Speaker 1: 0:00

Okay, hi Hannah. Hello, justin, Justin.

Speaker 2: 0:04

Okay, please start that over. I was being funny, that is funny. Okay, hello Wanderers, I'm Jess and I'm Hannah, and welcome to Wicked Wanderings.

Speaker 1: 0:22

Hi Hannah.

Speaker 2: 0:23

Hello Jessica, can I just tell you I love our recording nights.

Speaker 1: 0:27

I do too.

Speaker 2: 0:28

Our soups fun.

Speaker 1: 0:29

I look forward to them. You have no idea. I didn't have a good day at work and I was like you know what? Tonight's a recording night. I see, jess, oh, I feel so good. Talk about all things creepy and weird.

Speaker 2: 0:39

Yeah and fucked up. So I don't know why, if it was, the powers that be, new Orleans kept coming into my life. My brother was just there, oh was he.

Speaker 2: 0:57

I don't know if it was work or personal, the one that draws, yes, and he just went there. And then I was listening to a Heart Starts Pounding that podcast yeah, I love that podcast and she was talking about it. She had just went there, so she was talking about her ghost tours and everything, and then, like it just kept being mentioned and I was like going back and forth whether to talk about this story because I really couldn't find a lot, and then it just kept coming up. So I'm like I guess this is meant to be yeah and Mardi Gras coming up in February 13th.

Speaker 1: 1:34

I think, I think, yeah, right near Valentine's Day.

Speaker 2: 1:37

Yeah, so this is like perfect timing. Why do I think it's on Valentine's Day? It could be. I thought it was the 13th because I Googled it. It could be, yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:47

Because Ash Wednesday is on Valentine's Day. Oh, so it's the day before Ash Wednesday. Yes, okay.

Speaker 2: 1:53

Yeah, so I'm going to tell a little backstory and then I stole some paranormal experiences off of Reddit that I'm going to share at the end. Yes, bring them on. Yes, so at 1140 Royal Street in New Orleans, nolans, lies a mansion that is empty most of the time nowadays. This mansion has played many roles A private residence, a school, a furniture store and even apartments. It was even owned by Nicholas Cage, really. It was yes. Oh, but unfortunately went to auction when he experienced financial difficulties.

Speaker 1: 2:37

Oh, I never thought that for Nicholas Cage, yeah he, it must have been after National Treasure.

Speaker 2: 2:44

Yeah, but now millionaire Michael Whalen bought it in 2010 for $2.1 million and it Jung change. Yeah. Pocket change $2.1 million, that's nothing. And on one source has said that he only uses it during Mardi Gras. So he doesn't really stay there. It once again, is a private residence and can only be visited on a walking tour, so you can't even go in, like it's not open to the public to do tours or anything. It has a dark history, some of which may have been loosely portrayed in season three of American Horror Story.

Speaker 1: 3:27

Love the Coven, american Horror.

Speaker 2: 3:30

Story yes.

Speaker 1: 3:32

Okay, I have to say so. I haven't watched all the seasons. Yeah, but season one is the best.

Speaker 2: 3:37

Yes, man, I feel like they go downhill from there in season. One is the best, that's it, no. And asylum the asylum one was good.

Speaker 1: 3:48

I, yes. So I Season one and two were the best Got through a part of it. So interesting If my brother was here. Jonathan, as you guys all know, loved to season one, loved the season of the Coven which is not surprising because John likes witches but I started watching season two and that one freaked him out. But for me I was like, yes, I love that. I mean, of course, there has been a new season that came out with Kim Kardashian, which really yeah, that would be like a reason I wouldn't watch it the last couple seasons, I mean and then the one with Lady Gaga was that that was a crazy one circus.

Speaker 2: 4:26

No, no, that was the hotel. One hotel, yes, and Matt.

Speaker 1: 4:30

Bomber, isn't it? Okay, I need to catch up, man, I need to catch up, but anyways, I'm not a huge of the last.

Speaker 2: 4:37

I love Evan Peters. He's a great actor and he did the Jeffrey Dahmer series on Netflix. Did you watch that? Of course I did, Girl. I haven't watched it yet. Oh, you need to. Evan Peters does an amazing job.

Speaker 1: 4:52

Isn't that weird? Because who's the guy that did the most recent one for a week? Can't think of him, girl. The other Sailor, killer Bundy.

Speaker 2: 5:04

Yeah, that was Zac Efron. Zac Efron Girl he did good and I didn't know that he could like. He's good looking and he did a good job.

