The Bell Witch: The Full Account (11 page)

much more about the supernatural than I do, and I

am sorry to say there is absolutely nothing I can do

for you.” Mize mounted his horse early the next

morning in anticipation of leaving the Bell farm as

quickly as he could. However, his horse refused to

move forward — rearing, snorting, and occasionally

walking in small circles.

The Spirit’s voice suddenly and gently blew

through the treetops, “Oh, don’t worry you old rotten

heap of donkey droppings, I’ll get that horse going for

you.” The horse suddenly began to run fast, carrying

Dr. Mize down the lane and to the road, then across

the Red River as he clung to the horse’s mane for

dear life.

When the Spirit paid its customary visit to the

Bells that evening, it gleefully told about how it had

accompanied Dr. Mize on his way home and played

all sorts of tricks on the “old fraud.” Several weeks

later, Mize wrote a letter to the Bells confirming all of

what the Spirit had told them. Dr. Solomon Mize

was never seen or heard from again in that part of

the country.

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75

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Spirit Loved to Gab

B ESIDES TORMENTING SKEPTICS and

exposing the truth about so-called “experts”

like Dr. Mize, the Spirit took pleasure in

arguing with people about various issues of the day.

When someone tried to make a point that the Spirit

disagreed with, it expressed disagreement and

reminded the person of acts committed in their past

which would discredit their point. There was no

pulling the wool over the Spirit’s eyes.

The Spirit’s favorite topic seemed to be religion, as

it spent considerable time discussing and arguing

religious topics with preachers and anyone else who

would listen. Richard Williams Bell tells of the

Spirit’s fondness for religion:

“The first exhibition of a religious nature was the

assimilation of Mr. James Johnston's character

and worship, repeating the song and prayer,

uttering precisely the same petition made by the

old gentleman the night himself and wife came for

76 P A T

F I T Z H U G H

the purpose of investigation, and the

impersonation of Mr. Johnston was so perfect that

it appeared like himself present. It was not

uncommon after this for the witch to introduce

worship, by lining a hymn, as was the custom,

singing it through, and then repeat Mr.

Johnston's prayer, or the petitions of some one of

the ministers. It could sing any song in the

hymnbooks of that time, and quote any passage of

Scripture in the Bible from Genesis to

Revelations.

The propensity for religious discussion was

strongly manifested, and in quoting Scripture the

text was invariably correctly cited, and if any one

misquoted a verse, they would be promptly

corrected. It could quote Scripture as fast as it

could talk, one text after another, citing the book,

chapter, and number of the verse. It was a

common test to open the Bible at any chapter,

and call on the Spirit to repeat a certain verse,

and this was done accurately, as fast as the

leaves were turned from one chapter of the book

to another.

It delighted in taking issue on religious subjects,

with those well-versed in Scripture, and was sure

to get the best of the argument, being always

quick with a passage to sustain its point. This

manifest knowledge of Scripture on the part of the

witch was unmistakable, and was the most

mystifying of all the developments, and strangers

who came from a long distance were eager to

engage the seer in religious discussions, and were

is often confounded; and they were no less

astounded when the witch would remind them of

events and circumstances in their history in a

way that was marvelous.

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77

Just here one circumstance I call to mind. The

discussion had
turned on the command against

covetousness and theft. A man, whose name I

will call John, put in remarking that he did not

believe there was any sin in stealing something to

eat when one was reduced to hunger, and could

not obtain food for his labor. Instantly the witch

perniciously inquired of John ‘if he ate that

sheepskin.’ This settled John. He was dumb as

an oyster, and as soon as the subject was

changed he left the company, and was

conspicuously absent after that. The result was

the revival of an old scandal, so long past that it

had been forgotten, in which John was accused of

stealing a sheepskin.” 17

Gossip

The Spirit also enjoyed gossiping about various

goings-on in the community, most of the time

embarrassing the people who were involved. The

Spirit often bragged to Revs. Thomas and James

Gunn about putting the community on its best

behavior by publicly telling of people’s personal

shortcomings such as marital disputes, coming home

drunk, dozing during church services, and skipping

church to go fishing.

The Spirit checked on peoples’ activities and

whereabouts when asked, and reported all of the

details back to the person who asked. Other than

the incident with the Englishman, where the Spirit

repeated voices on opposite sides of the world, one of

the most astonishing demonstrations of this type

occurred when the Spirit told Lucy Bell of the

whereabouts and actions of one of her sons, Jesse.

17 Richard Williams Bell,
Our Family Trouble
, 1846 (Mini-Histories: Nashville, 1985).

78 P A T

F I T Z H U G H

The Spirit Reveals Jesse’s Whereabouts

One evening, the Bells gathered in the family room

after dinner to talk and pray, as was customary.

“Have any of you seen Jesse lately?” asked Lucy Bell.

John Jr. replied, “Brother told me last week that he

would be in Kentucky on business this week and

probably wouldn’t return until sometime today or

tomorrow. If he has already returned, he’s probably

spending some time with his family and will come to

visit us tomorrow.”

“I know your brother is a very busy man, but ever

since he got married and moved into a home of his

own he hasn’t made his presence known very much

around here. I really miss him sometimes, and it’s at

times like this that I worry about him a great deal. I

suppose it’s just a natural thing for a mother to miss

her children when they move away,” remarked Lucy

Bell.

