Team seeks out paranormal at battlefield

SACKETS HARBOR — Walking around a cemetery can be a little creepy.

Now, take away daylight and add an orange, waning moon. Next, throw in some bats and an unusual July chill in the air.

Then bring in electromagnetic field detectors and infrared video cameras, and a paranormal investigator's playground has been created.

The village has its fair share of ghost stories, and on Thursday night, four members of the Paranormal Integrity Eyes Research Investigation Team set out to uncover some more. Julio Maldonado, Sackets Harbor, the team's founder, introduced himself and the team members before reaching out to the spirit realm.

"Hello, my name is Julio, and this is my friend Deb," he said to anyone who might be listening. "We're here tonight to possibly communicate with any ... ."

Before Mr. Maldonado could finish his sentence, the video camera he set up to record any unnatural movement in the graveyard suddenly turned off.

"Wow, they're already taking a lot of energy away," he said.

The timing was perfect. It was just two nights before a large War of 1812 re-enactment. The soldiers, the team surmised, should have been dying to tell their tales.

"We'd love to listen to them," said Deborah A. Hyneman, one of the investigators. "Come chat with us. It's OK, we're not here to hurt you. If you don't want us here, you can tell us that, too."

No answer — or maybe silence was the answer — but Mr. Maldonado pressed on. He asked whomever was listening how they felt about the upcoming re-enactment.

"Are you going to be all right with that?" he asked. "Are you upset by that? Does it make you happy to know that people are remembering the fact that you were at the war?"

Again, there was no answer. The team, unwilling to give up, split up to cover more ground. Traci C. Montondo walked around taking pictures, hoping to record something paranormal.

"I think I got a low moan," she told the rest of the team. "It's really quiet but I think it's something."

Ms. Hyneman verified it, but the investigators are sticklers for scientifically explaining anything they can.

"We'll have to get that onto something so that we can hear it a little bit better and make sure," she said.

Not much came after the moan.

"I'm sure they're not used to people wandering around in the dark here," Ms. Hyneman said.

When the group reconvened, Mr. Maldonado talked about a negative vibe he felt.

"I can tell you one thing," he said. "Whatever can possibly be caught out here, I get the vibe that it is not friendly."

"What did I tell you?" Ms. Hyneman said. "I wouldn't go to the end of those trees. I couldn't bring myself to do it; I was too creeped out."

Maybe the spirits didn't want company Thursday. Maybe they were peacefully resting, preparing for the Grand Tactical. Maybe they just don't exist.

"I think we got a little bit of activity tonight, but whether we caught anything, that's another question," Ms. Hyneman said.

"It wasn't what I was hoping for," Mr. Maldonado said. "I've had better nights of investigation. They manifest in the most craziest ways, and it doesn't matter when it is or who's there. To be honest, my thought is, there's nothing here. At least tonight."