Two Months in Summer
A Story of Horror and Loss
The time was
Jimmy hoped that this summer would
be special because he was going to spend two months with his cousin in
"What's wrong with you, Jimmy?
Are you deaf? I called you about ten times."
"Oh! Hi, George. I'm sorry. I
was thinking of something else."
"I wanted to ask you if you
wanted to go camping with us next week. My dad is taking me, and it would be
great if you could come."
"Gosh, George, I'd really like
to, but I'm leaving to visit my cousin in
"Damn, that sounds great. I'm
stuck here all summer except for the camping trip next week because my dad
can't get anymore time off. Maybe we can talk your parents into taking us to
the beach after you get back."
"That's a great idea. I'll
start talking it up to my mom, and maybe she'll have convinced my dad by the
time I get back. See you in August."
As Jimmy rushed home, he was
thinking about his best friend, George, and how much they liked each other. He
almost spent more time at George's than he did at his own house. George's dad
was the kind of person who was just a natural with kids - especially
boys, whereas Jimmy's dad always seemed distant and was always grumpy whenever
Jimmy's friends were around. Jimmy knew the feeling wasn't right, but he was
glad that he would be able to have two months in which he didn't have to
concern himself with disapproving looks and statements from his dad.
When Jimmy got home, his mom was
waiting to take him shopping for some clothes he would need for his visit to
his cousin. They went to the new shopping center out from town and bought a
couple of pairs of Levi's, new tennis shoes, and some colored T-shirts. Jimmy
knew he would probably be helping his uncle and cousin work in the fields, and
he would need some clothes that would really take the punishment of that kind
of work. He was a city boy and didn't have any really durable work clothes.
Jimmy thought that Wednesday would
never come, but finally it was here, and he was getting ready to board the
plane to begin his vacation. He knew his mother was about to cry, and he felt a
little dryness at the back of his own throat but was holding back any tears.
After all, he was twelve years old, and when he returned from his vacation, he
would be a teenager. That meant that he was definitely too old to cry - at
least to his adolescent mind. He was only going to be gone for two months,
anyway. It wasn't as though he was leaving forever. He kissed his mother, shook
hands with his father, and boarded the plane.
After the plane was off the ground,
the dryness slowly went away, and he began, again, to look forward to his
vacation.
He had to change planes in
To Jimmy, those men in uniform
looked so tall and strong and sure of themselves. He couldn't see below the
surface and understand that some of those men had had their souls damaged by
what they had experienced in far off
As he whiled away the time, he found
the college students of most interest. After all, he would be in college before
he knew it. At least, that's what his parents kept telling him. He saw pretty
girls in miniskirts carrying shopping bags stuffed with just about everything
but the kitchen sink and boys with long hair, navy blue blazers, striped ties,
and cordovan Weejuns. He didn't know that he was
witnessing a dying tradition of formal dress for college students, and that the
future would bring shorts, sandals and exposed, pierced body parts.
Among the myriad announcements that
came over the loudspeaker, Jimmy heard the number of the flight he was to take
to his final destination. He was to land in
Jimmy was descending the ramp of the
plane when he saw his aunt and uncle waiting for him at the gate.
"Hello, Jimmy, my boy. You're
really looking fine; growing into a man," said Uncle Bill.
"My, Jimmy, haven't you grown,
but how did you ever convince your mother to let you grow your hair that
long?" exclaimed Aunt Fran as she ran her fingers through Jimmy's full head
of wavy, auburn hair.
"Ah, Aunt Fran, everybody wears
their hair long. Only a weird-o wears his hair short these days."
"Well," chuckled Uncle
Bill, "we'll have to tell Barry we've made him a weird-o because we make
him cut it short."
"This is Barry's last day at
school," said Aunt Fran, "but he should be home when we get
there."
"Well, let's get going,"
roared Uncle Bill. "If we take much longer, Barry will be climbing the
walls wondering where we are."
Jimmy got his suitcase, and they
were soon in the car headed for his cousin's farm. As they drove, Jimmy admired
the beautiful
Barry was waiting for them at the
entrance to the driveway. He jumped into the car shout how glad he was to see
his cousin. He told Jimmy of all the plans he had made of things for them to
do. Among the plans, were also their assigned chores that had to be done each
day around the farm. Jimmy's chores were simple. He was to see that the cows
were put out to pasture after his uncle had milked them, and he had to collect
the eggs each day while Barry fed the chickens. Aunt Fran also insisted that
both boys make their beds and straighten their room each morning before
breakfast. After the chores were done, the boys could do whatever they wanted.
One month of the two Jimmy was to
spend with his cousin had already passed. The boys were as tan as berries, and
they had had many adventures in the woods and countryside around Barry's farm.
