AUDIO EVIDENCE PAGE 3 THE WARNER THEATER Tara Melendez, our team leader at RISEUP Connecticut, arranged for the group to investigate this stunning 1930s-era art deco theater in Torrington, CT. There have long been reports of odd occurrences here with voices, shadowy figures, footsteps and the presence of a resident ghost named “Murph” who was said to have succumbed to injuries suffered in a fall down the basement stairs. We had agreed to conduct a series of public investigations to benefit the theater, but first, we were allowed to conduct our own under more controlled conditions. PROJECTION ROOM 1/17/11 DISEMBODIED VOICE      The projection room was said to be one of the more active areas of the theater and at one point in its early history it was a hub of activity there when movies were played on a regular basis. One investigator ventured in alone and began an EVP session there. At some point during his visit, he clearly hears a voice in the otherwise empty room ask for his name and he immediately responds in kind. “YOUR NAME?” VOICE ISOLATED BASEMENT 1/17/11 DISEMBODIED VOICE      This is an audio clip that documents a very bizarre occurrence. Two investigators are in the basement area while the rest are disbursed at different locations two floors above them in the stage area and the projection room. While walking through the lower level, they conduct an EVP session while wandering the area. While doing so, they both hear a sharp and tuneful whistle there with them. One is so startled by what is heard, knowing full well they are alone and within a couple of feet of each other that she immediately clicks on her flashlight to see is anyone else is there and almost drops the recorder she is holding. DISEMBODIED WHISTLING BASEMENT 1/17/11 EVP Another audio clip that left us a little baffled. Ken DeCosta joined a trainee investigator in the basement area where the tragic legend of “Murph” is said to have begun. In fact, there was a gentleman who fell down the stairs and passed away a few days later in the hospital of injuries suffered in the fall. His name was not “Murph” or any derivative of that, but nonetheless some strange things have been witnessed in the basement area as we were to see for ourselves. At the very end of an EVP session, the recorder was gathered up and the men started up the stairs. Upon review of the file, a very eerie voice was imprinted on the file that belongs to neither of the investigators present. The last words spoken were, “Ok, let’s head out” by Ken. Then this. It is admittedly subject to interpretation as to what is being said, but we feel what we hear is… “THEY’RE TERRIBLE MISTAKES” NATHANAEL GREEN HOMESTEAD The General Nathanael Greene Homestead, also known as Spell Hall, is a historic house at 20 Taft Street in Coventry, Rhode Island. It was the home of American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene from 1770 to 1776, and was owned afterwards by his brother Jacob Greene and his wife Margaret. The house is owned and operated by the General Nathanael Greene Homestead Association, a non-profit organization, and was opened as a museum in 1924. Long a rumored “hot spot” of paranormal activity, it also had not been accessible to investigators until 2008 when we were graciously invited to conduct one there. This led to a series of public investigations at the historic home over a two-year span beginning in 2012. THE CARETAKER’S HOUSE 6/30/12 DISEMBODIED VOICE We used this adjacent building to set up our base of operations so as to limit our presence in the home and monitor audio and video from a remote location. To our great surprise, we captured an audible voice that originated from a room adjacent to where three investigators were monitoring our equipment on this night. The house had been vacated by property managers and beyond our occasional presence there had remained vacant. “WHO IS THIS?” VOICE ISOLATED FIRST FLOOR 11/10/12 DISEMBODIED VOICE A male and female investigator are alone in the house and are walking around the first floor where the library, dining room and a single bedroom are located. At this point in their session. a child’s voice is clearly heard from within these confines and the male investigator reacts immediately by asking if someone other than them are in the house. No one from our group was. There were no children present, yet here is this voice resonating in the house for all to hear. There is no consensus of what is said, so we submit it as it is for anyone’s consideration. CHILD VOICE  VOICE ISOLATED SECOND FLOOR 5/18/13 DISEMBODIED VOICE Christine Downes is conducting an EVP session on the second floor which primarily consists of sleeping quarters. She mentions the house will be opening soon for visitors. We have no idea what this response was. But it was sharp, loud and to this day gives us a bit of a chuckle. YELL VOICE ISOLATED FIRST FLOOR 6/29/13 EVP Try as we might for all these years, getting direct answers during EVP sessions regarding names, dates, etc. have remained sporadic if not downright elusive. This is a clip we had to make sense of and the solution came from historic research. In 1798, Greene’s widow, Caty had to sell the family property at Mulberry Grove Rice Plantation in Savannah. Mulberry Grove fell upon hard times that year. Catharine and her second husband Phineas Miller, in financing the cotton gin firm of Eli Whitney and Miller, had lost a great deal of money in a land scam. The questioning regarded her move to Cumberland County, Ga. before her death and included: “What year, Cait?” “1798” VOICE ISOLATED FIRST FLOOR 6/29/13 EVP This clip fascinates