In the spring of 1986, Deborah and Allen Tallman, with children, Kenny, seven, and Maryann, almost a year old, moved into their house in Horicon, Wisconsin. Daughter Sarah was born later that year. The modern three-bedroom rancher appeared to be their ideal home.
Their experiences were revealed on Unsolved Mysteries and other shows.
Phenomena
Incidents included:
- Allen becoming nervous and short tempered
- The Tallmans’ kitten, Cat, went out of control, climbing walls and flying across rooms
- Chairs bounced and rocked, then, suddenly stopped
- Kenny’s radio changed stations on its own
- The children and Deborah had nightmares
- Paintbrushes moved by themselves
- The basement window was removed and put on the floor without human help
- Allen saw the garage in flames that weren’t real
- Maryann talked to someone or something unseen
- Kenny saw a short, repugnant old woman
- Maryann watched a TV horror show featuring a fire and man wearing a pig’s cap running out of it. For months, she was plagued by images of conflagrations and men in animal hats. This could have been psychological.
At first the Tallmans suspected a prankster. Finally, Deborah thought a ghost might be causing the activity and called the Reverend Dobratz. He thought there was an evil spirit and the house was cursed. The minister blessed the dwelling. All was quiet for a while, then, more frightening events happened. Finally, Dobratz urged the Tallmans to leave their residence.
Police and a Reporter Investigate
Police Chief Glamann heard about the haunted house in January 1987 and contacted Allen. The officer asked him if the place was really haunted. Allen said it was.
Curiosity seekers drove by the house and claimed to see blood dripping from the ceiling, a snow blower moving by itself, a flaming entrance to Hell and cups floating. None of these actually happened and the Tallmans didn’t mention such occurrences.
Glamann had two officers investigate with Pastor Dobratz. They found nothing to indicate fraud. The only unusual thing that happened was that the phone rang a few times and the line was dead when answered. One of the officers disabled the receiver and this happened again.
The Police Chief could find no logical explanation for any of the reported phenomena.
Reporter James Nelson of The Milwaukee Sentinel was the first to interview the Tallmans. He discovered who they were, despite anonymity, and asked Glamann to intercede. Nelson promised he wouldn’t release their names.
The Tallmans told Nelson they thought the strange events were somehow linked to used bunk beds they bought. They had buried them in a remote landfill. The paranormal happenings stopped.
Fraud or Not?
Some, knowing the Tallmans were having financial difficulties, rumored they created a hoax to make money. Facts and conclusions of those who interviewed them deny this.
Glamann stated that, while he found the idea of a haunting hard to believe, he was convinced the family had gone through harrowing experiences and was keeping an open mind.
Nelson points out the Tallmanns lost about $3,000 when they allowed mortgage holder Farmers Home Administration to assume title. The National Enquirer offered them $5,000 for an interview, which was turned down. They hid when the media pursued them and moved from a relative’s home into a motel, then to another to avoid exploitation.
Glamann requested an inquiry. Three psychic investigators, professor and author of parapsychology books Walter Uphoff, parapsychologist Carl Schuldt and psychologist Don Mueller, agreed there was no evidence of fraud or chicanery.
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Sources:
Haunted America, Michael Norman & Beth Scott, (Tor, 1994)
Haunted Heritage, Michael Norman & Beth Scott, (Tor, 2002)
