Background: The Monroe County courthouse dates back to 1911, and has a very imposing, almost gothic appearance to it, which is quite notable for this part of Arkansas.
Claims: This courthouse is believed to be haunted by Ernze Mabel Orr, aka Mabel. Stories say Mabel and her husband John Orr were a comedy and opera performing duo. John was said to have had a bad temper and would often beat Mabel pretty badly. One of their servants felt bad for Mabel, and made a hoodoo potion to kill John, but it didn't end up working. Mabel and four slaves came up with a plan to murder John by shooting him. Soon after, John was found shot to death under unknown circumstances. Word got out about the plot, and Mabel and her servants were sentenced to hang. The sheriff felt mad for Mabel, and instead gave her a poison made of morphone and she died in her basement cell the night before the hangings took place. The slaves were hanged the next morning on the courthouse lawn. Witnesses say they have heard Mabel's moans coming from the basement of the courthouse, and have seen eerie lights that appear near the levee, where the slaves' bodies were carried for burial.
UPROAR Investigated: No
Our take: This would be worthy of an investigation.
Is it haunted: Unknown
