Volume 1, Issue 4 Stull, KS: Gateway to Hell?
Jeannie Marmaud
October 2010
About an hour from Kansas City, MO,
is the small community of Stull, KS.
If you search this location on the
internet you will find a world of in-
formation, some legitimate and some
pure urban legend. After travelling
to Stull, I am prepared to give my
opinion on the community, the leg-
ends, and the facts.
This lovely community is located
between Wichita and Law-
rence in the rolling country-
side of Kansas. Surrounded
by farms and open fields,
this location is quite peace-
ful and pleasing to the eye.
Paranormal Press
The community consists of a
couple of churches, the most
prominent being Stull United
Methodist Church, which is a
huge church for such a small
community. This church,
located at what seems to be
the center of the community, sits
across the street from what some
have called the “gateway to hell”.
I must say, it is no small jaunt to go
from St. Joseph, MO, to Stull, KS.
Debbie Lorraine, who is an investiga-
Paranormal St. Joe
tor with Paranormal St.Joe and, to be
honest, was just as curious as myself,
drove us an hour and a half each way
to investigate and either prove or
dispel this legend concerning the
cemetery in Stull.
We arrived in this lovely community
only to find the cemetery across from
the Stull United Methodist Church
locked up tight. Entry was only pos-
sible through a small gate. This is
completely understandable consider-
ing the amount of publicity this place
has gotten on the web. We spoke
with the sheriff’s department in
Douglas County, KS. Even they told
me that the cemetery was supposed
to be haunted but did not go into
Inside this issue:
Ghost Tours of KS, LLC
FearFest, Columbia, MO
Kristie’s Pics
Smudging
Cartoon Corner / Hauntingly Delicious
Halloween Safety Tips
Halloween History
much detail.
Some of the tales told on the
internet are outrageous. There
are a few that say that the old
church that sat on the top of the
hill in the newer cemetery had a
basement whose stairs didn’t end
until you were in hell. Another
tale says that, in either cemetery
in Stull, Satan will come out and
Old Stull cemetery where the son of Satan
and a witch is said to be buried.
dance around. I continued read-
ing, wondering why Satan would
possibly choose Stull, KS. I found
my answer. Legend has it that
many, many years ago, Satan
coupled with the local witch and
they bore a son. The legend says
that the townspeople killed the
baby and buried him under the
“hanging tree” in the old Stull
cemetery. It was even posted
that the Pope would not fly over
Kansas because that was the loca-
tion of the gateway to hell.
As I read these postings, blogs,
articles and the like I found them
to be rather ludicrous. When
reading them I had to wonder how
many times people had watched
“Rosemary’s Baby” and combined
it with any given tale from the
2 Coming in November 2010
2  Interview with Topher Young of PSIRO
2  Kristie’s Pics: Movie reviews for the paranormal
enthusiast
3
 Hauntingly Delicious: Recipe of the month
4
 Equipment Review
5
6
campfire ghost tales of my
youth. I felt I had to go to Stull
to make my own judgment. I
also wanted a third party opin-
ion on the happenings in this
area.
Though the idea of finding this
gateway to hell was intriguing,
Debbie and myself felt we
would be better served by
finding the older cemetery
we had read about on the
web. After few phone
calls and a lot of patience
on the parts of Tracie
Bartlett, investigator for
PSJ, and my husband,
John, we were able to
locate the small remote
cemetery that was a bit
older than the one on the
main road.
Armed with EVP recorder and
camera, Debbie and I did an
early morning investigation.
We investigated as the day was
beginning and got nothing.
There was nothing on the EVP
to speak of and not one single
photo anomaly that could not
be explained.
Since the time of our investiga-
tion, two friends of PSJ have
been to both cemeteries in the
middle of the night. They took
cameras and voice recorders
and still there was nothing on
the EVP sessions that would
indicate that any of the urban
legends concerning Stull, KS,
are true, though you could hear
plenty of dogs, cows, owls, and
coyotes. These two gentlemen
who have requested to remain
nameless experienced nothing
which they deemed as even
Continued on page 6
Ghost Tours of Kansas LLC
Ghosts and wild west collide as Ghost Tours
of Kansas LLC presents the St. Joe, Missouri
Ghost Tour! This is a must see tour that rep-
resents all the historical hot spots in St. Joe.
Highlights include the Buchanan County
Courthouse where a disturbing presence with
red, blazing eyes waits in torment in the attic
of the building. The history of the building is
as entertaining as the ghost stories. Fire,
lynchings, suicides, all the disturbing factors
that are usually related to a courthouse over
a hundred year period of time. And let's not
forget about Glore Psychiatric Museum. Un-
imaginable means of therapy for the mentally
FearFest, Columbia, MO
One of Western Missouri’s premier haunted
attractions this Halloween season, FearFest
offers a frighteningly good time for all. Fear-
Fest offers two haunted houses, Sarah’s Leg-
end and Slash Masters, as well as a Zombie
Safari Hayride (paintball).
FearFest will be open the following days in
October: 10th,14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 21st,
22nd, 23rd, 24th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st.
This fearful good time will also extend into
the month of November with screams and
chills still being rendered on the 5th and 6th.
Kristie’s Pics
This month, in honor of Halloween, I will give
