Manitoba Family Haunted By "Tortured Soul"[Original headline: Have ghost, will sublet
Family flees house with 'chilling history']
WINNIPEG -- A North End family spooked out of their home by a "cruel and possessive" demon are trying to win it back through prayer.
"A tortured soul has staked its claim to our house and will not let go. It's beaten my wife, terrifies my children and causes bad things to happen. It's forced us out," said 26-year-old father, William Hudson, while standing beside a pastor and a minister in his Manitoba Avenue home.
Yesterday, Hudson said he had brought the pair of clergy to 492 Manitoba Ave. to exorcise the "evil spirit." The clergy said they came to "simply bless the home" but confirmed the residence seems to house a "tormented soul."
"We hope that through the Bible and Jesus Christ we can get these people back into their home," said Pastor Dan Murdock of Chief Cornerstone Church.
For the past three nights, William, his wife Martha, and their five children have fled the home in fear and slept at a relative's house.
And to make matters worse, on Tuesday night a group of crooks pried into the house, emptying it of food, clothing and electronic equipment.
PARANORMAL POLICING
A cop who dealt with the break-in was moved to do some paranormal policing after hearing of the couple's plight. He brought a priest to the home to bless it with holy water.
"We were happy the policeman believed us. You know, we thought we might be going crazy," mom Martha said.
She said she didn't think there was a "demon in the house" until bruises on her hands, ribs and arms started to appear.
"It was like I wrestled with an animal on certain nights," she said.
Area residents said the house has a chilling history.
"We're not sure if someone died in there, but everyone we know who has lived there has battled a ghost," next-door neighbour Debbie Houle said.
"The last person left after a fire gutted most of the house last year," she said.
Last night, the Hudsons, with Pastor Murdock and Reverend Comber McDonald, used holy oil to bless all the bedroom doors. They also led the family in prayer to help cast out evil.
"If we don't get it out of here we want to move, but I don't know if our housing co-op will let us," William said. "They tell us the only way they'll let us move to a new place is get someone else to take over our lease."
• Story originally published in •
Winnipeg Sun / MB | Greg di Cresce - April 26 2001
