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Smurl haunting

From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.

The Smurl Haunting was an alleged demonic possession in the United States, on which a film The Haunted (1991) was based.

The incidents began in 1974 and lasted until 1989 in the home of Jack and Janet Smurl, at West Pittson, Pennsylvania. As to whether the haunting was genuine of an elaborate hoax is open to debate.

Contents

1 History

2 Skepticism

3 References and Sources

4 External links

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History

Jacks parents, John and Mary, lived in the other half of the semidetached house.

The first signs of something odd began in 1974. Smurl reported that a television set burst into flames, and a stain appeared on a carpet overnight. Water pipes began to leak even though they were repeatedly resoldered by a plumber, and scratches resembling those from a large cat appeared on paintwork and bathroom fittings.

By 1977 the reported events were escalating. Toilets flushed without human intervention, footsteps were heard on the stairs, chest drawers opened and closed unaided, radios worked when not plugged in, rocking chairs rocked when empty, and a sour smell filled the house

By 1985, the family claimed that loud obscene language was heard by John and Mary, and Jack and Janets's house became often extremely cold. Two days after this, an icy cold swept the house and a strange black human shape allegedly materialised in the kitchen in front of Janet. It was about five feet nine inches high, and with no facial features. It later materialised to Mary Smurl in her kitchen.

The violence and frequency of the events then escalated.

In 1986, the family brought in a pair of demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren, who announced the house was haunted by three minor spirits and a powerful evil demon. They tried to persuade the demon to leave by playing holy music and praying. The alleged demon reacted by shaking mirrors, dressers and drawers.

Jack then alleges he was raped one night by a scaly succubus with a young girls body and an old woman's head. Janet also claims she was sexually assualted by an incubus, and that pig noises were heard from the wall cavities.

The Smurls then brought in Father Robert McKenna. He conducted two exorcisms in Latin and more than 50 Masses, which did nothing apart from infuriating the alleged demon. The demon apparantly followed them on holiday, following them to the Poconos, and harassed Jack at work.

It was at this point the Smurls appeared on television on a Philidephia talk show called The People are Talking hosted by Richard Bey. The demon reacted by raping Jack again, and appearing to him as a half man half pig. Janet was throttled and thrown about by invisible forces.

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Skepticism

The Smurls then told their story to the Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independant. Skeptics started to doubt the story, claiming it was concocted in order to make monetary profit. This point of view was reinforced when the Smurls refused to let the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) investigate. CSICOP cited discrepancies in the different accounts of the family members and that there were no police records of any of the events, even though Janet claimed she had contacted police.

The Warrens also clouded the truth by claiming they had made audio and video tapes of the paranormal events. When CSICOP asked to see them, the Warrens claimed they had given them to a television broadcast company, but couldnt remember which one. Further pressed, he said the tapes were in the hands of the Church Authorities, but the Church denied any knowledge of them or the Warrens. The Warrens also refused to allow reporters to stay overnight in the house.

Eventually, press criticism forced the the Church to act. They sent Reverend Alphonsus Travold of St Bonaventure University, who came to the conclusion the Smurls genuinely believed what they were claiming, but was unable to verify the claims were in actual fact with substance.

McKenna returned to the house, and performed a third and fourth exorcism in 1989, which seemed to work. The Smurls moved, wrote a book and sold the film rights.

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