Press Release for July 12, 2008 at Maury Co Library in TN

Press Release from Maury Co., Tennessee
Featuring DJ Lyons - Author of Bell Witch Unveiled At Last
Performing on July 12, 2008 Maury Co. Library

Press
Release
for
DJ Lyons

Ghost Story
‘Bell Witch Unveiled” author to speak at library by Adam Southern

The Daily Herald, Wednesday, June 25, 2008, Volume 109, No. 223
Columbia, Tennessee

GOOD SPIRIT, BAD SPIRIT: THE BELL WITCH
Adam Southern, Guest Columnist

While growing up, there was nothing more terrifying to me than the
story of the Bell Witch.

My fear was so great, that in my rowdiest moment, just the mention of
the so-called spirit could calm me down in a second’s time. The thought
of the Bell Witch getting after me was far worse than the threat of
being grounded, whipped, or submitted to any other form of
punishment conceived in my young mind.

To say the least, I was never one of the kids who stood in a dark
bathroom saying “I’m not afraid of the Bell Witch” while waiting for her
to appear in the mirror.

But the time came when I decided I was ready to conquer my childhood
fears. So I purchased a copy of “The Bell Witch of Tennessee,” written
by a Bell family member, Charles Bailey Bell, and read it from front to
back.

What I read left me not only sleeping with my head under the covers
but surprised as well.

I had been told all of my life to look for the good in a person, don’t just
see the bad. Well, after reading the book, it was plain to see that I
had only been hearing the bad about the Bell Witch. “It” also had a
good side.

“The spirit,” as the family called it (not “witch”), was known to
accompany the Bell children to the swimming hole, play mischievous
tricks on the kids, and, believe it or not, sing and quote religious
scripture. Lucy Bell, the mother, was especially fond of the spirit’s
singing and, in return, the spirit was fond of her.

The book mentions that Lucy Bell became deathly sick. The spirit sang
religious songs to Lucy daily and left her bedside only long enough to
come back with exotic and out-of-season fruits. In the end, the Spirit
was given much of the credit for healing Lucy. Again, believe it or not.

It seemed to be a pretty good ol’ spirit, well, except for the fact that it
beat and tormented Betsy, the eldest [sic, actually youngest] of the
Bell daughters, and was blamed for the death of her father, John Bell.

Why the spirit was so bad on old John, we’ll never know, nor will we
ever know who the spirit was. The most common belief is that the spirit
was conjured up by the Bell’s neighbor, Kate Batts, whom John Bell
had supposedly wronged in a land deal. No one knew for certain if
Batts was the perpetrator; nevertheless, the name Kate has remained
in the Bell Witch Legend for nearly 200 years.

But, did anyone ever stop to think if Kate Batts wasn’t the cause of the
mysterious spirit? She may be getting a bad rap for doing nothing!

The author of a new book, “The Bell Witch Unveiled at Last,” DJ Lyons,
thinks so, and she is out to clear the name of Kate Batts and set the
record straight.

Through many years of research, Lyons has reason to believe that the
“Bell Witch” haunting began long before the Bell Family ever moved to
Tennessee. Her theory suggests that the haunting began in the
mountains of North Carolina, near the town of Rocky Mount. When the
Bells decided to relocate to current day Adams, Tenn., the ghosts
simply packed up and went with them.

This is a radical theory and one that if ever reaches mainstream, could
change the way the world views Tennessee’s famous haunting. This is
why I have invited DJ Lyons to the library – to give the people of
Maury County a chance to be among the first to hear this new twist on
the old story.

Lyons will be at the Maury County Library at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 12,
performing her 45-minute show, answering questions, as well as selling
and signing copies of her book.

Please come to see, as I will, if the reputation of Kate Batts can be
salvaged, or if her name will forever by synonymous with that of the
Bell Witch.

You will know me. While she’s talking about the witch, I’ll be the
skittish person hiding in the corner!

Adam Southern is a reference librarian at the Maury County Library.

Saturday, July 12, 2008, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Maury County Public Library System
Columbia, Tennessee
Contact Person: Adam Southern, (931) 375-6508
Reference Librarian and Event Coordinator

P erformance
Flyer