Citegeist

Latest Episodes:

The Headless Horseman and Ghosts of Sleepy Hollow Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

Sleepy Hollow is more than just the Headless Horseman...but all its ghosts seem to have a complicated relationship with history. In this episode we'll take a look at the history and folklore behind the Headless Horseman and try and uncover the identity of this headless Hessian. Along the way we meet other specters like Raven Rock's Woman in White, Hulda the Witch, and the ghosts that allegedly haunt Irving’s Sleepy Hollow cottage, Sunnyside. Because, apparently, writing about ghosts wasn’t enough for him...he had to go become one.
WATCH Citegist on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@citegeistpod
Vlog Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@joshua.spellman
Podcast Instagram: https://instagram.com/citegeistpod
Personal Instagram: https://instagram.com/joshua.spellman

https://citegeistpod.com/
Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contact
Channel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari:
https://virtualgia.com/
https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip
Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41

Sources

“A (Not So) Grim, Grinning Ghost?” Brian Jay Jones, July 10, 2010. https://brianjayjones.com/2010/07/10/a-not-so-grim-grinning-ghost/.

American Battlefield Trust. “1776: ‘We Marched From White Plains.’” Accessed October 19, 2026. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/1776-we-marched-white-plains.

American Battlefield Trust. “White Plains.” Accessed October 19, 2026. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/white-plains.

Bacon, Edgar Mayhew. Chronicles of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow: Life, Customs, Myths and Legends. HVA Press, n.d.

Baltrusis, Sam. Ghosts of Sleepy Hollow: Haunts of the Headless Horseman. Haunted America. The History Press, 2024.

Haunt Bound. “Washington Irving’s Sunnyside — Haunted Hudson Valley Cottage.” Accessed October 24, 2026. https://hauntbound.com/locations/ny/washington-irvings-sunnyside/.

Historical, Samson. “The Legend of the Headless Hessian.” Samson Historical. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://www.samsonhistorical.com/blogs/reliving-history/the-legend-of-the-headless-hessian.

Irving, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 1820, n.d. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/41/41-h/41-h.htm.

Logan, Jim. “Hulda the Witch of Sleepy Hollow.” Blog. Folklore. Sleepy Hollow Country, October 19, 2023. https://sleepyhollowcountry.com/hulda-the-witch/.

“Something Different: Irving’s Headless Horseman.” Accessed October 21, 2026. https://www.arthwys.com/p/something-different-irvings-headless.

“The Hessians (U.S. National Park Service).” Accessed October 19, 2026. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-hessians.htm.

“The New York Historical.” November 27, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20241127072226/https://www.nyhistory.org/blogs/halloween-history-the-legend-of-sleepy-hollow.

“The Other Ghosts of Sleepy Hollow.” Visit Sleepy Hollow, n.d. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://visitsleepyhollow.com/guides/the-other-ghosts-of-sleepy-hollow/.

Corpsewood Manor: Appalachia’s Gay Devil Worshippers Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

Deep in the Appalachian foothills, two gay men built a castle, named their mastiffs after demons, and welcomed visitors with homemade wine. But when they were murdered, Corpsewood Manor became something else entirely as the narrative was distorted by the Satanic Panic and growing homophobia surrounding the emerging AIDS crisis.

Secret drug labs; Satanic rituals; a "pleasure chamber"; and a portrait that allegedly predicted their death. It’s a lot…and some of it is actually true.

On this episode we’ll examine how Charles Scudder and Joey Odom became fictional characters in their own stories and try to recover the humanity from the tall tales. We’ll also look at what happens when well-intentioned attempts to correct the conservative bias introduces a new bias of its own.

A major source for this episode: The Corpsewood Manor Murders in North Georgia by Amy Petulla.

Sources

Bullet. Corpsewood Manor - Autopsy of Architecture. Locations. February 11, 2021. https://autopsyofarchitecture.com/corpsewood-manor/.

Daily Sitka Sentinel (Sitka, Alaska). “Suspects Sought in ‘Devil’ Murders.” December 21, 1982.

“Dr Charles Lee Scudder (1926-1982) - Find a Grave...” Accessed February 13, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114724659/charles_lee-scudder.

halfmanhalfman. “Corpsewood Manor in Summerville.” Atlas Obscura, February 10, 2026. http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/corpsewood-manor.

Lubbock Evening Journal (Lubbock, Texas). “Death Sentence given in Slaying of Devil Worshippers.” March 10, 1983.

Lubbock Evening Journal (Lubbock, Texas). “Teen-Ager Sentenced in Men’s Murders.” February 17, 1983.

Oxford American. “The Corpsewood Manor Murders.” Accessed February 13, 2026. https://oxfordamerican.org/oa-now/the-corpsewood-manor-murders.

Petulla, Amy. The Corpsewood Manor Murders in North Georgia. The History Press, 2016.

Quentin Melson. The Murder of Dr. Charles S. Scudder and Joey Odom at Corpsewood Manor in Trion, Ga. (Dec. 20, 1982). 2022. 01:35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmVkRHk_iIo.

Scudder, Charles L. “A Castle in the Country.” Mother Earth News, March 1, 1981. https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/castle-in-the-country-zmaz81mazraw/.

Southeast, Abandoned. “Corpsewood Manor.” Abandoned Southeast, January 28, 2019. https://abandonedsoutheast.com/2019/01/28/corpsewood-manor/.

