FAMOUS CASES
Smurl Poltergeist
For 13
years (1974 -1987) on Chase Street in West Pittson, Pennsylvania, an ordinary
family encountered something they couldn't explain, and couldn't free themselves
of. Their story became famous when the media became involved, and their ordeal
was told in a book and a movie, each titled "The Haunted." The families' name
was Smurl.
It began
when Jack and Janet Smurl moved from Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania to escape the
flooding damage left behind from hurricane Agnes in 1972. In 1973, they moved
into a duplex Jack's parents had purchased, sharing the house with them. Jack
and Janet and their two daughters, Dawn and Heather lived in one half, and
Jack's parents lived in the other. The house had been built in 1896, and was on
a quiet street in a middle class, ordinary neighborhood.
The living
arrangement was a happy one. Jack and Janet had been raised in Catholic homes,
and they and Jack's parents were strong in their religious faith. They were
(and are) a close loving family who enjoyed sharing the house. They did some
remodeling and redecorating work on the house, settled into it, and Jack and
Janet added twin girls Shannon and Carin to the family.
In January
1974, a year and a half after moving in, things began to change...
It started
out as minor but puzzling annoyances and incidents. A mysterious stain appeared
on a new carpet in the house that apparently could not be removed; deep
scratches appeared on new bathroom fixtures in a remodeled bathroom; there were
problems with leaking pipes in spite of repeated repairs to them, and a
television set suddenly caught fire.
Over time,
the incidents became more alarming and frightening. Jack and Janet's daughter
Dawn claimed she saw floating people in her bedroom. Drawers began to open and
close by themselves, the sounds of footsteps on the stairs, unplugged radios
would suddenly begin blasting loudly, and the toilets would flush themselves.
Whatever
the cause, the incidents continued to worsen. Horrible stenches would waft
throughout the house, and Jack felt something physically touch him several
times. The 'poltergeist' was appearing to be more and more demonic as time went
on, and by 1977, it was apparent that the Smurls were facing more than
unexplained annoyances.
The
phenomena wasn't confined to Jack and Janet's side of the duplex; Jack parents,
John and Mary were also subjected to frightening events. The house would become
icy cold, and they would hear what appeared to be violent verbal fighting on
Jack and Janet's side of the home, with abusive, foul language.
Even
neighbors were affected by the phenomena plaguing the Smurl family. Screams and
loud noises were heard coming from the house, even when no one was home. Not
all the neighbors were sympathetic, however. Some claimed the Smurls' story to
be false, accusing them of trying to make money through book and movie deals
about their 'haunted' house after the media became involved.
Someone
called Janet's name to her when she was in her basement tending to her laundry -
she replied at first, and tried to find who was calling her, in the end
realizing that she had been alone in the house. As if this were a catalyst, the
force invading the Smurl house grew bolder and stronger shortly afterwards. A
black human shaped form manifested in Janet's kitchen, moving through the wall
and into John and Mary's side of the duplex, where Mary also witnessed the
phenomena.
Physical
violence towards the family began and escalated. Even the pet German Shepherd
was tormented, picked up and thrown repeatedly. Shannon was thrown down a
flight of stairs, and a ceiling fan crashed down inches from her, barely missing
hitting and injuring her. Janet was levitated and thrown, and there was
continuous rapping and scratching heard within the walls.
Ed and
Lorraine Warren were contacted by Janet in 1986 for help. The Warrens are well
known psychical researchers and demonologists, who have also investigated the
Amityville house in Long Island. Janet had heard about them, and in desperation
asked them for help in spite of her skepticism. The Warren's interviewed the
family and investigated the house. Their conclusion: of the 4 entities in the
home, one was demonic. Efforts to force the demon to expose itself failed,
instead resulting in additional violence from the entity. The only thing that
seemed to provide a cessation of the activity were Holy Water and prayer.
The
attacks upon the beleaguered family continued, growing worse in violence and
intent. Jack and Janet suffered sexual attacks; and their daughter Dawn was
nearly raped by the entity. Mysterious illnesses afflicted Carin Smurl and Ed
Warren; Janet and Mary Smurl suffered bites and slashes on their arms.
When the
Smurls' attempts to involve the Roman Catholic Church for help failed, the
Warrens brought in Father McKenna to perform an exorcism, but this only angered
the demonic entity. McKenna performed a second exorcism, which also
failed.
Attempts
to get away from the entity were also unsuccessful. The family was followed on a
camping trip; and Jack was even tormented at work. In desperation, the family
decided to turn to the media for help. The resulting press coverage opened the
floodgates, and the Smurls' home became a tourist attraction, press magnet, and
forum for skeptics. After repeated refusals by the Church to become involved,
the media coverage finally motivated the Scranton diocese to offer an
investigation into the Smurls' case.
A third
exorcism performed by Father McKenna brought an end to the activity. In
December 1986, however, after only 3 months of freedom from the torture, Jack
saw the dark form beckoning to him. Once again the phenomena began. The Smurls
moved out of their house and to another town, and the book was published shortly
afterwards.
In 1988,
three years before the Movie about the Smurls' ordeal was released, (1991) the
Church performed a fourth exorcism, and at last the tortured family found a
measure of peace and freedom from the darkness that had threatened and attacked
them for so long...]
Source:
The Smurl
Poltergeist Case (WARNING! Pop-ups on this
site...)
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