ENGLUND: Hidden away in news reports from America's past
are tales so frightening that they must be true.
I'm Robert Englund.
Join me on a journey
into the dark shadows of our nation's history
to uncover a trilogy of stories as terrifying as they are real.
♪♪
A greedy undertaker...
McGovern...
...faces the wrath of the dead.
Who's there?
[ Screams ]
...a farmer battles a devilish curse...
Show yourself!
[ Glass shatters ]
...and a couple's dream home hides a dark secret.
Brace yourself...
[ Woman screams, gunshot ]
...for true terror.
[ Man groans ]
♪♪
I'm sure you've heard the old saying "life is for the living,"
but truth be told,
that's a rule the dead have a knack for defying.
Don't believe me?
Well, then, I've got three stories to prove
there are spirits playing all around us.
Let's begin with a tale that's almost a century old,
when a conniving scoundrel refused to heed
Death's "Do not disturb" sign.
♪♪
The year is 1925.
The place -- Denver, Colorado's Cheesman Park,
a sliver of paradise
in one of America's fastest-growing cities.
The elderly man walking its grounds is Edward P. McGovern.
He's lived in Denver most of his life,
but it's been years since his last visit to the park.
♪♪
Room for one more?
♪♪
[ Exhales ]
Beautiful park. Just beautiful.
MAN: Absolutely.
♪♪
[ Sighs ]
You look familiar, old man.
Do I?
You're Edward McGovern, right?
Quite right, friend.
I've been waiting for you.
♪♪
Edward McGovern first stepped foot on these grounds
some 30-odd years earlier.
At that time, it was a neglected cemetery
called Mount Prospect.
CLARKE: Mount Prospect Cemetery was built in 1858.
Over four decades, the cemetery became a dumping ground
for Denver's undesirables --
paupers, criminals, and the like --
a total of about 5,000 people.
No one took care of the place.
And, eventually, it became a blemish on the city.
ST. AMAND: In 1893, Denver's civic leaders
decide to replace the neglected cemetery
with a dazzling, new park.
But that leaves the city with a huge problem --
Every one of Mount Prospect's 5,000 bodies
has to be exhumed and relocated.
♪♪
So, we starting tomorrow?
On schedule?
8:00 A.M.
Tell the mayor not to worry.
By trade, McGovern is an undertaker.
Somehow, strings are pulled at City Hall,
landing him the contract to do the work.
ENGLUND: According to the contract,
McGovern is to be paid $1.90 for each unclaimed body
and $2 for each headstone.
♪♪
The project offers more than a decent payday.
♪♪
But as McGovern's foreman, John Daniels, learns,
His boss has an audacious plan to strike it rich.
♪♪
Mr. McGovern, why all the baby coffins?
I don't understand.
Every stiff gets a new box. It's in the contract.
But we don't have any adult-sized coffins,
not a single one.
The tiny ones will do just fine.
♪♪
I'm afraid I still don't understand.
♪♪
The contract makes no mention of the size of the box.
CLARKE: McGovern hatches an insanely corrupt
and horrible idea to pad his profits.
The city is paying him by the coffin, not the body.
♪♪
Incredibly, he's ordered his crew to dismember the corpses,
then divide the remains into three separate infant coffins,
tripling his profits.
♪♪
CLARKE: It's really quite simple.
The more coffins, the bigger the payday.
This is like something out of a Stephen King thriller.
The difference is this isn't fiction.
ENGLUND: Day after day,
McGovern's workers methodically commit atrocities
on Mount Prospect's dead.
Not one of them dares to speak a word of it.
♪♪
ST. AMAND: These men were desperate for jobs,
and this was a really good one
when you consider what McGovern was paying them.
Nobody's gonna blow the whistle on thatkind of payday.
♪♪
ENGLUND: As for Denver's poor, forgotten souls,
this is definitely not the way
they expected to spend their eternity.
And unlike the workers, their silence isn't guaranteed.
