Ghost Trackers!!!! - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

GakFace · 10-08-2003, 10:17 PM

Quote:

GOING ON A GHOST HUNT
The Indiana Ghost Trackers investigate a purportedly haunted old jail in Columbia City.
By Carol Tannehill
of The News-Sentinel

I wasn't afraid of the ghosts. The Allen County police officers, however, made me a little nervous.

They had pulled into Greenlawn Memorial Park off Covington Road to find out what two dozen people were doing strolling through a cemetery at 9 p.m. with flashlights, cameras and walkie-talkies. I had wondered that myself a few times already.

I thought we had a pretty good answer until I heard our fearless leader, Jennifer Zamaites, tell it to the officers: "We're the Indiana Ghost Trackers and we're conducting an investigation."

The officers let us off with a warning that Indiana cemeteries are technically closed after sunset.

"Well . . . um, have fun," one of them said as he got back into the patrol car.

Several of the amateur paranormalists assured him they would. Indiana Ghost Trackers, after all, love nothing better than to load up their trunks with equipment and go someplace haunted. If you believe the trackers, that would be just about everywhere. Since the 30 local members began meeting in November, they've wasted no time in scheduling investigations.

Intrepid reporter that I am, I practically invited myself to the Fort Wayne chapter's Sept. 27 meeting, which was to include an overnight ghost hunt at the old Columbia City jail.

The dinner meeting -- held in the Arabian Room restaurant in the Mizpah Shrine on Berry Street -- seemed relatively normal at first. But once the administrative preliminaries were taken care of, Zamaites invited members and guests to discuss their most recent brushes with the spirit world. There were tales of exploding light bulbs, stinky closets, opened kitchen drawers, looming figures at the foot of the bed and unseen entities that smelled like cinnamon rolls and cigars. While we ate, the members pored over snapshots and viewed videotape that might contain evidence of ghosts among us.

Then we car-pooled to the cemetery to rev up our psychic senses before making our way to the jail.

The creepy former penitentiary at Market and Washington streets is one of the ghost trackers' favorite haunts. I had to agree that it seemed an ideal place to stage a spirit safari. For one thing, Paul Harrington's historic building had been converted, as it is every fall, into a Halloween attraction designed to gross out youngsters and raise money for the local high school hockey team. Filled with gruesome tableaus involving surgeries gone wrong, electrocutions and bathtub murders, it was enough to spawn nightmares, even if the real ghosts were no-shows.

For another thing, plenty of weird stuff has happened at the jail over the years. Harrington, who kindly opens his mind and his jail for IGT's field trips, told the ghost hunters about unexplainable drafts, disembodied voices and banging noises he and his volunteers have noticed from time to time.

"Normal-type haunting stuff," Zamaites observed. Only a ghost hunter would call that normal, I thought.

We waited on the jail's front lawn for the spook house to serve its last customers. Ghost trackers took deep drags on their cigarettes, clutched their hooded sweatshirts around them and fended off pesky teenage volunteers wearing latex zombie masks and wielding plastic machetes.

Tamy Smith, an accountants-payable clerk and mother, held her homemade dowsing rods -- a simple spirit-detecting device made from drinking straws and copper wire -- at the ready. Shelly Stump fingered the Native American medicine bag around her neck. And Zamaites gave "final instructions" to the investigation team leaders.

She had already warned that, "When we were there last year, we had some people get really scared and leave in tears. So . . . be prepared!"

Prepared indeed. The 10 members who signed on to spend the night were laden down with flashlights, cameras, tape recorders, compasses, electromagnetic field meters, digital thermometers, candles, homemade baked goods, caffeinated soft drinks and sleeping bags. Sleeping bags? Who's going to be sleeping? I wondered.

Mike Weides, a South Bend contractor who moonlights as a paranormalist, was on hand to assist. He's known as a "floater" for Indiana Ghost Trackers, which means he makes the rounds among chapters and helps the 300 state members during investigations. Weides has serious eyes, wears a baseball cap with a mini-flashlight clipped on it and carries business cards that read, "Got ghosts?"

He investigates about 200 paranormal complaints a year, some of which yield exciting results. It's those occasional successes -- and the possibility of getting "pants-wetting scared," he said -- that keep him interested in spite of all the false alarms.

"A lot of ghosts come out of the medicine chest and the liquor cabinet," he conceded. "So you just listen to (the clients') stories, spend a while going through the motions and leave."

