Category:
Death
Death
Johnson Smith Catalog Item #24
Won't everyone just guffaw when your hysterical suicide attempt proves to be a prank! Don't be surprised if some angry relative whips out a real gun and finishes the job.
From the 1930s catalog.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 19, 2012 -
Comments (6)
Category: Death, Johnson Smith Catalog, 1930s, Pranks
Witches, USA
A big theme of NOTW is the persistence of belief in witches in foreign countries, right down to the present. Hardly a week goes by without a report of some poor soul being put to death for occult suspicions.How far back in the history of the USA are such beliefs--among the non-immigrant population?
Try at least as recently as 1929. Original article here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 06, 2012 -
Comments (8)
Category: Death, Superstition, 1920s
Bone Pointing
The ceremony of bone pointing is a common ritual for bringing sickness among the [Australian] Arunta. The pointing bone or pointing stick is usually about nine inches in length, pointed at one end, and tipped with a lump of resin at the other. The stick is endowed with magical power by being 'sung over,' that is, curses are muttered over it, such as 'may your heart be rent asunder' and 'may your head and throat be split open.' On the evening of the day on which the bone has been 'sung' the wizard creeps stealthily in the shadows until he can see the victim's face clearly by the firelight. He then points the bone in the victim's direction and utters in a low tone the curses with which the stick was endowed earlier in the day. The victim is supposed to sicken and die within a month at the most. Two men may cooperate in the pointing operation. Spears may also be endowed with magic by 'singing' over them. A person who knows that he has been injured, even slightly, with a spear thus prepared will be likely to waste away through fear unless counter magic can be brought to his aid.
--from "Primitive Theories of Disease" by Spencer L. Rogers in Ciba Symposia (April 1942)
--from "Primitive Theories of Disease" by Spencer L. Rogers in Ciba Symposia (April 1942)
Shown below are two Australian Arunta men demonstrating how to point the bone at someone. Wikipedia adds an interesting piece of trivia:
In 2004 Native Australians who disagreed with his policies ritually cursed Australian Prime Minister, John Howard by pointing a bone at him. He is still alive as of 2012.
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jun 15, 2012 -
Comments (5)
Category: Death, Rituals and Superstitions
Horror Express
If you like the cheesy trailer in the first window, you can watch the whole movie in the second.
The real "horror" of course is Christopher Lee's Disco-NFL Mustache!
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jun 03, 2012 -
Comments (2)
Category: Death, Evil, Movies, 1970s, Hair and Hairstyling, Fictional Monsters, Trains
Dick Wakes Up
Personally, I'd rather listen to Jiminy Cricket as my conscience, instead of "Good Judgment."
By the way: do kids nowadays ever tell someone, "Aw, go play in traffic!"
Posted By: Paul - Wed May 30, 2012 -
Comments (6)
Category: Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Death, Motor Vehicles, PSA’s, Teenagers
The Prayer Duel
LAYDEEZ 'N' GENNELMEN! On yer left, John Alexander Dowie, weighing in at 162 pounds with robes!
On yer right, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, a trim 158 with turban wrapped tight!
Watch them in a prayer duel to the death! Mixed Martial Arts ain't got nuthin' on them!
As Dowie was an enemy of all religions but his own, it is not surprising he had no use for Islam — although the extent of his animus remains a point of controversy among various Muslim sects even today.
In the summer of 1903, this brought a well-publicized challenge to an Islamic prayer duel to the death, or Mubahila, from the Indian subcontinent: "Whether the God of Muhammadans or the God of Dowie is the true God, may be settled...he should choose me as his opponent and pray to God that of us two, whoever is the liar may perish first.... I am an old man of 66 years and Dr. Dowie is eleven years younger; therefore on grounds of age he need not have any apprehension.... If the self-made deity of Dr. Dowie has any power, he shall certainly allow him to appear against me and procure my destruction in his lifetime." Dowie's Punjabi challenger, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, was a remarkably well-matched opponent: he too had founded his own sect, Ahmadiyya, and believed himself a reincarnated prophet — in his case, Hazrat Eisa Ibne Maryam (a.k.a. Jesus Christ).
Whether the Almighty took any interest in their contest, its rules leave no doubt about the winner: in short order Dowie was deposed (amid rumors of sexual and financial malfeasance); suffered a stroke; and, in 1907, died — a year before Ahmad.
Posted By: Paul - Thu May 24, 2012 -
Comments (11)
Category: Death, Eccentrics, Frauds, Cons and Scams, Religion, 1900s
Judge Parker’s Gallows
Here you see the main attraction at Fort Smith National Park. A recreation of the gallows where Hanging Judge Isaac Parker sent 79 criminals to their death.
And people say kids will get bored at such historical monuments! This makes history come alive! Er, come dead...?
Posted By: Paul - Sat May 19, 2012 -
Comments (12)
Category: Death, Law, Judges, Recreation, Regionalism, Monuments
Winnie Ruth Judd
Not sure if an infamous murder case benefits from the marionette approach, but it's certainly unique.
Posted By: Paul - Thu May 10, 2012 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death, Puppets and Automatons, Documentaries, 1930s, Dismemberment
The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Deaths
Once upon a time, there was a kindly old lady who specialized in creating gruesome murder dioramas. Her name was Frances Glessner Lee, and her little scenes went on to educate criminologists for decades.
Follow the link for a whole book about her.
Posted By: Paul - Tue May 08, 2012 -
Comments (8)
Category: Crime, Death, Eccentrics, Education, Toys, 1940s, 1950s
The Land Eaters
Posted By: Paul - Thu Apr 19, 2012 -
Comments (5)
Category: Animals, Death, Destruction, Dreams and Nightmares, Surrealism, Fantasy, Stop-motion Animation
| Who We Are |
|---|
| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |