Broad Mountain (Gordon Mtn Road)
April 1925 - present day
The afternoon sun streamed down, warming a normally tepid April Day. Claude Duncan and his wife took advantage of the comfortable weather during this glorious Palm Sunday.
The couple left their home in Gordon and ascended the Broad Mountain. Their hopes were to pick arbutus and spend quality time together.
For a length of time, the two enjoyed the sunshine, natural scenery, and conversation. Together they started down an abandoned road which, at one time, had been used for logging. They had ventured about two miles from the tiny borough of Gordon into the quiet, tree covered area atop the Mountain.
Coming upon a clearing on the isolated road, Mr. Duncan’s brow crinkled. He took notice to a large number of crows. They seemed to be flying in a circular motion above a spot not far ahead. The couple made their way towards the scavengers, more out of curiosity than alarm.
The Duncans noticed there were just as many crows huddled on the ground as circling in the air. Claude rationalized the collection of birds was most likely because of a dead deer carcass or some other food source. The cawing birds seemed to hesitate before flying off into the blue sky. The couple’s gaze traveled towards the spot the birds had vacated. Mrs. Duncan broke nature’s silence with a shriek and gripped her husband’s arm tightly. There, partially covered under shrubbery and broken sticks, were two badly burned legs and a pile of ash.
This discovery on April 5, 1925 began not only the most infamous murder mystery in the Anthracite Region but also the most well-known and controversial ghost story passed down for generations. News of the murder not only made local and state headlines, but even national newspaper headlines. The incident and actions afterwards have been thoroughly researched, investigated, and recorded. Yet, almost a century after this heinous murder, there are still more questions than answers.
The Duncans rushed back into Gordon to call the authorities upon realizing what they had discovered. Deputy Coroner James Roth, of the Fountain Springs State Hospital, was one of the first to arrive. His findings were horrifying. There, partially concealed below sticks and vegetation, was a badly burned, decomposing body. The legs were swollen, burned, and had numerous peck marks on them. However, the farther up the body, the more charred the corpse was. Above the knees and torso was practically reduced to a pile of ashes. The deterioration continued until reaching the neck and head. Though severely burned, the head was mainly intact. Unfortunately, the crows showing the way to the corpse had already begun feasting on the remaining facial flesh.
A putrid smell hung in the air of decaying flesh. The individual most likely guilty of this heinous crime had doused the body in a flammable substance and ignited the clothing. This appeared to be done in order to conceal the dastardly deed. For the most part, the fire had been successful. The only signs of evidence were shards and pieces of clothing found burned on the body, and a series of rings found within the ashes and on a few remaining fingers.
An investigation began immediately. The goals were clear-cut; Discover who was the victim and who had committed such a terrible crime. The authorities were determined to bring the person responsible to justice as quickly as possible.
Upon examination, the body was believed to be a young girl, 16 - 20 years of age. By the looks of the remains, the girl had most likely been dead several days before the discovery.
Speculation rapidly gained speed as to who the mystery body belonged to. Anna Richardson (Sullivan used as an alias), a 23-year-old female who had disappeared from the Fishbach area of Pottsville, was a prime candidate. However, after following leads, authorities found out the body was not Richardson’s. Conveniently, she turned up in a local watering hole not far from the burning spot.
A second possibility, a woman from Shamokin by the name of Lillian Tyler, had disappeared. Her whereabouts had been unknown for several weeks. This was not entirely uncommon for Lillian. She was well known to be involved in unsavory actions. Relatives and acquaintances were called in to view the remains. Tyler’s mother, as well as at least eight other acquaintances, vouched the remains and belongings were most likely Tyler. However, this lead was shut down as well. Tyler was located in Detroit with her new husband. She was working as a waitress and had no knowledge of the murder on Broad Mountain. When Lillian arrived back to Schuylkill County, she went to the Fountain Springs State Hospital to view the remains that were believed to be her own.
