Episode
Episode 174 Southern Asylums and the Spirits Within
- Podcast
- Southern Mysteries Podcast
- Published
- Oct 6, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 2119
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
Across the South, asylums were built with the promise of healing — but inside their walls, countless lives were marked by fear, neglect, and cruelty. In this episode of Southern Mysteries, explore the haunting history of institutions like Broughton Hospital, Cherry Hospital, Central State, and Bryce. From mysterious deaths and forced sterilizations to the tragedy of the Eller twins and the lifetime confinement of Junius Wilson, these are the real horrors that gave rise to Southern asylum ghost stories — and the suffering that still echoes through their halls. Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTikTok @southernmysteries Instagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: [email protected] Episode Sources Associated Press coverage, April 1962 — “Twin Sisters Die Together in Asylum.” Winston-Salem Journal, April 1962 (coverage of coroner Dr. John C. Reece’s statements). Morganton News Herald, April 1971 coverage of Dr. Paul Douglas Boyles and Betty Cheek Yarborough. Associated Press regional wire, April 14–15, 1971. Find a Grave – Betty Jo Eller & Bobbie Jean Eller memorials. Southern Spirit Guide: “Ill Defined and Unknown Cause of Morbidity and Mortality.” Asheville Terrors: “Broughton Hospital.” Schoen, Johanna. Choice and Coercion: Birth Control, Sterilization, and Abortion in Public Health and Welfare. University of Nor…