Speaker 1: 5:14

He came out so freaking creepy in that.

Speaker 2: 5:16

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 5:17

We did. Every time I see a bug I'm like 10 Bundy.

Speaker 2: 5:22

Exactly. Maybe that's where Slugbug came from. I don't know Slugbug. You know Slugbug where? If you see a bug? Volkswagen Beetle. Oh that was punch buggy. Well, yeah, that's what I meant. I mean New England punch buggy at West Lugbug, really.

Speaker 1: 5:40

That's wow yeah, because every time we see a buggy you're supposed to go punch buggy. Huh, OK, interesting Anywho.

Speaker 2: 5:47

Back to Nolans. Nolans. There have been stories of this mansion being haunted Duh, which would make sense based on what happened there, and I will be sharing, like I said, the stories at the end. Are there douche canoes in this story? I mean, she's kind, so yes, and we'll get there. Ok, all right, sorry, jumping ahead. No, no, you're fine. This fancy, schmancy, haunted dark mansion that I speak of is called the LaLaurie Mansion, named after the first owner, madame Delphine LaLaurie. To know the history of the house, we need to know Madame Delphine's history. We can't have one without the other. Madame Delphine was born Marie Delphine McCarty in the Spanish colony of Louisiana on March 19, 1787. To Chevalier Louis Botholome McCarty. Also, there's a lot of French and I'm pretty sure I'm going to fuck it up.

Speaker 1: 6:49

Did you not take French in high school?

Speaker 2: 6:50

No, I took Spanish.

Speaker 1: 6:51

Girl, come on. I took four years of French. Well then, maybe you can read my episode.

Speaker 2: 6:55

Yes, that's good, and his wife, marie, is Jean Le Rebeau. I don't know Le Rebeau. Le Rebeau, l E R A O A B. Actually, no, they were Irish. Oh, take that back, don't. Don't laugh at me, they're Irish. Um so, at age 13, delphine was involved in a scandalous affair with a 35 year old widower, don Ramon de Lopez Lopez.

Speaker 2: 7:29

Lopez, we're sorry everyone, we're butchering these names Don Ramon de Lopez E Anguillo, who was the second in command to the Spanish governor, lopez Lopez E Anguillo. So how old was she? 13 years old, oh girl. Yeah, that's, that's a little so what he was doing with a 13 year old. I have no idea, but I hate that it's considered a scandalous affair and not rape, because she was only 13 years old.

Speaker 1: 8:01

I digress, but this was a lot. Eighteen hundreds, yeah, there you go.

Speaker 2: 8:05

Within six months of her not being old enough to give consent, they were married in the June of 1800. What Apparently back in the day, in what was at the time a Spanish colony, one could not get married unless they had the king's consent. And obviously naughty little Don Ramon didn't want to wait for the king's approval and convinced a local clergyman to marry them.

Speaker 1: 8:32

Okay, so I'm sorry. Going back to history wise, what king are they referring?

Speaker 2: 8:36

to King of Spain. Okay, spanish colony.

Speaker 1: 8:39

Okay, I was going to say because I'm like, because we already had our separation from England at this point, yeah, okay, that makes sense. Please continue, I will.

Speaker 2: 8:48

Thanks for your permission. Sorry, the main source of this episode is Madame Madame L'Hurie, mistress of the Haunted House, written by Carolyn Mar-O-Long. So when it was discovered by the king that Don Ramon Lopez Lopez E Anguillo engaged in an unauthorized marriage, he was ordered back to Spain. So in that book the author mentioned that it was for a demotion because of this marriage. So Don Ramon packs up his teenage bride and heads off to Spain to face the king and accept his now low level position.

Speaker 2: 9:30

Okay, Well he pleaded to the higher officials, blaming his situation on his enemies. Somehow it was their fault that he was all steep in a teenager. Sorry, I forgot to take that out. We talked about this, I know. So apparently it was their fault that he had married a 13-year-old, but he continued to claim that it was people that were out to get him. King Carlos eventually relented and pardoned Lopez and sent him back to New Orleans as the Spanish consul, as Louisiana was now under American administration. You like the King Carlos, I just like I turned to the accent for each language.

Speaker 1: 10:18

You're French-Wan and you're like wait, it's supposed to be Irish, and you're like Carlos.

Speaker 2: 10:24

Carlos, I bet he liked his 30 pence. Have you seen Natural Libre? It's one of my favorite.