There were numerous women identified as surely the murdered girl. The investigation went from state-to- state following leads. Yet, every single "murdered" girl turned up alive and well.
The state police were perplexed. They were sure the evidence pointed to one of these women. The police had stated publicly on several occasions the mystery would be solved in the very near future. They were wrong.
An in-depth autopsy was conducted on Monday, April 6th, at the Fountain Springs State Hospital located just outside Ashland. Dr. Robert Spencer, another infamous Schuylkill Countian, was put in charge of the procedure.
Spencer’s findings were more disturbing than the initial discovery. He surmised the young girl had been violently struck upon the head. Her skull was not fractured, however, there was a two inch long cut on the side of the head. Most likely, the wound was caused by a sharp rock, glass from a broken jug, or possibly a knife. This wound caused a gash that bled across the victim's face. There also appeared to be a defensive wound on the girl’s right arm, showing she unsuccessfully attempted to defend herself against the attacker. However, due to the heavy burn marks, Spencer believed there was a slight change this wound could have been caused by the fire splitting the girl's skin.
The doctor was also of the opinion the young girl was likely unconscious, but she was alive when doused with fluid and set ablaze. The District Attorney who was present at the autopsy declared it was the most heinous case in the history of the county. He vowed the perpetrator of the crime would not escape the wide-reaching hand of the law.
The decision was made some evidence needed to be kept to help identify the victim. Fingerprints were not an option. Dental records were inconclusive. The body was burned to the point that no discernable features were left except for one body part - the head. The remaining body parts were cremated at the Fountain Springs State Hospital. Most likely the cremated remains were buried at the Schuylkill County Almshouse. The choice was made to keep the head. This way, it was believed, people that may have information or claim they knew the identity of the young girl could view the head for identification purposes.
The head was separated from the rest of the remaining body and placed in a large glass jar. A special fluid filled the jar to stunt the decomposition. Dr. Spencer took possession of the head to ensure it would be well taken care of in the hospital. When an individual with possible information was brought to the hospital, Spencer would go to a closet, open it slowly, and carefully carry over the large, glass container, which encased the badly burned head of the young girl. This procedure was undoubtedly done numerous times over the years. Relatives may have come to see if the head possibly belonged to someone they knew and loved. However, there was also a parade of macabre sightseers, whose only objective was to view the head of the young girl, fulfilling their morbid curiosity.
Spencer possessed the head for sixteen years at the Fountain Springs State Hospital. In August 1941, the police decided the time had come to take possession of the murder evidence. Dr. Spencer was ordered to hand the charred head over to the Schuylkill County District Attorney, which he promptly did. However, it is said Spencer made a mold of the head to keep in his office. He did not do this as an attempt to keep a souvenir of the most sinister kind. He believed it was his obligation to have some evidence to view if people thought the young girl could be identified. The state arrived at the District Attorney's office and took possession of the head. They housed it at the State Motor Police Barracks (State Police). Spencer was said to keep his mold in his office for many years afterwards.
There was at least one detective investigating the case until up until 1932. Although there were hundreds of leads and theories by the dozens, the identification of the murdered girl and her murderer is still a mystery to this day. The predominant theory was the girl was a lady of the night. She most likely worked in one of the numerous houses of ill repute in the area during that time. She was most likely beaten to unconscious before being taken to Broad Mountain. Upon arriving an isolated area onthe Mountain was selected to conceal the crime. The unconscious girl was doused with a flammable liquid and set ablaze.
The murder investigation uncovered numerous prostitution rings in the surrounding counties. Upwards of 250 women considered missing were found in isolated sections of Schuylkill, Northumberland, Columbia, and Carbon counties. The women were described as “inmates” of the brothels and confined to an imposed lifestyle.
Does the Ghost of the Young Murder Victim Haunt Broad Mountain?
