VSPI Travels to Northern California

Hello Friends,

Tomorrow morning, Dec.24th, I'll be travelling south to Sonoma County, Northern California. Oh how I love it there! Not only is the history rich, but it's always a wonderful place to explore Cemeteries. Often we find those hidden away that are left abandoned or less visited. Exciting never the less. It's value is in our research of the area, and in connecting with the "other side".

I'll spend time in the county until Jan.15th, 2017.
Perhaps my wife, Lesli, and I will take in some UFO hunting as well. We'll see where our exploration leads us.

We wish you, our friends, a Wonderful and Merry Christmas & Holiday Season!

If you are in the Sonoma County area and need help, or know of a place we can explore with you, please reach out to us via our "Contact Page". We'll be checking our email box regularly!

Be safe this holiday season, hug your family, and send blessings to those who have passed on before you..

Keep an eye out on our Facebook page for updates, photos of where we've been and more.

Sincerely,
your friend,
Kati

Kati, Alfred Hitchock, and Lesli @ Bodega Bay, California - Jan.2016

Escape From A Moving Train! (Convict Interred at Boot Hill Cemetery)

Hello Friends,
We are back with another episode to our continued investigation into the convicts buried at the Boot Hill Cemetery (1913-1968) in New Westminster, BC (used for the BC Penitentiary. "The Pen" was decommissioned in 1980).

Again we have excitement brewing as we follow the path of our newest convict profiled.

Meet Convict #2516 - Daniel Henrick Urick

Photo by Kati - Convict #2516 (middle section)

"Wild Boys" Hunted by Posse for Murder! (Convict Interred at Boot Hill Cemetery)

Hello Friends,

I've run into a question of whether the next convict investigated is actually buried at Boot Hill Cemetery in New Westminster, B.C.  Why would I think otherwise? I'll explain as the convict's story is told.

Meet convict #1884 - Moses Paul

This story begins with a mysterious death in the Clinton, B.C. area. A man's body is found with his head crushed in. What had happened? Who did this? Who was this man?

Ghost Towns & Cemeteries of Crowsnest Hwy #3 BC

Hello Friends..

My wife (Lesli) and I decided to take a road trip during our vacation period at the end of September, and when the opportunity arose, we jumped into a rental car and headed east across British Columbia on the Crowsnest Highway (BC Hwy #3). It was an experience we'll never forget.

Our Trip Map (Google map + edits by Kati)

VSPI had been contacted by a family in the Kootenays about activity in their home around the time when I was making plans for our vacation. Our promise to our clients is to find a way to assist them and the spirits of the house in finding peace. This case had extreme activity; from frightening dreams of a woman screaming, choking sensations in their sleep, to a black shadow man in the baby's bedroom and unusual sounds heard throughout the house. The homeowners have a small child to consider and were at their wits end. Research brought about evidence of a large number of deaths in the area due to mining, the lumber industry, drownings, overdoses, murder and suicides. It makes for a lot of dark energy in a small area. We had to do something.

Note: I wrote about the case in our previous blog: Calling Spirit Energy. Give it a read before you continue here, to get a full picture of what was going on.

Calling Spirit Energy...

Hello friends,

I sat in my hallway, candles flickering around me. A crystal, feather and seashell on a stand in front of me to represent our earth, the air and oceans. I positioned a variety of electromagnetic meters, a vpod (creating its own energy field around the antenna which spirits are believed to manipulate for communication), digital recorder, and my pendulum in hand.

Vigil @ Kati's Home - August 2016

Calling out to spirit(s) is something I believe may work from anywhere that I am, but I’m still working to prove this theory correct. As long as it’s a place where I can concentrate and find peace, it works for me.

Note: I want to stress, I ground myself first and put protection of “white light” and my ancestors’ love around me before I begin.

Murder at Ocean Falls.. or was it? (Convict Interred at Boot Hill Cemetery)

Hello Friends,

Our next investigation of the convicts buried at B.C. Penitentiary's "Boot Hill Cemetery" in New Westminster, B.C., brings us to a story about a Japanese immigrant in the early 1900's. I discovered the case may have been an accidental murder instead one of intention, with discrimination and racism playing a role.

Meet Convict #1659 - Y. Yoshie

Photo by Kati - #1659 @ Boot Hill Cemetery, middle section

Mr. Y. Yoshie, a single man in his mid-40's, travelled to Vancouver, B.C. in 1911. From all accounts it appears he left his native home in Japan for work in the new land of British Columbia.

Robbery, Murder & Hanging! (Convicts Interred at Boot Hill Cemetery)

Hello Friends,

Here is the story of two convicts who gained fame for an ambitious escape attempt that went oh so wrong. These lads are now interred at the B.C. Penitentiary's Cemetery, a small plot of land which lays west across a ravine from where the prison once stood in New Westminster.

VSPI 2016 Car Free Day Vancouver Survey!

Hello Friends,

On Sat.June 18th we decided it was time to take an updated survey of the people who visited Car Free Day Vancouver - West End Festival. Although the day was a "wet" one (which is normal in Vancouver, BC), we had fun and met some truly amazing people. We listened to your experiences, shared a few of ours, discussed techniques for cleansing and clearing, and talked about "haunted" buildings in the Greater Vancouver area. All in all, it was a successful event for us, and for the Festival.

We wish to thank those of you who came out and supported us, talked with us, shared stories and took our survey. We appreciate that you took the rain in stride and ventured out regardless! Thank You!

For our Survey results, please visit our website HERE (they are too large to post to our blog) and join in the conversation on our Facebook Page. We'd love to hear your thoughts.
What surprised you the most?
Would you have answered any differently?
What did we miss out?
Let's get the conversation rolling!
In the meanwhile, we have some exciting investigations coming up this summer and into early autumn. Keep an eye out on our website and here for updates.. as well as our continuation about the "Boot Hill Cemetery Convicts" from the old BC Penitentiary.

