Carrie Brown aka "Ol' Shakespeare"RETURN TO HOME PAGE
REAL LIFE GHOST STORIES
RIPPERS IN AMERICA
By Asha Ariel Aleia
In 1891 there was a development in the worlds of politics and science about which Carrie Brown and Annie Chapman may not have been aware. More than a decade earlier, in 1877, in Oxford, a man named Cecil Rhodes had written his "Confession of Faith." In it he wrote of a "society not openly acknowledged but who would work in secret for such an object." That object was to seize opportunities to acquire more territory and create more of the Anglo-Saxon race. He contended that there were at the present time men who would devote their lives to it. To such an end he bequeathed his wealth as follows:
"To and for the establishment, promotion and development of a Secret Society, the true aim and object whereof shall be for the extension of British rule throughout the world, the perfecting of a system of emigration from the United Kingdom, and of colonisation by British subjects of all lands where the means of livelihood are attainable by energy, labour and enterprise, and especially the occupation by British settlers of the entire Continent of Africa, the Holy Land, the Valley of the Euphrates, the Islands of Cypress and Candia, whole of South America, the Islands of the Pacific not heretofore possessed by Great Britain, the whole of the Malay Archipelago, the seaboard of China and Japan, the ultimate recovery of the United States of America as an integral part of the British Empire, the inauguration of a system of Colonial representation in the Imperial Parliament which may tend to weld together the disjointed members of the empire and, finally, the foundation of so great a Power as to render wars impossible and promote the best interests of humanity."
Cecil Rhodes' secret society was in form by 1891, the year of his fourth will, making W.T. Stead and Lord Rothschild, the trustee of the fortune. There were to be two circles, the inner - "The Society of the Elect" - and the outer circle, "The Association of Helpers." Arthur Balfour was to be included within the Circle of Initiates of the Society of the Elect.
For interesting reading on this subject and, by extension the medical connections, one can research: Cecil Rhodes' Secret Society Plan, The Physiology Society, Rockefeller Institute, London Hospital, various medical researchers of the period and later Princeton Research Institute.
In her own neighborhood, Carrie Brown would have been familiar with the corruption of Tammany Hall politics in New York.
Boss Platt was one of many "bosses" in the political arena by 1898 (shown here). Which "Boss" was the target of the Ripper letters? Boss was a slang term in those days. In an investigation some years later, Congress was necessarily brought in to sort out the vast extent of Tammany Hall's reach. William L. Riordon, in 1963, wrote a piece about Tammany Hall and it makes interesting reading:
PLUNKETT OF TAMMANY HALL
John H. McGurk, owner of McGurk's Suicide Hall, was a "player" in the world of New York Real Estate buying good amounts of Coney Island, including lots of the Katen Estate, along with John Lewis.
(http://eagle.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/APA26309/skins/BE/PrintArt.asp?SkinFolder=BE)
To read an account of the Coney Island - Dreamland - Fire, one source is "CONEY ISLAND - DREAMLAND FIRE" by Jeffrey Stanton, 1997.
Dreamland was a place of special effects shows and crowds on Coney Island by 1911.
As property seemed destined to disappear by fire, one can also read about the fire, 1902, at the first Rockefeller home at Kykuit, the Parsons-Wentworth House
MEETING WITH SPIRITS AT 295 BOWERY
AND THE VOLKSGARTEN
APRIL, 2005
In 2005, as five of us (producer, cameraman, photographer, soundman and psychic) were walking the interior of the now deserted and unsafe building that had been McGurks's Suicide Hall and the building next door, also deserted, which had been the Volksgarten, spirits of the former residents greeted us with welcome - they were so glad we'd come. They were anxious to tell us their tale - to introduce themselves and to point out where things - and people - used to be located within the space.
We walked, beginning by gathering on an upper floor, but continuing in a more organized fashion
by starting in the sub-basement and basement and working our way up to the upper floors.