Summers, Ken. “Haunted Horror: The Corpsewood Murders.” Queer Paranormal, October 6, 2018. https://moonspenders.com/2018/10/06/haunted-horror-the-corpsewood-murders/.

The Index-Journal (Greenwood, South Carolina). “Screening of Jurors Continues.” March 2, 1983.

“UGA Brown Media Archives : Physical Object : File Master #1347 [Wsb-Video_fm01347].” Accessed October 9, 2026. https://bmac.libs.uga.edu/Detail/objects/185588.

“UGA Brown Media Archives : Physical Object : File Master #1352 [Wsb-Video_fm01352].” Accessed October 9, 2026. https://bmac.libs.uga.edu/Detail/objects/185593.

The Ghostly Lovers of Mesilla's Double Eagle Restaurant Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

The Double Eagle restaurant in Mesilla, New Mexico, is reportedly haunted by two young lovers whose romance ended in murder. It’s a great ghost story. There’s forbidden romance, a controlling mother, and a tragic confrontation. There are also haunted chairs and ghosts who like to enjoy a romantic date over a bottle of wine. Like a good telenovela, the dramatics are accounted for. The documentation? This history? Well...that's complicated.

In this episode of Citegeist, I investigate the legend of Armando and Inez, the family said to have lived in the house, and the historical records that might help place their story. We’ll look through census records, land claims, old newspapers, and family histories...and find ourselves asking why a tale told with such confidence leaves out so many verifiable details.

The Double Eagle story may be difficult to prove, but the accounts of lavender perfume, a woman in white, and a seemingly emptied wine bottle keep the mystery alive. Listen through and decide for yourself: are these echoes of a real tragedy, or a local legend that grew into a haunting?

Key Topics

[00:00:04] - Hispanic Heritage Month, Halloween, and a trailer for Three Spooked Girls
[00:01:37] - The Double Eagle’s legend of Armando and Inez
[00:05:47] - The forbidden romance and the tragedy in the bedroom
[00:09:20] - The legend’s return and reports of ghosts at the restaurant
[00:11:37] - Investigating the Maese family and the building’s history
[00:16:32] - Mesilla’s shifting borders, growth, and decline
[00:20:24] - Searching newspaper archives and exploring a possible family connection
[00:27:06] - The earliest version of the story—and questions about its origins
[00:32:36] - The wine, the chairs, and other reported paranormal encounters
[00:36:32] - Folklore or hidden history? The host’s open verdict

Sources

“1850 U.S. Census, Macia, Valencia, New Mexico Territory, USA, Entry for V Mase (Dwelling 1660; Family/Household 1673; Line 2).” Census record. Macia, Valencia, New Mexico Territory, USA, 1850. Record Group 29; microfilm M432; roll 470, p. 307a. The National Archives in Washington, DC. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/records/11160478.

“1860 United States Federal Census - Ancestry.Com.” Accessed October 1, 2026. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/records/54589232?tid=&pid=&queryId=74827565-8bfc-4cbd-8c16-bc3a2142e6f1&usePUBJs=true.

“1860 U.S. Census, Mesilla, Doña Ana, New Mexico Territory, Entry for Valentin Maese (Dwelling 463; Family/Household 468).” Census record. Mesilla, Doña Ana, New Mexico Territory, 1860. Record Group 29; microfilm M653; roll M653_712, p. 52. The National Archives in Washington D.C. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/records/54589232.

Aaron Magdaleno Research. “La Mesilla, N.M. Marriage Records.” Accessed September 19, 2026. https://aaron-magdaleno.site123.me/la-mesilla-nm.

“Chihuahua, Mexico, Catholic Church Records, 1632-1958.” Accessed October 1, 2026. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60985/records/15592774.

Daves, Doyle. “Leitensdorfer Men and Women: Santa Fe Trail Travelers and Traders.” Wagon Tracks (Santa Fe, New Mexico) 39, no. 3 (2025): 15–20.

“DOUBLE EAGLE YOUNG LOVER GHOSTS.” Accessed September 17, 2026. https://stampbears.net/thread/1322/double-eagle-young-lover-ghosts.

El Independiente (Las Vegas, New Mexico). “Hombre Muerto.” May 30, 1912.

Flynn, Ken. “Separated in Life, Ghosts Return to Famed Restaurant.” Dining & Entertainment. Newhall Signal & Saugus Enterprise, June 21, 1987.

Ghosts – Double Eagle. n.d. Accessed September 17, 2026. https://www.doubleeagleonline.com/ghosts-read-more/.

History – Double Eagle. n.d. Accessed September 19, 2026. https://www.doubleeagleonline.com/history-2/.

“Mesilla Plaza and Mesilla Historic District (U.S. National Park Service).” Accessed September 19, 2026. https://www.nps.gov/places/mesilla-plaza-and-mesilla-historic-district.htm.

“National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form.” n.d. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/64000974_text.

“New Mexico. History Records, Miscellaneous Records, Bibliographies, Reference Materials, Archive Records.” Accessed October 1, 2026. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS9Y-8SNP-9?view=fullText&keywords=Valentin+Maese%2CUnited+States%2CNew+Mexico%2CNEW+MEXICO&searchForm=advanced&lang=en.

