The Book Of THoTH

Friends , The following is in reference to ghostly phenomena which I and a very few others have witnessed (some can see ; some can not) and photographed . As a 14 year old youth , I'd heard of a legend of a very haunted bit of unhallowed ground which is located in the rear section of a local cemetery . Personally , I'd never seen a "ghost" until 11-11-06 . Since that evening , I've spent very many hours doing archival research . The following somewhat unpolished poem was penned with regard to the tree , which was used for the most cruel and unjust manner of execution between the years 1677 and 1811 . The tree still exists , with the date 1811 still clearly visible , after being deeply carved into the heart wood . I have personally witnessed the apparitions to which I allude in the poem , as have precious few others . The whole story is very lengthy , but I''ll try to fill in the most relevant material at he conclusion of this note .

"The Whitche's Tree"

There grows a tree in worldly place ,
An interface in timless space
where the dead do helpless reign,
held closely captive by some ethereal chain .

I know this place
in timeless space ,
and it'd tree for hanging of centuries past
with earth held spirits in pain held fast .

Desperate is hope to flit to flight ,
limb to limb , throughout the night .
Hate flows as mist ... vaporous lurks the evil snake ;
Step back in haste , least it's bonds to break !

Dreams , shattered remnants , illuminate bright ;
Floating spheres drift lost , eyes void of sight ,
Wail loudly the unmourned , shackled to the branched steak -
Always to be , yet never to give , nor ever to take .

From 1677 to 1811 ,
souls clutched tight from release to heaven ;
Others damned , content to persist ,
in ghoulish denial , perdition's flames to resist .

I've seen this place ,
in my time and own space .
Today and tomorrow , those doomed to stay
trapped in an instant -
macroscopically distant ,
until eternal life or hellish decay
know at once , the Judgment Day !

w.m.v.martin

I'd visited the sight initially only during the day . The tree is enormous (a Mulberry tree) , and is void of any type of animal life , such as birds and squirrels . I'm not a tree expert (or any kind of expert for that matter) , but I don't think that Mulberry trees have a life span of over four centuries . Someone had fashioned a sort of protective barrier around the tree , which consists of wooden debris and briers . Even in daylight , "anomalies" can be photographed . The first time that I visited the site , accompanied by my son-in-law with a camera , he yelled out "Hey Walt , there's an orb over your head . I saw , and my accomplice photographed , many "graveyard lights" , bright "high speed orbs , "fairies" (which appeared as large , bird-sized , dragonfly-like , bright things with four perfectly symmetrical wings at 1 and 7 , and 4 and 10 o'clock positions)
, bands of mist that circled the tree and took the form of an absolutely perfect , fog-like skull , and one apparition which floated about two feet above the ground and had a sack over the upper torso with a constricted neck and a very clearly identifiable thick rope which dangled only to disappear before it would touch the ground . Fortunately I had a dispo camera , as the digital would malfunction frequently . Point as the tree , and nothing - Turn away from the tree , and functioning was perfect (This was repeated many times with the same result .) .
About 25 meters from the tree proper , is a house which has all windows professionally covered . I initially assumed that this was to keep the home owners from seeing out . I was later to believe that the covered windows were there to stop others from "seeing in" .
One one day , from a distance and using 6x30 binoculars , I was witness to an exhumation . Although I cherish my avocation as an R.N. , I also have a license (Health and Human services) as a Clinical Technologist , and a cert from The American Society of Clinical Pathologists . My work in pathology and clinical laboratory medicine has included some forensics - The odor of anaerobic micro / fungal decay and chemical decomposition is unmistakable . I did check with the city government , as to any paper trail for legal exhumations - There were none . I enlisted the aid of an ex- political figure whom is considered to be the cities unofficial historian . I had hoped that he would follow through and provide me with additional material for my ongoing archival research . Apparently the next day he approached the caretaker (The eyes of whom strongly suggest that "he's was not quite himself .) . The next day , the caretaker was dead . I do believe that the historian is also dead , but I don;t know that as an absolute . The back section , the unhallowed section , also contained six burial vaults . One member of a local "ghost hunter" team (whom I had shown the site) could clearly see (as could I , but no one else) the black figure of a man standing by one of the vaults . The place is evil , and this presence can be felt . As an example I invited two dear friends down from the northern part of the state (New Jersey , USA) . Both my friend Jay and his dear wife are very well grounded , Jay being the section head of the chemistry department at a major "J @ J" university hospital . After seeing the "skull" on the computer monitor , he requested that I please show him the site . Both of my friends could "sense" both the nature (evil) and power (The site has a sort of gravitational pull about it .) of the place . Subsequent to that , I actually spent a night out there , alone ( ! ) , with a camera ; I'll never do that again .
The 35 mm dispo shots do not fade or alter . Aside from killing batteries , the form of energy (whatever it is) apparently remains viable when digitally stored . Many of the shots which I'd taken over a year and a half ago have lost clarity and/or definition . I know that can easily be construed as a "cop-out" , but I'm obsessive with regard to both honesty and loyalty , so please feel free to have my word on everything which I've noted .
Visiting the site has an intensely negative effect upon the people with whom I've shared the place . Consequently , it's been awhile since I've gone out there . Although I'm less than thrilled at the prospect of visiting the site , should anyone be interested , and live anywhere near Central or Southern New Jersey , or Philadelphia , I'll accompany you to the cemetery . It's important to understand that people do in fact die after getting too involved . I don't believe that this absolute is due to solely to "the spirits" , but rather to living / breathing individuals , or some combination of both . The word "necromancy" is , I strongly feel , applicable .
Also , I've used a digital recorder to record Summer sounds (such a crickets , which can give a very close approximation of the ambient temperature) - The recording was made in November . Also , there is the whistle (High C , as I was born with true perfect pitch , in addition to a true caul.) , as this was the signal for the horse drawn cart to advance from under the condemned . The cart was two wheeled , and was used to clear the main street of horse manure . At the risk of really pushing the envelope of believability , I have personally witnessed a hanging at the site ... have heard the whistle , and have seen the individuals involved with one of the over 100 hangings that have taken place at the site . The recording sounds as if it were an "endless loop" . There was never an abrupt snap of C-2 , but rather the slow suffocation which took between four and seven minutes prior to the intervention of bodily death . The apparitions I somehow feel are accountable via a study of C.Jung and S.Grof .
My gut impression is that the late caretaker undertook the disinterments as a money making venture , but things simply got out of hand . I have no clue as to why the police never got involved . Through the archival research (which actually was intended to be fashioned as a prepublication manuscript - which I've abandoned) , the history of the site is available , but is very time consuming . As previously noted , there are well over a hundred remains buried in close proximity to the tree . Burnings were also performed at the site , although these were usually limited to Negros or Native Americans . The tree can best be described as both huge and as having a very real , extremely unhealthy "presence" .
I honestly wish that I wasn't so inept with computer science , and that I had "hard copied" the digital photographs . I can be more detailed regarding acknowledged historical fact . It is not possible for me to overstate the danger associated with the place , both spiritual and physical . People who ask too many questions very quickly wind-up dead . Again , should anyone live in the area and have an interest , please let me know . This most definitely is not a case of some television theatrics .
Again , as a new person , I do thank those whom have been so kind and helpful . I do wish the very best to all herein .
Thankfully yours , walt