Speaker 1: 10:32

That's with Jack Black, right? Yeah, I have not seen it actually. It's funny. I love the holiday, though, with Jack Black, yeah.

Speaker 2: 10:38

That's cool, but now natural Libre is better. Anyway, so on the way back to New Orleans in 1805, so remember, she got married when he was 13. So now, at this point, she was 18 years old and the ship ran aground near Cuba, resulting in Don Ramon's death. The cause of his death was never quite explained, and another source. That's why I struggle with, like these old paranormal, because there's less facts and more legend, and so I'm just saying what I hear from each source and trying to grab the similarities from each one.

Speaker 1: 11:17

Girl that's the schooling in us. Yeah, yes. So would we blame this girl if she was the cause of his death?

Speaker 2: 11:29

I mean it was never explained, so you never know. I mean I wouldn't blame her, uh-uh, I mean she was 18.

Speaker 1: 11:35

Like you're a widow at 18 years old. Yeah, like you finally have reached somewhat of adulthood because, honestly, I wasn't fully an adult till I was like 30. It was the same, let's be honest.

Speaker 2: 11:47

Same Another source had stated that it was on the way to Spain where he died. But either way, he died under suspicious circumstances near Havana, and Delphine then gave birth to their daughter and then returned to New Orleans, so she was pregnant at the time. Two years later, in 1807, delphine married a Frenchman, jean Blanc, jean Blanc, jean Blanc. They would go on to have four children together Pauline, lorraine, jean Pauline and, yeah, I think it J-E-A-N-N-E. That's a woman, jean, because Jean Jean Jean is J-E-A-N.

Speaker 1: 12:35

J-E-A-N. Yeah, I think that's a. Jean, jean, madame Moselle, jean I don't know If you have any French listeners, please.

Speaker 2: 12:46

First I apologize, we try. Blanc was a merchant, lawyer, banker, state legislator and a major slave owner, slash potential human trafficker. Boo yes, interesting fact is that Jean Blanc was friends with Jean and Pierre Lafitte, who, if you are on top of your pirate history, you will recognize that name. I only have remembered that name because I watch expedition unknown. Okay, there but why can't I think of his name?

Speaker 1: 13:27

I see his face. I'm just gonna be plus, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 13:29

I love that show and he does an episode about Lafitte, so Jean Lafitte is a well-known pirate during the day, and and Jean Blanc Was the one who convinced Jean Lafitte to help the US in the war of 1812 Against the British in the Battle of New Orleans, winning this battle was, I'm sorry, was that little Louisiana purchase? You know you are asking me too many questions that I did not research for this episode.

Speaker 2: 15:29

But I don't know when that took place, but at this time it was an American colony, so I don't Know. For the risk of sounding uneducated, I am no, going to tell you Sorry. I am not sure.

Speaker 1: 15:41

You like that history?

Speaker 2: 15:43

Oh yeah, I wasn't sure if you know I'll get back to you on that. I'm sorry I have a whole episode Louisiana purchase Winning this battle was pivotal in paving the road for one, andrew Jackson, to become president of the United States. And apparently Andrew Jackson was kind of a dick.

Speaker 2: 16:03

Okay, yeah so maybe I'll do an episode on him. Being a dick Blanc would eventually kick the bucket in 1815, leaving Delfine to settle his massive debts and raise their five children. The last podcast on the left. Have you ever listened to it? I have not. Oh my god, they're hilarious. Did a two-parter on madam lullery, and they stated that he disappeared at that time but his death hadn't been confirmed. So, either way, he Either he disappeared to leave his wife with the debt that he didn't want to deal with which dick move or he was killed by pirates or someone involved in human trafficking and with human trafficking I mean like slaves, like the trafficking for slaves so you can't tell me, though, like if we dug up every road or Foundation that's in the US, like how many bodies would be fine?

Speaker 1: 16:59

Oh my god, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 17:00

Yeah a lot yeah. So saying so like, and I mean, I'm sure, madam Delfine, lallory and LaLaurie, had something to do with us, because it's L?

Speaker 1: 17:13

U R I E right.

Speaker 2: 17:15

La, la, you are. Lalaurie, lalaurie anyway, so they. So either he disappeared to leave his wife with the debts Dick move, or he was killed by pirates or someone involved with the human trafficking. Either way, madam laLaurie was stuck with his debts and, luckily for her, she received an inheritance from her father. And the one thing I didn't mention is like she grew up in New Orleans society. Hmm.