“New Mexico. Land Entry Claims 1855–1890.” Accessed October 1, 2026. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-V386-4L8L?view=fullText&keywords=Valentin+Maese%2CDona+Ana&searchForm=advanced&lang=en.

“New Mexico: Mesilla Plaza and Mesilla Historic District (U.S. National Park Service).” Accessed September 19, 2026. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/new-mexico-mesilla-plaza-and-mesilla-historic-district.htm.

“New Mexico, U.S., Deaths, 1889-1945 - Ancestry.Com.” Accessed October 1, 2026. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62171/records/175872.

Polston, Cody. Double Eagle Restaurant, Mesilla, NM (Issues with the Ghost Story). November 26, 2021. https://www.codypolston.com/double-eagle-restaurant-mesilla-nm-issues-with-the-ghost-story/.

“Record of Land Claims.” Sante Fe, NM, n.d. New Mexico Spanish Archives Land Grants. Spanish Archives of New Mexico Series I. National Archives Record Group 49: General Land Office Records. Surveyor General of New Mexico. New Mexico State Records Center and Archives. Accessed September 19, 2026. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60892/records/322710?tid=&pid=&queryId=85e4b74b-1eba-4e80-a80d-bf991377fa99&_phsrc=fbE28&_phstart=successSource.

The Colorado Genealogist. Colorado Genealogical Society., 1944.

“The Double Eagle- Mesilla, New Mexico | Facebook.” Accessed October 3, 2026. https://www.facebook.com/groups/203703267504921/posts/1349531929588710/.

“The Hauntings.” Accessed September 17, 2026. https://www.oldmesilla.org/html/the_hauntings.html.

The Octo Files. The Ghosts of Armando and Inez | The Double Eagle Restaurant | The Ghost Room - INTENSE. 2020. 09:57. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivZ9wEY8rAU.

“The Rich History behind the Double Eagle Restaurant.” Accessed September 19, 2026. https://strangestrangestrange.com/paranormal/ghost/double-eagle-restaurant/.

“U.S., Federal Census Mortality Schedules.” Accessed October 2, 2026. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8756/records/372779?tid=&pid=&queryId=50fac891-0ad6-4dce-b7de-3567d7c39a54&usePUBJs=true.

“Valentin Maese (Ancestry Family Tree).” Accessed September 19, 2026. https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/170156543/person/172316452868/facts.

Murder Creek & the Halloween Murderess, Sadie McMullen Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

Three girls left a Halloween party in Akron, New York, in 1890. Only one of them came home.

Sadie McMullen was just 17 when she was accused of throwing two young girls from a railroad trestle into Murder Creek. But the story gets even stranger from there. Sadie claimed she couldn't remember what happened, and at her trial, her family described years of seizures, blackouts, strange behavior, and mental illness. The jury ultimately found her not guilty by reason of insanity, and she was sent to the Buffalo State Asylum.

But Sadie's story is only one of the legends surrounding Murder Creek. Long before her case, another story claimed the creek earned its grim name after a romantic tragedy involving a Seneca woman, her lover, and a man who wanted her for himself.

So what actually happened at Murder Creek? And how much of either story can we really trust? This episode offers a look into the Victorian era’s treatment of women, mental illness, and sensationalized journalism. Together, these stories reveal how folklore and historical bias can shape the way a place is remembered.

https://citegeistpod.com/

Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contact
Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpod
Personal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman

Channel illustration by
GiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/
GiAnna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip

Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41

Sources

“Akron Falls County Park.” Upstate NY Photography, Waterfalls, Nature, n.d. Accessed November 14, 2020. https://nyfalls.com/waterfalls/akron-falls/.

Buffalo Courier Express (Buffalo, New York). “Finds Murder Creek’s Name.” May 2, 1926.

Buffalo Patriot and Commercial Advertiser (Buffalo, New York). “Hands Wanted.” September 14, 1813.

Cummings, Uriah. The Haunted Corners. 1906. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1se4i9cBSJ-dZGI-ibb7Uue8CKuBypSvb/view?usp=sharingI&fbclid=IwY2xjawUjp-xleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7tB49DahyNZjVnPKDOSM1pBHbJMJjXeoEvotV3yrovvIjSHFsR3URN1zvi8g_aem_XMMtRrJSO-WCr0Vkj_2-pA&usp=embed_facebook.

“Ellen May ‘Nellie’ Connor (1880-1890) - Find A...” Accessed November 14, 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/117793906/ellen-may-connor.

Ellicott, Joseph &. B. Map of Morris’s Purchase or West Geneseo In the State of New York. 1804. https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1808~180026:Map-of-Morris-s-Purchase-or-West-Ge.

Estephe, St. “Unknown Gender History: Sadie McMullen, 17-Year-Old Murderess – Akron, New York, 1890.” Unknown Gender History, November 15, 2015. http://unknownmisandry.blogspot.com/2015/11/sadie-mcmullen-17-year-old-murderess.html.

“GenealogyBank.Com - The Largest Newspaper Archive for Family History Research.” Accessed September 16, 2026. https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/census/image/v2%3A16DABE9A383D710A%40GB3CENSUS-16DABD5E1C30F310%402418673-16F9E86D94C4EE2D%40.

“John Dolph (1781-1834) - Find A Grave Memorial.” Accessed November 23, 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179636329/john-dolph.