Claims of paranormal activity began almost immediately after the charred remains were found. The location of the gruesome discovery became the social spot to be. Declarations of hearing phantom moaning and soft crying near the site became common place. Many doubters claimed the sounds were made by owls or wild cats. However, numerous people who heard the sounds argued vehemently they were surely the sounds of a woman in agony.
Witnessing floating lights within the area, such as orbs flying through the air, were claimed as well. A possible explanation of the ghostly lights was the spot was within an easy distance of a major roadway. Witnesses adamantly asserted the lights were not from passing vehicles. They rose higher than auto lights, undulated from faint to bright, and were seen in the opposite direction of the road in the deep forest. Witnesses believed it was the spirit of the young murder victim attempting to communicate.
The claims of a translucent entity of a young woman clad in white has been witnessed numerous times from 1925 up until present day. The specter is said to glide through the surrounding woods making her presence known. Often a witness will catch a glimpse before the entity fades back into the darkness of the forest.
The most reoccurring claim from 1925 until current day is the malfunctioning of vehicles. It is said when a vehicle closes in on the burning site; the automobile begins to act quite peculiar. The headlights will fade, the radio becomes filled with static, and the vehicle sputters and eventually stalls out.
There have been numerous claims vehicles have died adjacent to the spot young girl was found. Experiences the translucent figure of the girl gliding in front of the stalled car have been passed on for decades. One claim went as far as a person hearing scratching on their car door as if someone or something was attempting entry.
When these experiences have occurred, people have been known to completely abandon their vehicles and run back down the mountain in horror.
One man, after arriving back to the safety of Gordon refused to accept a ride back to his stalled car atop the mountain. The mechanic had to elicit help from a friend to retrieve the vehicle.
Drivers have also professed if a vehicle is put in neutral near the spot the body was found, your vehicle will mysteriously glide up the mountain as though pulled by some unseen force.
It was not uncommon to see dozens, and several times hundreds of vehicles, parked on the mountain leading up to the discovery spot in the months following the body discovery. Eager visitors were there to witness the paranormal vision of the young girl's ghost. This large quantity of people rapidly became an issue. The local authorities shut down the congregations mainly due to two reasons: First, the congestion of vehicles and people caused traffic issues on such a small road. Second, many eager visitors would be sure to properly protect themselves in case an otherworldly entity attacked. They believed the best way to do this was to carry a loaded firearm. There were documentations of shots fired into the darkness at the faintest hint of a specter or sound. Now, factoring in a spooky setting of a heinous murder, many people looking for a haunted experience, most likely consuming of spirits of the alcohol kind, and loaded firearms - the odds of a second murder and another ghost story increased dramatically. The police opted to patrol the mountain and for the most part shut down the large crowds.
In July 1925, a series of spiritualists came into the area from New York and Boston. Their goal was to communicate with the spirit of the slain girl. On a Saturday night, with the moon illuminating the area, the spiritualists set to their quest of making contact. Unfortunately, word had leaked out about the spiritualists' arrival and intentions. They were promptly greeted by dozens of locals wanting to see if the outsiders could communicate with the dead. As the spiritualists began, the banter and loud talking by the crowds greatly disrupted the proceedings. The spiritualists were unsuccessful with communication, but they believed a yearning presence wanted to communicate with them. They believed the spirit of the young girl was present atop Broad Mountain.
Seances were conducted upon the spot where the girl's body was located. And yes, those who conducted the conversations with the other side claimed to make contact with a restless soul.
Today the curiosity is still palpable. Granted, the development atop the mountain and Interest 81’s proximity has changed the landscape considerably over the past century. However, taking a drive up the Gordon Mountain to press your luck is still practiced today. Having a haunted bush party "back in the day" while taunting the ghost to show itself between sips from a Yuengling quart dressed in a brown paper bag was commonplace for years. Driving unsuspecting passengers who are skittish of ghost stories was and still is a ritual during dark nights.
