Jacobson - Minnesota hauntings: ghost stories from the land of 10,000 lakes

Dedication:

For my brothers, Jason and Scott.

A special thank you to everyone who willingly shared their ghost stories and who allowed me to put their tales into this collection. I appreciate your time and your patience. I would also like to thank the many people who gave me guidance and who pointed me in the right direction during the process of researching this book.

In some instances, names and locations have been changed at the request of the sources.

Book and cover design by Jonathan Norberg

Edited by Brett Ortler

Photo for Ghost Writer copyright Cheri Jacobson

Copyright 2010 by Ryan Jacobson

Adventure Publications, Inc.

820 Cleveland Street South

Cambridge, MN 55008

1-800-678-7006

www.adventurepublications.net

ISBN: 978-1-59193-301-4 (paperback)

ISBN: 978-159193-332-8 (ebook)

All rights reserved

Introduction

BUYER: BEWARE. Thats all I can say after the terrifying tale my sister-in-law told me. Katie is a huge fan of all things scary, so of course I gave her a copy of my first spooky book, Ghostly Tales of Wisconsin .

She brought it to her home outside Princeton, eager to devour its contents. But as she carried the book inside, her dog Lola freaked out. The pooch glared at Ghostly Tales , angrily growling and barking. (Everyones a critic!) Lola wouldnt stop yipping until Katie shelved the book.

Good ol Katie saw this as a sign. She immediately devised a theory that a ghost must somehow be attached to it. So when the lights in the vacant house next door started turning on and off at all hours of the night, Katie knew why.

It was the Ghost of the Book.

Eventually, Katies copy of Ghostly Tales vanished. She couldnt remember where shed left it, and she even began to wonder if her resident spirit had hidden it. But thanks to Lola, Katie solved the mystery a few nights later.

She was awakened by the sound of Lola barking and scratching at the wall beside her bed. The dog had not acted like that since the first time Katie brought home Ghostly Tales of Wisconsin .

She turned on the lightsher husband, Mitch, was not pleasedand after a few choice words for Lola, Katie began digging around the floor near the wall. Much to her surprise, she located her missing book. And once again, as soon as Katie put it away, Lolas barking ceased.

Do I subscribe to Katies Ghost of the Book theory? Not really. (I dont think Katie does either.) But still, I suppose its plausible. Its enough to make one wonder.

And so it is with most ghost stories. Personally, I think about 90 percent of them are questionable at best. But that still leaves 10 percent as true!

In Minnesota Hauntings , I present a balance between the states best, most famous stories and newly researched ones that have never been published before. I feel it is important to note that, in some instances, I received the details as checklists of unexplainable occurrences rather than as narratives. Thus, while the information remains accurate, some of the scenarios (and characters) were reinterpreted for dramatic effect.

I can neither verify the validity of each claim nor the existence of supernatural beings, but I can assure you that the portrayals of the spirits in this book are as authentic as possible.

And will your copy of Minnesota Hauntings come complete with its own ghost? Well, I can give you no promise of that. Enjoy!

School Spirit

BISHOP PATRICK R. HEFFRON knelt at the altar. He knew vanity was a sin, but the hardworking man couldnt help feeling proud of his school, Saint Marys College. He had founded it in Winona three years earlier, and by August 27, 1915, the college had become quite successful. Every aspect of Saint Marys was running smoothlyat least, everything but the bishops relationship with Father Louis Lesches.

Heffron recalled his recent communications with the 56-year-old priest. Lesches had demanded a parish of his own, an idea Heffron found almost unimaginable. In truth, the bishop held his colleague in low regard. He wondered about the mans mental stability, and he questioned both his competence and his devotion. The bishop believed Lesches would be more appropriately employed as a farmer, and hed told him soa comment that had sent Lesches storming away, mumbling curses under his breath.

Enough of this, Heffron whispered. He pushed all thoughts of the priest from his mind, reprimanding himself for dwelling on the negative. He focused instead on his prayers.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

The bishops concentration was again broken, this time by running footsteps behind him. Heffron stood. He turned to see Father Lesches charging toward him, a frenzied look in his eyes.

Louis, what are you Heffron began to ask. Then he noticed the pistol in Lesches hand.

Boom! Boom!

The thunderous claps of gunfire echoed through the chapel. Bishop Heffron felt two piercing stabs: the first in his thigh, the second in his chest.

As Lesches hurried away, Heffron found the strength to give chasebut his injuries overcame him. Had Father Thomas Normoyle not discovered the wounded bishop moments later, Heffron may have died.

Instead, by some miracle, the bishop survived to testify against his would-be murderer. He reflected upon the man he had known for more than a decade, describing him as hostile, self-absorbed and friendless. Also noted were the countless arguments between Lesches and another of his colleagues, Father Edward Lynch. In the most heated of moments, Lesches took to screaming a condensed version of the Bible verse, First Thessalonians 4:16. And the Lord shall come again, to the sound of trumpets!

The case against Lesches was a slam dunkit almost certainly wouldve been even without Heffrons testimony. Police had arrested Lesches mere minutes after the shooting, the gun hidden in the deranged priests travel bag. However, the murderous man was not put in prison. Instead, he was declared mentally unfit and sent 140 miles west to the Asylum for the Dangerously Insane in Saint Peter.

One might imagine that after Bishop Heffron lost his battle with cancer in 1927, and with Lesches still hospitalized, this bizarre saga would finally reach its conclusion. But the strange tale of Louis Lesches and Saint Marys College had only just begun.

A Mysterious Death

By January of 1931, Lesches had proven himself to be a model patient. He was declared mentally stable and reportedly would have been freed, if not for a rather significant technicality: Lesches was still under the guardianship of the Diocese of Winona, so the new bishop, Francis Kelley, needed to sign off on Lesches release. Kelley refused, sending Lesches into a rage.

Perhaps it was coincidence and perhaps not, but on May 15 of that same year, inside Saint Marys Hall (the building in which Heffron had been shot), nuns discovered one of the most ghastly and puzzling scenes in Minnesota history. Father Lynch, the man whom Lesches had clashed with on so many occasions, was found dead in his third-floor room. His bodyor rather his charred remainslay upon the bed.