Twenty minutes after midnight, our investigation got under way. The ghost trackers split up into teams -- a mistake, I thought, if "Friday the 13th" and its sequels have taught us anything.

One team headed upstairs. Another descended into the dungeon area. Our team -- Zamaites, Weides, South Bend ghost hunter Steve Driver, News-Sentinel photographers Ellie Bogue and Steve Linsenmayer and I -- stayed on the first floor, where most of the jail cells were located.

Zamaites quickly noticed major equipment failures. "My camera just cut out on me," she announced. "The lithium battery had 58 minutes of power when I came in."

From what I understand, this could mean that ghosts, which are basically big energy-sucking blobs, are nearby. The ghost hunters use new batteries every time, but "they drained within five minutes of being near the building," Zamaites said.

Then, suddenly, we heard groaning and scratching coming from the front vestibule. We quickly realized it was Harrington having a little fun at our expense.

The walkie-talkie roared to life: "Team One, we just heard moaning coming from the lower floor. Over." The comic timing couldn't have been better.

Our team inched down the narrow passages. Zamaites led the way, her digital thermometer probing the urine-scented air around the cells for temperature spikes or plummets. Weides shot photos incessantly, hoping to catch mists or orbs on film.

"Here's a trick," he said. "What you need to do is turn around quickly and shoot. That way, you can (photograph) whatever's following you."

Zamaites took a few minutes to interview the spirits with her tape recorder rolling. The electronic voice phenomena, if any, would be analyzed later.

"Do you mind us being here?" Zamaites asked the air.

When she replayed the tape, I heard nothing but the loud clicking of Bogue's camera. It was then that I suspected Weides was beginning to think of us, the journalists, as paranormal wet blankets. Whether our presence was irritating the ghosts or the ghost hunters, I'm not sure. Regardless, we shot a few more pictures and asked a few more questions, then excused ourselves.

Wouldn't you know it? The jail's spiritual plane started jumping about 2 a.m., shortly after we left.

"This was honestly the most active building I've ever been in," Zamaites told me a few days after the ghost hunt. "We stayed until 7 the next morning and it was still active as could be as we were walking out the door."

The group got major readings on their electromagnetic field meters and digital thermometers, she said. They also thought they detected traveling cold spots, knocking from walls, a hollow-sounding man's voice and footsteps on the floor above. A few lucky people even got touched by unseen hands.

"It was a great night," Zamaites said, "but I can tell you this, not one person slept."

Except me. I was safe and snoring in my own bed by 3 a.m. -- with the lights on, of course.

Join the team
Got ghosts? Hoping to find some? The Fort Wayne chapter of Indiana Ghost Trackers, a nonprofit organization, welcomes new members and guests. You'll find more information about the local group and its upcoming activities by logging on to their Web site at www.fwigt.org. You can contact the group by e-mail at fwigtinfo@aol.com.

Seeing how this was in my paper, and I do live in Fort Wayne... I'm rather intrigued

Oh, for the linky to their site, here it is.
http://www.fwigt.org/

Psivage · 10-09-2003, 02:21 PM

Anybody seen the Road Rule show where they had to spend the night in a haunted house with some psychics? 3 kids hid in a room and made shadow and sound and the other went to find the psychics and lead them back to the room and the psychics were saying oh yes strong energy from that room, and whole bunch of other babble getting impressions in their mind, The kid burst out of the door, the psychics got mad and left. Never laugh so hard in my laugh.

Anyways though, I always thought it would be interesting to go ghost hunting, I still want to go through a haunted house/ site.

GakFace · 10-10-2003, 12:43 AM

well.. Unlike that stuff.. It appears that they use instant Digital Thermometer, to find distrinct differences in temperatures and even moving splotches of them. I know this is in Indiana.... but I just put this up to see what you guys think about Ghost Tracking groups. Figured this should be a cool topic of interest.

psicon · 10-20-2003, 12:31 AM

In my own personal experience I have used many different meters such as an EMF meter, like you said a digital thermometer, barometer and such to get readings, basically to rule if it's and actual paranormal event or just a natural happening.As for those psychics that were pissed,they take their gifts seriously and don't like idiots messing with them. If you don't believe that's your choice don't make fun of those of us that do believe.Lastly don't go by what MTV does in the case of their "so-called" supernatural shows they're not even close.

GakFace · 10-20-2003, 02:06 PM

heh yeah. Being fucked with like that just isn't cool. This stuff is more real than some people think. See the funny thing is this... You can ALWAYS prank it.. the thing is tho.. not every time its a prank. If you wanted to analyze this... You could prank a paranormalist.. but is that basis that what they do is crap? No, not really. Next time, don't prank them.. and you might be hoping they're pulling a prank back on you.