my choices for some great paranormal movies
so you can have a marathon of your very
own. So grab the popcorn, soda, invite some
friends, and find some of these great movies
to enjoy.
For those watching with the kids (or if you’re
just a kid at heart) there are some excellent
choices. “Hocus Pocus” is a great movie
about three sister witches running amok in
Salem, Mass. In “The Witches”, a group of
evil witches plot to turn all of England’s chil-
Page 2
disturbed over time and a lot of momentos of
Insane Asylum #2 line the rooms. Ghosts
would be plentiful and Miller's Paranormal
Hours of operation are as follows:
Thursday: 8pm-10pm, Friday and Saturday:
8pm-midnight, and Sunday: 8pm-10pm. Tick-
et windows open one hour before the haunt-
ing begins so arrive early. There is ample
free parking and attendants will be on hand
to assist you.
Directions: 3 miles west of Columbia at exit
121 (Fayette exit). Located at the bottom of
the hill on the right with free parking.
6402 W Hwy 40, Columbia, MO 65202General
dren into mice. Disney’s “Halloweentown”
has a young girl discovering her grandmother
is a witch who lives in a town where it’s al-
ways Halloween. “Casper” is a fantastic live
action introduction to the world’s friendliest
ghost. Finally, The Monster Squad has an
intrepid group of kids fighting against all the
classic Universal monsters, lead by Dracula
himself.
For the adults, I recommend the perennial
classic “The Exorcist”, one of the most
shocking, terrifying films ever made. The
ever-haunting “Poltergeist” would also make
Research team along with psychic Misty
Maeden have the first hand accounts of for-
mer patients that still linger within. Having
been investigated by the Miller's, imagine
your response as you witness a glass window
shaking. Who is the owner of the ghostly
white jacket that can be seen floating down
the hallway? Barbosa's, First Ward and Wyeth-
Tootle Mansion carry the same paranormal
punch! These locations are just a taste of the
St. Joe Ghost Tour presented by Ghost Tours
of Kansas LLC. Get your tickets today at
www.ghosttoursofkansas.com or call 785-851-
0856.
Admission $23: All 3 Attractions
Sarah's Legend & Slash Masters $18 : 2 haunt-
ed houses only
Zombie Safari Hayride (paintball) $18
VIP Admission $30: front of the line access to
all three attractions
Find more details on the web at
http://www.fearfesthauntedhouse.com/
flash/main.html
Kristie Dale
for great viewing. Yes Carol Anne, they are
here. “Carrie” has a great story about a
teenage telekinetic getting bloody revenge
on those who torment her. “An American
Werewolf In London” is the tragic tale of a
Yank bitten by a not so mysterious animal on
the English moors. Finally, “The Blair Witch
Project” would make a fine choice for Hal-
loween viewing. Just be sure to stay away
from the woods.
I hope everyone has a fun, fantastic, and
above all safe Halloween. Happy viewing!
Paranormal Press
Smudging
Smudging is an ancient ceremony that has a
long and varied history. In fact, it is so im-
portant and ancient in practice that I cannot
hope to do it justice in this short article. To
understand, and honor, this important tradi-
tion I urge you to read about it online and to
look around in bookstores. What I want to
share with you is an overview of what smudg-
ing is, and to offer from my own personal
experiences are some of the most important
things to know about it doing it. Most of all, I
want to share this wonderful ceremony, so
that you can benefit from it.
What on earth is smudging? Smudging can be
likened to changing your spiritual oil, so you
can run at peak efficiency. The ritual itself is
most commonly associated with Native Amer-
ican tradition in which dried herbs, most
commonly Garden or White Sage, are burned
in bundles, the smoke of which is used to
invoke Spirit and cleanse oneself of lower
energy such as worry, fear, stress, and the
energy of others. To align oneself with the
positive energy of Spirit, Sweetgrass or Lav-
ender is often burned either following the
Sage, or sometimes is pre-mixed into the
Sage bundle itself.
Why is smudging necessary? Think of yourself
as a magnet, picking up whatever it encoun-
ters that day. We may not realize it, but we
pick up energy from all the people, places,
and things we encounter, and hold it in until
we release it. There are many ways to re-
lease energy intentionally and to affirm our
innate connection to Spirit, such as prayer or
meditation. For the person who needs or
enjoys something more tangible, smudging
can be a very powerful practice to enhance
your quality of life and health.
Perform your smudging with
sincerity. This is a sacred healing
ritual.
You may have some concerns. Some people
may worry they can’t smudge if they or their
loved ones cannot tolerate smoke. Depending
on what works best for your needs, you can
simply use the same smudge sticks or some
sprigs of fresh sage, and waft them around
yourself. Or if you don’t mind getting a bit
damp, you can put a small amount of sage
essential oil in a spray bottle of water and
gently mist the desired person or area.
You may also be concerned that smudging
may not go with your religion. Of course,
everyone must let their own conscience be
their guide, and I recommend against smudg-
ing unless you are comfortable with it. How-
ever it might be helpful to keep in mind that
Volume 1, Issue 4
incense is burned in many religions, such as
Catholicism, as a way to signal the presence
of Spirit.
You may worry that you shouldn’t try to
smudge because you haven’t ever done it. On
the contrary, smudging can be done by any-
one, and even a first-time novice can get
amazing results. I am just a cleaning lady
