THOSE ARE WHAT INTRIGUES TED TONIGHT.
>> THINK BOSTON DRIVERS ARE SCARY?
CAITLIN JOHNSTON KNOWS WHAT IS REALLY TERRIFYING ABOUT THE CITY.
>> IT IS JUST SO OLD, SO THERE ARE A LOT OF GHOSTS AND LEGENDS AND THE EERIE THINGS YOU CAN FIND JUST EVERYWHERE.
TED: SHE GUIDES CURIOUS CROWDS ON THE BOSTON NIGHT TOUR WHERE SHE LISTS THE FAIL FROM THE -- FIRST UP, THE COMMON.
THE PURITANS DID PUBLIC PUNISHMENTS.
THEY WOULD DO THINGS LIKE SINGING OR DANCING IN PUBLIC, AND IF YOU WERE A REPEAT OFFENDER, YOU GO BACK IN THE STOCKS, BUT YOU WOULD NAIL YOUR YEARS TO THE BOARD BEHIND --
EA TO THE BOARD BEHIND YOU.
THEY WOULD REMOVE YOUR HEAD, BEFORE REMOVING THE BOARD.
SO YOU WOULD BE EARMARKED.
TED: DID PEOPLE WATCH.
>> WE TALK ABOUT NEAR THE VISITOR CENTER THERE ARE WOMEN DRESSED IN PURITAN CLOTHING.
I HAVE SOME STORIES OF THEM OPENING THEIR MOUTH TO OPEN -- ANSWER BUT NO SOUND COMES OUT.
THEY VANISH.
TED: AND THE PARKER HOUSE, SHE SAYS CHARLES DICKENS LEFT HIS MARK HERE.
>> HE WAS HERE ON A PUBLICITY TOUR.
HE READ THE FIRST PUBLIC READING OF ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS GHOST STORIES, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, NEAR THE PARKER HOUSE.
TED: HE REHEARSED HIS THEATRICAL READINGS AT A SWEET IN THE HOTEL.
THE MIRROR HE USED HANGZHOU -- STILL HANGS IN A HALLWAY.
>> PEOPLE SEE SOMEONE STARING OUT.
TED: ANOTHER BUILDING RICH WITH HISTORY, 261 WASHINGTON ST.
>> IN 1861 IT WAS A JEWELRY AND GIVING -- ENGRAVING STUDIO.
THE MAN BROUGHT A BRAND-NEW CAMERA.
ONE AFTERNOON HE TAKES A PHOTOGRAPH, SELLS A PORTRAIT OF HIMSELF AND OVER HIS LEFT SHOULDER THERE IS A WHITE, BLURRY FIGURE OF A WOMAN HE RECOGNIZES.
HE SHOWS THIS TO HIS WIFE.
SHE RECOGNIZES HER AND SAID THAT IS YOUR COUSIN THAT DIED 12 YEARS AGO.
TED: VISITORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY VISITED FOR THE SO-CALLED SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHS INCLUDING MARY TODD LINCOLN.
WERE THEY SNAPS OF SPIRITS OR THE FIRST PHOTOSHOP SIX?
>> PEOPLE ARE STLL STUDYING THIS.
THERE HAVE BEEN THREE BOOKS WRITTEN ABOUT THIS MAN, AND NO ONE TO DATE HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVE HOW HE DID WHAT HE DID.
TED: LET US PAUSE FOR SOME LITERATURE.
THIS MUSEUM HAS THE PERFECT BOOK FOR OR ENTHUSIASTS.
-- HORROR ENTHUSIASTS.
IT WAS WRITTEN BY JAMES ALLEN, A NARRATIVE OF HIS LIFE.
>> HIS LAST WISH, HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY SHOULD BE PROFESSIONALLY BOUND INTO A BOOK AND GIVEN AS A TOKEN TO THE MAN WHO CAUGHT HIM.
TED: LIKE LET BYGONES BE BYGONES?
NOT EXACTLY.
FINDS THE PACKAGE, UNWRAPS IT, BUT THERE IS THIS BEAUTIFUL LEATHER BOUND BOOK WITH A GOLD EMBOSSED TITLE IN LATIN.
TURNS OUT IT SAYS THIS BOOK BY GEORGE WALTON BOUND IN HUMAN SKIN.
THAT WAS THE OTHER PART OF HIS LAST WISH.
HE WANTED TWO STRIPS OF SKIN TAKEN FROM HIS OWN BACK, TANNED INTO LEATHER AND USED TO BIND THE BOOK.
ANTHONY: THE SKIN BOOK IS NOT ON PUBLIC DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM.
IT IS UNDER LOCK AND KEY, BUT YOU CAN VIEW IT ONLINE ON THEIR WEBSITE.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING MORE LITERARY, THERE IS AN INTERESTING ADDITION BY DANTE AND ONE ON NAPOLEON, ALONG WITH OTHER COUNTLESS TREASURES.