Barry had just gotten a new bike which matched his long sprouting frame. He had
fixed-up his old bike for Jimmy to ride. Those bikes gave the boys many more
miles of countryside to explore.
The place Jimmy particularly enjoyed
was an old mansion named Twelve Oaks that got its name from the twelve
beautiful oak trees that bordered the circular driveway in front of the house.
The story of Twelve Oaks had become quite a local legend for it was one of bloodshed
and tragedy. Many locals swore the ruined mansion was haunted, and supported
their suppositions with tales of strange lights and ghostly images which seemed
to float by the windows. It was even said that Margaret Mitchell had gotten the
idea of naming the Wilkes' plantation in Gone With
the Wind "Twelve Oaks" after hearing the tales about the mansion
during a stay in
The mansion had been built as a
wedding gift for the only daughter of old Colonel Lawson. The Colonel was the
richest man north of
The engagement lasted for six months
until Twelve Oaks was built and furnished with the finest furniture handcrafted
in
The wedding was the biggest
When the wedding and reception were
over, the couple rode off in a splendid carriage to spend the first month of
their honeymoon in their new mansion. The couple was to spend the first night
alone in the house, and the servants were to arrive the next day.
The servants arrived to find the
front door standing open and bloody footprints that showed a man had run down
the stairs and out the front door. In the bedroom, they found Laura, fiendishly
mutilated, lying in a pool of blood in her bed. Beside the bed, they found the
blood-covered hatchet that had been used as a murder weapon.
Laura's husband was nowhere to be
found. Some said he had murdered Laura and planned to steal her jewels, but
when he had realized the horrible thing he had done, he became frightened and
ran without taking a thing. Some said he went mad, murdered his bride, and ran off
into the deep woods to live as a wild animal until he died. Some even said he
was a werewolf or vampire who lived upon the blood of his brides, but very few
believed such superstitious stories. No matter what anyone said, the one true
fact was that he was never heard from again after that horrible night.
The Colonel never fully recovered
from Laura's death and was dead within three years of what the physicians of
the time described as a broken heart. He had ordered that Twelve Oaks be closed
up and had it written in his will that it was never to be reopened or sold.
That all happened seventy years
earlier, but the locals still claimed that the ghost of Laura roams the halls
of Twelve Oaks starting at midnight on the anniversary of her death searching for
her missing husband.
Jimmy and Barry had been up to the
front gate of Twelve Oaks many times, but they had never gone any further. They
had both agreed to steal into the house on the night of July fifteenth to see
the ghost of Laura, and that day had finally come. They could barely contain
themselves thinking about their plan for that night. They would sneak out about
"Jimmy, Jimmy, wake up. It's
"We must have dosed off, Barry,
I'm glad you woke up."
"I didn't go to sleep. Mom and
Dad were just late getting into bed tonight. I've been waiting for their light
to go out."
"Well, I'm all ready. Let's
go."
It took the boys about twenty
minutes to get to Twelve Oaks on their bikes. When they arrived, they squeezed
through the front gate and walked slowly toward the building. There were no
lights visible, but a full moon in the clear
They had no trouble getting in
because one of the large front windows had been broken by the falling branch of
a tree. When the boys got inside, they found the house almost as it had been in
1897. The house was in a very remote area, and few people knew of its
existence, so relatively no vandalism had taken place. They were amazed at how
beautiful the house still was after all of those years. The rooms on the first floor
had tall ceilings and huge crystal chandeliers. The entrance hall had the look
of a giant checkerboard of black and white marble. At the rear of the entrance
hall, was a wide circular staircase that led to the rooms on the second floor.
The boys were standing in silence
staring at the massive beauty of the mansion when they became aware of a
weeping sound coming from the landing at the top of the stairs. They both
wanted to run but had come this far so were not about to "chicken
out."
As they slowly climbed the stairs to
the second floor, the weeping sound became louder and clearer with each step.
The sound led them to the first door in the hallway. It was clearly coming from
the other side of the door. Barry tried the door, and it opened almost as if by
itself. The boys stood in the hallway until the door had swung completely open.
They could feel cold air coming from the room as if they were standing in front
of an open refrigerator. They gathered up their courage and stepped into the
room. Once inside, they could see that it was a splendid bedroom.
Suddenly the door slammed shut
causing the boys to jump with alarm and turn to face, standing in front of the
closed door, a thing so horrible and frightening that it caused both to scream
in horror. It was a woman in a long white dress stained dark red from the blood
that oozed from a mass of open cuts on her face and chest. In her right hand
was a bloody hatchet.
