The Sultan

There have been few more grisly affairs in New Orleans than that of the Sultan. Nobody really knows if he was a Sultan, a Sultan’s brother, or just some Turkish dude with a lot of money. (For that matter, the lack of firm details lead many to assume the tale is nothing more than a legend. But it is an interesting story, so I include it.)

This mysterious figure rented the Gardette-Laprete mansion at 716 Dauphine, sometime in the mid to late 1800’s.

The accounts say he moved in with a full harem, and scimitar-wielding bodyguards, and then fairly immediately started partying. Dark curtains were hung over all the windows, but the sounds of revelry were constant.

Then one day it stopped. The mansion was silent, and the front gate was open. Drying blood was visible from the street. Inside, the police found a scene of unbelievable carnage. Bodies mangled and dismembered to the point where it was not possible to even get an accurate body count. One body though was recognizable, if somewhat hard to find. All that was visible of the body was a gloved hand sticking out of the earth in the courtyard. A bit of digging revealed the body of the Sultan–badly injured and then buried alive.

The crime is still unsolved. Maybe his wealth was stolen, and the rightful owners took revenge. Maybe someone just wanted his money. Maybe it had nothing to do with money, maybe he was ‘hiding’ from someone powerful and didn’t think they’d look for him In New Orleans.

The tour guides say sometimes you can still hear the screams when walking by the house at night, and sometimes the residents still see… disturbing things.
I say it is only a block from Bourbon street, and thus plenty of screams and disturbing sights