The Mansfield event
Ohio State Reformatory Investigation
First let’s start with the facts; before there was a prison there was a training camp
called Camp Mordecai Bartley. Established in 1861 it was named after a Mansfield
man who was governor of Ohio in the 1840's. It trained over 4000 men who went
on to fight in the civil war. In 1885 Mansfield was selected for an intermediate
prison to built there. The first brick was layed in 1861 and the work was completed
in 1896. Prisoners were brought in to begin work on the sewer system and the 25
foot stone wall that surrounded the 15 acre compound. Workers also began
construction on the worlds largest free standing steel cell block. Situated in two
wings, two massive steel cell blocks towered up six tiers and contained 300 cell
blocks in each of it’s wings.
Some of the most famous inmates at the reformatory included Henry Baker who
was believed to be a member of the Brinks Gang in the 1950's. There was also
Gates Brown who was a inmate from 1858 to 1859 and would go on to play
baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Kevin Mack who served one month in 1989 for
drug charges while playing as a running back for the Cleveland Browns.
In 1926 a corrections officer was shot to death when a former inmate was trying to
help his friend escape. Then in 1932 another officer was beaten to death in
solitary confinement.
In 1948 Robert Daniels and John West were released from the reformatory on
good behavior. Later they killed a Columbus tavern owner named Earl Ambrose,
then stole a car and drove to Mansfield where they kidnapped the Mansfield
Reformatory superintendent, his wife and his young daughter. The next day they
killed the three in a nearby corn field. The next day they killed a farmer in Tiffin
and a truck driver. Two days later they were stopped by a road block near Van
Wert where West was shot and killed by the police. Daniels was captured and
months later put to death by an electric chair in nearby Columbus.
In 1950 the superintendents wife supposedly knocked a gun off a closet shelf
which fired and mortally wounded her. Some believe the superintendent did it to
avoid a messy divorce. The superintendent would die of a heart attack in 1959
while in his office at the reformatory.
In 1955 a inmate hung himself in his cell and another burned himself to death after
stealing chemicals from the furniture shop. Two inmates were put into a single-
occupancy solitary confinement cell, when checked on the next day one inmate
was stuffed under the bunk dead.
There were several movies made at the prison including Harry and Walter go to
New York, Tango and Cash, Air Force One and perhaps the most popular The
Shawshank Redemption. Many props were left behind from the productions such
as Russian murals from Air Force One and the escape tunnels dug in the
Shawshank Redemption. Music videos from Godsmack and Lil Wayne, and several
t.v. shows were also made here. Most popular with ghost hunters would be Sci-Fi’s
Ghost Hunters (TAPS).
After nearly one hundred years of abuse, physical suffering, beatings and murder
the prison was closed in 1990 and up for demolition when a group was formed to
preserve the buildings integrity. The building was turned over to the Mansfield
Reformatory Preservation Society or MRPS. Ghost hunts are now conducted at
the prison throughout the summer months for a fee of $50, but remember this goes
to renovate the building. For information about a hunt please check their website
at www.mrps.org.
Many believe that after such suffering there are spirits that walk the halls of
prison.
Now onto our investigation.
Arriving at the castle like prison we were awe struck at it’s beauty. The medieval
appearance of the structure, while forbidding, seemed to lure one forward into it’s
past. We also wondered about it’s size because it didn’t appear that large, when
in fact, the seemingly endless stairs, rooms and hallways cloaked in darkness ,
indeed, spoke of a very large place. The paint peeling from it’s walls and ceilings,
the dust layered on the mattresses and the rust forming on all exposed pipes and
cell doors lent to it’s eerie atmosphere and the sense of absolute desolation.
After the tour we immediately began our investigation in the east cell block.
Walking down the second floor tier our lights cut through the absolute darkness.
We separated, each going to our own cell and shutting our lights off to try and
collect EVP readings. During this phase of the investigation a member of the team
proclaimed to have felt a touch (or a push?) on her shoulder while standing at the
cell door. We quickly moved to this cell to take EMF and thermometer readings,
though hopeful, we did not detect anything out of the ordinary. We made our way
down to the solitary confinement cells where most of the cells where blocked by
large steel doors. A member noticed that the fluorescent lights in three of the cells
seemed to glow at the ends. We expected certain EMF readings because of the
electric flowing through them but, after further review we noticed that the electrical
lines were in a continuous circuit. These lights were at intermittent points along the
continuous circuit. After investigating these cells we went to the adjoining cells
where we could not detect any readings. Not knowing the age or usage of the
lights or state of the electrical system itself we had to leave this to simply being
unexplained.
While investigating the cells another member felt as if she had been touched.
Electrical lines ran behind her so EMF readings were unable to determine anything
usable.
Many of the pictures taken showed what appeared to be an enormous amount of
dust in the air while the next frame(same area) would be absolutely clear. This
happened several times on different cameras that were of different makes.
One EVP was recorded and is still under review.
Events occurred that we could not explain and we feel as if further investigating is
required.. We plan and look forward to returning to this interesting and mysterious
place next year. If ever given a chance one should not hesitate to experience this
historical site.
Members included Ron Fulkerson, Michelle Dunn, Scott Fulkerson, Kendra Frank,
and Donnie Shepherd.
