The Roanoker - March 2014 - 32
Apparition of 1902:
Does the fact that newspapers in Roanoke, Bristol,
Richmond and elsewhere make what seems to be a
simple ghost story a few steps closer to have been a real
occurrence? And why was she stalking dudes?
BY NELSON HARRIS
THE CITY OF BRISTOL is just recovering from the
effects of the scare produced amongst the citizens of the
town by what was known as the 'woman in black,'" reported The Roanoke Times of March 18, 1902 "Hardly
a day passed for weeks that the press of the town failed
to have a long account of the antics and performances
of the 'woman in black' on the night before. Her name
was on every lip; strong men trembled when her name
was spoken; children cried and clung to their mothers'
dresses; and terror reigned supreme."
The woman wore a long black dress and a turban that veiled all but her eyes. She aproached men,
touched their shoulder, called their name, and followed them home, keeping pace even when they ran.
While some men were hesitant to admit they had been
approached by this strange visitor, others began notifying police and word soon spread of her presence.
All sightings seemed to bear a common description
of her all-black attire, her whispered voice and the
peircing eyes. And reports contained a significantly
eerie detail. The lady in black was no real woman but
an apparition. She never walked but floated and for
those men brave enough to confront her, their hands
went through her as she would vanish before their
eyes. Newspapers in Bristol and throughout southwestern Virginia began circulating reports of the
hauntings and hardly a day passed without a sighting
- to the extent that Bristol became paralyzed
with fear.
Then encounters of her floating up behind
men ceased, and Bristol's streets became alive
again after dark. Rumors began to spread that
she was no ghost at all but had been arrested
and was in jail. Police denied such reports, and
so citizens were left to wonder who she was
and why she had left as abruptly as she had
arrived. No matter one's opinion, her absence
was a relief.
So Roanokers were aware of the Bristol
sensation, some viewing it with a heavy dose of
skepticism perhaps even humor. But on March
18, the Times's story was headlined: "The Woman in Black, Bristol's Sensation Now Operating
in Roanoke."
A reputable merchant in downtown had reported to authorities that while closing his shop
around midnight, he heard his name called.
Turning he saw a ghostly female figure dressed
in a long black coat and a turban. The faster he
walked, the faster she moved. She kept pace, he
claimed, by seeming to float through the air.
Chills went up his back as she spoke in a low
The "Woman in Black" story appeared on March 18, just under a suits ad.
32 MARCH/APRIL 2014
THE
R OANOKER.COM
The Roanoker - March 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker - March 2014
Roanoker - March 2014
Contents
The 360
The Network
The Flavor
The Gossip
The Gist
The Look
Dudes! and What it Means to Be One
Three More Dudes
Top 10 Annoying Dude Traits and How to Overcome Them
Dude-Dubious: The Awards for Questionable Achievement
The Lady in Black
and Her Harassment
of Dudes
Man Caves, Roanoke Style
Carvins Cove at 70
Dude Eats: Jack Brown's
The Dish
The Perfect Weekend
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Intro
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Roanoker - March 2014
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Cover2
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 3
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Contents
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 5
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The 360
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Network
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Flavor
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Gossip
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Gist
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 11
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Look
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Dudes! and What it Means to Be One
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 14
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 15
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 16
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 17
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 18
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 19
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 20
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Three More Dudes
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 22
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 23
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Top 10 Annoying Dude Traits and How to Overcome Them
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 25
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Dude-Dubious: The Awards for Questionable Achievement
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 27
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 28
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 29
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 30
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 31
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Lady in Black
and Her Harassment
of Dudes
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 33
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 34
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 35
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Man Caves, Roanoke Style
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 37
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 38
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 39
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 40
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 41
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 42
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 43
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Carvins Cove at 70
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 45
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 46
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 47
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 48
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 49
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 50
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 51
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 52
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 53
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 54
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Dude Eats: Jack Brown's
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 56
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 57
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 58
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 59
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 60
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 61
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Dish
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 63
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 64
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 65
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Perfect Weekend
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Cover3
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Cover4
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