“Legend of Murder Creek in Akron, New York - The Tragedy of Ah-Weh-Hah.” Accessed November 14, 2020. https://www.zeph1.com/2016/09/legend-murder-creek-akron-ny.html.

Map of Township 12 Range 5. c 1815. https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/XFM001/id/366/rec/5.

Moses, Jamie. “Murder Creek: The Sorry Case of Sadie McMullen.” Artvoice, October 27, 2016. https://artvoice.com/2016/10/27/murder-creek-sorry-case-sadie-mcmullen/.

Parker, Arthur Caswell. The Life of General Ely S. Parker : Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant’s Military Secretary. With University of California Libraries. Buffalo, N.Y. : Buffalo Historical Society, 1919. http://archive.org/details/lifeofgeneralely00parkrich.

Portland Daily Press (Portland, Maine). “She Killed Two Children: Was Committed to a Hospital as Insane and Is Now Liberated and Cured.” August 22, 1893. Tuesday Morning Edition.

Republican Advocate (Batavia, New York). “Notice to Trespsassers [Sic].” February 22, 1812.

“Sarah Dilley Dolph (1783-1861) - Find A Grave...” Accessed November 23, 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127942807/sarah-dolph.

Schrock, Fred. “The Legend of Murder Creek.” Low Bridges: Upstate History, October 31, 2014. https://fredschrock.com/2014/10/31/the-legend-of-murder-creek/.

The Buffalo Enquirer (Buffalo, New York). “She Is Sane!” August 19, 1893.

The Buffalo News (Buffalo, New York). “Acquitted! Jury Decides That Sadie McMullen Is Innocent of Crime.” March 7, 1891.

The Buffalo News (Buffalo, New York). “Queer Human Beings.” October 23, 1898.

The Buffalo Times (Buffalo, New York). “Her Love. The Secret of Sadie McMullen’s Hideous Crime.” November 4, 1890.

The Buffalo Times (Buffalo, New York). “Insanity. That Is the Burden of the McMullen Defense.” March 6, 1891.

The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.). “A Girl’s Trial for Murder.” March 6, 1891.

The Evening World (New York, New York). “Sadie M’Mullen Is Insane.” March 7, 1891.

“The Legend Of Murder Creek | Erie County Parks, Recreation and Forestry.” Accessed November 14, 2020. https://www2.erie.gov/parks/index.php?q=legend-murder-creek.

The World (New York, New York). “On Trial for Her Life.” March 6, 1891.

The Radiant Boy: Knebworth's Yellow Ghost and Chillingham Castle's Blue Boy Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

On this episode we examine the Radiant Boy: what he is, where he comes from, and why so many castles and estates try to claim one of their own. On this episode I'll untangle Viscount Castlereagh’s ghostly encounter from later retellings that include a prophecy of power and death and explores the curious claim that the Radiant Boy only appears to gay men...if you love haunted history, weird folklore, and queer history...then this one’s for you.

Also! As a little treat for the spooky season - I will dropping a new episode every week in the month of October so keep your eyes peeled..err...or your ears open? You get my point.

https://citegeistpod.com/

Channel illustration by
GiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/
GiAnna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip

Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41

Sources

161385360554578. Charli XCX and Emma Corrin Left Shaken after Haunted Set Halts 100 Nights of Hero Filming. October 30, 2024. https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/12786698/charli-xcx-emma-corrin-haunted-100-nights-hero/.

Archive, Internet Sacred Text. “Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry: Ghosts: The ...” Internet Sacred Text Archive. Accessed August 27, 2026. https://sacred-texts.com/neu/yeats/fip/fip41.htm.

Ayne, Sabina. “Halloween Special: Gay Ghost Stories.” Panache. Our Own Community Press, October 1997. Our Own Community Press, 1976-1998, p. 23. Old Dominion University Libraries Special Collections.

Carter, Jake. Ghosts of Kindermorderinn: Children Killed by Their Mothers. July 14, 2019. https://anomalien.com/ghosts-of-kindermorderinn-children-killed-by-their-mothers/.

Castelli, Horace. Radiant Boy. c 1880. Wood Engraving. https://www.oldbookillustrations.com/illustrations/radiant-boy/.

“Collection: Our Own Community Press Newspapers | Special Collections and University Archives Collection Guides.” Accessed September 1, 2026. https://archivesguides.lib.odu.edu/repositories/5/resources/47.

Crowe, Catherine. Ghosts and Family Legends; a Volume for Christmas. T.C. Newby, 1859.

Crowe, Catherine. The Night Side of Nature: Or, Ghosts and Ghost Seers. Volume 1. Cambridge University Press, 1848.

Ferre, Lux. “Radiant Boy.” Occult World, July 8, 2017. https://occult-world.com/radiant-boy/.

Form in Formless Times. “Political Poems: Byron on Castlereagh.” Accessed August 31, 2026. https://formalverse.com/2021/03/13/political-poems-byron-on-castlereagh/.

Frith, William Powell. My Autobiography and Reminiscences. With University of Pittsburgh Library System. London : Richard Bentley and son, 1887. http://archive.org/details/myautobiographyr02infrit.

“Ghosts in the Mechanism: Knebworth House and the Art of Copying | Home Subjects.” Accessed August 31, 2026. https://www.homesubjects.org/2025/10/07/ghosts-in-the-mechanism-knebworth-house-and-the-art-of-copying/.

