KC church celebrates its haunted history

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Leading members of St. Mary's Episcopal Church don't know if the building is truly haunted by a 19th Century priest.

But hints of the truth echo when footsteps creak through their Gothic-style sanctuary and no one can be found.

On the eve of Halloween, St. Mary's Church will honor Father Henry David Jardine, bringing together ghostly accounts and historical documents that chronicle a life shrouded in conspiracy and mystery. With fake fog and chilling music from the church's 30-foot organ as a backdrop, Todd Chenault is directing a $45-a-plate dinner to tell Jardine's story.

Chenault has spent his life at St. Mary's, which has about 165 members. As an adult he has separated fact from fiction as an unofficial church historian, but the 45-year-old leader in the church still remembers the spooky tales he and other Sunday school children whispered in the 1960s.

Jardine killed himself in the church's third-story living area, rumor had it, and he was buried in a basement vault. It turns out that none of that is true, Chenault said.

Old newspaper clippings show Jardine apparently committed suicide in 1886 in St. Louis, not Kansas City. St. Mary's does have a tomb for their beloved reverend, but the downtown parish that Jardine commissioned was not finished until months after his death. Suicide's stigma kept him from ever resting in the crypt, which instead holds boxes of cereal and canned goods for the needy.

"He is quite a legend. And sometimes it's hard to know what to believe," Chenault said.

On more than one occasion, Chenault claims, he has heard footsteps shuffling from behind the organ. When he was a child, he said, Christmas trees fell off ledges near the instrument for no reason, year after year.

Other supernatural tales involve paranormal investigations, ghostly figures in windows and a spiral stairway with cold chills that glide down it.

"Have I heard things? Yes, plenty of times," Chenault said. "Have I seen any ghosts? No, never."

According to church archives, from 1879 to 1886 Jardine increased St. Mary's membership, created boys and girls schools and a hospital.

Betty Herndon is a college professor, longtime church member and a pragmatist when it comes to ghost stories. She knows the facts and will help lead the Saturday event billed as "The Historic Haunting."

Many church members praised Jardine's emphasis on old Roman Catholic ways, but others were not as accepting, she said.

Influential members spread rumors, hoping for his resignation, Herndon said. They accused him of misusing parish funds, drug use and immoral behavior with young church girls.

Herndon said a former editor of The Kansas City Times, John Shea, lead the attacks with lamp post flyers incriminating the clergyman.

Chenault has reviewed court documents from the libel suit Jardine filed against Shea.

"It was a kangaroo court; witnesses made outrageous claims with no evidence. You name it," he said.

After losing the case, Jardine traveled to St. Louis where his priesthood was revoked. Days before Jardine was scheduled to contest that, he was found dead. In his hands, according to newspaper accounts, were a crucifix and rag soaked in chloroform.

Herndon said Jardine commonly inhaled the toxic drug to ease facial muscle spasms, so his death might have been accidental.

Herndon said few believed Jardine committed suicide or the allegations that came before. Arriving by train, Jardine's casket was covered in black cloth and his congregation came to view it. "The scene was sorrowful, even to a stranger," The Kansas City Times reported.

Church archives show St. Mary's buried the priest a day later on unconsecrated ground for $88. The funeral procession stretched for more than a mile.

Over the past 100 years Jardine's remains have been exhumed and moved three times, once to consecrated ground and in 2000 to return his remains to St. Mary's. His ashes rest by the organ, under the church's high altar.

"Religious believers live in a spirit world," current rector, Father Jeffrey Cave said. "We pray to be surrounded by angels and so forth. Ghost stories like Jardine's are all too common."

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The Historic Haunting: Saturday, 7:30 p.m., 1307 Holmes St., Kansas City, Mo.

Ticket information: 816-842-0975.

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On the Net:

http://www.stmaryskcmo.org