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In June of 2005, Robert E. Cahill, a former Sheriff
of Essex County (Massachusetts) died of a heart attack. In addition to being the Sheriff of Essex County
from 1975 to 1978, Robert Cahill wrote over 30 books; including The Wayward Sheriffs of Witch County: the Misadventures
of Running America's Oldest Jail and Courthouse.
According to the description of The Wayward
Sheriffs of Witch County: the Misadventures of Running America's Oldest Jail and Courthouse, “With
no correctional or law enforcement experience, Robert E. Cahill ran for and won the office of High Sheriff of Essex County,
Massachusetts, becoming the first Democrat elected to the post in it’s over 300 year history. What Cahill discovered
as he took office in 1974 was a county correctional system in such a state of neglect and abuse that it was in violation of
almost every health and human-rights regulation on the books.
This is a first-person true story of thieves, murders,
fugitives, rioters, reckless youths, the criminally insane and the wayward sheriffs that were charged with taking care of
them. It is about the miraculous progress of these destitute inmates and bumbling sheriffs in the bastilles of "Witch
County" as they struggled from the dark ages into the Twentieth Century. In the process, the High Sheriff was also transformed
from a staunch conservative to a devious liberal, battling many foes, including the public and press, to win equal rights
for his inmates- a battle that almost killed him. This book is an eye-opener for Americans, exposing how we neglect and mistreat
our downtrodden and dysfunctional fellow citizens.”
Robert E. Cahill published over 30 non-fiction books
about New England life, lore, and history. Prior to his work as an author, he served as a lieutenant in the Army Intelligence
in East Africa, dove professionally as a scuba diver, served as a Massachusetts state representative. His
other titles include: Lighthouse Mysteries of the North Atlantic; New England's Pirates
and Lost Treasure; Olde New England's Seashore Cookbook; and, Ancient Mysteries.
According to the
book description of Haunted Happenings: With New Photos of Old Ghosts, “Ghosts… are
they merely lost souls trapped in some kind of time warp, probably not knowing how to proceed to the next world? Maybe they
might feel that they have some important unfinished business here. Whichever it is, this book should entertain you and, hopefully,
give you further insight into the realm of the unknown. It will also provide you with a unique history concerning our forever
haunting and mysterious New England.”
According to the
book description of New England's Visitors from Outer Space, “Much research and many interviews
led to these fascinating, often frightening, and sometimes funny encounters New Englanders have had with UFO's.”
According to the
book description of Curious Customs and Cures, “Our first New England settlers were plagued
with almost every sickness and disease imaginable. The female homesteader was chief cook and bottle-washer, and usually the
only doctor-nurse available. Her home remedies were based on Indian cure-alls or old world traditions, many of them steeped
in superstition and ancient customs. It was a brutal land they lived in, where devastating plagues wiped out half of the Indians
– for those remaining, sickness often racked their bodies and unfounded fears taunted their minds.”
According to the
book description of New England's Viking and Indian Wars, “Stories based on the history
between the Vikings and the Indians. This book is dedicated to the now deceased Lorenzo Jeffers, Chief of the Wampanoags.”
According to the
book description of New England's Little Known War Wonders, “Did you know that the real
Uncle Sam was at the Battle of Lexington and Concord ? He was only 12years old at the time. How about the most cursed ship
of the American Navy that, upon her defeat, indirectly won the War Of 1812 ? Did you ever hear of the river that changed the
course of American history ? These and many other unique war stories are revealed in this book.”
According to the
book description of Amazing Fish Stories, “Only the unique, bizarre, humorous and remarkable
stories regarding these finny creatures is presented, and their constant conflict with the most brutal of enemies...Man!”
According to the
book description of New England's Cruel and Unusual Punishments, “Master and servant,
Sheriff and criminal, crime and punishment. During the days of Pilgrims and Puritans in New England, there weren’t many
jails, and the deterrent for crime in those days was mutilation of the body – whipping, branding, cropping of ears,
slitting of noses and, of course, burning at the stake and hanging to name a few. People were hanged for minor offenses, such
as shoplifting and stealing chickens. This book is about these people, their laws and their victims, their modes of punishments
and the terrible tortures many had to endure in the name of justice.”
According to the
book description of Haunted Ships of the North Atlantic, “They say the Atlantic Ocean is the
most temperamental of the seven sisters. Unpredictable and full of fury, but in her wrath, she provides many bizarre, and
often macabre sagas of man’s will to survive. This book contains tales of terror, which are filled with intrigue and
suspense, and all true. Perhaps the vessels mentioned here are not haunted, but merely victims of unusual circumstance of
coincidence. Possibly these are but illusions of superstitious seamen, but in each case, the Atlantic Ocean has prompted the
events that are recorded on these pages, and only she can provide the answers to these mysteries.”
According to the
book description of Finding New England's Shipwrecks and Treasures, “An old bottle or
a piece of china off a sunken ship can bring in a as much as $1000, and a sunken canon can be worth $10,000. For those of
you who wish to hunt for a specific wreck or treasure, or just like to read about these adventures and treasures uncovered,
these stories are equally fascinating and stimulating.”
One reader of Finding
New England's Shipwrecks and Treasures remarked, “This is an excellent short book on shipwrecks off
the New England coast. Enchanting lore, interesting history and stories of modern day treasure hunters and pirates. Author
has series of 20 plus books on New England history covering range of subjects. Great to read while on summer vacation or travelling
through old New England.”
According to the
book description of New England's Pirates and Lost Treasures, “Pay for the average seaman
in the English Navy was poor, as was the food on naval ships. Sailors preferred shipping out on fishing boats, merchant ships,
and privateers. Except for privateering a seaman had no opportunity to make himself a small fortune-whereas in pirating a
mariner might retire in comfort after a couple of years at sea. This book is about the pirates of New England.”
