Buzz
Scarecrows undeniably carry an eerie vibe. They symbolize the conclusion of the harvest season and the fading vitality of the land, often serving as central figures in numerous chilling tales.
Although scarecrows are rarely seen in their traditional form today, they were once widespread across Europe, Australia, and the United States. Back then, these human-like figures were so lifelike that they could easily be mistaken for living people—or, in many cases, the recently deceased.
10. Swaying in the Wind
In 1916, Albert Engel crafted an incredibly realistic scarecrow in Wisconsin. His neighbors were so amazed by its lifelike appearance that they visited his home to learn his secret. Surprisingly, his family informed them that Albert hadn’t been home for several days. Though disappointed, the neighbors left, but news of the strikingly lifelike scarecrow dangling from a tree in the cornfield quickly spread.
The following morning, a different neighbor rode past the cornfield and decided to inspect the scarecrow everyone had been discussing. As he approached the hanging figure, he sensed something was amiss. The scarecrow, wearing a wide-brimmed hat that hid its face, revealed upon closer inspection that it was actually Albert Engel himself.
Authorities were summoned, and Albert’s death was determined to be a suicide. He had kept his hat on while hanging from the tree, leading many who passed by to mistake his body for an ordinary scarecrow meant to deter birds.
9. Cast into the Flames
Field clearing is exhausting and repetitive labor. In 1953, a crew of workers in Llangain, Wales, were tidying up a field, collecting debris and throwing it into a bonfire.
At one point, they stumbled upon an old scarecrow hidden in the undergrowth. They pulled it out and tossed it into the fire along with the other rubbish. However, as the scarecrow’s ragged clothes burned away, some of the workers noticed bones beneath. Shaken from their monotonous task, they returned to the spot where the scarecrow had been found and uncovered a skull and a pair of false teeth.
Although the dry, burning bones could not be saved, authorities managed to identify the remains using the dentures. They belonged to Ethel Winifred Collins, a 66-year-old woman who had been missing for several months.
8. Smashed and Torn to Pieces
Some individuals are better suited to living in remote areas, while others are simply too volatile to coexist with neighbors. Take Mary Haman from California, for example, who couldn’t stand the sight of her neighbor, Luigi Lugo.
Whether it was his actions, his demeanor, or something entirely beyond his control, we’ll never know. But the sight of Luigi’s face enraged Mary so much that when he erected a scarecrow in 1911 that bore an uncanny resemblance to him, she completely lost her composure. She marched over to his property, seized the scarecrow, and proceeded to “smash its head, decapitate it, and tear it apart limb by limb.”
The unfortunate scarecrow was left in pieces, and Mary was subsequently arrested for assault.
When Mary stood before the judge, the decision was made to release her. The incident was deemed a “victimless crime,” but it leaves us wondering whether Mary and Luigi ever reconciled or continued to engage in petty feuds for the rest of their lives.
7. An Entire Regiment Almost Led to Their Doom
In 1914, during the early stages of World War I, the French forces were on the move, as was the nearby Baden Regiment. The French knew they had to act swiftly to ensure their survival.
Taking advantage of the dense fog, the French soldiers hurried into a nearby field. Using sticks and other debris, they crafted scarecrows that, when viewed from a distance in the mist, resembled vulnerable soldiers. They placed their caps on the makeshift figures and hid nearby, preparing to ambush the enemy.
A small group of French soldiers was sent ahead to lure the German troops into the field. Upon spotting the scarecrow-like figures, the Germans launched their attack.
Once the Germans were fully ensnared in the trap, gunfire erupted from three directions. More than 100 soldiers from the Baden Regiment lost their lives. As the war progressed, scarecrows and trench dummies became increasingly popular as decoys to deceive enemy troops.
6. A Sacrifice to the River
In 1903, B.C. Rogers and his wife were returning home in their horse-drawn buggy on a Sunday afternoon when they noticed a boy and a woman standing by the riverbank. To their utter shock, they witnessed the boy lift the woman and hurl her into the raging waters.
Struggling to comprehend what he had just seen, Mr. Rogers halted his horses and rushed to the water’s edge. He searched for the woman but found no sign of her. When he glanced up, he saw the boy sprint away and disappear into the Vermont landscape.