♪♪
McGovern...
♪♪
[ Owl hoots ]
♪♪
[ Clanking ]
♪♪
[ Rustling ]
♪♪
Who's there?
♪♪
[ Man moans ]
Very funny.
Sorry, sir, I couldn't resist.
Nice touch with the cigar, too.
What cigar?
That one.
I'm sorry, Mr. McGovern. That -- That wasn't me.
♪♪
You have a good night.
♪♪
[ Birds chirping ]
♪♪
You've got a pretty colorful past, McGovern.
♪♪
I, uh...
I didn't catch yourname.
Oh, but you must remember me.
♪♪
[ Chuckles ]
I, uh -- I know you?
♪♪
Quite right.
♪♪
[ Man screams ]
ENGLUND: As an undertaker,
Edward McGovern has always
felt at home with the dead.
But among Mount Prospect's restless souls,
he's making himself a target.
His mistake --
believing his victims are powerless.
♪♪
ST. AMAND: So, this guy wasn't just chopping these bodies up.
McGovern is so greedy, he thinks nothing
of stealing from these corpses that he's already abusing.
You can't get a more brazen than that.
ENGLUND: While it's true the dead make easy victims,
that doesn't mean they have no objections.
McGovern...
♪♪
Got some papers for you to sign.
♪♪
[ Insects chirping ]
♪♪
[ Screaming ]
[ Screaming continues ]
♪♪
Finally, on March 19, 1893,
McGovern's plan is exposed to all of Denver,
thanks to the local paper, The Republican.
And the desecrations at Mount Prospect
are denounced as...
Once this hits the papers, the city fires Edward McGovern.
CLARKE: The Mount Prospect scandal is so devastating
that the city leaders throw up their hands
and 2,000 bodies
are never relocated.
And as creepy as it sounds,
they decide to build Cheesman Park...
♪♪
...right on top of the graves.
[ Insects chirping ]
ENGLUND: The historical records don't mention whether or not
McGovern expressed any sense of guilt,
but we all have a conscience.
All those poor suckers...
♪♪
...right below our feet.
♪♪
Just ugly rumors.
Don't belive them.
You sure?
♪♪
Care for a peanut?
♪♪
Not going anywhere, McGovern!
Aaaah!
♪♪
Oh! Aaah!
N-- [ Whimpering ]
♪♪
[ Whimpering continues ]
[ Screams ]
♪♪
[ Chuckles ]
You die today, old man.
[ Whimpering continues ]
No man can escape his past.
You'll fit right in here, McGovern.
McGovern...
[ Whimpering ]
♪♪
The sins McGovern committed in life
are sure to torture him...
in death.
[ Screaming ][ Sawing ]
To this day,
Cheesman Park is said to be haunted.
Visitors speak of misty figures
wandering the grounds in confusion.
So...
if you're considering a visit,
tread carefully,
and above all else,
never mentioned the name "Edward McGovern."
[ Chuckles ]
Speaking of haunted real estate,
what if the ghosts are where
you live, work, sleep?
Let me tell you about an old farm in Ohio.
What happened there
the Associated Press called an incident that will be part
of the community's legendary history.
The relationship between a farmer and his land is sacred.
But everywhere we tread has a past,
and sometimes --
sometimes, it is unholy.
MURPHY JR: Carl Logies moved from Cleveland a year ago
to try his luck at farming
in Painesville.
♪♪
Now, he has had a bit of luck.
♪♪
All of it bad.
ST. AMAND: His livestock is chronically ill
and every crop he plants
withers and dies.
Rumors have circulated for years
that the farm is cursed,
though no one can say why.
MURPHY JR: Carl Logies doesn't believe in curses.
He's a no-nonsense kind of guy.
But he also doesn't understand why his crops are failing
and his animals are dying.
[ Insects chirping ]
One night, Carl was up late
trying to deal with all of his overdue bills.