Speaker 2: 17:48

Yes, so her family was well-to-do and she received an inheritance From her father and was able to be smart with her business dealings, and she was able to find a solid financial footing and become a wealthy woman all on her own. Good for her.

Speaker 1: 18:07

Yeah, I mean well, that part of it, I know, but like, thinking about women, independent woman having her own wealth. She was going in the right direction.

Speaker 2: 18:16

She just fucked it up. She eventually met her third husband, dr Louie Louie LaLaurie, when she went to him for help with one of her children who had a deformity. 22 year old Dr LaLaurie, fresh out of medical school, had just arrived in New Orleans from a French villain villain from the French village that I'm not even going to try to pronounce and he had placed advertisements in the Louisiana career announcing that he specialized in the straightening of crooked backs. Legend has it that Louie LaLaurie was an inconspicuous, colorless, meek and mousy little man, 40 year old. Delphine must have found him somewhat attractive because on August 13, august 13th 1827, their son, jean Louie LaLaurie, was born. People probably listening to that and be like just stop, just stop. They weren't married until the following January and there was what is now considered a prenup signed because there is record of Delphine specifying that she would retain control over her personal property, real estate and slaves worth $67,000 at the time, and Dr LaLaurie brought in a whopping 2000 to the table, and even then it was tied up with his late mother's estate. So it makes me wonder what Dr LaLaurie was packing down below to win the heart of such a wealthy woman. Actually, I haven't really wondered about that for real.

Speaker 2: 20:03

Their marriage, however, was rumored to not be a very happy one. Some family letters from a neighboring plantation stated that they would fight, they would separate and then return to each other. And Then, 1831, delphine bought two lots, on which which stood a partially completed residence With an attached service wing containing a kitchen and slave quarters. Moving into the mansion didn't help their marriage at all, and in 1832, delphine petitioned the court for a separation, testifying that LaLaurie's treatment of her had rendered their living together Unsupportable and that, in the presence of many witnesses, he beat and wounded her in the most outrageous manner. Oh, my pearls, I do declare. She asked the judge to live separately from her husband while she stayed in the mansion that she was currently living in. So she's trying to get him kicked out. Okay, go, girl Around. The same time and this is where she becomes a dick Rumors began to spread about the news of Delphine's mistreatment of her slaves.

Speaker 1: 21:18

Oh Okay, first of all can we just establish slaves are bad.

Speaker 2: 21:22

Yeah, obviously Okay like having slaves, right? Yeah, okay, slavery.

Speaker 1: 21:26

Yeah, the whole thing is shit. So, no one, no one can own another human being, mm-hmm.

Speaker 2: 21:34

I agree. Some letters from the same source had mentioned and I quote, and here I am quoting Finally, justice descended on her home and being assured the truth of the denunciations For barbarious treatment of her slaves contrary to the law. The authorities found them all bloody. So madam LaLaurie was found not guilty by an indulgent jury. So she was taken to court for the mistreatment of her slaves was.

Speaker 1: 22:07

I feel so terrible asking us was there proof of her mistreatment?

Speaker 2: 22:11

Yeah, okay okay, there was. However, she was later indicted by the criminal court for abusing her slaves, but was able to clear herself by paying a fine.

Speaker 1: 22:22

I Hmm, it's like fucking Levine, Like what the hell?

Speaker 2: 22:29

Right, madame Laurier's luck would run out on the morning of April 10, 1834, when a fire broke out in the kitchen of the mansion. Despite their legal separation, both husband and wife were in the home. Eyewitnesses had seen starved and mutilated slaves in person. According to newspapers, the fire had originated in the kitchen and the entire service wing was engulfed in flames. The crowd had gathered to help put the fire out and they were concerned about the slaves in the home, because the neighbors knew the shant slaves and they knew that they were in the upper part of the building and it was used as a prison and that there were slaves in there. Currently In the crowd was a local judge who requested the Lollories to remove their slaves to a place of safety. The couple, who were concerned about what would be found in the home, refused. The flames were spreading rapidly, so the judge gave orders to break down the doors.

Speaker 2: 23:33

The men were greeted by an appalling sight as several slaves emerged from the fire. Their bodies were covered with scars and loaded with chains. There were seven slaves that were horribly mutilated. Some were suspended by the neck with their limbs stretched and torn from one extremity to the other. They found an old woman with a deep wound in her head. Another woman was chained in the kitchen. Another woman was wearing an iron collar and was chained with heavy irons by the feet. A man had a large hole in his head, his body covered from head to toe with scars that were filled with maggots. What the?

