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The Graveyard

You may be asking yourself just who these ghosts were when they were still alive. First let me say that not everything at EC are ghosts. There are also spirits, energy, time warps (traces of the past left behind) and various other things that have manifested and go bump in the purple and gold night. But the best that I can offer you in the following info backed up by obituaries and newspaper articles.

Fact: Suicide in Cowles

An Alumni from the Class of the Century, 2000, sent me the following:

There is proof of one suicide happening in Cowles Hall back in the 1920's. I did my freshman community service at the Chemung Valley Historical Society on Water Street and came across a file of EC news stories from the Star-Gazette. A group of women were caught smoking in their rooms or outside of Cowles one night and were caught. At the time, smoking was grounds for expulsion, and one of the women could not handle the disgrace it would bring her family. She decided to end her life, but she did not jump nor hang herself in the open area of the floors. She stole a cyanide tablet from the infirmary or chemistry lab and died in her room in Cowles.

Fact: The history of paranormal activity at EC goes further back that any of us. An article found by my assistant the GhostFinder documents that in 1884 a girl experienced paranormal encounters in Cowles Hall. A similiar article documents more encounters in 1927.

Fact: In the mid to late 1920's a suicide epidemic hit the campus. At least that is how the college described it.

Fact: In 1927 an Elmira College Senior committed suicide on the campus.

Fact: During the "suicide epidemic", Edith Stewart Poisoned herself on the campus at the age of 23.

Fact: The epidemic continued with Margaret Davis's suicide. The method and her age are unknown.

Fact: Murder became an extra curricular activity at Elmira. A large number of murders were committed at Elmira College. There was a girl that was killed in her bed. Her first name was Katie and she was killed on 11/11/1946.

Fact: Marguerite Steinhall killed her husband and her stepmother while she attended EC in 1909. She was found guilty by Judge Duvalle but the sentence was not disclosed.

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Read the article from the Appleton Post-Crescent out of Appleton, Wisconsin. The newspaper is dated Tuesday February 17, 1927 Five O' Clock. The article is entitled Another name added to to the list of suicides. The article about Edith M. Stewart a 23 year old senior at elmira college.

Appleton Post-Crescent

Another name added to to the list of suicides (close up)