Find me here:
  The Paranormal Guide
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Atlas
  • Glossary

Earthquake, Hold Out and Torsos

26/1/2014

Comments

 
Picture
January 20 - 26: Approx. 830,000 people are killed during a massive earthquake in China. - Japanese sergeant Shoichi Yokoi is discovered hiding on Guam... 27 years after the Second World War had ended. - The third of the 'Cleveland Torso Murderer' victims is discovered.

Three unrelated stories of a strange, unusual or dark nature.

January 23, 1556

PictureYaodongs in Loess cliffs in Shaanxi province.
Approximately 830,000 people are killed when the worlds deadliest earthquake on record destroyed Shaanxi province, China. Although known as the Shaanxi Earthquake, the quake itself affected another 9 provinces and 97 counties all up. In the most heavily hit areas up to 60% of the population was wiped out and up to 90% of all walled structures collapsed.

A large number of fatalities occurred on people who lived in 'yaodongs', artificial caves dug into the cliffs of the Loess plateau. Loess is essentially a loose, silty soil that had accumulated in the area as wind storms carried it from the Gobi Desert. Millions of people lived in these cave dwellings (up to 40 million people still live in yaodongs today in China) and when the earthquake took place many of these homes collapsed, caved in, burying the occupants alive.

Aftershocks from this earthquake continued for six months.

January 24, 1972

PictureShoichi Yokoi (circa 1943) and in 1972 just after leaving the jungle.
Sergeant Shoichi Yokoi, of the Imperial Japanese Army, is discovered hiding in a jungle on the island of Guam. Yokoi had been hiding on the island for 28 years.

In 1943, Yokoi, along with his regiment, arrived on Guam. In 1944, when American forces took the island, Yokoi and ten other soldiers went into hiding. Eventually their numbers dwindled to just three. Although the three men hid separately they would visit each other. Unfortunately, in 1964 (or thereabouts), the other two Japanese soldiers were killed in a flood leaving Yokoi alone.

For eight years Yokoi hid and survived alone on the island - hunting at night, creating everything he needed from natural resources and, most importantly, hiding from the local population.

On January 24, 1972, Yokoi was stumbled upon by two men who were checking their shrimp traps in a river. Yokoi attacked the men, fearing his discovery and that he was in danger. The men got the better of him, knocked him out and carried him from the jungle.

When interviewed about his time in hiding Yokoi stated he had known since 1952 that the war had ended but feared disgrace should he have come out of hiding.

Yokoi's words on returning to Japan:
"It is with much embarrassment, but I have returned"

Shoichi Yokoi is the third to last of the Japanese 'Hold Outs' - Japanese soldiers in the Pacific Theatre who continued on with war time orders after the end of World War II (either due to not knowing the war had ended, or who had not believed in the formal surrender of Japan), the last of whom was discovered on December 18, 1974.

January 26, 1936

PictureInvestigators on the Torso Murderer trail.
The third victim of the Cleveland Torso Murderer is discovered distributed in several burlap sacks and a basket in Cleveland, Ohio. Florence Genevieve Polillo was later identified as that victim, she had been killed two to four days earlier, had been dismembered and her head was never found. Being the third murder victim to have been discovered, that had been decapitated, in 18 months, caused a panic. A serial killer was on the loose.

Six months later another victim was discovered, decapitated. A month after that another victim, this time the victim had been dismembered, and while still alive. In September that year half a torso was discovered – another victim.

By April, 1938, the number of victims hit ten with the discovery of dismembered body parts in a river and around a bridge. On August 16, 1938, the final victims were discovered in the Lakeshore Dump. Out of twelve victims only the identities of two are known for certain. All victims were decapitated and many were dismembered. It is believed that several other murders in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Youngstown Ohio were also by the same killer.

In 1939, Frank Dolezal was arrested for the murder of Florence Polillo. He was interrogated for nearly two days straight before confessing. He later recanted the confession, stating he had been beaten until he gave detectives what they wanted. Although the killings did stop after Dolezals arrest there is no hard evidence that he was the killer. Dolezal took his own life in his cell before he was found innocent or guilty of the murder/s, however, the lead investigator on the case did note in his memoirs: “This is the first time that I've ever known anyone to confess to a crime that didn't know the details of the crime to which he was confessing."

The Cleveland Torso Murderer aka 'The Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run' is still unidentified.


Ashley Hall 2015
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

    The Paranormal Guide Articles

    Here you will find all of the articles written for The Paranormal Guide on all things paranormal, strange, dark, macabre, weird, strange and bizarre!

    All photos with the blog posts remain the property of their respectful owners. If one of your photos is featured here without attribution please leave a comment on the blog and full credit will be given.

    Categories

    All
    Bizarre Experiments
    Conspiracy
    Cryptozoology
    Cursed And Haunted Objects
    Curses Demons And Exorcisms
    Earth Mysteries
    Fakes Frauds And Hoaxes
    Ghosts And Hauntings
    Ghosts Ghouls And Demons
    Interesting And Inspiring People
    Investigations
    Miracles
    My Paranormal
    Paranormal Photos
    Paranormal Vocabulary
    Phobias And Philias
    Post Mortem Practices
    Psychics Predictions And Seers
    Questions And Discussions
    Reviews
    Spirituality And Miracles
    Spirituality And Miracles
    Strange And Macabre Places
    Strange And Tragic Deaths
    This Week In Dark History
    Tragedy
    True Crime And Punishment
    Ufos And Aliens
    Unsolved Mysteries
    Urban Legend Superstition And Folklore
    Weird Odd And Bizarre


    Ashley Hall -
    The Paranormal Guide

    Ashley Hall explores The Paranormal, True Crime, Strange Deaths, Dark History, The Weird, The Strange and The Bizarre! Fact or Fiction? You decide!

    Picture

    Contributors

    Picture
    Matty Sweeney
    Picture
    Peet Banks
    Picture
    Nic Hume

    Picture
    Check out The Paranormal Guide Podcast and join three paranormal investigators and researchers for honest and raw discussions on all things paranormal, strange, dark and macabre HERE!

    Archives

    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Please note that dates are from when the article was originally made.
    The Paranormal Guide does have posts all the way up to the current date.


    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.