Before the boys could move, the
dreadful apparition wailed, raised the hatchet, and brought it down with a
crashing blow upon Barry's shoulder. The blow from the hatchet was so forceful
that it completely severed Barry's arm from his shoulder. Barry fell screaming
in pain to the floor but the thing lunged to its knees and continued to chop at
his body.
Jimmy was paralyzed by the
unspeakable sight before him then his instinct of flight took control, and he
ran. He flung the door open and ran in panic down the stairs, through the grand
entrance hall, and into the night through the broken front window. As he ran
down the seemingly endless driveway, the front gate seemed to be getting
farther and farther away. Jimmy thought his heart would burst from the
pounding, but above the sound of his own straining heart, he could hear the
dull chops of the hatchet as it mutilated Barry's body.
From the
Headline: Twelve
Oaks Again the Site of Unspeakable Horror
Seventy years
to the date of the brutal slaying of Laura, the daughter of the renowned Colonel
Jeffrey Lawson, another equally horrifying murder has taken place at Twelve
Oaks, the mansion constructed as a wedding present for the doomed bride.
Sometime during the early morning hours of July 16th, a local lad,
William Barry Harris, aged 12, was murdered in the very room of the mansion in
which Laura Lawson Jakes was slain. Barry was the son of Frances and William
Harris, lifetime residents of Armuchee. Mrs. Harris
is the former Frances Branch. Both the Branch and Harris families have lived in
and around Armuchee for generations.
Barry and his
cousin Jimmy, son of Mr. Harris's sister, Bethel Harris Carney and husband
Jason of Tampa, Florida, had sneaked out of the house a little before midnight
on July 15th in order to investigate the folklore pertaining to the
presence of the ghost of Laura which supposedly appears each year on the
anniversary of her death. Jimmy came bursting into the Harris home a little
past 1:00 AM on the morning of July 16th exclaiming to his aunt and
uncle that Barry had been attacked at Twelve Oaks. Mr. Harris immediately
called the Floyd County Sheriff's Department and then rushed to the scene of
the crime. When he arrived, he discovered the mutilated body of his son.
Sheriff Joe
Johnson states that there is apparently no motive for the crime and that no
murder weapon has yet been discovered. Do to the damage to the boy's body, he
speculates that the murder weapon is some sort of ax. Jimmy Carney was
questioned but his answers and his explanation of the event were "confused"
probably due to shock. He has been admitted to Fulton County Rehabilitation
Center outside Atlanta for observation.
When
interviewed, the caretaker of the Lawson estate stated that he had checked the
condition of Twelve Oaks about a week earlier, and nothing seemed amiss. He
also stated that, because of its secluded location in a far off section of the
estate, the mansion was seldom bothered by anyone. The caretaker's major duties
involve caring for Colonel Lawson's mansion and overseeing the workings of the
stables. The Lawson mansion and stables are supervised by trustees of the
estate assigned by the National Bank of Georgia. Because Colonel Lawson had no
living relatives at the time of his death, his fortunes provide for various
charities and the maintenance of the estate.
When
contacted, the trustees for the estate stated that Twelve Oaks would be sealed
in a more secure manner and surround by a chain link security fence. The
Colonel insisted in his will that the mansion be secured and not destroyed or
sold. Because of its remote location, there has been little trouble vandals and
the like, and the trustees feel that these new measures will make the site
completely secure.
The legend of
Twelve Oaks is well known to all who have lived in and around Rome for any
period of time. There was even a short story based upon the legend entitled The
Dreadful Night of Twelve Oaks written by Marian Wilson. This latest event
will surely add to the legend.
JULY 18, 1980
As he ran down the seemingly
endless driveway the front gate seemed to be getting farther and farther away.
Jimmy thought his heart would burst from the pounding, but above the sound of
his own straining heart, he could hear the dull chops of the hatchet as it
mutilated Barry's body.
Thump, thump, thump, the sound of
those deadly chops reverberated in his scull as the ghastly image of his
cousin's murder pierced his being.
"Jim, Jim, I've been knocking
over and over," shouted Nurse Kelly as she shook him awake. "Have you
been having that same dream again?"
As Jim slowly came to consciousness,
he realized what he was being asked. He retorted in anger and desperation,
"I've told you and the doctors, it's not a dream, it's not a dream, it's a
memory!"
"Let's have none of that. Today
is your birthday, and your mother is coming to visit. Try to be controlled. You
know what happens when you get off on that tale of yours. You don't want to
have to be isolated and restrained on your birthday."
The fire that had been glowing in his
eyes diminished as he resigned himself to the reality of his life. He lit the
first cigarette of the day - one that would continue with uncountable
reinforcements until his exhausted body and mind gave itself to sleep that
night. And thus would end another day of waste multiplied by weeks, months,
years.
