Is Alexander Campbell crying for justice from beyond the grave? The mysterious handprint of a man wrongly hanged over a 100 years ago remains on the wall of his cell - He proclaimed his innocence to the bitter end. 1877.... Alexander Campbell was convicted of being an accessory to murder.As he was being led out of his jail cell to his death, he put his hand on the wall and declared his print would remain there forever as a reminder of the injustice that took his life.
Over the course of many years, the wall has been painted, and even knocked down.
The cursed handprint always reappears! James Starrs, a forensic scientist from George Washington University whose investigated the mysterious handprint, "It looks like a child's handprint on a white wall." "There's no logical explanation for it," For more than a century, Campbell's print has baffled sheriff's and prisoners
"In 1930, a sheriff named Biegler wanted to put an end to the legend," says Starrs. "He had the county road gang tear down the wall an put in a new one. Biegler had went to sleep, certain that he had forever removed the so called miracle. But when he woke up the next day, he was shocked to see the handprint had reappeared!"
Thirty years later, Sheriff Charles Neast tried to cover over it with green latex paint. "But it soon became clearly visible." says Neast.
The mark has been analyzed by James Starrs,and Jeff Kercheval, a police chemist from Hagerstown, MD infrared photography was used and other high-tech equipment.
"We did everything short of painting over the print or literally taking it off the wall." explains Starrs. "We measured the handprint and its precise location on the wall, so if it's ever painted over and reappears, we'll know if it appeared in the same location or a different one."
The jail is closed, and the mystery goes on. It is now open to the public for tours! The handprint lingers in cell #17, and so do the words 'I am innocent."