Savannah Terrors

1. Wright Square

Savannah, GA

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Wright Square was built in 1733. The square was originally named for John Percival, Earl of Egmont, a founder of the Georgia Colony. In 1763, the square was renamed Wright Square in honor of James Wright, who was the royal governor of Georgia. Wright Square has a rich history. But, it's also infested with cockroaches, so watch your step! In 1739, Tomo-chi-chi, the Chief of the Yamacraw Tribe, was buried in the center of the square. Tomo-chi-chi was a staunch advocate of peace between the Native American tribes and England. Both colonists and his native people loved him. General Oglethorpe, another founder of the colony, was his dear friend and one of the pallbearers at Tomo's funeral. The Chief's grave was desecrated and destroyed in 1883 when the Central of Georgia Railroad constructed a monument to their founder, William Gordon, directly on top of Tomochichi's grave. Outraged by this insult to Tomochichi, Gordon's daughter-in-law, Nellie Gordon, had a new monument built to honor Tomochichi, a large granite boulder with a decorative copper plate, installed southeast of the original structure on April 21, 1899, by the Colonial Dames of America. One should always be cautious to dig up a sacred Native American burial ground, or any burial ground for that matter. Is the peaceful spirit of Tomo-chi-chi angry because his resting place was desecrated to make room for a railroad tycoon? Girl Scouts partake in a strange ritual at TomoChiChi's monument. They run around the rock, chanting "Tomochichi, Tomochichi, Where Are You?" Then, they place their ears on the rock and run away. If you follow the same ritual, you are supposed to hear a reply that whispers "nowhere." This is because his bones have been scattered, so no one knows where he is. Juliet Gordon Low, the founder of the girl scouts, grew up in Savannah and passed the legend of Tomo-chi-chi down through her girl scouts. The square is also the final resting place for many soldiers. Some report seeing apparitions of soldiers, as their spirits wander disillusioned and seeking eternal peace. At night, the anguished wail of a soldier far from home might reach your ears. Or perhaps a general might find fault in your posture or attitude, and you may feel a touch or hear a shout from the darkness. That sense of dread running up your spine could very well be from the efforts to whip you into shape. A war is on! You must be ready! A gallows once stood ominously in Wright Square. Those executed at the gallows now visit us from beyond the veil. One such visitor is Alice Riley. Riley and her husband Richard White were indentured servants of William Wise. Wise ran his household like a tyrant, forcing his slaves to meet his every whim, such as bathing and grooming him every day. Even though Alice was not a slave, the life of an indentured servant was still laborious and bleak. Alice and Richard finally grew tired of Mr. Wise's cruelty, so in March of 1734, they murdered Mr. Wise by holding his head in a bucket of water until he drowned. Alice and Richard tried to escape, but the murderous lovers were caught and sentenced to death. Richard first felt the tight grasp of the hangman's noose, but when it came time to hang Alice, she proclaimed that she was pregnant-- with William Wise's child! Alice could not win the sympathy of her executioners for long, and so she was hanged on January 19, 1735, after the birth of her child, who died only a month after. Alice was left hanging at the gallows for three days. When she finally shook off this mortal coil, some said her spirit was furious. She wanders the square, screaming and crying, angry about being robbed of a good life. She might ask a random passerby if they have seen her precious baby, but Alice quickly vanishes into a foggy mist, waiting to haunt us again. According to legend, Spanish moss won't grow where innocent blood has been spilled. Is this, then, the reason none grows around the place of her death? Was Alice innocent, or was it the death of the child? The barren ground serves as a reminder of the many people hanged here and robbed of life. Some believe that the reason why Wright Square is infested with cockroaches is because the criminal and innocent spirits are still harassing people, trying to keep them away.