Donnie Shepherd and Nicole Walls
First let’s start with the facts; before there was a prison there was a training camp
called Camp Mordecai Bartley. Established in 1861 it was named after a Mansfield
man who was governor of Ohio in the 1840's. It trained over 4000 men who went
on to fight in the civil war. In 1885 Mansfield was selected for an intermediate
prison to built there. The first brick was layed in 1861 and the work was completed
in 1896. Prisoners were brought in to begin work on the sewer system and the 25
foot stone wall that surrounded the 15 acre compound. Workers also began
construction on the worlds largest free standing steel cell block. Situated in two
wings, two massive steel cell blocks towered up six tiers and contained 300 cell
blocks in each of it’s wings.
Some of the most famous inmates at the reformatory included Henry Baker who
was believed to be a member of the Brinks Gang in the 1950's. There was also
Gates Brown who was a inmate from 1858 to 1859 and would go on to play
baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Kevin Mack who served one month in 1989 for
drug charges while playing as a running back for the Cleveland Browns.
In 1926 a corrections officer was shot to death when a former inmate was trying to
help his friend escape. Then in 1932 another officer was beaten to death in
solitary confinement.
In 1948 Robert Daniels and John West were released from the reformatory on
good behavior. Later they killed a Columbus tavern owner named Earl Ambrose,
then stole a car and drove to Mansfield where they kidnapped the Mansfield
Reformatory superintendent, his wife and his young daughter. The next day they
killed the three in a nearby corn field. The next day they killed a farmer in Tiffin
and a truck driver. Two days later they were stopped by a road block near Van
Wert where West was shot and killed by the police. Daniels was captured and
months later put to death by an electric chair in nearby Columbus.
In 1950 the superintendents wife supposedly knocked a gun off a closet shelf
which fired and mortally wounded her. Some believe the superintendent did it to
avoid a messy divorce. The superintendent would die of a heart attack in 1959
while in his office at the reformatory.
In 1955 a inmate hung himself in his cell and another burned himself to death after
stealing chemicals from the furniture shop. Two inmates were put into a single-
occupancy solitary confinement cell, when checked on the next day one inmate
was stuffed under the bunk dead.
There were several movies made at the prison including Harry and Walter go to
New York, Tango and Cash, Air Force One and perhaps the most popular The
Shawshank Redemption. Many props were left behind from the productions such
as Russian murals from Air Force One and the escape tunnels dug in the
Shawshank Redemption. Music videos from Godsmack and Lil Wayne, and several
t.v. shows were also made here. Most popular with ghost hunters would be Sci-Fi’s
Ghost Hunters (TAPS).
After nearly one hundred years of abuse, physical suffering, beatings and murder
the prison was closed in 1990 and up for demolition when a group was formed to
preserve the buildings integrity. The building was turned over to the Mansfield
Reformatory Preservation Society or MRPS. Ghost hunts are now conducted at
the prison throughout the summer months for a fee of $50, but remember this goes
to renovate the building. For information about a hunt please check their website
at www.mrps.org.
Many believe that after such suffering there are spirits that walk the halls of
prison.
Now onto our investigation.
Arriving at the castle like prison we were awe struck at it’s beauty. The medieval
appearance of the structure, while forbidding, seemed to lure one forward into it’s
past. We also wondered about it’s size because it didn’t appear that large, when
in fact, the seemingly endless stairs, rooms and hallways cloaked in darkness ,
indeed, spoke of a very large place. The paint peeling from it’s walls and ceilings,
the dust layered on the mattresses and the rust forming on all exposed pipes and
cell doors lent to it’s eerie atmosphere and the sense of absolute desolation.
After the tour we immediately began our investigation in the east cell block.
Walking down the second floor tier our lights cut through the absolute darkness.
We separated, each going to our own cell and shutting our lights off to try and
collect EVP readings. During this phase of the investigation a member of the team
proclaimed to have felt a touch (or a push?) on her shoulder while standing at the
cell door. We quickly moved to this cell to take EMF and thermometer readings,
though hopeful, we did not detect anything out of the ordinary. We made our way
down to the solitary confinement cells where most of the cells where blocked by
large steel doors. A member noticed that the fluorescent lights in three of the cells
seemed to glow at the ends. We expected certain EMF readings because of the
electric flowing through them but, after further review we noticed that the electrical
lines were in a continuous circuit. These lights were at intermittent points along the
continuous circuit. After investigating these cells we went to the adjoining cells
where we could not detect any readings. Not knowing the age or usage of the
lights or state of the electrical system itself we had to leave this to simply being
unexplained.
While investigating the cells another member felt as if she had been touched.
Electrical lines ran behind her so EMF readings were unable to determine anything
usable.
Many of the pictures taken showed what appeared to be an enormous amount of
dust in the air while the next frame(same area) would be absolutely clear. This
happened several times on different cameras that were of different makes.
One EVP was recorded and is still under review.
Events occurred that we could not explain and we feel as if further investigating is
required.. We plan and look forward to returning to this interesting and mysterious
place next year. If ever given a chance one should not hesitate to experience this
historical site.
Members included Ron Fulkerson, Michelle Dunn, Scott Fulkerson, Kendra Frank,
and Donnie Shepherd.
Donnie Shepherd and Nicole Walls
 |  |
When enlarged it looks like a person's
rib cage.
rib cage.