“Great Castles - Ghosts of Chillingham Castle.” Accessed August 27, 2026. https://great-castles.com/chillinghamghost.html.

Hutchinson, Martin. “Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh.” Accessed August 28, 2026. https://www.lordliverpool.com/chronology/robert-stewart-viscount-castlereagh.

Ingram, John Henry. The Haunted Homes and Family Traditions of Great Britain. With Wellesley College Library. London, Gibbings & co., ltd, 1897. http://archive.org/details/hauntedhomesfami00ingr.

Lockhart, J. G. Life of Walter Scott. 1848. https://lordbyron.org/monograph.php?doc=JoLockh.Scott&select=V.ch8.

Lockhart, J. G. (John Gibson). Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Volume 1 (of 10). 2008. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24497.

Moss, Stephen. “Homophobia and High Office.” Politics. The Guardian, September 3, 2010. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/sep/03/homophobia-and-high-office.

Mount Alexander Mail (Victoria). “The Knebworth Spectre.” August 9, 1886.

“RADIANT BOY.” Accessed September 2, 2026. https://www.facebook.com/ChillingParanormal/posts/radiant-boythe-glowing-ghost-of-a-boy-who-has-been-murdered-by-his-mother-and-wh/232241954886144/.

Saving Country Houses. See inside Haunted Chillingham Castle in the Historic Frontier Lands between Scotland and England. 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT6C0jrbfLY.

Scotney, Bob. “Chillingham Castle and the Radiant Boy.” Bob’s Home For Writing, April 3, 2012. https://bobscotney.blogspot.com/2012/04/chillingham-castle-and-radiant-boy.html.

Silentowl. “The Radiant Boy.” SilentOwl, August 23, 2012. https://amayodruid.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-radiant-boy.html.

The Marietta Journal (Marietta, Georgia). “Lacks Truth Only: Cold Facts Destroy an Entertaining Ghost Story.” March 3, 1892.

The Radiant Boy of Corby Castle. n.d.

“THE YELLOW BOY.” Accessed August 31, 2026. https://www.facebook.com/ParanormalConfessions/posts/-the-yellow-boy-the-yellow-boy-is-a-true-ghost-story-abouta-spirit-of-a-golden-h/1037172693006825/.

Trinity College Dublin. Week 4, Lecture 18 - Lord Castlereagh. 2015. 14:19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6We60gMcaM0.

Walker, Tony. “The Radiant Boy of Knebworth House.” Inside the Simulation, September 27, 2022. https://medium.com/inside-the-simulation/the-radiant-boy-of-knebworth-house-7d990142ed19.

“Welwyn Hatfield’s Most Haunted Places | Welwyn Hatfield Times.” Accessed September 3, 2026. https://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/22465105.welwyn-hatfields-haunted-places/.

Finding the Real Clue House: The Murder of Captain Joseph White, the Gardner-Pingree House, & the Ghosts of Tudor Close Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

A Salem ghost tour claim sent me on a search for the real Clue house. While the Gardner-Pingree House, and the murder of Captain Joseph White, are said to be the story behind the game...that may not be true. Learn about the sensational 1830 Salem murder of Captain White and join the search for the real rea. Was the Gardner-Pingree house really the inspiration for the American version of Clue? And if not, what house actually was?

In this episode, we cover the 1830 murder of Captain Joseph White, the panic that followed, the Knapp brothers’ disastrous scheme, and the courtroom drama that made the case famous. Then, we follow the paper trail into board game history, comparing early Clue / Cluedo editions, Parker Brothers marketing, and the houses most often linked to the game’s design...and we'll even meet a few ghosts along the way.

Key Topics

[00:00:00] - Intro
[00:02:21] - The Gardner-Pingree House and the Captain Joseph White murder
[00:26:30] - Research De-Brief
[00:27:50] - Ghost Photograph at the Gardner-Pingree House
[00:29:21] - Testing the Claim that the Gardner-Pingree House Inspired Clue
[00:30:18] - The Parker Family Estate
[00:33:55] - History of Clue / Cluedo and Anthony E. Pratt
[00:36:49] - Tudor Close Hotel
[00:38:25] - Reported haunting activity at Tudor Close
[00:43:40] - Outro

