Weird NJ is Speechless!

by Erik B. Anderson - November 24, 2009

In late August of 2009, I wrote a lament poem about the Tillie Smith case and made it into a postcard that looks like this:



I sent it to a number of people and posted it on a few bulletin boards around Hackettstown, where the Rape and Murder happened in 1886. The only response I got was from Weird NJ, which is a publishing phenomenon around Warren County.

It follows:



Mark S. says

"Hey Erik-
RE: Tillie Smith-
We've Never sent "Investigators" about the Tillie Smith murder to Hackettstown. You must be mistaking us with someone else!
Regards
Mark S."

After about ten days - on September 21, 2009 - I finally got sick of being scared whoever this guy is and his flip postcard, and I thought of something to write:



And I haven't heard back from them since.

And this is why:

Not only do they send investigators to Hackettstown on their web site, they give them directions. The message below is copied directly from a page on WeirdNJ.com.

TILLIE: THE GHOST OF CENTENARY COLLEGE


Centenary College is located in Hackettstown, New Jersey on Jefferson Street. Tillie Smith was killed in 1867. There is a memorial to her in Union Cemetery in Hackettstown, on Mountain Avenue.

Hackettstown itself is located off Exit 19 on Interstate 80. To reach the college, make a left off the offramp, and proceed four miles on Route 517 to the first stop light. Go straight through the light and look for Jefferson Street on your left (it’s the fourth or fifth left). You should be able to see the school from there. I hope I’ve been of some help to you.

- Letter via E-mail

The entire URL is http://www.weirdnj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=28

So, who is Mark S.? Does anybody know? Is it this guy?

Bueller? Bueller?

I am tired of ghosthunters and paranormal investigators coming around my town. It is scary. It is haunting. That's how I stand on the issue. How does Mark S. stand on the issue? Will he comment on this blog? Will he state publicly what his last name is? Weird NJ is a successful for profit publishing phenomenon that delights in scaring people, and they encourage their readers to go to towns where real people like me are trying to live peacefully. And they deny it when someone calls them out on it.

Shenanigans! That's right! I call Shenanigans.

Here is something to be grateful for this Thanksgiving: Halloween is a whole eleven months away.

Warm Regards,

Erik B. Anderson
The King of Funny Faces
Independence Township, New Jersey
Established 1782