I mean think of any real life job, you could prank them easily. It would piss them off royally, but you can't honestly walk away saying that their job is worthless.

I've never done a technological ghost hunt. I have just gotton used to demons and angels. I don't really know how to use all that stuff. As for a thermometer, yeah I spose I COULD use one.. but there is a reason why I would rather not. I feel spirits, I have spent my life determining just how cold the chill is and how it passes over my body. I can usually tell if its spirit or not. Tho I wouldn't mind having someone next to me using one to confirm what I believe. If you pay attention to cold chills (as I call them), You can tell where they are coming from and how they pass you. This helps because sometimes its just an airconditioning unit coming down from above.

WhoaitsZ · 10-20-2003, 10:40 PM

i'd be for it!

GakFace · 10-21-2003, 09:02 AM

A friend talked to the leader of the group via Yahoo Messenger. I think she's Pagan or something.. no biggie, but then he told her how he can see and hear spirits and that he's a christian... She then said, "How can a christian deal with seeing and hearing spirits?" I must say that kind of pisses me off. Alas, I still won't know it all until I try it out tho. I'm still trying to find linkys and readings all over before I dive in. I just get a weird feeling that I'm gonna have to use THEIR methods to detect 'em. Sure paranormalists DO have uses to find things, but I have my own gifts as well. I don't want to take pictures of them, and I don't care to record their voices (I wouldn't want them doing the same to me, I see it as a kind of respect.) I do on the other hand want to be there with them. I want to sense them, maybe even feel their emotions. That I can do, but I will need the group in order to visit such haunted places... I gotta look into it more, I don't know if I will, but I don't know where else I can be with a group in Fort Wayne that likes this stuff.

psicon · 10-21-2003, 06:05 PM

Hey GakFace I understand where you coming from I have special gifts myself and I use them as much as possible,but when it comes to actually convincing a disbeliever they will be more prone to believe scientific data as fact than what you"feel",and It can be fun using all those gadgets.I mean I live in Louisiana and I still find it hard to get support unless I have the data to collaberate my 6th sense.Just keep going and be safe.P.S. I"m a christian too not a good one,but I believe in more than a religion tries to convince me there is.Keep searching for the truth.

TerresqueÜ · 10-26-2003, 07:20 PM

I remember this show MTV used to have where a bunch of people would haveta investigate an Über haunted site and do a bunch of missions, attempted channelings, offerings, etc, the usge(you-sgh), to either piss off or summon up some spirits. And the people who were left at the end of the night got to spit $100,000. But that's beyond the point, that show was mucho creepy.

rider6061 · 10-27-2003, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TerresqueÜ
I remember this show MTV used to have where a bunch of people would haveta investigate an Über haunted site and do a bunch of missions, attempted channelings, offerings, etc, the usge(you-sgh), to either piss off or summon up some spirits. And the people who were left at the end of the night got to spit $100,000. But that's beyond the point, that show was mucho creepy.

That show was called "FEAR". I loved the show but felt like a bunch of the scares were set up by MTV crew. Anybody know how much of this stuff was set-up?

Slacks_01 · 10-27-2003, 12:54 PM

wasnt it cancled, looks like it wasn;t good enough and is gone~

psicon · 10-31-2003, 07:44 PM

In my opinion I think it was all set up.I heard there was alot of actual paranormal investigators piss off because they thought they were making fun of the paranormal.

10-10-2003, 12:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
GakFace Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go!! Location: IN, USA	well.. Unlike that stuff.. It appears that they use instant Digital Thermometer, to find distrinct differences in temperatures and even moving splotches of them. I know this is in Indiana.... but I just put this up to see what you guys think about Ghost Tracking groups. Figured this should be a cool topic of interest. __________________ RoboBlaster: Welcome to the club! Not that I'm in the club. And there really isn'a a club in the first place. But if there was a club and if I was in it, I would definitely welcome you to it.

