by Paul Dale Roberts, HPI Ghostwriter
I hate doing ghost investigations on weeknights, because the next morning, I have to get up and go to work. But, this is one ghost investigation I had to check out. I was meeting up with Shannon 'Ms. Macabre' McCabe at her home right after work. We headed out in her black VW sports car affectionately called, "The Ectoplasmobile".
Shannon and I discussed various investigations that we have been on all the way to the small quaint town of Newcastle, CA. Shannon drives like a bat-out-of-hell and there was many times I was putting my foot on an invisible brake pad. As we drove past a makeshift grave on the side of the road, I said silent prayers that Shannon would get me to Newcastle safely She did, but then thoughts of Shannon driving me back home came to my mind and I started shivering again. I was more scared of Shannon's driving than I was of any possible ghosts we might encounter at Constable Jacks.
Let's get a run down of what haunts Constable Jacks, a very cool bar, nightclub that has live band entertainment. Historical records provided by H.P.I. researcher, Kristen Sheley indicate that "A ghost of a young man in his twenties haunts this old saloon and restaurant. Employees nicknamed him 'Gary'. He is blamed for wine bottles and glasses that fly off the shelves behind the bar. The glasses never break when they hit the floor. Gary is known to roam the basement and switch lights on and off. This establishment was formerly known as Soracco's Restaurant and Saloon, located at 525 Main Street in Newcastle. The former owner Gus Soracco thinks that Gary the Ghost was 'done in' at this bar. Gus Soracco has felt Gary's presence behind him, when he used to close down this establishment."
Now that this establishment has turned over to a new owner Jacquie Looper, she has her own stories. Jacquie's grandfather from 1910 to 1920 was the owner of Constable Jacks. Her grandfather was the Constable of Auburn, CA. Some of the activities that have occurred under her watch include:
- Dishes flying off the shelves.
- When Jacquie was saying that she didn't believe in ghosts, 10 to 12 bud vases flew off the refridgerator on their own accord.
- Her daughter Sheena Looper has witnessed a spotlight blinking off and on and then only to discover that the spotlight was not even plugged in!
- Bottles of beer exploding.
- Patrons have claimed to seen a young woman in her 20s, with blonde hair peeking around corners wearing a pioneer dress.
- Shylah & Dana (daughters of Jacquie) were cleaning around the bar late at night when they called their mom and asked her why the flashlight was left on at the bar and why the candle was lit. This has never happened before, but for some reason the flashlight came on and the candle was lit and no one was around to light it. The girls hastened it out the front door, scared to their wits! On another night, they witnessed a candle one of the girls was holding in her hands and it lit on its own, then they heard running footsteps across the roof. Again, they made haste out the door!
- Sheena relates to me that the town of Newcastle burned down 3 times and that this bar also once caught on fire. You can see the burned timbers in the basement. The basement at one time was a brothel. A psychic who came to this establishment believes the ghostly pioneer woman's name is 'Emily'.
The date of this investigation is: August 8, 2007, Tuesday. Investigative Team included: John Wachter aka Vlawde - Lead Investigator, Alicia Perry - Tech Support, Chris Grissom - Tech Support, Kristen Shelly - Researcher, Shannon McCabe - President, Paul Dale Roberts - Ghostwriter, Mary Casiano - Investigator, Michelle Paykel - Investigator, Cherie Vincent - Scout/Investigator. Kudos to Cherie for scouting this establishment and getting this investigation authorized by the owners!
As the investigative team sought out different locations to investigate under the guidance and direction of Vlawde, I surveyed the establishment with a keen eye. I was an awe at the macabre decorations, such as a mannequin woman that was dressed as a vampire dominatrix that was attached to the ceiling. The place was like a museum filled with artifacts and relics of years gone and dashed with relics of the present. Fascinating eye-candy for party goers!
I went into the basement , it was very dark and quite spooky. It was a very large basement that had nooks and crannies everywhere. Huge potholes that you could fall into and dirt shoved off to the side making a small enbankment or hill. This was the perfect spot for a ghost or ghosts! As Chris Grissom manned the TV monitor, he was capturing all kinds of strange orbs either moving methodically slow or moving at lightning speed.
Shannon picked up an EVP that was an inaudible whisper. As I conclude this article, let's see what Shannon has for the FINDINGS and CONCLUSION.
As some of the investigative team went into the basement, one of the investigators, Alicia Perry felt a presence touching her. She felt like she was touched 3 times.
I tried to entice the spirit of "Emily" or "Gary" with Cherie Vincent. Cherie started picking up some unusual spikes near us, with her EMF (Electromagnetic Field) meter and it furiously started flashing with a red light. We videoed the area where the spikes happened and with further study we hope to have something to show you.
All in all, this was a very unusual establishment that I would love to visit when I am not ghost hunting and perhaps enjoy a cold beer and listen to a band. Shannon and I, had to leave early, because we both have to work the next day....well John has to work tomorrow too and has to get up at 4am, but since he is the lead investigator, he was going to tough it out for the long haul. Nice work, John!
So let's see what Shannon has to say....and thanks Shannon for getting me home safely and not in pieces!! Whew! Shannon needs to put a red light on top of her car, you would think it was an emergency vehicle! Maybe her car is an emergency vehicle...just call HPI 911 GOTGHOSTS!
"Sometimes I just want to knock him out," says Shannon McCabe, President, H.P.I.
For more on H.P.I. (Haunted and Paranormal Investigations) of Northern California, stop by the website at: www.HPIparanormal.net
FINDINGS: 3 EVP's saying "Get Out" in a whisper. "Are we dead" spoken in a male tone. "Help me" in a female tone, and other assorted inaudible whispers. We had lots of Orb video activity in the basement, and need to futher analyze it for dust etc... One of the investigators, Alicia Perry was touched 3 times on the head and back by an unseen force in the basement.
CONCLUSION: "Quite a neat place, lot's of very interesting art and some really excellent food! I'd say that, yes, out of what we examined in the short time we were there the place is indeed haunted. I'd give it a 6.5 on the spook factor, it's just too neat of a place and it has such good energy that I can't give it too spooky of a factor" - Shannon McCabe, President, H.P.I.