The Cideville Poltergeist Trial of 1851 | When a "Sorcerer" Sued a Priest
Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories
Darren Marlar
4.6 • 4.1K Ratings
🗓️ 28 January 2026
⏱️ 72 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
IN THIS EPISODE: A witch ends up in court – not as the defendant, but as the plaintiff! (The Litigating Witch Case) *** As you may have heard, nothing sells like sex and death. A Louisville brothel combined the two when someone dropped dead from poisoning. And the media absolutely loved it. (The Brothel Poisoning) *** While out jogging, Sherri Papini inexplicably disappeared. Twenty-two days later she returned home with a story so incredible it was hard to believe. In fact, some people still don’t believe her after all these years. (The Sherri Papini Mystery) *** When groups of sinister drones began hovering over homes in America’s Midwest, the FBI, US Air Force and 16 police forces set up a task force. But the drones vanished. And some wonder if they ever existed at all. (Attack of the Drones)
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:38.910 = The Litigating Witch Case
00:15:46.767 = The Brothel Poisoning
00:33:04.490 = The Sherri Papini Mystery
00:39:51.635 = Otto’s (from a Weird Darkness listener)
00:47:13.187 = Attack of the Drones
01:00:11.043 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“The Litigating Witch Case” from Esoterx.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ktypnf2b
“The Brothel Poisoning” posted at Strange Company: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3wn6vn74
“The Sheri Papini Mystery” posted at StrangeOutdoors.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/nesbr2yc
“Attack of the Drones” by Amelia Tait for TheGuardian.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yt3s8bb6
Background music by Nicolas Gasparini/Myuu: https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: June 23, 2021
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/PoltergeistTrial
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
#WeirdDarkness #Poltergeist #ParanormalHistory #TrueParanormal #GhostStory #Haunted #Supernatural #HistoricalMystery #FrenchHistory #CourtCase
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, weirdos! |
| 0:01.0 | I want to share something fun that I've been doing that I think you might enjoy, especially |
| 0:04.9 | if you like horror fiction and audio drama. |
| 0:08.3 | It's not in my podcast or YouTube channel, it's over at Doorway to Nightmare. |
| 0:13.4 | Several times per week, they come out with new episodes of completely original audio terror |
| 0:18.6 | written by the talents of Winslow Swan and Crimson McKenzie. |
| 0:22.3 | And quite often, you'll end up hearing my voice playing a role in the stories. |
| 0:26.8 | Chills run up and down your spine. There's a creeping sensation at the back of your neck. |
| 0:33.2 | You're listening to Doorway to Nightmare. Join me, Artemis Black, as we venture through into a world of the strange and uncanny. |
| 0:43.2 | Here's a sample of what we mean. |
| 0:46.9 | But don't you hear her? |
| 0:49.2 | Henry, there is no child anywhere around. |
| 0:53.7 | Please come inside. |
| 0:55.0 | Little girl, show yourself. It's all right. We don't want to hurt you. |
| 1:02.0 | Are you telling me, Ruth, that you don't hear her? |
| 1:06.0 | No, Henry, I don't, because there is no child. |
| 1:14.7 | Join us. |
| 1:16.5 | We will be lurking for you. |
| 1:21.7 | You can find Doorway to Nightmare and their entire back catalog on YouTube in your favorite podcasting app, or listen on their website |
| 1:29.2 | at Doorway to Nightmare.com. |
| 1:38.0 | This episode is sponsored by Awful Movie Reviews on YouTube. |
| 1:41.7 | I've been a fan of awful movie reviews for a couple of years |
... |
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