My Dearest
Brother Bill,
Today was our sons' birthday, and I
visited Jimmy at Fulton Center. He has now spent half of his life at that
dreadful place. Even though the center is so horrible, whenever I consider the
alternative, I will be eternally grateful that you were able to use your
influence with Sheriff Johnson to protect Jimmy from the prosecution for murder
on which the sheriff was so intent. Because you did that in the midst of your
mourning for your beloved Barry, it makes your actions even more noble and
caring. However, each time I am permitted to visit, I wonder if we made the
right decision thirteen years ago to have him committed. To this day, he
insists that he is innocent in the death of Barry and continues to tell the
same unbelievable story of a malevolent specter. Jimmy is nothing but skin and
bones. He looks so pale and coughs too much. All he does is sit with his head
hung, smoking one cigarette after another. I am so worried about him.
My doctor has recommended that I not
visit Jimmy again because his verbal attacks upon me have become so stressful
that they are causing health problems. My son hates me for putting him into
that place. Oh, God, what should I do? If only Jason had not left me, things
might be a little easier. I spoke with him and finally asked for a divorce
shortly before his accident in Alabama. He was still angry with me for agreeing
to put Jimmy in the center. As you know, he was weak and never gave me the kind
of support I needed in our marriage. It's ironic that because we never were
divorced, I, at least, got financial support from his life insurance. If it
were not for you, Fran, and George Campbell's family, I don't think I would
have survived.
Even though the terms of Jimmy's
confinement is that only I be allowed to visit, I have made the request that
Jimmy's old childhood friend, George Campbell, also be able to see Jimmy.
George has recently moved to Atlanta and would be able to visit more often than
I. He always comes to see me whenever he visits his parents. The only time I
ever get a favorable response from Jimmy is when I tell him about George and
his family.
I have spoken to Dr. Rowan at the
center, and he is willing to have George visit if you approve. I hate to burden
you with another decision at this time when Fran is so sick, but it would
relieve me to know that Jimmy had a true friend who could visit. Please let me
know you decision as soon as you can.
I so love you, my big brother.
Your sister,
Bethel
NOVEMBER 12,
1980
From the Tampa
Tribune
Obituary: Bethel
Harris Carney
Bethel Harris
Carney (43) succumbed to heart failure November 10 at St. Joseph's Hospital.
Born April 23, 1937, Mrs. Carney was the widow of Jason Carney who died in an
automobile accident in Alabama earlier this year. She is survived by a son,
James Harris Carney, of Atlanta, Georgia, and a brother, William Harris, of Armuchee, Georgia. At the time of her death, Mrs. Carney
was employed by the First National Bank of Tampa as a teller. Services will be
held on November 14 at Blount Funeral Home in Rome, Georgia. In lieu of
flowers, donations may be made to the Fulton County Rehabilitation Center,
Atlanta, Georgia.
JULY 30, 1985
From the Rome
News-Tribune
Obituary: William
Sherman Harris
William
Sherman Harris (55) died July 29 in the Floyd County Hospital as a result of a
massive stroke. Born July 4, 1930, Mr. Harris was the widower of Frances Branch
Harris and the father of the late William Barry Harris. Mr. Harris is survived
by a nephew, James Harris Carney of Atlanta. Mr. Harris lived all of his life
in Armuchee and was a lifetime member of the Floyd
Springs Methodist Church where a service of Christian burial will be held
tomorrow at 10:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the
Floyd Springs Methodist Church Organ Fund.
NOVEMBER 10,
1998
"Jimmy, you're looking awfully
low today. As a matter of fact, you look like death warmed over."
"One thing I can always count on
from you, George, is to be straight and tell me the truth. I know why you came
today, and I appreciate it. It's been eighteen years since Mamma died. I still
miss her so much it hurts. I hate myself for being so cruel to her whenever she
came to visit. I sure wish I could feel her hug one more time before I
die."
"Hell, what are you talking
about? You'll outlive us all."
"Now, you're not being
straight. I know the doctors have told you that the smoking has finally caught
up with me. Of course, it's been the only thing about this goddamned place that
kept me going. Now it's helping to put me out of my misery."
"You're right, Jimmy, I know,
and I should be straight with you. You've been my best friend all of my life,
and I really love you for it. It's really weird to think that you are the one
locked up in the booby hatch, and yet, you are my rock. You were there to
support me when little Susie died and when Mona left me. You're all I've got,
Buddy, and I can't face up to you leaving me."