us. At this point, there are only three male investigators in the house as we had switched groups and allowed them to have the house to themselves. One asks a fairly standard question as to whether or not any spirit present can see us. The response we get back is spot on and left us a bit stunned. “ONLY MEN” VOICE ISOLATED SECOND FLOOR STAIRWAY 6/29/13 DISEMBODIED VOICE Before anyone arrived that night, Ken DeCosta wanted to set up cameras, recorders and so forth to mitigate a quick start once everyone assembled later. The male docent met him there and opened the house for him. The docent then went next door to the caretaker’s residence to open up there and remained there until the rest of the team assembled. While running video wires down from the second floor, Ken heard a woman’s voice call to him from the second floor hallway. It was a startling moment, but as is our custom, a recorder was running and documented this very eerie experience. “HELLO” VOICE ISOLATED PAINE HOUSE MUSEUM The Paine House has become a second home to RISEUP since November of 2011 when we were first invited to investigate the claims of paranormal activity reported there through the years. It is probably safe to say the house has provided us with more profound experiences than any other. The oldest portion of this large 2-1/2 story wood frame house may have been built as early as 1691 by Samuel Bennett, who was known to operate a sawmill on the nearby Pawtuxet River. The house was significantly enlarged c. 1748 by Francis Brayton. His son, Francis Jr., was granted a license to operate a tavern on the premises in 1785. The property was acquired by the Paine family in 1866, whose descendants gave it to the Western Rhode Island Civic Historical Society in 1953. In 1797 it was sold to a Charles Holden and was known as the Holden tavern. Holden heirs sold it to Thomas Whipple (who became Lieutenant Governor) on April 9, 1849. On April 25, 1866 the Whipple family sold the property to Phebe Paine and Mary Mathewson (Matteson). Mary sold her half to Phebe Paine Johnson. Through inheritance the property came to be in the Paine family for the next 87 years. PARLOR 11/13/10 EVP During the walkthrough with the president and vice-president of the Western R.I. Civic and Historical Society, there were a handful of experiences that suggested we had come upon a very interesting place. This clip was captured in the Victorian parlor where Ken DeCosta was introducing the group and reached out to whomever may be present and listening. The response was not heard in real-time, but it certainly started our adventure there off on the right foot. “WHO IS IT?” VOICE ISOLATED “TRAVELER’S ROOM” 11/13/10 AUDIBLE RESPONSE Knocks on walls, etc. are a product of a by-gone era where Spiritualists would “communicate” to spirits via this technique. However, there are a myriad of instances where natural noises in a location are wrongly presented as proof that this technique has merit. They are also easy to fake and without total surveillance on everyone present and their movements, it can’t be submitted as anything evidential. With that understood, we’re putting this out there anyway. When Ken asks for some indication that the group can be seen or heard, three knocks come from outside the room where three investigators are standing stationary in the hallway. One, Shayna, says she could hear it in the wall to her immediate right. We also know this wasn’t a loose floorboard causing it. In the “for what it’s worth” department… THREE KNOCKS ON/IN THE WALL TAVERN (BASEMENT) 7/9/11 EVP The tavern area is on street level and directly across the street is a Coventry fire station. In the beginning, there would be semi-frequent ambulance calls and the responders would head out to the scene with siren blaring. The station closed some years later, but it was a constant in our first months at the house. One night, after an unusually large number of calls, one investigator asked if anyone there was in any way disturbed or frightened by the emergency vehicles that emerged out of the overhead doors. “YES!” VOICE ISOLATED TAVERN 7/23/11 EVP This is one of the more remarkable clips we have yet to hear. An investigator is testing the limits of recognition with who we have come to know as “Sarah”. A child who seems to be more and more capable and willing to communicate with us to the point where her voice has become recognizable to us. In this session, she is asked if she knows the alphabet and it turns into a game where she is asked to fill in the next letter. There is no trick or misidentification at play here. This is what we heard when we reviewed the recording. “WHEN I SAY ‘C’ YOU SAY……” 2ND FLOOR HALLWAY 7/23/11 EVP This area of the house would go on to be a true “hot spot” of activity as time progressed. This was among the first indicators of that. Julie DeMay, Marlaina Gaboreault and Christine Downes are sitting in the hall and Christine introduces them. Almost immediately her name is repeated back to them confirming a certain awareness and intelligence of our presence here. “YOU’RE…..CHRISTINE” VOICE ISOLATED TRAVELER’S ROOM 7/21/12 DISEMBODIED VOICE The Matron’s Room has more of a female ambiance to it with mannequins, wedding mementos and softer tones. While there, Julie DeMay, Dave Grady and a guest were listening to and observing their surroundings when Julie asks for an audible confirmation of a presence. When she believes she receives one, she asks for a repeat to eliminate chance and then all hear an affirmation that it may indeed be possible to do such things by request. A KNOCK, THEN…….” THINK I CAN” VOICE ISOLATED