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Murders, ghosts and more: New York’s landmark Kreischer Mansion has a haunted past – and present

Posted on by Larry
Murders, ghosts and more: New York’s landmark Kreischer Mansion has a haunted past – and present

In the forgotten district, ghosts remember this place.

Kreischer Mansion in Charleston has a haunted past — and present, with employees hearing cries and furniture moving — and even seeing faces in photos they take of the historic home.

In 2005 it was also the scene of the mafia murder of an associate of the Bonanno crime family, Robert McKelveywho was stabbed there by mafia hitman Joseph Young, who was then working as a caretaker at the mansion.

Kreischer Mansion in Charleston, Staten Island is buzzing with alien activity, including moving furniture and howling sounds. AP

“Then they cut up his body and burned him in the oven,” said current caretaker Rick Rispoli, 63, who now organizes haunted house and Halloween events there.

The gabled mansion on Arthur Kill Road was built around 1885 by German brick magnate Balthasar Kreischer, who built twin houses for his sons, Charles and Edward.

One burned down, but Charles’ still stands on 11 acres.

In 1894, Edward was found dead behind his father’s brick factory across the street.

His widow, Frieda, is said to haunt the house.

“They don’t know if (Edward) was murdered or committed suicide, so Charles takes him to his house and holds séances to communicate with him,” Rispoli said. “The story goes that he opened all these portals and never knew how to close them, and that’s why the house is haunted.

People have taken photos of the mansion, where apparitions can be seen in the windows. Thanks to Rick Rispoli

“A few times when I was in the basement, I heard a woman upstairs wailing and crying, and we think it’s Edward’s wife,” he said.

“We are all on the first floor and suddenly we hear furniture moving upstairs. I saw a black shadow coming down the stairs.’

Apparitions have also been seen in the windows, which can be seen in photographs taken of the mansion.

Rick Rispoli, now the caretaker of the mansion, has heard a woman, believed to be Edward’s widow, wailing from upstairs. Michael Nagel

“There was a photographer walking around taking pictures. . . and she was given a full-body appearance that looked exactly like Balthasar Kreischer and a woman sitting next to him with a big bonnet on,” he related.

“And my business partner’s father took a picture of the mansion and we had seven faces in seven windows.”

The sprawling property was granted city landmark status in 1968 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.