According to the
book description of Naughty Navy, “In the late 1600’s, New England boasted of having
some 500 vessels occupied in slave trading. About the same time, the treacherous pirate Blackbeard chose Rhode Island as one
of his final ports-of-call. Trafficking with the West Indies lead to the Navigation Acts on American merchants and seamen,
and eventually lead to the "spirit of freedom." And a few merchant seamen in little cargo ships take on the British
Navy, the greatest navy in the world, over a little tax on stamps and tea? You’ve got to be kidding!”
According to the
book description of Things That Go Bump in the Night, “A collection of true stories of strange
incidents and bizarre encounters in New England that will beckon you to explore the depths of the unknown and the supernatural.
If you’re prone to witches, vampires, and werewolves, this book will let you know where they hang out.”
One reader of Things
That Go Bump in the Night, “This book takes a somewhat sober and non-sensationalized look at ghost and
ghoul stories and legends of New England mostly centered in the Salem, Mass. area. There are two types of stories: old historical
legends, featuring a lot of background research included going as far back as the 1600's; and newer 20th century stories
in which the actual participants are interviewed first hand. Gives actual names and places of the people involved in the stories.
The older stories are not the average historical information you've read a thousand times over in other Salem witch and
ghost stories. Not being an afficianado on New England haunts, it was refreshing and something different to read. New Englanders
may know some of these stories, but they were new to me, and not to be found elsewhere in any other ghost books in my collection.
Some of these stories might be a bit frightening for small kids, and they will probably frighten most adults who are alone
on a 'dark stormy night'. Buy the book, it is worth it!”
One reader of Lighthouse Mysteries of the
North Atlantic said, “I'm not from the East Coast, but I absolutely loved this book. The
book gathers together some of the most fascinating and unusual stories about the lighthouses of the North Atlantic, and then
tells them in such an engaging way that I'm still thinking about many of the things I read in here, several years after
reading them. From the viciousness of the early wreckers who would kill any survivors of shipwrecks and then take their belongings,
to the insanely epic hurricane of 1938 that washed ships into trains, this book's every tale will hold your attention
for certain. Buy it, read it, and let it haunt you. If only all regional histories were this fascinating,
or this well-written, surely Utopia wouldn't be far behind.”
According to the book description of Cape
Cod's Secret, “When Helen Waters is invited to spend the weekend
on Cape Cod by her friend, State Archeologist Joe Sennot, and see first-hand a search for lost pirate treasure, she cannot
pass it up. Here, she thinks is a chance to be with Joe, relax, and perhaps do a little scuba diving, something she used to
do occasionally as a police officer with the Salem Police Department.
However, when a beachcomber’s death is ruled
accidental, Helen, who along with Joe had seen the man just before his death, suspects otherwise. Likewise, when a diver from
a claim bordering Barry Clifford’s dies and his death is also ruled accidental, Helen’s suspicions deepen.
Soon she is embroiled in events that very nearly cost
her and Joe their lives. She also finds herself attracted to one of Barry Clifford’s divers, a giant man with an intriguing
past who seems to offer more than just a future of tranquility and security. As Helen struggles with what the two mysterious
deaths signify, she also struggles with the feelings in her heart and her loyalty to Joe. Cape Cod’s secret is an exciting
sequel to Salem’s Secret and casts Helen Waters into events that challenger her intellectually and physically and which
come close to overwhelming her.”
One reader of Ancient Mysteries
said, “For many years people ignored Viking Sagas claiming visits to North America. That was a mistake as would be ignoring
the many finds reviewed in this short yet fascinating book. Ancient coins, a Celtic sword, Iberic inscriptions
and the famous Dighton Rock, artifacts like the "Roman Head," a sculptured head found in Essex. Cahill's surveys
the region's vast collection of stone chambers, temples and dolmens. He notes that Native American accounts verify the
existence of some stone formations, but don't seem to claim to be their designers. Mystery Hill in
North Salem New Hampshire which is a collection of stone structures that has fascinated people for centuries. Evidence that
indicates that the site is pre-Columbus is compelling. Perhaps it's time for archaeologists to reexamine this site. It's
bizarre for such a site to be ignored when it could decide once and for all the prehistory of North America.”
According to the book description of
New England's Strange Sea Sagas, “Stories about New England Seamen-the brave and the cowardly,
the indolent and industrious-and the ships in which they sailed. True sagas about the improbable, unusual and sometimes seemingly
impossible.”
According to one reader of New
England's Ghostly Haunts, “I found a copy of Robert Cahill's "Haunted Happenings" and
liked it so much I searched for another of his books. I found this one and devoured it in one sitting. This book predates
the above-mentioned work by nine years and the difference is amazing. This book is indeed fun and enjoyable but it is nowhere
near as good as "Haunted Happenings". The stories are not as in-depth or as well researched. This book is also not
nearly as well written.
Cahill by the way is a former sheriff
in the line of Salem sheriffs that have fallen victim to the curse of Giles Corey and seems to have fallen into writing books
after being forced to retire early. Like all the sheriffs before him he had heart and blood problems. I guess if anyone should
know about ghosts it would be him.
This book covers ghosts in Marblehead,
Machiasport, Maine, Dudleytown, Connecticut, and also some maritime events like the Mary Celeste mystery. Oddly enough the
Celeste was first named the Amazon. Of course there are also several of Salem's ghosts which make it into the text. Overall
very enjoyable but also very short and without enough detail. Still, the beginnings of a very good writing style show through
and this is a good book to pick up before touring New England. Probably about three and a half stars but I rounded up.”
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