Speaker 2: 24:15

fuck yeah. So I know an American Horror Story like it shows, like the extreme stuff that she put I gotta love Kathy Bates, though she makes a good Madame Lollory.

Speaker 1: 24:28

I do like Kathy Bates.

Speaker 2: 24:29

Yeah, and so like there's talk of like these collars that had spikes in them. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 24:38

But on the inside, so if they moved their head a certain way Right and like that, stretched them, yeah, and it was just horrific and like people knew this was going on. And in one source, the woman that was chained in the kitchen was actually the one who supposedly started the fire. Each source is like conflicting. Because she didn't want to deal with, like, the repercussions of her own actions with Madame Lollory. Or another source said that it was to try to bring attention to what was going on in the house. Yeah, maybe both.

Speaker 2: 25:15

Maybe, One boy said that he had been chained up for five months, being fed daily only with a handful of food and receiving cruel treatment every morning. So these slaves were taken to the mayor's office where they were given medical treatment, food and drink. So while this mansion is burning, the crowd was growing. There was a crowd growing and they were waiting for the sheriff to come and arrest them. But the sheriff never appeared. But what did appear was the Lollory's coach, as Madame Lorie and her meek and mousy husband were trying to flee. They were going to Lake Panciratine, I don't know Some lake close to their New Orleans. Once they reached the lake they boarded a schooner and crossed over to the town of Mandeville. They stayed there until they were able to put their business affairs in order but while they were doing that, made no arrangements for the emancipation of her slaves, dick. Then they traveled to Mobile, then New York City to board a ship to France.

Speaker 2: 26:32

The report of their escape from justice angered the people in the town so much that they went and destroyed the mansion, really, like they didn't go loot or anything. They destroyed it. They smashed furniture, the china, the crystal, works of art, wrecked the floors, broke windows. They literally destroyed everything. Some reports state that it is unknown if the Lollory's ever made it to France, but according to Karen Carolyn Moralong, author of the book I was talking about, madame Lollory, mistress of the Hunted House, found records of them traveling, traveling on the ship Poland to France. Three weeks later they arrived with their son, jean-louis, in France and made their way to Dr Lollory's family home for a short time you know, the one that I didn't want to pronounce because I'd fuck it up and then departed to Paris, back in New Orleans, whoever they hired a placid, forestall placid his name is PLA C-I-D-E. Either way, his name is going to be placid. Placid.

Speaker 2: 27:48

Placid. He was placid, acting as an agent, sold the Royal Street Mansion for $14,000 less oh, for $14,000, which was less than half the original purchase of $33,750. For the time, he sold 11 of the 30 enslaved men and women, leaving 19 unaccounted for, which is strange for the time, as slaves were considered property and record keeping was meticulous. So it makes you wonder what kind of nefarious things were going on, did they? Is it possible that they passed, yeah, or had passed at some point in time due to her?

Speaker 2: 28:31

treatment, because I'm sure I wouldn't be surprised if she has some mass grave, that she sold them in, and there was another source where I heard there were slaves under the basement too that were never recovered from. So some stories tell of Madame Lollory's death, and one of the stories is tells her of being gored to death by a wild boar on a hunting expedition.

Speaker 2: 29:01

Yeah, I mean I mean, if it was, that would be cool and that her body was returned to New Orleans for a burial in St Louis Cemetery number one. But according to Long, she died after a long illness at her home in Paris in 1849. She was temporarily interred in a cemetery, but the caretaker's records show that her remains were indeed exhumed in 1851 for transportation to New Orleans. According to the ownership and the interment registries of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the tomb in St Louis Cemetery number one that is said to be her resting place actually was in her son's name, who may have purchased it for her. So bitch died Bitch, and I hope she suffered. So now let's get into the legends and hauntings of the mansion.

Speaker 2: 30:07

Please. Yes, queen, that's what I kind of sounded like. Anyway, in a piece in a store. I found the story in a lot of sources and in 1833, and this one comes from the book as well there was a 12 year old slave girl, leah, who was brushing Madame LaLori's hair. It was said that Leah had hit a snarl or whatever in her hair which caused her to get angry and began to chase Leah around the house with a whip. Oh, madame LaLori chased her up to the roof, where Leah eventually fell off the roof and died. It is said that Madame LaLori tried to cover up the incident, but police apparently found the body hidden in a well. She was forced to sell her slaves at the time because of the mistreatment, but she reportedly sold them to relatives where she was able to find a way to get them back, which, when she did, she would torture them until the fire in 1834.