As we looked at the many layers of wallpaper and the tin ceiling, we heard the names of the women and where they slept or worked. We saw the attacks at the bottom of stairwells. We were shown how the ladies were divided by race. And, we were taken to an area down in the basements the spirits called the "elbow" room. That was a part of the building where faunal remains that looked much like the part of the arm near the elbow were found. The room was located on the side near the Volksgarten building. As we walked, we were told to look near the elevator and heard repeatedly "Ring the Bell." But what elevator? We saw none at McGurk's. Then we went to the Volksgarten next door...where we were greeted by happy faces singing to us and got a much lighter feel, a though this might have been a place for cheerier occasions. As we neared the back of this building, we saw it: the elevator. Written on the front of the elevator were the words, "Ring the Bell." This corresponded to a place not far from the location in the first building where we encountered the bone fragment. There, and again once we were inside the first building, we encountered McGurk. He had preferred to meet at 4:00 PM, but returned at our request for a second visit the next morning, standing outside with us on the sidewalk and answering questions. When the cameraman asked what good McGurk had done, he replied, "I built a bridge." He kept looking at the room on the upper floor of 295 Bowery. Inside, as we toured, we had heard many names, one of them being Catherine Baker.
WHO WAS CATHERINE BAKER?
In researching the story later, we came upon the tale of the disaster some years after this that devastated the entire German community of the area, with the largest loss of life to date in a community that would not recover, in fact would begin to relocate. It would be known as the General Slocum Ferry fire. In reading the documents from this event, I was struck by the name of a woman on the list - Catherine Baker. She was listed as being among the dead fished out of the River. However, she was not listed as a passenger on the Slocum. It remains to be proven whether Catherine Baker and Catherine Balser were the same woman and identified under both names according to the one who claimed to know her. Or, was Catherine Baker fished out of the river and laid upon the banks along with the many others who were unidentified until someone recognized the remains and put a name to them? What we know from spirit is that there was a Catherine Baker who was involved with John McGurk at the time he owned the Hall. A few years later, "Catherine Baker" was found (according to documents) and identified as deceased upon the banks of the river. Who was she really? Her spirit also wants to tell us what she remembers.
There were many others - like the underage girl who did survive and went on to a life beyond McGurk's. They gave us their names, which we repeated aloud as we walked.
Seeing the interior of the old hotel was an interesting experience even if one only enjoys looking at the old fixtures. With spirit guides to paint a more realistic portrait of the way it used to be, it was "so worth it" (if I may quote the producer!).
For a partial list of the victims of the General Slocum Ferry Fire which completely devastated the German community in 1904, go to:
1904 GENEAL SLOCUM DISASTER DEAD BROOKLYN EAGLE
Notice that Catherine Baker is listed on the same page as Catherine Balser, both deceased. Was the same person identified by two names? Or were there two females pulled out of thee river? Only one woman, Catherine Balser, was listed on the original passenger list.
In another connection, in 1910, Dr. William Balser is listed one of the best known German physicians in New York. In a document listed as Holy Cross OKANE 3, No. 972, P. 11, there is an advertisement for Balser's Pharmacy at 137 Avenue B, between 8th and 9th streets - the same address listed for the deceased Catherine Balser and Catherine Baker.
Even today the distance from McGurk's (now demolished) at the corner of E. Houston and Bowery St. to the old site of the East River Hotel at Water Street and Catherine Slip is not far. In fact, it is also not a long journey to 137 Avenue B, the address listed on the Slocum's list for Catherine "Balser." In those times, there were additionally an overhead train (gone today) and underground tunnels to speed delivery of goods to and from the harbor.
THE AUTHORS
Many writers of the day attempted to paint a picture of their world and the medical community at the time. There was resistance. DeKruif, for example, was fired by Simon Flexner, director of the Rockefeller, for writing a series of articles called "Our Medicine Men" for The Century.
One must question reports seen in the Brooklyn newspapers at the time: Did Dr. Metzger just wake up insane one morning? Read:
"SEIZED WITH INSANITY
Dr. J. L. Metzger, aged 33 years of 132 East Sixty-sixth street, New York, became suddenly insane this morning, and is now a raving maniac in the insane pavilion at Bellevue Hospital."(http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/Newspaper/BSU/1893.Jotttings.html")
Upton Sinclair, Jacob Riis and, across the ocean, Jack London, all described their experiences in the worlds of "The Bowery" and "The Abyss."
MCGURK SPEAKS
McGurk's Suicide Hall, 295 Bowery, New York, was considered to be one of the worst of the worst dives at the time in The Bowery. It did, however, sport not only one of the first electric signs at the time, but also the first bouncer, with a moniker that starts with "Eat'em Up" Jack." The building has had famous visitors like Stephen Crane and Mae West and Susan B. Anthony. It was a common practice in those days to stuff things in the walls or under the floors. Tin-types have been found in neighborhood buildings. What might have been found within the walls or floors of McGurk's? Or, for that matter, what might have been found at McGurk's later residences? Once it is seen that great interest is shown in searching buildings connected to these events and persons, there seems to follow a pattern of destruction, either by fire or demolition.
