Was Frenchman Michel Verdun a werewolf, or a psychopathic murderer–or both?
Have you heard a wolf’s howl? And how do you know that’s it’s a wolf–what if it’s something very different?
In the 1500s, three men were brought to trial for murder, torture and other heinous crimes. One of these men was Michel Verdun, self-proclaimed werewolf.
During Verdun’s trial, he named two accomplices to his horrific deeds–Philibert Montot and Pierre Bourgot. Bourgot also claimed to be a werewolf. But were these confessions obtained after the men had been tortured? Verdun’s legend lives on at Thrillvania Haunted House Park–as a genuine werewolf who killed and ate men and women as he roamed the countryside.
One particular story was offered to prove his guilt and is the basis for the werewolf lore surrounding Verdun. A man came upon a vicious wolf, but managed to escape the wolf’s attack, severely wounding the beast. The man followed the bloody trail…and at its end was a wounded Michel Verdun. The man became convinced that Verdun was able to transform himself from human to wolf, and something in between. The story spread like wildfire, and Verdun was charged with lycanthropy (the ability to change from human to wolf).
Bourgot corroborated the account, and said at trial that Verdun had taken him to a Wiccan/Pagan ritual known as a Sabbat. There, Verdun initiated Bourgot, so that he could also assume wolf-form. Verdun applied an ointment to Bourgot and this magical and wicked salve transformed him into a bloodthirsty werewolf.
Convicted of lycanthropy and murder–all three men were burned at stake. Verdun’s wife was also convicted, although there was never any evidence provided that she could shape-shift like Verdun and the others. But the high court wanted to be sure.
Thrillvania Haunted House Park is located just east of Dallas, Tx. 4 Haunted Houses on 50 wooded acres. We will see you Saturday September 27, 2014 for Thrillvania’s opening day at 2330 County Road 138, in Terrell, Texas. If you just can’t wait to have the living daylights scared out of you, our friends at Cutting Edge Haunted House in Ft. Worth will be open for a sneak peek on Saturday August 30, 2014.