A HAUNTING IN WEST PITTSTON? NOT A GHOST OF A CHANCE
     
     BUFFALO,  NY  --  The  Committee  for the Scientific Investigation of 
     Claims  of  the  Paranormal (CSICOP) has released the findings of its 
     investigation  of  the  "haunting" of the Jack and Janet Smurl family 
     of West Pittston, PA
     
          In  a  report  appearing  in  the  Winter  1986/87  issue of The 
     Skeptical   Inquirer,  CSICOP  Chairman  Paul  Kurtz  chronicles  the 
     strange  events  of  last  summer, and offers a number of alternative 
     explanations, none rooted in the paranormal. 
     
          In  mid-August newspapers across the country began carrying dai-
     ly  reports  on the bizarre occurrences in the Smurl home. The Smurls 
     claimed  that they were being terrorized by demonic forces manifested 
     in  the form of foul odors, rappings on the walls, pig grunts, disap-
     pearing objects, and direct physical attacks on family members.
     
          Kurtz  and  CSICOP  became  involved  in the case because of the 
     many  inquiries  by  members of the media and public asking if CSICOP 
     knew  what  was going on. Kurtz organized and dispatched two teams of 
     investigators  to West Pittston and proceeded to conduct an extensive 
     over-the-phone  inquiry contacting members of the Smurl household and 
     various members of the press working on the story.
     
          An  examination  of the evidence uncovered during the CSICOP in-
     vestigation  leads Kurtz to conclude: "Our investigation of the Smurl 
     case  thus  far  points  to several possible alternative explanations 
     for  what  has allegedly been happening without the need to invoke an 
     occult or paranormal one."
     
          Kurtz  noted  that permission was given by the Smurls for one of 
     the  CSICOP  teams  to  examine the house. But upon arrival they were 
     denied  entry  by  self-proclaimed  "demonologists"  Ed  and Lorraine 
     Warren.  The  Warrens,  who  had also been invited to investigate the 
     house,  were  now acting as spokesmen for the Smurl family, and alone 
     had been given privileged access to the Smurl home. 
     
          "Special  cause for suspicion in this affair was the presence of 
     Ed  and  Lorraine  Warren,"  wrote Kurtz. "They have been involved in 
     many  demon-possession  cases,  including  the  `Amityville  Horror', 
     which  has  been  admitted  by  its perpetrators to have been a hoax, 
     although  the Warrens still maintain that it was genuine." Kurtz also 
     points  out that the Warrens served as "demonology advisors" for Ami-
     tyville II, a prequel to the Amityville Horror movie, which made mil-
     lions at the box office.
     
          The Warrens maintain that demons do exist and several were pres-
     ent  in the Smurl home. As evidence they claim to have made audio and 
     videotapes  of paranormal events in the home. When asked by Kurtz and 
     others  for  permission to examine the tapes, Warren gave a number of 
     conflicting  answers,  including the response that the tapes would be 
     released  only  to the Roman Catholic church. Warren also stated that 
     he  had lent the tapes to television production company and could not 
     remember its name.
     
          "For  any  demonological  claims  to  be accepted," Kurtz notes, 
     "they  must  be  corroborated  by independent observers. Thus far, we 
     have  only  the  testimony  of  the Smurls and/or the Warrens, unsub-
     stantiated  by  any kind of objective physical evidence. The presence 
     of  such  beings is highly improbable. On the other hand, we are com-
     mitted to the impartial examination of any such claims, however exag-
     gerated  or  fanciful  thy might appear, particularly given the great 
     public  interest  in  the case. But we were denied the opportunity to 
     examine the site or freely question the claimants. We could only exa-
     mine the available evidence and consider possible alternative explan-
     ations."
     
          One such explanation Kurtz describes is the possibility of teen-
     age  pranks.  Kurtz  found that 17-year-old Dawn Smurl gave many dif-
     ferent  accounts of her experiences. It was also discovered that many 
     of  the  rapping  noises seemed to emanate from walls that were adja-
     cent  to  Dawn's  bedroom.  "Historically",  Kurtz writes, "teenagers 
     have  been  involved in poltergeist cases .... and I wondered whether 
     Dawn  ....  could  be  responsible  for  the rappings." He notes that 
     Dawn's  statements  fit  the  pattern of a teenager playing tricks to 
     get attention.
     
          Kurtz  also  details  possible  psychological  and physiological 
     disorders  that  might  be  affecting members of the Smurl family. It 
     was  learned  that Jack Smurl had had brain surgery three years prior 
     to  the  "haunting"  to  relieve water on the brain. Kurtz questioned 
     whether  this procedure could be affecting Mr. Smurl's present behav-
     ior especially in light of Smurl's claim that he had on several occa-
     sions been raped by a demon.
     
          It  was  also suggested by Allentown, Pennsylvania, psychologist 
     Robert  Gordon  that the family may have been suffering from hysteria 
     similar  to  that  prevalent  during  the Salem witch trials. He said 
     that  a  shared  tension might cause mass hysteria, with shared symp-
     toms, that could involve delusions or hallucinations.
     
          Kurtz  requested the Smurl family to submit to a thorough psych-
     ological and physiological examination. The Smurls declined.
     
          Kurtz  reports  conversations  with  neighbors who revealed that 
     they  had  been complaining to village officials for years about foul 
     odors  emanating  from  an inadequate sewer pope near the Smurl home. 
     Neighbors  also  told  of  sporadic settling occurring throughout the 
     area  due  to the layers of mine veins that honeycomb the earth below 
     the  town.  It was noted that the Smurl home had been settling badly, 
     and  Kurtz  questioned  whether  this  could  be  responsible for the 
     strange noises.
     
          Finally,  Kurtz  outlined  the possibility of a financial motive 
     behind  the reported haunting. It was learned that within days of the 
     story  breaking  in the national media, Jack Smurl was seen negotiat-

     ing  with  the  Star  Group, a Hollywood production company headed by 
     Scranton  businessman  Ralph  Loma.  Although Smurl reportedly denied 
     that  negotiations had taken place, Loma confirmed he had been trying 
     to  obtain  exclusive rights to the story and said,"We haven't signed 
     anything  yet,  but we hope to. It's going to make helluva movie when 
     its finally made."
     
          In  November  St.  Martin's Press announced that it had signed a 
     book  contract  with  the  Smurls.  A  hard-cover edition on the West 
     Pittston  haunting  will  be published first, followed sometime later 
     by a paperback.
     
          Kurtz  also  notes  that the Smurls have since released a state-
     ment  saying  that  the  demons  have now left their home. Said Janet 
     Smurl,  "It's  like  a different home now. We are not afraid to go to 
     sleep at night."
     
          "The  fact  that  the  Smurls have signed a book contract raises 
     serious  questions about their motives," wrote Kurtz. "No doubt, how-
     ever,  a  large  segment  of  the public and of the media is far more 
     fascinated  by  demons  and ghosts than the possibility of a prank or 
     hoax."