HAUNTED DOLLIES
I imagine by now everyone in the country knows the story of the Annabelle doll. You may have seen The Conjuring or Annabelle. In honor of Annabelle, I am passing along the story of a haunted doll that you, a horror fan, may or may not know of. The average person definitely doesn’t. Robert the Haunted Doll. I heard about this doll recently for the first time. He was compared to Chucky of Child’s Play by some fool. Robert is nothing like Chucky and far more frightening.
In the 1800s the Otto family moved into a mansion in Key West. They hired a Hatian woman to care for their young son, Robert. One day, this woman was discovered practicing black magic and was immediately fired. Before she left, she gave young Robert a life-like doll that was three feet tall and the image of him. Robert became fast friends with the doll whom he named Robert. Robert the Doll went on shopping trips and was invited to dinner by his master. He even shared his owner’s bed.
Eventually, the boy began demanding his parents call him by his middle name Gene. Gene was often heard talking to Robert in his room and answering himself in a different voice. Or was the doll actually answering him? A few months after he first received the doll, toys and household objects would come up broken. Gene’s behavior became increasingly strange. Eventually, the house servants began to claim they woke to the sound of a child’s footsteps or sometimes they heard odd humming and singing coming from the nursery when Gene was out and Robert the Doll was alone in there. All the servants were afraid of Robert the Doll and it’s said many quit because of him.
Eventually, Gene’s parents died and left him the home. He lived there with Robert the Doll for a few years until he met his wife. Gene’s wife didn’t like Robert the Doll any more than his parents or staff did. She was completely creeped out by him and put him up in the attic and out of her sight. Some stories claim Gene eventually moved Robert the Doll out of the attic and into a room of his own as Robert was angry at his crumby accommodations. Others claim Robert remained in the attic the rest of Gene’s life. Gene’s wife and the servants both claimed to have seen Robert run up and down the attic stairs and heard him singing. Mrs. Otto was said to have gone insane and died of unknown causes. Gene died in 1972.
The house stood empty for some time after Gene died. People passing on the street claimed they heard singing and some even said they saw Robert looking out the window at them. A new family did eventually purchase the mansion. This family had a little girl. Some accounts say Robert The Doll terrorized the little girl and attempted to kill her. Others say he was discovered by one of the new occupants at the end of their bed holding a knife and giggling. This supposedly made the family immediately flee.
Whenever the family moved, the mansion was converted into the Artist’s House which is a historic location. Robert the Doll was donated to The East Martello Museum nearby. Of course Robert the Doll was up to his old tricks in his new home. One employee claimed Robert followed her around all day. Robert was put into a plastic case at some point to prevent him from roaming around. Once a year, in October he is taken to the Historic Custom House where he is put on display. Peppermints are put into his case with him to keep him from running around at night. Apparently, Robert loves peppermints and each morning peppermint wrappers litter the bottom of his case.
It is said, if you make fun of him or take his picture without asking him first he will put a curse on you! Robert the Doll is still wearing one of Gene’s sailor suits and can be visited at the East Martello Museum in Key West , Florida. There you have it, kids! Do you believe the story of Robert the Doll or stories like it? Do you think maybe Gene was just nutty and those around him got caught up in the hysteria? Everyone involved is dead so all you can do is visit Robert for yourself. Would you spend the night with him in the museum to find out?
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more on Robert the Doll, you can listen to the Coast to Coast AM Radio Show in your area — they cover Robert frequently. In fact, the episode from October 24 was about Robert the Haunted Doll.
Find out more from the Key West Art & Historical Society!
http://youtu.be/WOwFQ9lkdjE