who lives in town, and I have experienced
amazing things performing this ceremony, so
don’t think you have to be someone extra-
special. You are special enough.
And lastly, some of you may be concerned
about smudging because you associate it with
the cleansing of negative entities. Though
smudging is sometimes used to purify a per-
son or area of unclean energies, it is most
commonly used to release energy build up
that a person or area has acquired from day
to day living, and to release energy a person
or place carries from past emotional events.
If you are thinking about smudging to purify a
house or person from negative entities, I urge
you to instead please consult someone with
experience in such matters, such as a priest
or spiritual elder. If you can be clear and
centered, and have a place you can go that is
away from the person or place your are con-
cerned about, you can smudge yourself and
others who come in contact with the person
or place afflicted. However, if you are upset
and frightened, which is very likely, I strongly
recommend having the elder or priest in-
volved do a cleansing on you instead of trying
to do it yourself.
I have smudged several times. I have worked
with two or more people, and I have smudged
by myself. I have smudged outdoors and in,
and I have smudged my house and my friends.
From all my experiences, I have learned some
things that have really helped me get more
out of the smudging experience. I hope they
by Samantha Perpitch-Harvey
help you, too.
*Perform your smudging with sincerity. This is
a sacred healing ritual. You are releasing the
lower energy that blocks you (or whoever/
wherever being smudged) from your (their)
Divine Truth. **The Latin word for Sage,
Salvia, comes from the verb salvare, which
translates as "to heal." Therefore it’s im-
portant to act from a place of sanctity and
respect. Also remember that what you put
into the ritual adds to what you get out of it.
*Focus clearly on your intent. When you
smudge, it’s helpful to assist yourself by
adding your energy to the process. When you
are releasing, be present with it. Feel all the
energy and thinking that blocks you leaving
you. When you are soaking up the energy of
Divine Spirit, feel yourself do that. If visualiz-
ing comes natural for you, visualize what you
are doing. When working with a Sage mix
that both helps release negativity and bring
positive energy, it may be helpful to visualize
releasing on the out breath, and drawing in
light on the in breath.
*Listen to your intuition. At its heart, this
ceremony is about letting go of what keeps us
from embracing our Divine truth. It’s about
releasing pain and fear and remembering we
are God’s child. As you are unique, so is your
cleansing going to be. Honor yourself. You
might feel suddenly you need to concentrate
the smudge on your stomach, or that you
need to focus on the area above your head.
Listen to this inner wisdom, it’s a big part of
the magic of the ceremony.
*Try it more than once. Your first experience
might be amazing, or it might be anti-
climatic. We all work differently, and it may
take a few tries to find how it works best for
you. You may find it easier to start with a
partner you trust and feel at ease with, or
you may prefer to work alone as you figure
things out. Give yourself the time and space
to find your niche, and don’t be afraid to do
things differently, if it feels right. The most
important thing is to let your inner spirit be
your guide.
To sum up, smudging is an amazing sacred
practice, with emphasis on the word
“practice”. I personally have experienced
both physical and emotional healing from this
amazing ceremony. I wish you much joy,
peace and healing as you experiment making
smudging a sacred part of your spiritual jour-
ney.
** From “The Smudging Ceremony, by Adrienne
Borden and Steve Coyote http://
www.asunam.com/smudge_ceremony.html
Page 3
Cartoon Corner
Hauntingly Delicious: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
What could be better as a treat for the
family than fresh roasted pumpkin seeds.
Healthy and tasty, this delightful snack has
many variations depending on your personal
taste and can be made from the seeds of
your carved jack-o-lantern. Give them a
try.
All of the following recipes begin with
cleaned, dried pumpkin seeds.
Clean pumpkin seeds: Rinse under cold
water and remove all the pulpy strings.
(This is best done before the pulp dries.)
Dry seeds thoroughly.
Plain Salted Pumpkin Seeds
Oven Temp: 350
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1 pinch salt
Directions
Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter
and salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on
a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes
or until golden brown; stir occasionally.
Volume 1, Issue 4
Sugar and Spice Pumpkin Seeds
Oven Temp: 350
Ingredients
1 cup pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
3 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 pinch kosher salt
Directions
Roast pumpkin seeds: Heat oven to 350°F.
Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil. Toss
seeds with melted unsalted butter, sugar,
pumpkin-pie spice, and kosher salt. Place on
prepared baking sheet and roast 15 to 20
minutes, or until browned.
Spanish Paprika Spiced Seeds
Oven Temp: 350
Ingredients
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
salt, to taste
Directions
Roast pumpkin seeds: Heat oven to 350°F.
Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil. Toss
seeds with olive oil, 1 teaspoon Spanish pap-
rika, and salt to taste. Place on prepared
baking sheet and roast 15 to 20 minutes, or