"If there's one thing I've
learned from being in this place is that we are all stronger than we give
ourselves credit for, so you'll be all right. After all, as Scarlett
says, 'Tomorrow is another day.' Seriously, I love you, George, and I need for
you to believe something for me. You know that I have grown to be religious
enough not to want to die with a lie upon my lips. I swear to God and to you,
my beloved friend, that I did not kill Barry."
"I never, ever thought that you
did. You know that I'm not into all that religion stuff, but I swear to you, my
dear friend, that someday I will prove your innocence."
George gathered the skeletal form of
his friend into his warm arms and held him as he coughed weakly until his
breath ceased, and peace finally came to his tortured soul.
JULY 15, 2000
From the Rome
News-Tribune
Headline in
the community section: Lawson Estates Celebrates First Anniversary
It's been a
hundred years since the death of Colonel Jeffrey Lawson for whom Lawson Estates
was named, but the story of the grisly murder of his daughter is still told
today. In fact, the 103rd anniversary of her death is tomorrow. In
spite of its dark history, Lawson Estates remains the desired place to live for
the successful young business people in Rome. It's close enough for an easy
commute and yet has the feeling of elegant country living. Developed on Colonel
Lawson's extensive acreage, Lawson Estates is comprised of the finest homes
starting in the price range of a quarter million dollars. All of the homes are
equipped with state-of-the-art electronics including complete computer control
and a separate room for viewing movies and videos. A sense of history is given
to the Estates by the presence of the grand clubhouse which was the Colonel's
manor house. The original stables provide shelter for the horses owned by the
residents. There are numerous riding trails throughout the Estates.
Colonel
Lawson's daughter, Laura, was murdered in 1897 on her wedding night in the
mansion named Twelve Oaks built by the Colonel for a wedding present. Most
believed Laura was murdered by her husband, but it was never proven, and he was
never found. The Colonel ordered that the mansion be closed and never be sold.
A local youth, Barry Harris, was murdered in the mansion in 1967. It was believed
that he was murdered by a cousin his age with whom he stole into the mansion on
the anniversary of Laura's death. Harris's cousin, James Carney, was committed
to Fulton County Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta where he remained until his
death in 1998. After the 1967 murder, the mansion was sealed and fenced with a
security fence. Because of the instructions in the Colonel's will, Twelve Oaks
could not be torn down or used in any way as part of Lawson Estates so a large,
dense wooded area was left to surround the mansion. Most of the streets in the
Estates have been named for the famous horses which were born or trained at the
stables, but the street that comes closest to the wooded area is called Twelve
Oaks Circle in small recognition to the legend of the mansion.
A ball is
planned for this evening at the clubhouse to celebrate the first anniversary of
the Estates. Most attendees plan to dress in period costumes. The manor will be
decorated as it was 103 years ago when it was the site of Laura's wedding
reception.
At 11:30 that evening, a black Saab
drove by the scene of the elegant party and turned onto Twelve Oaks Circle. It
came slowly to a stop at the place farthest from any houses and nearest to the
wooded area surrounding Twelve Oaks Mansion. George Campbell dressed in walking
shoes, jeans, and a T-shirt slid out of the car and began walking toward the
woods. He carried a large canvas sailing bag which contained a camera, a
flashlight, a crowbar, and a large pair of wire cutters.
It took George about thirty minutes
to make his way through the dense forest before he finally arrived at the
security fence. The wire cutters made light work of making a passage through
the fence. George hoped that the crowbar would be as efficient on the metal
coverings installed over the doors and windows. His wish was fulfilled for the
old wood of the mansion barely held the screws which mounted the covers. George
didn't know it, but he had chosen the very window that had invited Jimmy and
Barry thirty-three years earlier.
In 1967, all the boys heard was the
sound of crickets. As George stepped through the window, he heard that same
cricket serenade, but it was augmented by the far distant sound of music coming
from the party at the clubhouse.
JULY 16,
2000, 12:23 AM
In the still Georgia night, a thick
forest of trees and brush envelop an old mansion long since gone to seed. All
is quiet except the crickets, the sound of music from afar, a short scream, and
the thump, thump, thump of a hatchet.
JULY 20, 2000
Rome Police
Department, Officer's Report:
At 9:30 AM,
Lawson Estates security reported the presence of a deserted vehicle on Twelve
Oaks Circle. After investigation, the black 2000 Saab 9-5 was found to be
registered to George Campbell of Atlanta. Neighbors in the area were
interviewed, but none were acquainted with Mr. Campbell. There was no answer
when an attempt was made to call Mr. Campbell's home in Atlanta. The vehicle
was impounded, and the Atlanta police were notified. The whereabouts of Mr.
Campbell remains unknown.
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