He knows that if he doesn't turn a profit soon,
he's going to be forced to sell like a half
a dozen owners before him.
ENGLUND: There is no amount of planning that can save Carl now.
[ Dog barks ]
Something much darker than misfortune
is throwing its shadow here...
What is it, Tater?
ENGLUND: ...something that can't be seen or heard.
[ Man screams ]
ENGLUND: In 1922,
an other worldly darkness
has descended on Carl Logies' Ohio farm.
What is it, Tater?
[ Dog barks ]
Carl refuses to believe
that this land is cursed,
but something is going on that he can't quite explain.
♪♪
ST. AMAND: That night, he was certain
something vanished right before his eyes.
[ Dog whimpers ]
Carl is convinced that he must have imagined it
because what else could it be?
ENGLUND: Perhaps just a trick of a tired mind.
♪♪
Nothing a good night's sleep cannot heal...
or so one would think.
♪♪
[ Creaking ]
♪♪
So what should Carl believe when morning delivers...
a more frightening disturbance?
♪♪
[ Dog barks ]
♪♪
[ Insects chirping ]
There is no stopping the uneasiness that descends
when we suspect we're being watched,
but in darkness,
it sure knows how to expand.
MURPHY JR: Too many strange things
are happening to Carl for him to ignore,
and he can't quite shake the ominous feeling
that something is hovering over him.
In just a few hours,
he's gone from not believing in curses
to being petrified about what may happen next.
[ Rattling ]
♪♪
[ Ticking ]
♪♪
ST. AMAND: He'd sit there in bed,
afraid to go to sleep,
but trying to convince himself that nothing was wrong.
Reality is, at this point,
he's one crazy incident away
from becoming totally unhinged.
♪♪
[ Thudding ]
♪♪
Who are you?!
♪♪
Show yourself!
♪♪
[ Panting ]
♪♪
[ Grunts ]
♪♪
[ Sighs deeply ]
♪♪
ST. AMAND: There, in his window,
is a face Carl doesn't recognize,
but he's certain whoever it is
isn't alive.
♪♪
MURPHY JR: I don't know if this can get any creepier,
but the time this happened was 9:35,
the exact time his pencil went missing
the night before.
ENGLUND: Models may be no match against the supernatural...
though the brave never surrender to fear...
You leave me alone![ Dog barks ]
ENGLUND: ...and our dear friend Carl refuses
to fancy himself a coward.
[ Dog barks ]
Go back to hell!
[ Dog barking ]
♪♪
[ Whimpers ]
♪♪
ST. AMAND: Amazingly, Karl's dog seems to see this thing, too.
There's lots of evidence
that canines can perceive paranormal phenomenon.
They have extraordinary senses, much sharper than a human's,
so it's entirely possible.
♪♪
MURPHY JR: Based on what he's experienced,
Karl is convinced that the bad luck in his farm
is tied to that well.
If Karl is going to rid the farm of his bad luck,
he's going to have to solve the mystery of the well.
♪♪
[ Owl hoots ]
ENGLUND: What motivates the dead
to haunt the living?
♪♪
Carl is determined to find out...
♪♪
...no matter the cost.
♪♪
[ Man screams ]
Who are you?! Show yourself!
ENGLUND: In 1922, Ohio Farmer Carl Logies
is at the end of his rope.
All the stories he's heard
about his failing farm being cursed...
appear true,
and the ghostly visitor that is responsible
is tormenting him.
[ Screams ]
♪♪
MURPHY JR: Karl comes the realization
that the apparition of this man
becomes visible at the same time --
9:35 p.m.
♪♪
His destination...
it's always the same.
There's this phenomenon called a ghost loop,
where a spirit is trying to communicate something
about the end of their life,
something about their death,
and they are not going to stop
until they get their message across.
MURPHY JR: Karl begins thinking
about the ghost in a whole new way,
asking himself why it might be doing this.
