The courthouse in Calcasieu, Louisiana is said to be haunted by Toni Jo Henry, a notorious figure in local history who was executed there in 1942. Visitors often report unexplained occurrences such as strange noises and the smell of burnt hair after her death.
The Calcasieu Courthouse in Lake Charles, Louisiana has been steeped in history since its construction in 1912. The ancient parish courthouse at 1000 Ryan Street is also believed to be haunted by the ghost of its most eminent inmate, Toni Jo Henry. She was the first and so far only woman executed by electric chair in the state.
The life and crimes of Toni Jo
In the early 1940s, Toni Jo, a former prostitute, gained national fame for the cold-blooded murder of a man named Joseph P. Calloway.
Her real name was Annie Beatrice McQuiston, and she had a difficult life. After her mother died early from tuberculosis, she became a prostitute. She started working in the factory, but when the foreman found out about her mother and was afraid that she would contaminate other workers, he fired her. When she told her father about what happened, he beat her and she left home in search of a novel life.
While working in a brothel, she fell in love with a man named Claude Henry, or simply Cowboy, and supposedly became neat and wanted a novel life in California. He, however, was a fugitive after killing a policeman and expected 50 years in prison. She married him, but he was arrested shortly afterwards.
Toni Jo wanted to get him out of the Texas prison where he was serving a sentence. She teamed up with a homeless man named Arkie and brutally tortured and killed car salesman Joseph Calloway who picked them up off the road in Jennings, Louisiana.
They dumped the body in a ditch and went straight to the dive bar that same night. Drunk people in the bar bragged about it, and the others present immediately reported it to the police.
Her charm and beauty could not save her, as it took three grueling trials before a jury finally convicted her three times of this heinous crime. On November 28, 1942, Toni Jo made history as the first and only woman in Louisiana executed by electric chair. And the place where it happened was the Calcasieu courthouse.
She said in an interview just before her execution with Eliot Chaze of the American press:
“The victim doesn't come back to haunt me. I never think about him. I knew all along that it was my life for his. I believe my life is worth as much to me as his is to him. But sometimes I wonder why it's now legal for another guy to kill me.”
Thousands of people gathered outside. Some wanted justice to be served as the court ordered, others supported her, believing that killing her was also no justice.
The Haunting of Toni Jo
Since the execution, stories of Toni Jo's restless spirit have permeated the Calcasieu courthouse where the execution took place. Employees and guests alike reported feeling an unsettling presence, particularly in the areas where she spent her final days. Some even claimed to smell the distinct and eerie scent of her perfume and even her burning hair, a grim reminder of her tragic end. There are also stories of hearing the sounds of her footsteps and even her dying screams.
The ghost of Toni Jo Henry is said to be malicious and often disrupts the daily activities of Calcasieu Courthouse staff. Locked doors that were previously open, office equipment that malfunctions without explanation, and ominous flickering of lights are just some of the strange occurrences attributed to her. Some employees even reported hearing dim whispers and feeling an icy icy when walking through some hallways.
Some may have even seen her as she appeared in her last moment in a basic white gown, holding a white ivory crucifix. Her long black hair, which she paid a lot of attention to, was cut brief.
Toni Jo's ghost seems determined to leave a mark on the spot where her fate happened, making the Calcasieu Courthouse a focal point for ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts. The haunting legend of Toni Jo Henry continues to captivate and terrify those who walk the halls of the courthouse, ensuring that her story – and her presence – remain an indelible part of Lake Charles' obscure history.
Reference:
Calcasieu Courthouse | Historic Acadiana
The story of a bandit haunting the courthouse in Calcasieu | by Maria | Horror | Mediocre
Mysterious Events: Haunted tales surround a Louisiana courthouse
Image Source: Pixabay.com
