“IRON-TOOTHED TERROR: THE GORBALS VAMPIRE AND MASS HYSTERIA” Plus More True Horrors! #WeirdDarkness

In 1954, hundreds of Glasgow schoolchildren armed with makeshift weapons stormed the Southern Necropolis, hunting a towering, iron-toothed vampire they believed had already claimed two victims. IN THIS EPISODE: What caused hundreds of Scottish children in the 1950s to suddenly become vampire hunters? (The Gorbals Vampire) *** Over the years, from ancient to more modern times there have been a number of incredible cases of mass hysteria. Some are so unbelievable it’s difficult to understand how they happened at all. (Ancient Cases of Mass Hysteria) *** Zachary Davis had a history of mental disturbance, but no one could have predicted the horrors he was truly capable of. (The Disturbing Story of Zachary Davis) *** When poor travelers are found dead in the frozen winter, could it be that there is something more to their story? Could they have been killed not by the cold, but by a demon of the snow? (Demon of the Snow) *** Southwest of Tombstone, Arizona are the remains of a simple adobe cabin nicknamed ‘the bloodiest cabin in Arizona’. (Brunkow’s Cabin) *** Oscar Beckwith was a hermit who lived in the woods, in a small, squalid shack with no furnishings but a bunk, two stools, and a stove… on which he cooked human flesh. (The Cannibal of Austerlitz) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Disclaimer and Lead-In 00:01:20.713 = Show Open 00:03:31.278 = The Gorbals Vampire 00:08:12.804 = Ancient Cases of Mass Hysteria 00:23:53.056 = The Disturbing Story of Zachary Davis 00:32:11.339 = Demon of the Snow 00:37:50.322 = Brunkow’s Cabin 00:42:31.632 = The Cannibal of Austerlitz 00:48:01.494 = Show Close, Verse, and Final Thought SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE… Episode Page at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/GorbalsVampire “The Gorbals Vampire” by Cynthia McKanzie for Message to Eagle: (link no longer valid) “Ancient Cases of Mass Hysteria” posted at Ancient Pages: http://bit.ly/2Iw12SX “The Disturbing Story of Zachary Davis” by William DeLong for All That’s Interesting: http://bit.ly/2UOxLd6 “Demon of the Snow” by A. Sutherland for Ancient Pages: http://bit.ly/2UlTX97 “Brunkow’s Cabin” by Amanda Penn: http://bit.ly/2GojnOB “The Cannibal of Austerlitz” by Robert Wilhelm for Murder By Gaslight: http://bit.ly/2ZjADwV ===== Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version. https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate Info on the next LIVE SCREAM event. https://weirddarkness.com/LiveScream Info on the next WEIRDO WATCH PARTY event. https://weirddarkness.com/TV ===== ( Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases. ) = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness. ===== Originally aired: January, 2019