Bibliography

Bibliography
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https://www.etsy.com/listing/4549434221/1950s-parker-brothers-clue-board-game
Autencio, Kristel. “Grounds for Murder: Maps and Floor Plans in Mystery Novels.” BOOK RIOT, January 8, 2016.
https://bookriot.com/grounds-for-murder-maps-and-floor-plans-in-mystery-novels-2/
Berry, Melissa. A Spooky Real-Life Murder Mystery for Halloween, Part II. Genealogy Stories. October 28, 2021.
https://www.genealogybank.com/blog/a-spooky-real-life-murder-mystery-for-halloween-part-ii.html
Berry, Melissa. A Spooky Real-Life Murder Mystery, Part III. Genealogy Stories. November 2, 2021.
https://www.genealogybank.com/blog/a-spooky-real-life-murder-mystery-part-iii.html
“Captain Joseph White |.” Accessed August 21, 2026.
https://salempl.org/captain-joseph-white/
Case 13: The Return of Elizabeth Dacre. Episode 13. Uncanny. BBC, January 12, 2022.
https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/m0013hb5
“Clue.” The Strong National Museum of Play, n.d. Accessed August 29, 2026.
https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/clue/
Collier, Beth. “It Was Mr. Pratt in Birmingham with a Crayon!” Substack newsletter. Curious Minds, April 21, 2023.
https://bethcollier.substack.com/p/it-was-mr-pratt-in-birmingham-with
Daily Commercial Gazette (Boston, Massachusetts). “Joseph Jenkins Knapp.” January 1, 1831.
Donelan, Jenny. “A House with Secrets.” New Hampshire Home Magazine, December 16, 2019.
https://www.nhhomemagazine.com/a-house-with-secrets/
eBay. “Vintage 1949 Parker Brothers Clue Board Game, Near Complete, Excellent Condition.” Accessed August 23, 2026.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/158071690018
Entire-Company690. “Ghost walk pics.” Reddit Post, r/SalemMA, September 10, 2025.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SalemMA/comments/1ndemkz/ghost_walk_pics/
Historic England. “Tudor Close.” Accessed August 26, 2026.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1380426
Houghton, Kristen. “The 1830 True Murder Behind Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart.’” Criminal Element, December 1, 2016.
https://www.criminalelement.com/the-1830-true-murder-behind-poes-qthe-tell-tale-heartq/
“Knapp’s Execution and Dying Protest.” Broadsides. 1830. Peabody Essex Museum’s Phillips Library Digital Collections.
https://pem.quartexcollections.com/Documents/Detail/knapps-execution-and-dying-protest/2827
Lee, James F. “The Innocent, the Damned, and Daniel Webster: Salem Was the Scene for an Infamous Murder Trial.” James F. Lee, October 6, 2023.
https://www.jamesflee.com/blog/white-murder
Lewis, Walker. “The Murder of Captain Joseph White: Salem, Massachusetts, 1830.” American Bar Association Journal 54, no. 5 (1968): 460–66. JSTOR.
Massachusetts Historical Society. “DYK That the British Board Game...” Facebook. Accessed August 24, 2026.
https://www.facebook.com/MassachusettsHistoricalSociety/posts/dyk-that-the-british-board-game-clue-is-different-from-the-american-version-made/6552060401484905/
McDonagh, Evan. “The Great Detective Game: Clue & The George S. Parker House | Beehive.” Behive Blog, Massachusetts Historical Society, n.d. Accessed August 18, 2026.
https://www.masshist.org/beehiveblog/2023/04/the-great-detective-game-clue-the-george-s-parker-house/
Milne, Andrew. “Ballrooms, Billiard Rooms, And Secret Passageways: Inside Tudor Close, The Real-Life English Mansion That Inspired Clue.” All That’s Interesting, February 14, 2026.
https://allthatsinteresting.com/tudor-close-house
Mizzy’s Parrots. Clue Mansion - The Actual House the Game “Clue” Was Based Off Of. 2016. 04:03.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnljXmTId34
Next Level Toys. Vintage Clue Board Games in Detail from 1963 and 1949. 2016. 14:49.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UDB2aPd-yE
Popovici, Alice. “The Game Clue Was Borne of Boredom During WWII Air-Raid Blackouts.” HISTORY, June 13, 2018.
https://www.history.com/articles/clue-game-origin-wwii
“Rottingdean House That Inspired Cluedo Is ‘plagued by Ghost’ | The Argus.” Accessed August 26, 2026.
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/25949123.rottingdean-house-inspired-cluedo-plagued-ghost/
“Second Trial of John Francis Knapp by a New Jury: Recommenced at Salem, August 14, 1830, for the Murder of Capt. Joseph White, before the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at a Special Session, Commenced at Salem, July 20, 1830.” Pamphlet. Dutton and Wentworth, 1830. Medicine in the Americas, 1610-1920. National Library of Medicine.
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“The Gardner-Pingree House.” Salem Ghosts, October 28, 2024.
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“Trial of George Crowninshield, J.J. Knapp Jun.., and John Francis Knapp for the Murder of Capt. Joseph White of Salem on the Sixth of April 1830.” Pamphlet. Charels Ellms, 1830. Murder Pamphlet Collection. Fenimore Art Museum Research Library.
https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll8/id/887/
“Tudor Close, Sussex: The Mansion That Inspired Cluedo.” Exploring GB, n.d. Accessed August 26, 2026.
https://www.exploringgb.co.uk/blog/tudor-close-sussex
“Vintage 1949 Parker Brother’s Clue Game, First Release Game - Etsy.” Accessed August 18, 2026.
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Wagner, E. J. “A Murder in Salem.” Smithsonian Magazine, November 2010.
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Witch City Walking Tours. “The Murder of Capt. Joseph White at the Gardner-Pingree House.” Witch City Walking Tours, April 7, 2025.
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The Red Lady & Other Tales: My Ghost Stories Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

On this first episode back from hiatus I wanted to do something a little different...and tell you my own paranormal encounters! I know, I know, I'm a skeptic but even despite all these encounters...I still am. You have to let me know after listening...should I be? Or would you be a believer?

