Tag Archives: CAPS

Paranormally Speaking

By Tina R. McSwain

On the road again…

This time to Ohio.  My CAPS team members and I are off to our first haunted destination, Prospect Place in Trinway, OH.  We should arrive for our investigation around 7pm Friday evening.  This family mansion is quite imposing as it sits alone on a hilltop.  A most foreboding and outright creepy place.  It was built in the 1850’s and was used as part of the underground railroad, offering the escaping slaves a safe haven as they made their way to Canada and true freedom.  It is reported to be the ghostly home of the lady of the house, as well as a young girl.  The barn is said to harbor a more sinister presence, a bounty hunter who found himself on the end of a hangman’s noose in a mock trial followed by swift local justice.   We’ll try our best to capture some evidence of the spirit world.  Maybe the essence of a fleeing slave or an injured passenger from a horrible train wreck that occurred nearby. 

We’ll then make our way on Saturday to Mansfield, OH and investigate the Bissman Building in downtown Mansfield.  This family owned business has a few ghost stories of its own.  A mysterious ghost girl named “Ruthie”, as well as an unfortunate gentleman who lost his life on his last day of work at the building.  On the day of his retirement, he had forgotten an item and got back on the elevator to return to his office to retreive it.  The elevator malfunctioned and fell, beheading him. 

There’s an old theatre just across the street, and we’ve been told we’ll get a shot at it too.  Almost every old theatre you hear of is said to be haunted.  This one is no exception.

Finally, we’ll end our “Ghosts of Ohio” tour at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield. OH.  For some of us, this will be our second trip to this infamous prison.  I for one, had an encounter in the Assistant Warden’s living quarters.  I heard footsteps coming from the room to my left, then they walked right up to me.  I also saw a series of lights near the ceiling of the room for which I have no explanation.  This is the facility that was used in the filming of The Shawshank Redemption.  Prisons are famous for their paranormal activity.  Hopefully, we have a few new experiences of our own.

Stay tuned for our results…

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Paranormally Speaking

By Tina R. McSwain

From the Con

If you are in Charlotte today, come on out to the Hilton University and join us at the Con.  It is a spectacle of science fiction, gaming, horror, writers, special gusts, independent films, and much much more.  I will be on several of the paranormal tract panel discussions.  Here’s just the Paranormal schedule below.  Hope you will check this out if you have never been to a “Con”.  Its hot outside, and air conditioned inside, Saturday is the day to come according to old-time Con-goers, so come on down…

Saturday – 6/4/2011
9:00 am Ask a Ghost Hunter Walden – Programming 4
11:00 am Too Much of a Good Thing? Walden – Programming 4
12:00 pm Skeptics vs. Believers Walden – Programming 4

07:00 pm Shawn Sellers Walden – Programming 4
07:00 pm – The World Premier of Ghost Trek TV Pilot University Ballroom D/E
Programming 1

Sunday – 6/5/2011
12:00 pm Cryptozoology Walden – Programming 4
01:00 pm Paranormal Then and Now Walden – Programming 4

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I Can’t Remember The Last Time I Had a First

By Tina R. McSwain

At this point in my life and paranormal career, it is rare that I experience a “first”. This past week, I had an exceptional one on Monday night. I had completed a speaking engagement in Fort Mill, SC and was returning home. All of a sudden, I noticed the car lights behind me were being blocked out. I thought to myself, “the lid on my travel box must have come off and I am seeing it in the back window”. As I continued down the dark road, trying to see through the back window into the truck bed behind me, I realized it was not the box lid. Instead, it was an unearthly passenger riding along with me in the backseat. Now, this is not the first I am talking about, I have had ghostly hitchhikers before. What happened next was.

I picked up my cell phone to call my CAPS colleague who was driving behind me to advise her that someone had apparently left the speaking venue with me. I dialed the number and waited for her to answer. She has one of those phones that play music before she answers. I heard this music, then nothing. I said her name over and over again but did not get a response from her. What I did get was a response from an elderly lady’s voice saying “help me, I need your help”. That was the first.

I had heard of spirits using the phone lines to communicate, but I had never had this happen to me until Monday night. Quite surprised and somewhat taken aback, I thought about pulling over. It was about this time that my colleague called me. She asked, “Tina, did you call me? I saw the number, the call connected, but I couldn’t hear you”. Excitedly, I began to explain the reason why. I quickly concluded our conversation, and turned my attention to the lady in the backseat. I could now feel her presence as well as see that she had dark gray hair and was wearing a blue blouse or jacket. While driving north on I77, glancing in the rear view mirror from time to time, I began to speak to her directly. And in case you’re wondering, as a Spirit Rescuer, I did give her the aid that she had asked for, and helped her to move on.

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