Friends , Despite a lifetime of experiencing just about every other "paranormal" phenomena , I'd never experienced anything "ghostly" until November 2006 . I apologize for the nebulous nature of some data as presented in the original post , and will attempt to briefly clarify some descriptions via links to available archival materials . Also , as this particular area is new ground for me (despite many hours of general research , in addition to the reams of the archival) , I've so very many questions - Any assistance with regard to same would be deeply appreciated .
The title of the amateurish attempt at poetic expression (an unpolished draft) alludes to an ancient legend . Supposedly such "witches' trees" possess a sort of cognition which includes the ability to ethereally "self-protect" . The literature notes one axeman who was able to make two strikes ... before he himself was felled . The particular tree , which is of central focus to my stalled historical documentary , is a Mulberry , and according to the tree experts , such trees do not have a lifespan which endures in excess of four hundred years . The date of the last execution was deeply carved into the trees heartwood , and remains discernible . There was an additional message carved beneath the date (1811) , but all that remains is the warped remnants of a few letters . A perfectly circular area at the base of the tree is uniformly depressed to a depth of approximately two feet below the grade level of the surrounding soil . This sunken area does not appear to be the product of any human effort . A protective barrier (consisting of logs , green brier , Canada Thistle , and the common poisonous plant Eupatorium urticaefolium , a.k.a. "White Snakeroot") radiates approx twelve feet from the tree's base . Animals avoid the tree . While other trees in close proximity may host squirrels and a fairly wide variety of common bird species , particularly at feeding time , the tree of note will always remain barren . At times , a non-viscous mauve colored fluid may be seen trickling from a point on the trunk , roughly five feet above the base . Very graphic anomalies may be photographed at night , but it seems that there's a 50/50 chance of capturing something "other worldly" , even on the brightest of days . Although it's been awhile since I last visited the site (and I've no idea as to the nature of the late last caretaker's replacement) , I'll attempt a quick revisit today or tomorrow . Hopefully that will afford an opportunity to at least forward some photographs of the tree which I've attempted to describe .
Historically , the laws and prescribed punishments under The Crown leave little latitude for interpretation , although to fully understand an eighteenth century colloquialism in terms of actual practice does require numerous rereads of descriptions and comparisons . As example , a law applicable to the Province of West Jersey which mandates that "the condemned shall be led to the place of execution" may sound simple and straightforward . However , the word "led" , which would seem to imply "shown the way" , literally translates as a legal order for the condemned individual to be gagged , bound and dragged by beast-of-burden over whatever impediments the topography may offer while on the journey to the appointed site of execution . "Special Allowance" (degree of social status or other mitigating circumstance) was sometimes provided in the form of a reed mat of heavy construction . The list of offenses which demanded capital punishment was , by today's standards , ludicrous . From what I've been able to ascertain , far too often the charge was based solely upon circumstantial evidence . Tragically , the evidence and its accusing circumstantiality had basis in social status and wealth , rather then fact . Although pure conjecture , I do wonder to what extent such travesties of justice , and the associated unimaginable angst , continue to contribute to such ghastly representations as previously described .
Although the site has been historically referred to as Gallows Hill , there was , in fact , no true gallows . In the interest of brevity , I'll simply note that there was no sudden snap of C-2 (neck vertebrae) , but rather a slow and torturous strangulation . As recognized fact , the human brain continues to function for between four and six minutes (at the least) after biological death . This has been confirmed during the guillotine experiments during the French "Terror" , through the development of the E.E.G. , and is continuing with the advent of advanced imaging studies . Any thoughts on the possible ability of the human brain to project elements of a dissociative nature , either viewed from a scientific , psychological , metaphysical , or religious perspective , while under extreme duress (such as noted herein) , would be most welcome .
As this post is probably more lengthy then it should be , I'll respectfully close with a few questions . One of the types of things that I've seen and photographed are (I'm told) "graveyard lights" . These are small (golf ball to baseball size) lights of a yellow to yellow-orange color , which float above graves , at a height of about a foot to a foot and a half - Any ideas ? Digitally stored photographs (at least here) seem to undergo transformation ; some images fade , while other images develop and intensify . I'm led to believe that some unique form of energy - not consistent with any part of the conventionally recognized electromagnetic spectrum - may be involved ... Thoughts ?
Some of the anomalies present as being obviously simplistic and symbolic - Has anyone witnessed like phenomena ? Some individuals are capable of visually acquiring anomalies , while others can only identify same via a digital camera's screen . There must be some commonality between those who "can" and those who "can not" - I'm incapable of grasping any unifying factors . As noted , any feed-back would be sincerely appreciated .
Finally , I offer apologies for being so blasted long winded . There's much that I've bypassed due to the constraints of time , including the human element apropos the disinterments previously mentioned in the original post . Although all prior photographs were taken using a borrowed digital or a dispo 35mm (with impediments) , I will make a genuine effort to post what I have , and post those which I've yet to take ... but only during daylight hours (a smile !) - The last night solo venture out there was , simply put , my last .
Thankfully , walt

