LaLaurie Mansion

I was recently in New Orleans for a visit and had the opportunity to explore many “haunted places”. One of the houses I saw on multiple tours was the LaLaurie mansion, said to be the most haunted house in New Orleans. That is an impressive claim as the whole city boasts haunted spots.

From the outside the mansion is rather plain looking, it takes  up one corner of Royal street and is large but if I did not know what it was I likely would not have thought much about the home. It is said that the inside courtyard and home are rather elaborate. As the home is privately owned no tours are offered of the inside, but a quick internet search will pull up photos of several of the interior rooms and an elaborate staircase that is certainly beautiful.  

Haunted tours tell the tale of the torture and murder of slaves inside these walls at the hand of the owners Louis and Delphine LaLaurie, of a fire that finally shed light on the horrific acts being committed within these walls and of the escape of the LaLaurie’s.

 

Madame LaLaurie was born Marie Delphne Macarty 1775 in Louisiana to Irish Immigrants who became prominent member of the white creole society.  During this time in history slavery was a common practice and slave owners sadly often exhibited cruelty towards their slaves.  Madame LaLaurie grew up in a house with slaves; there is a story that says slaves murdered her parents and perhaps this motivated her to act in such a horrific way towards her own slaves. However, there is no evidence that this is true. Her uncle was killed in 1811 during a slave revolt but there is no way of knowing if this influenced her own behaviors as an adult. 

 Madame LaLaurie was married three times each time to powerful men, the last was her marriage to Leonard Louis Nicholas LaLaurie a physician. Her second husband was a slave trader with ties to the pirate Jean Lafitte, the couple owned 26 slaves and when he died as per his wishes, she emancipated one of their slaves. Some of have used this act to say she did not commit the horrible crimes she was accused of, but evidence to include statements by neighbors and newspaper articles  proves otherwise. While it appears that some of the stories have been embellished over the years the fact that there was unimaginably inhumane and cruel treatment occurring towards the slaves being kept in this mansion cannot be disputed.

Madame LaLaurie was already quite wealthy when she met her third husband who was several years younger than she was.  She had inherited considerable wealth from her parents and two previous husbands, it is said she brought more than $66,000 into the marriage while Louis brought only $2,000. Madame LaLaurie bought the property located at 1140 Royal Street in her own name, had the three story home and slave quarters built and the family moved in and began life there.  Neighbors reported that this was not a happy household, the couple fought often and it was not long before they also began to report that the slaves were being severely mistreated. There were laws in place to protect slaves and at one point the LaLauries were taken to court to answer for their mistreatment, they were found guilty of cruelty and forced to give up some of the slaves. Rumor states that close family friends then purchased the slaves and they were returned to the LaLaurie mansion.

One of the most well-known stories about the cruelty that occurred is that of a young slave named Leah or Liah who was seen being chased by a whip welding Madame LaLaurie and jumped to her death from the third story of the home, she is said to have been buried in the court yard where she remains today.

In 1834 a fire broke out in the home; when bystanders arrived to fight the fire it was discovered that it had been set intentionally by a slave who was found chained to the stove. She stated she had started the fire in an attempt to kill herself rather than risk being taken to the “upper rooms” where slaves were taken and never returned. While searching the home and the slave quarters numerous slaves were found chained to walls, beaten, and mutilated.  A newspaper reported that after the slaves were evacuated at least two died and that bodies of other slaves were found buried in the courtyard.

As word about the torture of the slaves within the mansion got out angry mobs of people descended on the mansion with the intent to capture Madame LaLauire. Madame LaLauire likely knowing what was in store for her had fled in her carriage into the night and was never seen in the city again.  Records show that she made her way to the waterfront where she took a schooner to Mobile Alabama and then when onto Paris where it is believed she later died on December 7 1842. Letters between her and her children show she had a desire to return to New Orleans but the children forbid it. It is now believed that Madame LaLaurie's body may have been secretly returned to New Orleans and that she is buried in the family tomb in Saint Louis Cemetery 1. A copper plate was found in the cemetery by a former sexton that read Madame LaLaurie, born Marie Delphine Mccarty, died in Paris. But there seems to be no real evidence to prove if she was returned to the city or is buried in Paris.

After the fire the mansion was vandalized and then sat empty for some time before being sold by representatives for the family. It was first sold  to a man who lived there only three months before moving out, he reported hearing screams and groans throughout the house. He  then tried to rent room but tenants also would not stay long, stating unexplained things occurred inside the home.  After that the house was used as a girls school, a music and dance school, a furniture store and even low rent apartments but no one stayed long due to reports of strange sounds and sights.

Actor Nicholas Cage owned the home for some time before losing it to the IRS, it is now owned by a private owner who says he has not experienced anything out of the ordinary, but his caretakers tell tales of various paranormal experiences within the home.

Given the history and all of the horrific things that occurred within the walls of the mansion it is no wonder that it would be considered haunted.