Speaker 1: 31:11

I just don't. What's boggling my mind is people caring about the mistreatment of slaves, so like, if you care about the mistreatment, why aren't you caring about the fact that they're slaves?

Speaker 2: 31:24

Yeah, so back in that day, from when I did read, when it was a Spanish colony, they had different laws on the treatments of slaves. Compared to what To? Compared to American colonies, okay, like they were allowed to do the normal flogging, whipping, yada, yada, but anything beyond that was like frowned upon and people didn't go for it.

Speaker 1: 31:50

I mean, that's better, but it's not what should be. But okay all right, that. Okay, that makes sense for what the story is.

Speaker 2: 31:59

So people who have been to the home have heard tortured shrieks and moans coming from within, Not surprised. Some have smelled burning flesh or heard the dragging of chains. Oh, Others say they have actually seen ghosts, including a large black man in chains and a white woman with glaring eyes. Apparently, some of these ghosts are violent, especially the woman believed to be Madam Lollori. When the house was a school, young girls allegedly encountered a woman who would grab their arms, leaving scratches and bruises. Other ghosts seem more friendly, however, even playful, and this I got from the city ghost tours of New Orleans. This information One medium who visited the house suggested that much of its evil had dissipated, leaving its ghosts to wander freely and without fear of their former mistress.

Speaker 2: 32:54

Despite all the ghost stories and paranormal happenings happening at the mansion, not all of them are traced back to Madam Lollori and her mistreatment of slaves. In 1894, a tenant who lived at the mansion when it was converted into apartments was brutally murdered in his room. They found his belongings ransacked as if someone had gone through them. The police assumed that he was a victim of robbery, even though nothing of value was missing. An interesting account regarding his murder deals with the police interviewing neighbors about his disappearance. One of his friends claimed that he was having problems with spirits, or sprites, it says, In his house. His friend wrote it off as his imagination running wild with him, but he did say something interesting. He claimed that his friend had told him that there was a demon in the house who wasn't going to rest until he had met his end, which the man ended up doing in this house.

Speaker 2: 34:03

Is it possible that at least some of the ghostly phenomenon can be a result of this brutal murder? It's certainly possible. However, nobody will know for sure until a real paranormal investigation team can investigate. The mansion was, as I mentioned before for a very brief time a school for all girls during the mid to late 19th century, and it was an all girls African-American primary school. Within a short time amount of time, reports of physical assaults came to light. We know that the young girls would approach their teachers, tears streaking down their faces, with their sleeves rolled up. The exposed flesh on their forearms was scratched and bruised. The teachers would ask the girls who did that to them and the answer was always the same that woman. These girls may have been too young to be aware of Madame Delphine Lallori and the devastating tragedy that happened, but it was unlikely that the teachers themselves would tell six or seven or eight year olds what happened there.

Speaker 1: 35:14

I think that's what brings credibility to their story, though.

Speaker 2: 35:18

One must wonder if the young girls were playing pranks or if their claims were that some phantom woman who was a dick had scarred them. It was true, no memoirs exist from this period, but it's just a scattering of accounts here and there. Now for the stories that I found on Reddit who from people who have been to the mansion. A few years ago, I was going through a rough patch financially and was looking for just about any job that would pay decent and had flexible hours. I used to work as a housekeeper and, quite honestly, was something I was hoping would come up as a job opportunity At this time. I was living in Louisiana, which is kind of far from all the major hustle and bustle where they were living that Louisiana has to offer. Lucky for me, a friend of mine told me about a small housekeeping job her boss had mentioned. They were looking for someone to come in two times a week to clean the first and second floors of this house that was located in downtown New Orleans. To fast forward things a bit, I ended up going down to the place a huge, beautiful French home literally in the heart of New Orleans and I got the job. The first day was vanilla nothing but work. You know, I did what I was there to do and as I got ready to leave I got a whiff of this horrible stench, almost like burnt rotten meat. I thought to myself shit, did I forget to take out the trash? So I ran to the kitchen and the smell faded. I kept checking but I could not find the source of the smell After double checking. And then they left. I can read I got you.

Speaker 2: 37:03

When I came back the day after, I was on the second floor dusting the parlor area when I heard chains being dragged on the floor. What? At first it startled me and I just brushed it off as someone outside. But then I heard it again and it was definitely coming from inside the house. So I ran as fast as I could downstairs to tell the other housekeeper that somebody else could possibly be inside. It was only the two of us there that day. She just looked at me and told me to mind my own business and keep working. What that? It was nothing. She was kind of a mean old lady. But I shrugged it off and went back upstairs Again. Out of nowhere, that putrid stench of burnt, rotten meat filled the air. It was very annoying because just like that, it randomly came and went. Some days you'd smell it downstairs, others upstairs.