until browned. Halfway through roasting, toss
seeds with another 1 teaspoon Spanish papri-
ka.
Try these recipes or create your own with the
base of a little butter or olive oil and your
favorite spices. These make a great snack or
a healthy alternative to chips as a side with a
sandwich. Enjoy!
Page 4
Twenty Safety Tips for a Hauntingly Happy Halloween
Paranormal St.Joe would like to remind eve-
ryone to be safe this Halloween season. We
have put together the following safety tips
for you, our readers.
1. Before sending your children out to trick
or treat, plan a route for them. Go with
them yourself or get a neighborhood
group together for the trek. Know
where your children are going and at
which houses they will be stopping.
Have them check in every hour either in
person or via cell phone or walkie talk-
ie. Remind children not to enter any
stranger’s house unless accompanied by
a parent.
2. When planning your route for your trick
or treating festivities, do an internet
check for registered sex offenders in
your area. Keep your children away
from these houses. Most states will
have a website that will include a name
and address for sex offenders. This
information is free and provided for
your safety.
3. Be sure that costumes are safe. Make
sure that all children’s costumes are
flame retardant. Avoid costumes with
masks that can obstruct vision or
breathing. Be sure children’s costumes
fit and are not dragging on the ground
to avoid the possibility of tripping or
falling.
4. If you find yourself driving on Hallow-
een, be aware that the streets will be
populated with ghosts and goblins, ac-
tion heroes and princesses, and all
grades of other characters. Be aware of
children darting between cars and cross-
ing the streets. Make it your responsi-
bility to make Halloween safe.
5. Be sure there is an adult accompanying
children on their trick or treating trek.
A great idea to make trick or treating a
family activity would be for the parent
to dress in costume as well. This way,
you join in the festivities as well as
supervise your little ghosts and goblins.
6. While on your trick or treating route,
always hold small children by the hand.
Look in both directions and use cross
walks whenever possible.
7. When sending older children out that
may not require parent supervision,
know where your children are and who
they are with. Set a curfew and de-
mand that they be home on time.
Volume 1, Issue 4
Stress the importance of this to your
children.
8. Serve children a good dinner before
taking them trick or treating. This may
help avoid them eating candy before
you have a chance to check it for haz-
ards. If you do allow your children to
have treats before you check it, make
sure they are in a sealed package that
shows no signs of tampering.
9. Vandalism is not only dangerous but
illegal. Most stores will not sell eggs,
shaving cream, or toilet paper to chil-
dren during this time of year. Throwing
eggs at cars can cause accidents and
damage to other people’s property.
Cleaning up the vandalism of shaving
cream and toilet paper is a tedious task.
Advise your children of how this child-
hood prank will effect others and make
it a highly punishable offense in your
home.
10. As an alternative to trick or treating,
consider having a neighborhood party or
attending festivities often sponsored by
schools or local businesses.
11. Small children should never carve pump-
kins. Have an array of markers or child
safe paints and allow them to draw or
paint their pumpkin. Leave the carving
to adults.
12. Consider glow sticks as an alternative to
lit candles when lighting your beautiful-
ly carved jack-o-lantern. This will di-
minish the possibility of fire hazards. If
you do use a candle, us a votive candle
or tea light.
13. When carving your pumpkin, be sure to
remove all the pulp. Make sure there
are no loose strings that could potential-
ly catch fire remaining in your jack-o-
lantern before inserting your candle.
14. If you are using a real candle in your
jack-o-lantern, create a chimney. Do
this by making a small hole in the back
of your pumpkin near the top. This will
allow heat to escape from the pumpkin
avoiding possible burns.
15. Place candles in votive cups or baby
food jars inside your pumpkin to add
stability and shield your candle from
breezes that could put it out.
16. For more stability, cut the bottom out
of your pumpkin. This will allow you to
place your candle directly on a flat
plate or floor, alleviating the probability
of the candle turning over.
17. Never use a real candle in an artificial
pumpkin. They are flammable and this
could create a home hazard.
18. Let’s not forget our pets during the
Halloween festivities. To avoid stress
created by people at your door or
strangers in your home, create a safe
place for your pet. Find a room in your
home far from these disturbances and
tuck your pet away for the evening with
food and water and their favorite bed.
Check on them often to let them know
that all is well. If your pet is not the
nervous sort and you allow them to
roam the house, make sure all candles
are out of the way of wagging tails.
This can be dangerous to not only your
pet but to your home as well.
19. Never give your pets candy or choco-
late. This can make them very sick.
Make sure all candy or treats are well
out of reach for your pets to avoid
health problems later.
20. If you own a cat, especially a black one,
make sure they are safely contained for
a few days before Halloween. There are
people out there that would do your cat
harm. Keep them safe.
Have a safe and haunted Halloween!
Page 5
 Pa ra n o r m a l S t . J o e
2522 Olive Street
Saint Joseph, MO 64507

