On Royal Street, in the French Quarter of New Orleans, stands a house. A house of true horrors. A house that will undoubtedly remain haunted for generations to come, due to its gruesome past. That house is the LaLaurie House. The year was 1832 when Dr. Louis LaLaurie moved into the three story Creole mansion. They were quite wealthy and used that wealth in part to create a most luxurious home. A home that guests would not only admire, but be most comfortable in. The furniture was covered in imported oriental fabric. Great huge chandeliers hung with hundreds of candles held within them. Mahogany doors that had hand carved flowers and faces inlaid in them. It was indeed the place to be for social gatherings, and Madame LaLaurie quickly rose to become one of the most influential and well respected women in the city, always ensuring that she carried herself gracefully and elegantly. Always ensuring that her daughters were among the best dressed. She was an excellent hostess to her guests and was considered to be not only most beautiful, but intelligent as well. But Madame LaLaurie was more, much more! She was cruel beyond imagination.

To upkeep the house and the standard in which we wanted to live, the LaLaurie's had dozens of slaves. To them, she showed not her graciousness but her extreme cruelty. Her cook was kept chained to the fireplace in the kitchen. Soon, neighbors began noticing that the LaLaurie slaves seemed to change suddenly, the former ones gone without a word.

One day as a neighbor was climbing her own stairs, she was startled by a piercing scream. She witnessed Madame LaLaurie chasing a small servant child with a whip and beating her without mercy. She chased the child onto the rooftop of the home, causing the girl to leap to her own death in an effort to escape the brutal whip. Later the neighbor observed the child being buried in a shallow grave in the yard, beneath a Cypress tree. At the time, New Orleans had a law in effect that banned the abuse of slaves, so the neighbor reported her findings to the authorities. The slaves were impounded and sold at an auction, bud sadly, Madame LaLaurie persuaded either friends or relatives to purchase them and then secretly sell them back to her. Neighbors and friends continued to discuss what had happened and were soon declining all social invitations issued by Madame LaLaurie.

In April of 1834 the true horrors of Madame LaLaurie and the LaLaurie house were finally realized. It was then that a fire broke out in the kitchen, allegedly set by the chained slave there, in an effort to escape the violent tortures. The fire spread through the house and once it was finally put out; fire fighters discovered a scene not fit for human eyes.

In the attic was a secret and barred door. Behind this door they found more than a dozen slaves. Some were chained to the walls, and some to makeshift operating tables. Some were found in dog cages. Littered throughout the room were human body parts. Buckets strewn about contained human organs as well as human heads. All were found naked. One woman had animal feces in her mouth and her lips sewn shut. Some of the women had been gutted, much like a fish, and their innards wrapped around their waists. One woman clung desperately to what little life she had left, even though both arms and legs had been severed from her body. Men were found with their penises cut off. Eyes were gouged out and fingernails had been ripped free of their beds. One man was chained to a wall and had a hole drilled into his head, from which a long stick protruded, so that Madame LaLaurie could stir his brains. The torture she delivered was not only of utmost cruelty, but was done in ways to ensure a slow and agonizing death. Many were already dead and rotting. Many were unconscious, and many cried out in sheer agony to be killed to end their pain. The fire fighters were overwhelmed and ran from the nightmare to quickly summon doctors from a hospital close by.

The news of this spread like a fire in the wind throughout the city of New Orleans. It is said that Madame LaLaurie acted alone in these vile acts and what must certainly be called psychotic behavior. It is also said that her husband, though he did not partake in the torture, knew of the horrors his wife committed and did nothing to stop it. As the angry people of New Orleans gathered outside the LaLaurie home seeking harsh vengeance and ready to hang Madame LaLaurie, a carriage thundered through the gates and soon disappeared into the night. Madame LaLaurie and her family were never again to be seen.

The house has changed hands many times since, and is it a wonder that no one stays for very long at the time? Many restless spirits inhabit this space. Some are seen, but mostly it is the agonizing disembodied screams that chill a person to their very soul! The exact number of her victims remains unknown, and the house remains well haunted even today!