Key Topics

[00:00:00] - Intro
[00:01:40] - Story 1: The Red Lady
[00:09:52] - Psychic? Experiences
[00:15:17] - Story 2: The Dead Lady & the Book
[00:20:10] - Story 3: Door Stopped
[00:24:44] - Story 4: Thanks for the Help
[00:26:43] - Closing thoughts, listener call for ghost stories, and what’s coming next

Relevant Links

WATCH on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@Joshua.Spellman
https://citegeistpod.com/
Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contact
Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpod
Personal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman
Channel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari:
https://virtualgia.com/
https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip
Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41

Sorry for ghosting you...Update and New Episodes? Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

If you’ve been wondering where I went, this update explains the pause and what comes next for the podcast. It’s a candid check-in on grief, burnout, and the reality of trying to make a highly researched audio show sustainable.

The plan is to try again with a few new episodes for spooky season, but with a format that feels more sustainable and more connected to listeners. If you have any ideas or feedback on format or what you'd like to hear...this is the time to share!

And if you’re here for the long haul, thank you for sticking around through the quiet stretch. Take care of your pets and your loved ones, and remember: even if ghosts aren’t real, the people and animals in our lives are. Cherish them.

https://citegeistpod.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshuaspellman
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joshua.spelllman
Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpod
Personal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman

Key Topics

[00:00:04] - Opening update and why the podcast has been quiet
[00:00:28] - Personal losses: the death of a dog and a cat’s cancer diagnosis
[00:01:27] - How grief and mental load affected podcast production
[00:02:12] - The challenge of scripted podcasting versus a more spontaneous style
[00:02:46] - Why audio podcasts are harder to promote and measure
[00:03:27] - Reassessing the format and asking for listener feedback
[00:04:02] - Possible new episodes for spooky season
[00:04:37] - Ideas for listener-submitted haunted locations and local investigations
[00:05:01] - Where to send suggestions and feedback
[00:05:56] - Closing thoughts and a sincere apology for the silence

Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41

Emily's Bridge & Boots Berry: The True History Behind Vermont's Most Haunted Bridge (Stowe, Vermont) Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

Stowe, Vermont has more than New England charm and ski slopes...it's also home to one of the most famous haunted bridges in the country. Emily's Bridge (aka Gold Brook Bridge) and a tap-dancing ghost said to haunt the Green Mountain Inn have circulated for decades, but what does the actual historical record say? This episode follows both legends through oral tradition, local archives, and the frustrating reality of trying to pull truth out of a story that's been retold a thousand times.

We dig into the many competing versions of Emily's Bridge, why it feels more like a template for local legend than an actual historical account, and how a rumor hardens into "fact" once it gets repeated on tours, in books, and online. We also chase the paper trail on Boots Berry, a supposedly heroic tap-dancing inn worker whose biography turns out to be far harder to verify than the legend wants you to believe.

Along the way: dead links, mismatched citations, false leads, and the reality that sometimes...the information just isn't there. A reminder that some ghost stories are built from nothing but spooky vibes, loose retellings, and just enough detail to feel legitimate.

CHAPTERS

[00:00:03] - Introduction to Stowe, Vermont’s ghost stories and the listener-submitted case
[00:01:39] - The Haunting of Emily’s Bridge at Gold Brook Bridge
[00:03:45] - The Legend of Boots Berry at the Green Mountain Inn
[00:07:57] - The Many Versions of Emily's Story
[00:11:29] - Digging into Possible Origins of the Emily Legend
[00:13:19] - A Different Haunted Bridge?
[00:16:59] - Researching Boots Berry’s Biography
[00:22:37] - Tracing Citations and Finding the Trail is a Dead End
[00:26:10] - When Historical Research Leads Nowhere
[00:28:00] - Conclusion

https://citegeistpod.com/

Channel illustration by
GiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/
GiAnna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip

Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41

SOURCES

Citro, Joseph A. Green Nountain Ghosts, Ghouls & Unsolved Mysteries. Vermont Life ; Chapters, 1994.

Citro, Joseph A. Passing Strange: True Tales of New England Hauntings and Horrors. Houghton Mifflin, 1997.

Green Mountain Inn. “Inn History.” Accessed April 15, 2026. https://www.greenmountaininn.com/discover-the-inn/heritage-of-the-inn.

Levitt, Alice. “Exploring Vermont’s Haunted Restaurants.” Seven Days, October 30, 2013. https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/exploring-vermonts-haunted-restaurants-2266453/.

Lynchings in the North. “Lynchings in the North.” Accessed April 21, 2026. https://lynchingsinthenorth.org/.

Mackinnon, Kim Foley. “Spend a Night at a Favorite Haunt.” The Patriot Ledger. Accessed April 15, 2026. https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2007/10/19/spend-night-at-favorite-haunt/40226261007/.

Merritt, Kelly, and Kelly Merritt. The Everything Family Guide to Budget Travel. Adams Media, 2011.

NAACP. “History of Lynching in America.” Accessed April 21, 2026. https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/history-lynching-america.

Newman, Rich. The Ghost Hunter’s Field Guide : Over 1000 Haunted Places You Can Experience. With Internet Archive. Woodbury, Minn. : Llewellyn Publications, 2011. http://archive.org/details/ghosthuntersfiel0000newm.

Obscure Vermont. “Emily’s Bridge?” March 17, 2024. http://web.archive.org/web/20240317102114/https://obscurevermont.com/emilys-bridge/.

Ocker, J. W. “Emily’s Bridge in Stowe.” Atlas Obscura, April 14, 2026. http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/emilys-bridge.

Page, Timothy. “The Legend of Boots Berry.” Vermont Daily Chronicle, Vermont Daily Chronicle. Accessed April 15, 2026. https://vermontdailychronicle.com/the-legend-of-boots-berry/.

