Keven McQueen - Creepy California: Strange and Gothic Tales from the Golden State

Creepy
CALIFORNIA

Creepy
CALIFORNIA

STRANGE and GOTHIC TALES from the GOLDEN STATE

KEVEN MCQUEEN

AN IMPRINT OF

INDIANA UNIVERSITY PRESS
BLOOMINGTON AND INDIANAPOLIS

This book is a publication of

Quarry Books an imprint of

INDIANA UNIVERSITY PRESS

Office of Scholarly Publishing

Herman B Wells Library 350

1320 East 10th Street

Bloomington, Indiana 47405 USA

iupress.indiana.edu

2017 by Keven McQueen

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The Association of American University Presses Resolution on Permissions constitutes the only exception to this prohibition.

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.481992.

Manufactured in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: McQueen, Keven, author.

Title: Creepy California : strange and Gothic tales from the Golden State / Keven McQueen.

Description: 1st [edition]. | Bloomington : Indiana University Press, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017011846 (print) | LCCN 2017024182 (ebook) | ISBN 9780253029133 (e-book) | ISBN 9780253029058 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780253028914 (cloth : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Haunted placesCalifornia. | GhostsCalifornia. | Curiosities and wondersCalifornia. | TalesCalifornia. | LegendsCalifornia. | FolkloreCalifornia.

Classification: LCC BF1472.U6 (ebook) | LCC BF1472.U6 M433 2017 (print) | DDC 398.209794dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017011846

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Dedicated to some of my favorite Californians: Jo Blanset; Carlton Grizzle; author Thomas S. Fiske; and Ben Eshbach and Kiara Geller of that great band The Sugarplastic.

Note to the reader:
For maximum effect, read this book aloud in a Boris Karloff voice.

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

They assisted:

Drema Colangelo; Eastern Kentucky University Department of English; Eastern Kentucky University Interlibrary Loan Department (Stefanie Brooks, Heather Frith, Shelby Wills); Amy McQueen and Quentin Hawkins; Darrell and Swecia McQueen; Darren, Alison, and Elizabeth McQueen; Kyle McQueen; Michael, Lori, and Blaine McQueen and Evan Holbrook; Ashley Runyon and everyone at the Indiana University Press; and Mia Temple. Also: the Mediator.

INTRODUCTION

THERE ARE MANY GUIDEBOOKS TO CALIFORNIA THAT inform tourists about the states justly famous wonders, but the information in these books is incomplete. For example, we hear about the wonderful Sequoia National Forest. But regarding the subject of Californias trees, why do we never hear about the lonesome Fort Bragg resident who carved a family for himself out of wood?

California is proud of its movie industry, but the guidebooks neglect to tell us about the ten-year Hollywood conspiracy, which included actress Carole Lombard, to spare an elderly woman from learning that her son had died in a bizarre shooting accident.

We are familiar with the states many first-rate institutions of higher learning, yet the topic of Stanfords secret collection of occult memorabilia never seems to come up.

California guidebooks that want to give readers an impression of the residents personality mention the individualistic streaksome would say downright eccentricityof many Golden Staters, which has become a national clich. However, the guidebooks are softballing matters. As far back as 1888, a mental health expert predicted California would be entirely populated by lunatics within twenty years or so.

This book includes all of these true stories and many more, thereby exploring a side of the state that guidebooks dare not mention. Never mind the scenery, the beaches, and the ideal weather; this is the California that is home to bizarre epitaphs, giant skeletons, unsolved murders, persons who kept embalmed bodies in their homes, serial killers, peculiar suicides, and grave robberiesincluding a case in which the deceaseds mistress had his body secretly exhumed and reburied to spite his widow. Strangely, the Beach Boys didnt mention any of these things in their songs!

Creepy
CALIFORNIA

TALES FROM THE TOMBS

Live Burial

A HORRIFYING CASE OF INTENTIONAL LIVE BURIAL occurred at Hat Creek in March 1921. William T. of the Hat Creek Indian tribe died of smallpox and was placed in a coffin, which two fellow tribesmen bore to his grave in the dark of night. But it seems he was not incurably dead; the pallbearers heard him kicking the lid but buried the coffin anyway, fearing the wrath of the health officer. Chief Samson brought the matter to the proper authorities attention.

Tombstone Talk

A pioneer-era tombstone allegedly in Grass Valley bears this epitaph: Lynched by mistake. The jokes on us.

On Supreme Court Justice Silas Sandersons headstone, Laurel Hill Cemetery, San Francisco: Final decree.

On a headstone in Welwood Murray Cemetery, Palm Springs: Louisa Adler, 18731933. Died of grief caused by a neighbor. Now rests in peace.

On the headstone of TV game show producer Merv Griffin, Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles: I will not be right back after this message.

On actress Joan Hacketts headstone, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles: Go awayIm asleep.

Will Power

Robert D., a wealthy landowner of Chico, died on October 22, 1871. He had a reputation for eccentricity, and the terms of his will did nothing to lessen that impression. Robert left $100,000 to the Deaf and Dumb Asylum at San Francisco because, as he told friends, I want to leave it to those who will not talk about me after I am dead.

Louise W. of Los Angeles was disappointed when one of her daughters moved to France to live a sinful existence. Louises bitterness was reflected in her will, which was filed on May 29, 1912: To my daughter, Edith, living in the Champs-lyses, Paris, I bequeath $5 with which she must purchase the work of a reliable author on the wages of sin and ingratitude.

Annie P. of Los Angeles died on May 11, 1933. She adored her pet parrot so much that she couldnt bear the thought of being parted from it. Apparently, she thought the parrot felt the same way because her will directed that the bird be euthanized painlessly via chloroform and buried with her. Mistress and parrot began the Long Journey together on May 15.

Margaret K. was an avowed hermit and a man-hater. The daughter of a Utah silver magnate, she lived practically alone in a $100,000 (equal to over $1 million in modern currency) Palos Verdes mansion with a magnificent hilltop view of the ocean; it also had barred gates and was surrounded by a twelve-foot wall. Margaret had only one servant, and she gave him instructions via telephone or written note rather than interact with him in person. On the rare occasions when she left the house, she was heavily veiled. Neighbors called her the mystery woman of Palos Verdes.