Speaker 2: 37:59

Later on that day, while I was using the restroom, I heard this huge commotion upstairs on the third floor that sounded like a young girl screaming and a woman chasing after her to get in here. I literally was like what the fuck? I opened the door and heard running upstairs and then it stopped the yelling, the screaming, everything. I went back downstairs and at this point I was frustrated until the other housekeeper what I just heard. She looked at me and said you never hear anything. Okay, it's best if you just go on like you don't notice a thing. Thing is, she always assured me that there was no one there, that we were fine.

Speaker 2: 38:41

Needless to say, while I worked at the house a whole month because that's how long I could take I had heard repetition of the same yelling, screaming and chasing. Other days I'd hear chains dragging and dropping on the floor. But the thing that did it for me was when I was taking my lunch break on the second floor and heard a sudden cry of agony and despair, followed by the sound of chains that seemed to be coming from the third floor. I panicked, thinking someone was hurt and needed help. So as soon as I was getting up to get help, I see a tall, dark man with chains around his neck and just like that I ran out of the house as quick as possible. I never even told the person that hired me that I had no intentions of returning, I just stopped showing up and, as rude as that seems, I could care less. I just wanted nothing to do with that place.

Speaker 2: 39:36

Anyway, it wasn't until four years later, when I had long moved away from Louisiana, that I returned to New Orleans with my boyfriend on vacation. We decided to do one of their spooky history tours and I tell you, when I seen that familiar building, my heart sank. Anxiety was building up inside of me. As the tour guide told the story of the building I once worked at and the horrible, tragic, malicious things that happened there, I felt sick to my stomach that I begged my boyfriend to go back to the hotel.

Speaker 2: 40:12

When I worked at the LaLaurie mansion I never knew the history Heck. I hadn't even heard of it, ever heard of it. But after the tour facts and doing my own research, everything I experienced there made sense. It still gives me goosebumps to this day. During that day I heard Madame LaLaurie chasing after what could have been a slave girl upstairs on the third floor. I'm almost positive it was her. Also, I will add that the stench of rotten, burnt meat could have been the spirits of the many slaves who had died tortured at the hands of that evil woman.

Speaker 1: 40:50

It just surprises me she didn't do her own research beforehand.

Speaker 2: 40:53

Yeah, I mean me, and you would do that, because everything is haunted in Orleans.

Speaker 1: 40:59

We're weirdos, but that shocks me that she had no idea what was going on.

Speaker 2: 41:04

Yeah, I'll share one more story. Okay, I used to live this is another Reddit user. I used to live literally right around the corner from this house on St Peter. I hated even walking by. Even my house had activity. There was an older slave woman and a little girl. I would hear them walking up and down the stairs and the little girl would come during times of emotional stress. There were other entities that came in and out, but the two I spoke of before were always there.

Speaker 2: 41:36

The whole French Quarter has a very active spirit, population and residual feelings of hundreds of years of humanity doing some pretty traumatic things. The whole city of New Orleans is, in fact, a vortex of activity. I saw things that make me sound crazy if I tell someone who did not experience them with me. There's a funeral home at the end of Canal Street next to the cemetery. That is very active and the cemetery souls spill over into the funeral home. As well as resident experience. I knew the owners in. New Orleans is a special kind of city, for sure. Well, that being said, we should probably go there on a Wicked Wanderings weekend vacation. Yes, please.

Speaker 1: 42:21

That and Salem.

Speaker 2: 42:22

Yes, yeah. So that is my story of Madame Delphine La Rourie and the mansion, of course.

Speaker 1: 42:33

I think and this is my opinion, I think that with so many tragic things happening there, I'm not surprised that, even if you want to say it's not hot by the spirits, there's residual energy that happened there?

Speaker 1: 42:48

because how I think John talked about this about, was he saying that certain things hold energy? Was that wood? He was saying I thought it was stone, something right that holds energy, like that, like it holds the sun's energy. I think you're right, it was stone. How can it not hold it? Because I talked to my mom actually about this, where there are certain places you walk in you're like, oh, yeah, you get a certain feel whether it's like calming or like, oh, got a little icky feeling.

Speaker 1: 43:24

Yeah, things have happened there. Something's watching me Right, like come on, there's something.