Seven Days. “Exploring Vermont’s Haunted Restaurants.” Accessed April 15, 2026. https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/exploring-vermonts-haunted-restaurants-2266453/.

St. Albans Daily Messenger (St. Albans,VT). “A Heroic Young Woman.” October 30, 1882.

“Stowe, Vermont Is Allegedly One Of State’s Most Haunted Towns.” Accessed April 15, 2026. https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/trip-ideas/vermont/stowe-most-haunted-small-town-vt.

The Barre Daily Times (Barre, VT). “Stowe.” January 13, 1932.

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“This Place in History: Emily’s Bridge — Vermont Historical Society.” Accessed April 15, 2026. https://vermonthistory.org/emilys-bridge.

Winderbourne Mansion: The Haunted Maryland House Built on a Mistake (Boyds, Maryland) Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

A haunted mansion. A tragic history. An official government document that seems to confirm it all...except it's wrong. Winderbourne Mansion in Boyds, Maryland has long been wrapped in stories of death, misfortune, and ghosts — but what happens when you actually go looking in the archive?

In this episode, I revisit a case I first covered back in 2021 and try to untangle a widely accepted (and incorrect) narrative. Children who were said to have died...didn't. A supposed victim may never have existed at all. And the entire story traces back to a single government document with one fatal flaw. Through census records, newspaper archives, and death certificates, this one's less a ghost story and more a case study in how misinformation spreads and calcifies into "truth" — even landing in respected national publications.
https://citegeistpod.com/

Channel illustration by
GiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/
GiAnna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip

Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41

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“1900 United States Federal Census.” 1900. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/33891257:7602?tid=&pid=&queryId=77426bcee4ef96704997c9b6b70ace89&_phsrc=eBA275&_phstart=successSource.

“1920 United States Federal Census.” 1920. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4313936-00657?_gl=1*h373dr*_up*MQ..*_ga*MzcwMDk3MDU4LjE3NzU0MzMzNTU.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2RjYTQyNzNlLTAyMmQtNGM4OC04OWMwLWMzN2EyYTQxNDA2OSRvMSRnMSR0MTc3NTQzMzM2MyRqNTEkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2RjYTQyNzNlLTAyMmQtNGM4OC04OWMwLWMzN2EyYTQxNDA2OSRvMSRnMSR0MTc3NTQzMzM2MyRqNTEkbDAkaDA.&pId=41965381.

“Abandoned: The Decaying Splendor Of Winderbourne Mansion, Boyds, Maryland - The Ghost In My Machine.” Accessed April 13, 2026. https://theghostinmymachine.com/2021/05/10/abandoned-the-decaying-splendor-of-winderbourne-mansion-boyds-maryland/.

“ACHS Summary Form M 18-10: Winderbourne (Totten House).” November 3, 1978. https://mcatlas.org/hp2/hpdocs/M_%2018-10.pdf.

“Alice Crosby Totten (1869-1884) - Find A Grave...” Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38919506/alice-crosby-totten.

Atlas Obscura. “Winderbourne Mansion.” Accessed February 7, 2021. http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/winderbourne-mansion.

“Beulah Russelle Shry Pickrell (1904-1989) - Find a...” Accessed April 5, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104831376/beulah_russelle-pickrell.

“COL Enoch Totten (1836-1898) - Find a Grave...” Accessed April 4, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38919504/enoch-totten.

Coleman, Peg, et al. “Winderbourne ACHS Summary Form.” 1978. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/stagsere/se1/se5/016000/016900/016957/pdf/msa_se5_16957.pdf.

Crumbling Decay America. Winderbourne Mansion Maryland - Drone (Abandoned). 2020. 07:17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVBRJeD5oKw.

Department of Commerce. Patent and Trademark Office. (1975 - ). 4750 - Sewing Machine - Elias Howe. issued May 27, 1846–May 25, 1854. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2524933.

“Dr Edith Totten (1879-1927) - Find a Grave Memorial.” Accessed April 13, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38919509/edith-totten.

“Elias Howe, Jr.” Accessed April 14, 2026. https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:fb494q66x.

Encyclopedia Britannica. “Elias Howe | American Inventor.” Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elias-Howe.

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“Howe Totten (1870-1942) - Find a Grave Memorial.” Accessed April 13, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214024301/howe-totten.

http://www.facebook.com/johnfranciskelly. “For Sale: The Faded Grandeur of the Winderbourne Mansion.” Washington Post. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/for-sale-the-faded-grandeur-of-the-winderbourne-mansion/2016/04/18/2138eeda-0568-11e6-a12f-ea5aed7958dc_story.html.

“Individual Property/District Maryland Historical Trust Internal NR-Eligibility Review Form: Boyds/White Grounds Historic District, Montgomery County.” March 21, 2022. http://web.archive.org/web/20220321093428/https://mht.maryland.gov/secure/medusa/PDF/Montgomery/M;%2018-8-1.pdf.

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The Daily Critic (Washington, D.C.). “Died.” October 8, 1884.

The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.). “Col. Totten Dead.” November 12, 1898.

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“The Strange, Fascinating History of This Abandoned Mansion Gave Me Goosebumps.” Trending. Definition.Org, November 30, 2016. https://definition.org/strange-fascinating-history-abandoned-mansion-gave-goosebumps/.

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