A short time later, the Spirit declared, “I know you

are worried about him, Luce. Wait a minute, and I

will go and see for you.” The Spirit returned in less

than one minute, reporting that Jesse was at home

with his wife, tired from his business trip and

reading a book by candlelight. Lucy thanked the

Spirit and retired for the evening knowing that Jesse

was safe at home. Early the next morning, Jesse Bell

and his wife visited his parents and siblings, just as

John Jr. had predicted.

He told of his successful business trip and about a

strange thing that happened at his house the

previous evening. “Martha had retired for the

evening, and I was so tired from my trip that I

couldn’t seem to muster enough energy to walk to

the bedroom. I sat down and began to catch up on

my reading when I suddenly noticed the candle

flickering and felt a cool draft coming from the door.

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79

I looked up and noticed that the door had opened all

by itself. It stayed open less than a minute and then

closed, as quickly and quietly as it opened!”

This did not surprise the Bells, as it had become a

common thing for the Spirit to keep tabs on family

members and report their activities to Lucy Bell. In

addition to keeping Mrs. Bell apprised of her own

family’s whereabouts, the Spirit kept her abreast of

important news regarding her friends and the

family’s business interests in North Carolina.

John Bell, Jr.’s Business Trip

One Sunday night the Bells and some guests sat in

the front room discussing John Jr.’s trip to North

Carolina the following day. He was to collect his

father’s share of an estate settlement. John Bell gave

him specific instructions regarding the matter and

several of the guests gave him advice about surviving

the long journey over the mountains and through

hostile Indian territory.

After a lengthy discussion, the Spirit spoke up and

began trying to talk John Jr. out of the trip. “John,

your trip will be a very long and hard one, and you’ll

return with nothing. The estate has not been settled,

and will not be for months after you return home.”

“First of all,” exclaimed John Jr., “none of us

asked for your opinion; so silence yourself and let us

finish our discussion. Secondly, I believe nothing

you tell me. Your pointless remarks are nothing

more than your self-serving way of getting the

attention of others so that your sinister, demonic

power will gain in strength and enable you to destroy

more lives.” He continued, “And, if travel is one of

your concerns, then I suggest that you do a little of it

yourself. Let’s see how long it takes you to get back

to the depths of hell whence you came!”

80 P A T

F I T Z H U G H

“But John,” the Spirit responded, “a very beautiful

and charming lady is on her way from Virginia at this

very moment to visit some of your neighbors. She is

witty and wealthy, and possesses more slaves than

both your father and Ol’ Sugar Mouth put together.

You and this woman were meant to be together and

have the potential to enjoy a lifetime of happiness

together; but if you make that trip to North Carolina,

you will never meet her.”

“Now that’s one of the most ridiculous yet creative

things I have heard you say! I did not think that a

minion of the devil could possess such creativity,”

John Jr. laughingly exclaimed. “Then tell me that in

six months!” replied the Spirit.

John Jr. left for North Carolina the following

morning as planned. He returned six months later,

exhausted and empty-handed, only to learn that a

beautiful, young woman from Virginia had arrived in

the neighborhood the day after his departure and

stayed six months, leaving the day before he arrived

back home.

As the Spirit was keeping an eye on everyone in

the community and what was happening in North

Carolina, an increasing number of people, mostly

those who were members of Red River Baptist

Church, were keeping a close eye on John Bell.

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81

CHAPTER EIGHT

John Bell is Scrutinized

T HE NOTION THAT AN EVIL SPIRIT had taken

up residence in John Bell’s home did not

settle well with many members and elders of

the church. Many questions were being asked about

the disturbances at the Bell farm, to which the elders

had no answers.

Dispute with Benjamin Batts

Reverend Sugg Fort, the church’s pastor and a

very influential man, had vowed to stand behind Bell

throughout the disturbances; however, the elders ran

the church, and it was they who felt something

needed to be done. To complicate matters, John Bell

had been involved in a business dispute with a

neighbor and fellow church member a few years

earlier, around June of 1816.

82 P A T

F I T Z H U G H

This dispute was recorded in the church minutes,

as follows:

“Brother Bell informed the church, that there was

a report in circulation, that he, had taken

unlawful interest from money lent Benjamin

Batts; which report Brother Bell says is false; in

as much as he never lent Mr. Batts a cent of

money or received a cent of interest from him at

all.

Brother Bell was then called on, to inform the

church what he supposed gave rise to said report.

He said sometime about the first of June past, he

purchased a Negro slave girl from said Batts for

which he gave said Batts $100. But did not get

possession of
said Negro for several days

afterwards, Batts insisted the Negro was worth

more and insisted to have liberty to sell her again.

At last Brother Bell told him if he then sold the

Negro he must pay him (Bell) $150. Bell then had

the Negro in possession & a bill of sale for her.

Some days afterwards, Mr. Batts & Mr. Boggan

went to the Bell’s house and gave him they said

$150.

Bell counted out $120 and observed he was

satisfied with that. He then gave up the Negro &

burnt the bill of sale. After more talk on the

matter, it was postponed for consideration till

tomorrow.” 18