Over the years it has been claimed the anniversary of the discovery, April 5th, and Halloween night are the prime times horror-seeking visitors have the greatest chance of experiencing something otherworldly. Most claims occur on the 5th, but the ghost has been witnessed throughout the year.
In January 1973, the Pottsville Republican conducted an interview that surprised some and perhaps validated others. An automobile dealer out of Gordon named J.A. Seitzinger wrote a paper which was read at a local historical society. The paper detailed how he and two other men were responsible for many, if not all, the ghostly sightings. Seitzinger believed it was his civic duty to give paranormal gawkers a show.
Seitzinger claimed he and his cohorts would conduct small tours for people yearning to see the ghost. The tours always began around midnight to add to the ambience of their stories. They would slowly lead people back to the spot and relay stories as to what witnesses had experienced over the years. Seitzinger said the trio had a variety of ways for people to “see” the ghost.
They would point out mist rising off puddles of water claiming it was the smoking spirit. A second method was a local man would wear a white sheet and walk through the forest. As the ghost-seeking tourists would make their way towards the burning spot, the “ghost” would make its presence known by moaning and being clearly seen.
Lastly, a store mannequin was dressed in a white flowing gown. It would be suspended from a tree 12 feet in the air. As the group approached, the “ghost” would be pulled into the air as if flying off the ground.
A photo of Seitzinger and a cohort was shown in the article. The two men proudly displayed a cast of the unidentified woman's head. The cast was said to be made from the murder victim and painted to resemble like her true appearance. Doubters have claimed the cast was simply a fake. Others claim this was indeed the cast of the head Dr. Spencer had made before turning over the young lady’s actual head. The cast in the photo was ultimately donated to the Schuylkill County Historical Society in 1979 by Seitzinger.
Sadly, over time, Dr. Spencer and the men connected with the 1973 confession took the truth of the murder victim's head cast to their graves.
It is know the police photographed the head of the girl in hopes of distribution for identification purposes. Newspaper articles stated the photo was too heinous to circulate publicly. Interestingly, a photo surfaced almost 60 years after the charred body’s discovery. The photo showed the body of the young murder victim before police arrived on the mountain. It was said to have been taken by a Gordon resident. The person rushed to the scene and photographed the victim's remains still lying in the clearing immediately after Duncan’s discovery. A swollen, burned leg, a pile of ashes where the torso would be, and a gaping-mouthed, burned head seemingly frozen in extreme pain were clearly visible. The photo was extremely graphic. This photo was also proven to be a hoax. Undoubtedly a fiendish attempt to enhance the stories and experiences.
Did the Gordon men truly orchestrate a ghost to fulfill ghost seekers' curiosity? The answer seems to be a very probable yes. Does this claim account for all the ghost sightings since 1925? The answer is a definitive no.
People have claimed to see and heard the ghost of the young girl to this day. Accounts of vehicles stalling where the remains of the young girl were found are said to still be taking place.
There are many individuals who whole-heartedly believe the ghost of the young woman haunts the Broad Mountain to this very day. Her soul will not be at rest until her murderer is identified.
As we know in life, everyone is entitled to their opinion on Schuylkill County’s most mysterious murder and infamous ghost story. However, be weary the next time you travel the roadway nearing the murder spot.
Keep your eyes wide open, your ears peeled, and be sure your vehicle doors are locked. History and personal accounts have shown you never know what you may experience on the Broad Mountain stretch of road between the communities of Gordon and Heckerscherville. It just may be a ghost, or at least something that resembles one. York Dispatch - April 6, 1925 Pottsville Evening Republican - April 6, 1925 Lancaster New Era - April 6, 1925 Reading Times - April 6, 1925 Mount Carmel Item - July 25, 1925, April 16, 1925 (photograph) The Shamokin Dispatch - April 17, 1925 (photograph) Shamokin News Dispatch - August 8, 1941 Pottsville Republican - January 13, 1973 Pottsville Republican - April 7, 1984
Head cast (private photograph collection)