Phone: 816-689-2255
E-mail:
administrator@paranormalstjoe.com

A Spirited Group...

Halloween History Jo Dalrymple

Ring The Bell Softly
By D. W. Smith
Angles were anxiously longing
to meet
One who walks with then the
Halloween is an Irish tradition brought to
North America by immigrants. Countries
that don’t celebrate Halloween include
France, Holland, Germany, Australia,
Taiwan, and most Asian and African coun-
tries.
Halloween has its origins in the ancient
Celtic festival known as Samhain, which
is very similar to our modern Halloween.
For most Pagans and Wiccans, October
31st is known as Samhain. Samhain, in
actuality, is the first day of November,
marking the beginning of winter and a
new year for ancient Celts.
Halloween is celebrated by families
dressing in costumes covering their faces
and going to the Orthodox church. There
they would welcome spirits and eat yams
and meats.

heaven’s bright street;

Stull, KS: Gateway to Hell (cont. from pg. 1)
Lov’d ones have whisper’d that
someone’s blest remotely paranormal.

They stated that they were a bit

Free from earth’s trials, and surprised at times by the animal
noises, but there was nothing
taking sweet rest;
paranormal in that experience.

One less to cherish and less to
kiss
Someone’s departed to heaven’s
bright shore,
Ring the bell softly, there’s
crape on the door.
After visiting Stull, KS, and having
a non-bias party visit Stull with no
results, I feel that maybe this
quiet community has gotten bad
press on the web. When teenagers
go out adventure seeking and they
have been hyped up on alleged activ-
ity in a location, the mind will play
tricks and urban legends are born.
Things have died down on the Stull
Haunting experience in the last couple of munity just wants their deceased to lie in
years as the trespassing laws are being
more strictly enforced due to vandalism
and to deter thrill seekers. There are
eight signs stating “No Trespassing” on
the gates of the cemetery and from the
The newer Stull Cemetery. Note the pile of
rocks on the hilltop. This was the old church
which was said to have a basement leading to
hell. There is no basement there. This church
was torn down in 2002.
postings I have read on the net, this com-
peace.
Based on the information gathered by Deb-
bie and myself and the two friends of PSJ
that visited Stull, I feel this was a teenage
thrill gone out of control on the web.
Should you choose to visit Stull, be respect-
ful of the community and be prepared to be
approached by the local sheriff if you are
trespassing.