Real Crime/Paranormal/Conspiracy Theories Book III

The Haunting Legend of the Bell Witch

John Johnston, a son of James, deviseda test for the witch, something no one outside his family would know,asking the entity what his Dutch step-grandmother in North Carolinawould say to the slaves if she thought they did something wrong. Thewitch replied with his grandmother's accent, "Hut tut, whathas happened now?" In another account, an Englishman stoppedto visit and offered to investigate. On remarking on his familyoverseas, the witch suddenly began to mimic his English parents.Again at early morning, the witch woke him to voices of his parentsworried as they had heard his voice as well. The Englishman quicklyleft that morning and later wrote to the Bell family that the entityhad visited his family in England. He apologized for his skepticism.

At times, the spirit displayed a formof kindness, especially towards Lucy, John Bell's wife, "themost perfect woman to walk to earth." The witch would giveLucy fresh fruit and sing hymns to her, and showed John Bell Jr. ameasure of respect.

Referring to John Bell Sr. as "OldJack," the witch claimed she intended to kill him andsignaled this intention through curses, threats and afflictions. Thestory climaxes with the Bell patriarch being poisoned by the witch.Afterward the entity interrupted the mourners by singing drinkingsongs. In 1821, as a result of the witch's entreatment, Betsy Bellcalled off her engagement to Joshua Gardner. Subsequently, the entitytold the family it was going to leave, but return in seven years in1828. The witch returned on time to Lucy and her sons Richard andJoel with similar activities as before, but they chose not toencourage it, and the witch appeared to leave again.

Several accounts say that during hismilitary career, Andrew Jackson was intrigued with the story and hismen were frightened away after traveling to investigate. In anindependent oral tradition recorded in the vicinity of Panola County,Mississippi, the witch was the ghost of an unpleasant overseer JohnBell murdered in North Carolina. In this tradition, the spirit fallsin love with the central character 'Mary', leading to herdeath. This account is reminiscent of vampire lore. The supernaturalpowers attributed to the Tennessee spirit have also been compared tothat of jinn in mythology.

In the manuscript attributed to RichardWilliams Bell, he wrote that the spirit remained a mystery:

Whether it was witchery, such asafflicted people in past centuries and the darker ages, whether somegifted fiend of hellish nature, practicing sorcery for selfishenjoyment, or some more modern science akin to that of mesmerism, orsome hobgoblin native to the wilds of the country, or a disembodiedsoul shut out from heaven, or an evil spirit like those Paul [sic]drove out of the man into the swine, setting them mad; or a demon letloose from hell, I am unable to decide; nor has any one yet divinedits nature or cause for appearing, and I trust this description ofthe monster in all forms and shapes, and of many tongues, will leadexperts who may come with a wiser generation, to a correct conclusionand satisfactory explanation.— Williams Bell, An AuthenticatedHistory of the Bell Witch: Chapter 8

Early written records

Long-Bell Expedition, 1820

Military officer John R. Bell joinedthe Stephen Harriman Long expedition in 1820 to explore the centralGreat Plains. Due to lack of provisions, Long and Bell led dividedparties after they reached the Rocky Mountains and rejoined in FortSmith, Arkansas. Bell kept a detailed journal of his travel. Hisreturn trip, on October 19, 1820, crossed the Red River at PortRoyal, Tennessee. Later that day, Bell stopped at the Murpheyresidence in Robertson County to eat dinner. During the stay, Bell istold of a young woman accompanied by a voice. The voice wished forthe woman to marry a local man, and thousands had traveled to hearit. The journal connection to the Bell Witch legend was disclosed bylocal historian David Britton during a television broadcast producedfor the Discovery Channel in November, 2020.