He's starting to wonder
if the ghost might be trying to communicate with him.
♪♪
ENGLUND: No barrier seems greater than that
between the living and the dead.
[ Dog barks ]
[ Dog whimpers ]
Yet, who can be certain
if a message has never been passed?
♪♪
MURPHY JR: Paul isn't sure what he's going to accomplish
by cleaning out that old well,
but he senses he'll never find peace unless he does.
♪♪
ENGLUND: Every puzzle has a solution,
if we can find
the missing pieces.
♪♪
ST. AMAND: Along with a watch,
Carl finds a ball cap that matches the one
that was worn by the ghost he has seen.
♪♪
Many psychics say we can see images
and feel emotions from an object.
It's called psychometry.
♪♪
You son of a...
Please, Mr. Levin.I warned you.
I was only resting!
You're always resting.I work hard for you!
Yeah.
No! Not anymore!
Please, no!
♪♪
Carl claims he saw a vision
of the man wearing the cap being killed.
ENGLUND: A disturbing vision can be dismissed as a nightmare...
until the truth stares us in the face.
♪♪
MURPHY JR: After Carl alerts the Painesville sheriff,
the whole sordid story becomes clear.
The body in the well is identified
as the farmer's former handyman,
Harry Lipenstick.
He worked for the farm's owner,
a guy named Frank Lerman.
When Lerman is tracked down, he denies the charges,
but the evidence is overwhelming and he's tried, convicted,
and imprisoned.
ST. AMAND: When Harris remains are laid to rest
in a Painesville cemetery,
his spirit is never seen again.
♪♪
After Harry is properly buried,
the curse on the farm
seems to lift.
The crops start to thrive
and Carl's troubles are over.
ENGLUND: Memo to all who suspect
they live under the shadow of a curse --
the remedy just might be a partner from the great beyond.
♪♪
A farm is as fitting as any place
for an encounter with a restless spirit,
but an even more chilling ghost story occurred
within a deceptively ordinary house.
In 1889, Massachusetts,
a family believe they found their dream home,
but they had no idea
they were about to encounter
their worst nightmare.
I told you it was beautiful.
Spent a lot of great summers here.
With great grandpa?
Yes.
When I was about your age.
♪♪
And now it's ours.
♪♪
ST. AMAND: Anne Berry and her husband Charles
are from Ohio.
Their daughter's name is Mabel.
They've traveled 800 miles
to the home of Charles' grandfather, Elijah.
Alright.
One quick picture before we go in.
When Elijah Berry died of pneumonia,
he left the house to Charles and his family in his will.
Alright. Looking good.
Ready?
Three, two, one.
♪♪
I got it.
A month earlier,
Anne and Charles were drowning in debt.
Inheriting Charles's grandfather's home
seems to be the answer to their prayers.
What's Poppa doing?
Being romantic.[ Chuckles ]
Put me down.
♪♪
MURPHY JR: Charles was Elijah's only grandchild,
and he let him not only his house,
but also $15,000 in cash.
Today that is an equivalent to 400 grand,
which they have yet to collect.
Damn it.
Anne: What's wrong?
It's from the bank... about the money.
Elijah withdrew it, all of it, years ago.
Where is it?
Nobody knows.
But... we need that money.
I know, I know.
You think I want to sell this place.
♪♪
[ Sighs ]
We'll figure out something.
Mabel?
[ Sighs ]
ENGLUND: Moving brings many surprises --
some you plan for,
others you never see coming.
which brings me to poor Anne Berry.
[ Gasps ]
There wasn't a way she could have prepared herself...
for the surprises waiting inside this house.
[ Man screams ]
In 1889,
Anne Berry and her family inherit a dream house.
But when they move in,
the dwelling proves
not quite welcoming
of its new tenants.
[ Gasps ]
♪♪
[ Footsteps approach ]
Charles?
Do you sense anything...
strange here?
♪♪
What do you mean?