Determined to take action, Rogers hurried to the nearest village and returned with two men to assist in locating the woman’s body. Despite their efforts, no trace of her was ever found.
Rogers eventually made his way back to the buggy, took hold of the reins, and drove to the nearest farm on the opposite side of the river. There, he spoke with the farmer and soon learned that the farmer’s grandson had taken an old scarecrow to the riverbank and thrown it into the water.
5. The Remarkable Rescue
According to a 1940 article in a Perth newspaper, two men were walking through a Sussex meadow one evening when they reached a wooden bridge spanning a stream. As they began to cross, they were horrified to see a body floating beneath them.
Though likely stunned by the sight, the men didn’t hesitate to act. They quickly stepped off the bridge, rushed to the riverbank, and removed their shoes and socks. Together, they waded into the water and managed to grab hold of the body.
After pulling the body to the shore, they lifted it onto the bank. In the darkness, they realized the “victim” was no ordinary person—they had rescued a scarecrow that had somehow ended up in the stream, possibly as a prank or a means of disposal.
4. A Case of Mistaken Identity
In 1909, Maud Heufnagle and her friend were crossing a Pennsylvania cornfield on their way to church one Sunday morning when Maud noticed something lying on the ground.
“Look,” she remarked, “someone has knocked over Papa’s scarecrow.” Maud approached to set it upright, but as she got closer, she let out a scream and collapsed. Her friend rushed over and realized the scarecrow was, in fact, the dismembered body of Maud’s father.
Charles Heufnagle had been walking home through the cornfield when he was ambushed. Investigators concluded that a violent struggle had taken place between Charles and his assailants. Despite his efforts, Charles was overpowered, and his body was brutally disfigured.
The attackers had stolen all the farmer’s money and important documents from his pockets. The crime was a savage robbery, but the shocking nature of the incident made headlines in newspapers nationwide.
3. The Wife as a Substitute
Female scarecrows were rare in recent history, but in the early 1900s, there were disturbing accounts of real women being used as scarecrows. For instance, a 1906 newspaper article circulated across the United States, detailing how Eugene Plozy, a frugal Hungarian farmer, repurposed his deceased wife’s body by placing it in his orchard to deter birds from his fruit trees.
Similarly, in 1910 Amsterdam, it was reported that a farmer’s wife had died. Although the marriage seemed harmonious, the farmer allegedly valued his crops more than his spouse. After her death, he dressed her body in one of his old suits and positioned it in his orchard to frighten away birds.
Two days later, neighbors noticed the scarecrow-like figure and alerted the authorities. However, by the time officials arrived, the farmer had removed his wife’s body, leaving no trace of her.
2. The Remains of the Missing
In the early 1900s, Australia seemed to have scarecrows dangling from trees everywhere, yet few paid attention until they discovered these figures were actually the remains of unfortunate individuals.
In 1924, a boy looking for his cattle near Smithfield, New South Wales, stumbled upon what he believed was a scarecrow hanging from a fig tree. He informed his father, who, sensing something amiss, alerted the police. Upon returning to the site, they discovered the hanging body of 54-year-old Charles Valentine Lamb.
Similarly, in 1935, boys in Clontarf, Queensland, reported seeing a scarecrow hanging from a fig tree. Days later, a man investigated the figure and realized it was the body of a suicide victim. Authorities were notified, and the remains were taken to the morgue.
1. Just a Stone’s Throw Away
Any calm body of water combined with a pile of stones is sure to attract children eager to toss them in. Add a target, and they’ll be entertained for hours.
In 1908, a similar incident occurred at the Beaufort reservoir in Victoria. Around 4:00 PM, a group of boys were tossing stones into the water, using a floating coat and hat as their target for nearly two hours.
The boys assumed they were aiming at an abandoned scarecrow until one of them decided to investigate. That’s when they uncovered the body of John Cuthbertson.
During the inquest, it was suggested that John may have drowned intentionally. A retired engineer, he had previously expressed a desire to end his life. While no further details were provided about the boys, it’s easy to imagine the discovery made them reconsider throwing stones at anything resembling a human figure.
