News

31 Scary Story Nights: October 20th “Cropsey”

Published

7 years ago

October 20, 2017

Welcome back, readers, to our latest entry in 31 Scary Story Nights! We’ve had a little bit of everything so far, from serial killers to ghosts to classic tales of suspense. Tonight’s tale may be one of those most pervasive of all the stories in our series. It’s been the inspiration for more than one epic slasher movie and it continues to frighten campers, especially in the northeaster portion of the U.S. where the tale originated. It’s called Cropsey and it’s perfect for a night in the woods around a campfire.

***Writer’s Note: We here at iHorror are big proponents of responsible parenting. Some of the stories in this series may be too much for your little ones. Please read ahead and decide if your kids can handle this story! If not, find another story for tonight or simply come back to see us tomorrow. In other words, don’t blame me for your kids nightmares!***

Cropsey as retold by Waylon Jordan

Jasper Cropsey was one of the youngest judges in the entire state of New York. It was 1898, and he and his wife and young son had just moved into the new home he’d had built for them.

It wasn’t fancy, but it was all their own.

Every morning, Judge Cropsey would leave his home and walk into the local township where he would hear a whole variety of cases. He was know to be firm but fair, but inevitably a judge makes enemies.

Judge Cropsey had recently sentenced Marcus Williams to prison for two years. His sons, known roughhousers and heavy drinkers, thought Cropsey’s sentence too harsh for their father’s petty crimes and they spent their days and nights planning their revenge.

One drunken afternoon, the two young Williams men and two of their thuggish friends stumbled out to the Cropsey home and in a fit of drunken rage set fire to the woodpile behind the home, intending it as a message for the Judge. There’d been no rain in weeks, however, and the grass was extremely dry. The fire began spreading quickly burning toward the house.

It just so happened that Judge Cropsey was walking home early that day, but even the unusually early hour didn’t find him home before the entire home was ablaze. In a blind rush of panic, the young Judge ran into the flaming home to try to save his family.

He was too late…his family was dead. He fell to his knees as the fire raged around him and screamed until he had no voice. He hadn’t even realized that his own clothing had caught fire and soon he, himself, was covered in flames.

Perhaps it was his own blind rage, or perhaps madness set in the moment he saw his family, but he somehow survived. He felt pain as he’d never known it before as the burns slowly healed, but that madness and rage kept him alive.

It was almost a year later when the first of Marcus Williams’ sons was found dead outside his home. He had been hacked to death with an ax. In less than two weeks, his brother had joined him, bludgeoned and hacked to death by the same vicious weapon. In short order, every man involved in the burning of the home was dead and people in the town began to fear who might be stalking the night.

Stories were told around dinner tables about what appeared to be a man all dressed in black who wore a mask and carried an ax through the woods. Dinner table stories became legends and while most people soon discredited the stories, there was no denying that from time to time a body would be found in the vicinity of the local woods. Invariably, the murder weapon was determined to be an ax.

Perhaps, they were all bad people. Perhaps, they had just wandered into Cropsey’s territory. But folks today know not to wander too close to the woods alone. That way, at least someone might make it back to tell the tale.

Phew…that was a good one!! I don’t know what it is about that story that gets under my skin. It’s so ominous! A lot has changed about Cropsey over the years. He’s worn different kinds of masks and had different occupations, motivations, etc. but he’s always stalking the woods, and always ready to kill! Join us again tomorrow night for another Scary Story Night! Pleasant Dreams!

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Related Topics:Cropsey Scary Stories Waylon Jordan

Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

3 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

5 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

6 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.