♪♪
[ Sighs ]
Never mind.
♪♪
ST. AMAND: The press reported that she saw an apparition
and uttered a shriek, but her setting is so brief.
She wonders if she really saw anything at all.
♪♪
[ Owl hoots ]
ENGLUND: Financial fears,
coupled with the unfamiliar space of a new home,
makes the Berry family's first night less
than the restful fairy tale they had imagined.
♪♪
Charles?
[ Floorboards creak ]
♪♪
Charles?
♪♪
[ Thudding in distance ]
Charles?
♪♪
[ Gasps ]
Charles!
Where were you?
I couldn't sleep.
[ Sighs ]
I thought I heard something.
But there was nothing.
You need to come to bed.
Alright.
♪♪
ENGLUND: Our mind plays unnerving games on us,
doesn't it?
Feelings which are supposed to slip away with time.
Charles... maybe Elijah didn't
trust the bank to have the money.
Maybe it's here, in the house.
Charles: It can't be.
The bankers and lawyers have already turned
the place upside down.
Certainly, one would think the discovery
of Grandpa Elijah's missing money could help
speed that along.
Maybe they didn't look hard enough.
Anne made it her mission to search every nook and cranny
in that house.
She would leave nothing unturned.
And after a couple of hours,
she realized there was one door
she hadn't tried yet.
[ Door creaks ]
♪♪
ENGLUND: It's just a staircase.
However, in a house that seems alive,
every step takes courage.
♪♪
MURPHY JR: Anne discovers an upstairs attic,
and in that room, she finds a lot of dusty old collectibles,
stuff that looks like it hasn't been touched in years.
♪♪
[ Creaking ]
♪♪
[ Sighs ]
You have to stop doing that.
Sorry.
I have to show you this.
This is the photograph I took of you and Mabel
the other day.
♪♪
ENGLUND: In those moments
when you know for certain you are alone,
have you ever been...
dead wrong.
♪♪
[ Man screams ]
ENGLUND: The more desperate the search,
the less likely we find what we seek.
No truer words describe the Berry family's quest
to find their lost inheritance.
♪♪
Especially after Charles and his wife
find reason to believe
they may be another hunter's prize.
♪♪
What good is a gun against a ghost?
♪♪
The Berry family's second night in the house
seems even longer than the first.
♪♪
[ Wind whistles ]
♪♪
One press account says...
[ Footsteps recede ]
♪♪
[ Floorboards creak ]
♪♪
[ Thudding, creaking ]
♪♪
[ Screams ]
♪♪
[ Exhales sharply ]
♪♪
[ Creaking ]
♪♪
[ Screams ] Aaah!
♪♪
[ Sighs ] It's a safe.
[ Sighs ]
♪♪
Elijah Berry hid his money in a safe behind the very mirror
that was haunting Anne since she arrived.
ENGLUND: Oh, but that's not the end of this story.
There's still that ghost they must attend to.
MAN: Oh.
♪♪
[ Floorboards creak ]
♪♪
[ Gun cocks ]
Who are you?
Don't shoot! Please don't kill me!
What are you doing in my house?
ST. AMAND: It turns out that, just before the Berrys moved in,
a vagrant broke into the house
and was living in it.
♪♪
You're wearing a dead man's clothes.
Not like he was needin' 'em, then.
He stole one of Elijah Berry's suits from the attic.
So, the crazy truth is, that at least some
of the weird encounters in the house have
a totally rational explanation.
ENGLUND: But what of the occurrences
with no earthly explanation?
Every strange thing that happened
seemed to lead to one place,
the one location in the house
that held a great secret.
Consider the possibility
that the loved ones we bury
may be on a mission to help us...
even if it means
scaring us to death.
♪♪
Life is indeed for the living,
but every ghost has a story to tell,
whether they're seeking revenge,
pleading for help,
or coming to our rescue.
You have my permission to ponder that
until our next descent
into true terror.
♪♪