When I asked McGurk's spirit if he had any connection to the deaths of the women, his spirit replied that he had found himself in a bad position: he owed a very large debt. He got a visit from "crew" who used to be friends, now on the other side, who pushed his head down in the water. They "braved" him (challenged him - ed.) to do it. "The harlot had to go." When asked to whom the debt was owed, the answer came back as: Littlefield. Also heard the names, Wendell, and Califant, Edward. Names will be left as he said them, the spellings to be corrected as known.
John McGurk was eventually driven out of New York and rumored to have gone west. A property listed as belonging to John McGurk in Riverside, CA (we will need to verify that it is the same man), is the only house of that period on a block of restored homes to have been torn to the ground and replaced with a parking lot!
John McGurk is the male (ghost) who followed the woman into the office that day in Atlanta in 1988 (see www.ashaofantares.com/1891.html). He has continued to appear numerous times over the years, appearing again at 4pm Eastern Time in April, 2005 when we were finishing up a day's shoot at 295 Bowery. His spirit, dressed in bluish-gray pants and darker solid-color top coat, returned the next morning.
He wanted us (the cameraman, soundman, producer, photographer, and myself) to know that he had "built a bridge." Since we know of several bridges in the area, we hope that those who know of his involvement in bridge building will let us know more about it. No doubt he and the women of the Bowery and the Abyss (Whitechapel) are wanting to let us know what really happened.
Another short vision shared with me in 1988 was a turn-of-the-twentieth century-style newspaper with a heading that named a man called John McGork (or McGurk) and the word MURDER. Was this a real newspaper article or just a clue? He was also listed as "Dr." in that paper. What happened to him after he moved west? Did he really reform as he claimed he would? What about Boston? There are earlier accounts that indicate he may have been there at one point. There are rumors that he made voyages to Australia and Europe as well. Did he have any connections in St. Louis? That he made a great deal of money and listed himself on one census form as a "speculator" can be seen with short research. We will add more information as it becomes available - or maybe the spirits will appear to the reader?
WHO WAS JOHN MCGURK?
WHO WAS CATHERINE BAKER? DID THEY KNOW CARRIE BROWN?
AND WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS - SPIRIT SAYS THERE WERE OTHERS...
WHAT MORE WILL SPIRIT TELL US...?
If you get the opportunity to watch film footage of our shoot inside 295 Bowery and the Volksgarten building next door, it becomes apparent that there were many spirits and their stories, both boisterous and villanous, interesting and deadly that took place in that infamous saloon.
Rolling sailors, prostitution, fights, death, real estate...gangs...was it enough?
All those women who "suicided" at McGurk's - were they really suicides? Or murders?...
What does John McGurk, his spirit returned, know?...
Why did he move so often? Why does he feel the need to return?
This story continues...
ORGAN HARVESTING - Is it still happening today?
A recent article about men accused of stealing tissue from corpses (in New York)
to sell for transplant would indicate that organ harvesting in America is still ongoing.
Read: "Brooklyn Tissue Harvesting Ring Busted" by Georgia Heyward for the Epoch Times New York.
TO SEE A STREET MAP OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS
CARRIE BROWN WOULD HAVE KNOWN, GO TO:
MAP 1891
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BACK TO BEGINNING OF
RIPPERS IN AMERICA
DISCLAIMER: These are not my words but those of
the spirits who wanted to tell their stories.
If you do not agree with their tale...
talk with them about it.
I am just the messenger!
Copyright 2006.Asha of Antares.Asha Ariel Aleia.All Rights Reserved.
Image of Carrie Brown courtesy:www.casebook.org
Boss Platt image courtesy: www.philadelphia-reflections.com
Image of Kykuit courtesy: www.hudsonrivervalley.com
Image from General Slocum disster courtesy: upload.wikimedia.org
Image of McGurk's Suicide Hall courtesy: falsedawn.blogspot.com
Image of McGurk's and Volksgarten next door, courtesy: www.curbed.com
Image of Dreamland Opening courtesy: www.geocities.com
Image of Coney Island fire courtesy: www.westland.net
Image of Bowery courtesy: blog.uncovering.org
Street map courtesy:bklyn-genealogy-info.com
Image of fainting couch courtesy: www.victoriantrading.com