10-20-2003, 02:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
GakFace Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go!! Location: IN, USA	heh yeah. Being fucked with like that just isn't cool. This stuff is more real than some people think. See the funny thing is this... You can ALWAYS prank it.. the thing is tho.. not every time its a prank. If you wanted to analyze this... You could prank a paranormalist.. but is that basis that what they do is crap? No, not really. Next time, don't prank them.. and you might be hoping they're pulling a prank back on you. I mean think of any real life job, you could prank them easily. It would piss them off royally, but you can't honestly walk away saying that their job is worthless. I've never done a technological ghost hunt. I have just gotton used to demons and angels. I don't really know how to use all that stuff. As for a thermometer, yeah I spose I COULD use one.. but there is a reason why I would rather not. I feel spirits, I have spent my life determining just how cold the chill is and how it passes over my body. I can usually tell if its spirit or not. Tho I wouldn't mind having someone next to me using one to confirm what I believe. If you pay attention to cold chills (as I call them), You can tell where they are coming from and how they pass you. This helps because sometimes its just an airconditioning unit coming down from above. __________________ RoboBlaster: Welcome to the club! Not that I'm in the club. And there really isn'a a club in the first place. But if there was a club and if I was in it, I would definitely welcome you to it.

10-21-2003, 09:02 AM	#7 (permalink)
GakFace Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go!! Location: IN, USA	A friend talked to the leader of the group via Yahoo Messenger. I think she's Pagan or something.. no biggie, but then he told her how he can see and hear spirits and that he's a christian... She then said, "How can a christian deal with seeing and hearing spirits?" I must say that kind of pisses me off. Alas, I still won't know it all until I try it out tho. I'm still trying to find linkys and readings all over before I dive in. I just get a weird feeling that I'm gonna have to use THEIR methods to detect 'em. Sure paranormalists DO have uses to find things, but I have my own gifts as well. I don't want to take pictures of them, and I don't care to record their voices (I wouldn't want them doing the same to me, I see it as a kind of respect.) I do on the other hand want to be there with them. I want to sense them, maybe even feel their emotions. That I can do, but I will need the group in order to visit such haunted places... I gotta look into it more, I don't know if I will, but I don't know where else I can be with a group in Fort Wayne that likes this stuff. __________________ RoboBlaster: Welcome to the club! Not that I'm in the club. And there really isn'a a club in the first place. But if there was a club and if I was in it, I would definitely welcome you to it.

10-26-2003, 07:20 PM	#9 (permalink)
TerresqueÜ Hiding Out	I remember this show MTV used to have where a bunch of people would haveta investigate an Über haunted site and do a bunch of missions, attempted channelings, offerings, etc, the usge(you-sgh), to either piss off or summon up some spirits. And the people who were left at the end of the night got to spit $100,000. But that's beyond the point, that show was mucho creepy. __________________ Say yes to the 'Tilted Roleplaying' Forum http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1932&highlight=petition

10-09-2003, 02:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
Psivage Psycho	Anybody seen the Road Rule show where they had to spend the night in a haunted house with some psychics? 3 kids hid in a room and made shadow and sound and the other went to find the psychics and lead them back to the room and the psychics were saying oh yes strong energy from that room, and whole bunch of other babble getting impressions in their mind, The kid burst out of the door, the psychics got mad and left. Never laugh so hard in my laugh. Anyways though, I always thought it would be interesting to go ghost hunting, I still want to go through a haunted house/ site.

10-20-2003, 12:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
psicon Tilted Location: In my own little world.	In my own personal experience I have used many different meters such as an EMF meter, like you said a digital thermometer, barometer and such to get readings, basically to rule if it's and actual paranormal event or just a natural happening.As for those psychics that were pissed,they take their gifts seriously and don't like idiots messing with them. If you don't believe that's your choice don't make fun of those of us that do believe.Lastly don't go by what MTV does in the case of their "so-called" supernatural shows they're not even close.

10-20-2003, 10:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
WhoaitsZ Crazy Location: right behind you...	i'd be for it!

10-21-2003, 06:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
psicon Tilted Location: In my own little world.	Hey GakFace I understand where you coming from I have special gifts myself and I use them as much as possible,but when it comes to actually convincing a disbeliever they will be more prone to believe scientific data as fact than what you"feel",and It can be fun using all those gadgets.I mean I live in Louisiana and I still find it hard to get support unless I have the data to collaberate my 6th sense.Just keep going and be safe.P.S. I"m a christian too not a good one,but I believe in more than a religion tries to convince me there is.Keep searching for the truth.

10-27-2003, 12:54 PM	#11 (permalink)
Slacks_01 Tilted	wasnt it cancled, looks like it wasn;t good enough and is gone~

10-31-2003, 07:44 PM	#12 (permalink)
psicon Tilted Location: In my own little world.	In my opinion I think it was all set up.I heard there was alot of actual paranormal investigators piss off because they thought they were making fun of the paranormal.