The moment Scrooge’s hand was on the lock, a strange voice called him by his name, and bade him enter. He obeyed. It was his own room. There was no doubt about that. But it had undergone a surprising transformation. The walls and ceiling were so hung with living green, that it looked a perfect grove; from every part of which, bright gleaming berries glistened. The crisp leaves of holly, mistletoe, and ivy reflected back the light, as if so many little mirrors had been scattered there; and such a mighty blaze went roaring up the chimney, as that dull petrification of a hearth had never known in Scrooge’s time, or Marley’s, or for many and many a winter season gone. Heaped up on the floor, to form a kind of throne, were turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, great joints of meat, sucking-pigs, long wreaths of sausages, mince-pies, plum-puddings, barrels of oysters, red-hot chestnuts, cherry-cheeked apples, juicy oranges, luscious pears, immense twelfth-cakes, and seething bowls of punch, that made the chamber dim with their delicious steam. In easy state upon this couch, there sat a jolly Giant, glorious to see, who bore a glowing torch, in shape not unlike Plenty’s horn, and held it up, high up, to shed its light on Scrooge, as he came peeping round the door. `Come in.’ exclaimed the Ghost. `Come in, and know me better, man.’
This, of course, comes from the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol. Stave 3: The Second of the Spirits.” It speaks of the ghost of Christmas present but the metaphor may be applied to many life situations. One such applicable life situation is available to you this Saturday afternoon (October 19th) at the Bona Thompson Memorial library. At 4:30 p.m. on that day in that building, Tim Poynter’s “Spirit Paranormal” team will host the ghostly “Big Reveal” of their lengthy investigation of the old Butler College library during the Irvington Historical Society’s annual Chili Supper. The event is open to all and tickets are $25 per person. Although no alcohol will be served, you may certainly dine with spirits.
Tim Poynter, a dogged paranormal investigator who teaches ghost hunting classes once a month at the Irving Theatre, has produced a short film that will premiere at the event. During this special event, Tim will lead the discussion of his group’s findings for the guests. I have been talking about the ghosts of the Bona for over a decade now on my Irvington ghost walks and often lead the tour guests inside the old building as a special treat. Last year, my colleagues Steve Barnett and Paul Diebold contacted me about setting up this elaborate production to coincide with their popular fundraiser for the Bona.
I could think of no one more capable of performing this daunting task than Tim Poynter and his group of investigators: Jill Werner, Cheryl and Mike Auberry, Barbara Gentry, Melody Dunn and Monk Collins. Tim and his team literally spent a “night at the museum” this past summer to spooktacular results. During the investigation, the ghost hunting team captured many EVPS (ghost voices caught on tape), spirit photos and unexplained energy manifestations they will share and explain at the event. Well, at least they will explain all of the spirits that were willing to interact with the Spirit Paranormal team. Seems that there are many ghosts dwelling within the old building, some of whom have yet to be identified.
On my tours, I explain how, while on our first visit in search of stories about the Bona over a dozen years ago, my co-author Russ Simnick and I were excited to learn about the old girl. After all, as evidenced when the tours approach the last remaining building from the old Butler College Irvington campus, it just looks haunted. Steve and Paul quickly banished our ghostly expectations with frank admissions that they had never seen a ghost or experienced any unexplained phenomena while in the building. Keep in mind, these men have been in the building at all hours of the day and night, often working by themselves in a perfect position to “witness” anything that might have “popped” up without plausible explanation.
Ah, but the story of Bona Thompson herself, whose tragic, promise-filled future was cut short by typhoid fever, is the real life event that lends itself well to the haunted reputation it retains today. We do know that the old library served as a “safe haven” for students, in particular freshmen students. These young students could be regularly found inside of the building on Friday and Saturday nights, often crying themselves to sleep in the overstuffed chairs and couches that dotted the building. Why? Because this was the one place on campus where they felt safe and protected at a time when they were homesick, vulnerable and far from their friends and family.
Perhaps some of those lonely students never left? Maybe a former employee roams the environs? Or has a spirit attached itself to a historic relic or object from the past unwittingly brought in to display in the museum? Not hard to imagine when you consider that a large portion of the upstairs in the Bona is occupied by the starkly beautiful desk and cabinetry of Chester Jackson, magnate of the Standard Supermarket Chain in Indianapolis. If his name is not familiar to you, surely the memory of his widow, Marjorie Jackson rings a bell. Her sad plight was one of our city’s first media sensations back in 1977 when she was found murdered in her north side home that contained millions of dollars in cold hard cash. The murdering robbers stole $3 million but left $5 million behind. Surely, that memory would die hard.
Undoubtedly, it is Bona herself who haunts the building; protecting its visitors and saving it from ruin lo these many decades since she passed in 1899. But Tim’s team has discovered several other entities within the building that he will share with the public at this special event. I watched as psychic Marilene Isaacs, who was present at the initial investigation, maintained a running conversation from the other side with a librarian who may have died mysteriously on the property. Marilene will be featured in a Two Streams Film Production film next year created by the Sci-Minds paranormal team of Jill Beitz and Roger Pingleton and based on the Angels of West Baden display currently housed in the basement of the Bona.
Tim has discovered that a certain “someone” at the Bona has his own personal spirit that follows him around the building and loves to talk over him as a playful prank. Want to know who it is? Come to the chili supper and find out for yourself. The Spirit Paranormal team has also identified several spirits by name who reside in the Bona today; long after their earthly hosts have died. The ghost hunters have also answered some of the mysterious questions that “haunt” the staff of the Bona, including why unexplainable puddles of water appear in the basement of the museum. Paranormal or not, NOBODY wants water in their basement, especially a museum. Tim and his team will offer an explanation for this manifestation from the responsible spirit itself this Saturday.
As I tell my guests on tour nights, although the historians residing and working in the building maintain a healthy skepticism concerning the ghosts of the Bona, as Charles Dickens himself once said, “An idea, like a ghost, must be spoken to a little before it will explain itself.” Come to the Bona this Saturday and discover the spirits of the Bona Thompson Memorial Library for yourself.
Al Hunter is the author of the “Haunted Indianapolis” and co-author of the “Haunted Irvington” and “Indiana National Road” book series. Contact Al directly at Huntvault@aol.com or become a friend on Facebook.