Hey Walt, I think it would be appropiate to move these two articles to "Articles/Longer Posts" due to the length and the fact that both are excellent article type posts.

I'll move them now. Thanks for your contributions.

First , a sincere note of appreciation to BubbaEarlIII for relocating my long winded posts (regarding varied ghostly phenomena) to the more appropriate "Articles and Lengthy" site . I've decided to go the "manuscript/agent/publisher" route with regard to same .
Yesterday , with the assistance of two friends , I was able to post four photographs relevant to the initial posts . Photos in order of post position are : ( 1 ) The "witches tree" taken at noon time , this Sunday past (after attending Catholic "Mass") , on a very bright , sunny day . ( 2 ) A previously taken night photo of what I once had considered to be a "fairy" , with a "graveyard light" in the lower right . ( 3 ) One of three types of "orb/spheres" , of which I've an abundance of photographs . ( 4 ) Some representative burial vaults , central to unlicensed/illegal exhumations (one of which I did witness) , and my own efforts to ascertain proof positive , via investigation of court ordered , legally mandated , "paper trails" - of which there were none .
As a follow-up to previous posts on this topic , my most recent visit to the site (four days prior to this posting) yielded the discovery of some partially buried (quite obviously) funeral clothing , and some freshly excavated grave sites , the headstones of which were located in a near wooded area . Upon returning home , I did mention my visit (to the unhallowed cemetery ground) to our youngest daughter , who , in the presence of her husband , unjokingly mentioned that two relations had also recently visited the site , and had seen "a crazy guy running around the woods with a black cape" . To this , my son-in-law somewhat reluctantly chimed-in , as if to finalize the subject , "Yeah , just another nut case ." . "Nut case" or otherwise , nothing would surprise me , considering the history of the area .
I really don't wish to belabor my own computer illiteracy (There is a reason for same.) , so I'll make but one final mention of said deficit . I've a fairly large number of very telling photographs , both 35mm and digital , of ghostly depiction , which goes hand-in-hand with an exhausting amount of archival research . Aside from the outright personal "mechanical" obstacles involving the posting , many photos require magnification or some other such manipulation , so as to recognize and appreciate specific anomalies . With assistance , I'm able to achieve the desired effect here , but I gather that it can not be done after being electronically forwarded as a post . Additionally , I am thoroughly convinced that some as yet unrecognized type of energy exists , which remains viable while imprinted on an electronic "chip" . I have personally witnessed , over time , some "ghostly" subject either "dissolve" or "evolve" . These very dramatic changes do not occur when simple chemical photography is involved . Closing on that thought , I remain , thankfully , walt

Thanks Walt , this is really interesting. I look foread to more .... Can I ask....is there a person in photo 2 ? it sure looks like there is ?

Sorry about that friend . Yes there is indeed a person (me) in photo two . Here's a photo , taken at noon , this Sunday past . Thanks for catching that ! walt