which drew nearly 100 million viewers! However, it was later exposed as a fraud. The TV network aired distorted footage of an alleged alien autopsy. The filmmaker later revealed in 2006 that the video was not real. The autopsy “blood” was jam, the intestines were from chickens, and the brain was from a sheep.
Still want more alien content? Check out our UFO Roundup for some of the most outrageous Alien stories of 2023!
By Noelle Talmon, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Record Footage Of An Extraterrestrial & You Could Win $1 Million
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