Many are skeptical about stories of the paranormal. But what if they are described in historical documents?
In the summer of 1817, strange things began to happen with the Bell family in Adams, Tennessee.
It all started with the fact that one evening the father of the family returned home after a hard day. Suddenly, in a cornfield, he saw a strange creature, like a dog with a rabbit's head. He took out his pistol and shot several times at the creepy creature, after which he continued on his way.
On the same night, the whole family heard mysterious knocking and rattling of chains. With each subsequent night, they became louder and more persistent. Soon the eerie cries of the old woman were added to them. But the nightmares had just begun there.
For almost a year, John Bell was afraid that he would be considered insane, so he ordered all family members to remain silent about what was happening. But one day he himself told everything to his best friend James Johnston. The man's cup of patience was overflowing - his youngest daughter Betsy woke up with handprints on her neck and scratches on her face.
Eyewitness accounts
To test John's words, James decided to spend the night at a friend's house. The next morning he confirmed that he also heard strange sounds and screams. Soon people from all over the area began to flock to the house to witness this unusual phenomenon.
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Even Andrew Jackson, a general of the US Army who later became the seventh US president, personally visited Bell's home to see it with his own eyes.
Soon, the spirit got in touch and claimed that it belonged to a former neighbor of the Bell family named Kate Batts. She believed that the land sale between her and John was unfair. She then warned that she intended to kill him. In addition, Kate planned to prevent his daughter Betsy from marrying her fiancé Joshua Gardner.
By a strange coincidence, the witch took a dislike to the poor young man. As soon as he entered the house, his body seemed to be pierced with thousands of small needles.
Apparently, the spirit was in a very determined mood - soon John began to have fits of suffocation. They made him feel like he had a sharp stick in his mouth, he said.
Finally, on December 20, 1820, John Bell died. The family found a vial with unknown contents in his room. John's wife gave a few drops from there to the cat and she instantly died. No doubt it was poison. The witch proudly declared that it was she who made the man drink it. Three months later, Betsy broke off her engagement to Joshua.
Apparently, having achieved what she wanted, the witch said goodbye to her family. Although, she said that she would certainly drop in to them somehow. Apparently she wasn't lying. John Bell Jr. later revealed that she visited him in 1828 and revealed a number of secrets, including the prediction of the American Civil War.
But strange things continued to happen in the cave behind the farm - supposedly, the witch still lived there. However, some argue that there was no witch, it was just that someone was trying to cause a rift between Betsy and Joshua.
Betsy herself married Richard Powell, her school teacher, who was in love with her. Ironically, the paranormal activity began after they first met.
According to rumors, Richard was engaged in black magic, and in 1821 - when Betsy broke off her engagement to Joshua - his wife mysteriously died.
Whether Richard was involved in all of this is unclear to this day. The old witch is said to be the cause of other strange things and sounds that can still be seen and heard around her cave.