Speaker 2: 43:32

That was my break from Serial Killers. I hope you enjoyed it. How did I feel to do it?

Speaker 1: 43:37

Yeah, to talk about something besides, because we were on a spiel there for a while.

Speaker 2: 43:41

Yeah, it's difficult for me because it's like, like I said, more legend, yeah. Yeah. And I tend to enjoy facts like history, which is probably well. Who knows? If history is facts, it's written by the victor, but I'm more of a nonfiction storyteller, I think. Yeah. Yeah, I get that and so. Yeah, so it was interesting. It was actually an easier episode to write because I started on Monday and finished it on Tuesday and I was like, oh, I'm done.

Speaker 1: 44:20

This is amazing. Well, I appreciate you bringing that episode. Yeah, so happy Mardi.

Speaker 2: 44:26

Gras. Happy Mardi Gras. Hope everyone goes and gets all their beads. Shaw, yeah, did they? Just kidding.

Speaker 1: 44:35

And we're going to continue our horror series. Haunting horror series yes, Next time. With me, oh yeah.

Speaker 2: 44:44

I'm excited. I don't want to give any hints. All right, I requested this from Hannah because she has been in this place.

Speaker 1: 44:50

Yes, and I think we may have a special guest. I haven't confirmed, yeah, so we will wait. Yes, but thank you, wanderers.

Speaker 2: 44:59

We appreciate you, we love you. Thanks for coming Remember. If you have a suggestion, please tell us, or we would love to hear your haunted tales.

Speaker 1: 45:10

Yes, oh my gosh. So if you send us a recording to our email wicked wandering podcast at gmailcom ora word document, we can play it on air Wicked Wanderings podcastcom. There is an S in there.

Speaker 2: 45:29

Yes, if you want them to go on the website, not send it to our email.

Speaker 1: 45:35

Wicked Wanderings podcast at gmailcom there we go. There is an S in there. Yes, wicked Wanderings. If you guys send us, just like, a local recording of any place you've been that's haunted, please tell us. We would love to hear it.

Speaker 2: 45:49

A recording or a word document. Yes, we would love to share haunted stories.

Speaker 1: 45:54

Yes, anywhere. It doesn't have to be off an episode. We've done so it can be anywhere.

Speaker 2: 46:00

Tell your friends about us, tell them to listen, subscribe, like, follow on all of the platforms that we have, because we want Adele to listen to us. Yes, and we want to be on Oprah.

Speaker 1: 46:14

I mean come on, do we though, do we not?

Speaker 2: 46:18

I don't know we might have some disagreements about Oprah.

Speaker 1: 46:21

Well, I'm just thinking like big names, the Today Show that works, and we also want Erin Mankey to know about us. We want Amy Bruni to know about us, which we saw her. Doesn't she follow us on Instagram? No, we follow her. We follow her and she also posted our video.

Speaker 2: 46:41

She shared our stuff. When we went to see her on her own story it was probably her like People Assistant. But people I can.

Speaker 1: 46:50

Like I'm your assistant.

Speaker 2: 46:52

Yeah, no, you've been doing a lot of work. I mean, I would love to say that we're amazing all the time and Rob has no editing to do, but when Hannah forces drinks down my throat Just makes it more fun.

Speaker 1: 47:11

It does, cheers. We love you, wanderers All right?

Speaker 2: 47:15

Oh yeah, sorry, cut you up.

Speaker 1: 47:18

We love you, wanderers. We love you Bye, bye. Thanks for listening today. The Show wouldn't be possible without our amazing producer and editor, rob Fitzpatrick, who works tirelessly behind the scenes to bring you the best content.

Speaker 2: 47:31

And a special thanks to Tyga Soundprod for providing the captivating intro music. Cinematic Intro 24.

Speaker 1: 47:38

And of course, we can't forget the hauntingly beautiful outro music, rhino's Theme, composed by Kevin MacLeod.

Speaker 2: 47:44

If you enjoyed today's episode, make sure to leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast platforms like Spotify, Apple and YouTube. Your feedback means the world to us Also.

Speaker 3: 47:56

be sure to follow us on Instagram for behind the scenes, glimpses, updates and more thrilling content.

Speaker 1: 48:00

You can find us at Wicked Wanderings Podcast.

Speaker 2: 48:04

Thank you so much for listening and being part of our Wicked Wanderings community.

Speaker 3: 48:08

We appreciate each and every one of you Stay curious, keep exploring and always remember to keep on wandering.