Until then, we'll talk soon!
Kati

In a Hail of Bullets .. (Convict Interred at Boot Hill Cemetery)

Hello Friends,

This time we take you on a ride of an "explosive" nature involving burglary, "safe blowing" and attempted murder with a hail of bullets flying through the air! It made the front page news in Vancouver, B.C. in March 1913. With this, we introduce you to our newest entry in our search of understanding the convicts buried at the New Westminster "Boot Hill Cemetery" for the B.C. Penitentiary.

Meet Convict #1774 - James W Hinds.

Photo by Kati - Unknown # found near James' burial site

Meet VSPI at Car Free Day Vancouver - Sat.June 18th !!

Hello Friends,

Meet VSPI !!!

When: Saturday, June 18th, 2016
What:  Car Free Day Vancouver @ West End Festival
Location: Denman Street (btwn Davie Street & Robson Street)

• bring family!
• bring friends!
• come chat with us!
• participate!
• create chalk drawings!
• take our survey!

There will be so much going on at the festival. Music, Games, Food and fun for all! So bring everyone. Walk, Bike, take Transit! Come by and say "hello". We'd love to hear about your experiences, thoughts and perhaps participate in a survey we have put together.

We'd love to get to know you, so come on down to the West End near Stanley Park, Vancouver B.C. and drop by our tent. Meet some investigators, learn protection methods, home cleansing methods and get to know us, as we'll get to know you.

We look forward to seeing you there! Rain or shine!

Talk soon,
Kati

Sentenced to Hang! (Convict Interred at Boot Hill Cemetery)

Hello Friends,

Photo by Kati - unknown found in vicinity of Convict #2304's grave

In 1918-1919, influenza swept the world. According to Sarah Buchanan's (B.Sc., Queen's University, 2007) thesis titled "Spanish Influenza in the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, 1918-1919", in the Abstract on page iii it states: "During the last year of World War I (1918), a second deadly foe was causing mortality around the world. Spanish Influenza killed an estimated 50-100 million people worldwide, including 50,000 people in Canada during the 1918-1919 pandemic." It goes on to say "...those who were between the ages of 19 and 39... showed higher odds of dying from influenza during the epidemic." Her thesis examined the period between June 1918 to June 1919.

"Four Walls in the West, The story of the British Columbia Penitentiary" written by Jack David Scott, page 54: "In 1919 the Spanish influenza epidemic, which had hit the western world, made its appearance in the prison. Eighty-four convicts were hospitalized and five died."

Meet Convict #2304 - William Chinley: was a victim to the epidemic, and according to his death certificate, he lost the fight and passed away on January 05, 1919.

Roosters Country Cabaret - Pitt Meadows BC

Hello Friends,

We've posted our research & evidence of our investigation at Roosters in Feb.15/2016. Want to check it out? VSPI - Roosters

Photo Courtesy of Paul Kingsbury - Team outside at Roosters

It was an interesting evening. With unlimited access to the cabaret, and after a walk through, talking with some of the staff, we settled in to find out if indeed some of the claims would present themselves to us. We weren't disappointed. From a stool falling over (we cannot confirm this was unexplained, but check out the video and decide for yourself! The stool starts to fall, then stops, waits a moment, and then, as if someone pushed it from behind, it begins to fall forward again), knocks and cracks heard throughout the evening, to voices found on our video evidence that we did not hear at the time.. the cabaret did not disappoint us. At the request of the owner, we performed a special cleansing of the establishment before we left, in hopes of removing any negative energy from the place.

Join in on the conversation at our Facebook Page - VSPI! We welcome your thoughts.

Talk soon!
Kati

Execution Commuted! (Convict Interred at Boot Hill Cemetery)

Hello Friends,

Historical photo-Boot Hill Cemetery-view north twds BC Penitentiary / unknown date & photographer.

I've been investigating and researching the convicts of BC Penitentiary who are interred at Boot Hill Cemetery in New Westminster, BC. It's not an easy task, as I often come across barriers which hold back any progress. Never-the-less, it is an interesting project. As I come across further information, I'll present the updates in future blogs.

So here we go, the second inmate on the list:

Convict #2370 - John Francis Walsh

Gravemarker #2370 (photo by Kati)

Return to BC Penitentiary Cemetery & Mr. Thompson... (Convict Interred at Boot Hill)

Hello Friends!

The B.C. Penitentiary cemetery, known as Boot Hill by the inmates of the institution, came into existence in 1913 yet may have been used as early as 1912. The last unclaimed body of a convict from the "Pen" was interred in 1968. It's situated across the Glenbrook Ravine and up the hill, across from where the old prison once stood.
For more information, please check out our 2013 Blog of Boot Hill.

At the end of March, it felt the time had come to revisit the forgotten cemetery, and with the good weather finally upon us, it was perfect timing. Boot Hill is now accessible by a cemented foot path due to new construction nearby. A hi-rise has been built directly across from it (to the south), and soon another one is going up to the west. This has me wondering if its neighbours are experiencing an influx of paranormal activity.

Boot Hill Cemetery - looking north towards the Ravine below. Photo-VSPI©

Visit to Alcatraz

From the moment we landed on the island of Alcatraz, I knew there was something special about this place. Anyone can feel the energy swirling, if they truly pay attention to their body's reactions; however, a lot of anticipation on the cruise over to the island may cause a range of emotions. This being said, I had to be sure that what I was feeling wasn't because of excitement brewing. I shook it off and with my wife, Lesli, we looked around, paid $1 USD for a map of the Island, and made a plan of what areas to visit on our ascent to the top of the island where the famous Main Cell House stands.

Building 64 - Military Housing then Prison Residences