Chicago’s Night Hag: The Ghost of Martha Perteet

From Southern Ghost Stories by Southern Ghost Stories

May 8, 2026 · 18 min

About this episode

The episode explores the disturbing murder of Martha Perteet by her husband Andrew and the ghostly tales that followed in 1870s Chicago.

Tdoay on Southern Ghost Stories, Allen Sircy heads to 1870s Chicago to tell the story of Andrew Perteet—a man whose life unraveled through injury, alcoholism, and violence before ending in one of the city’s most disturbing murders. After Perteet killed his wife Martha in a brutal attack, the case led to a public execution, strange sightings around Polk Street, and rumors of a ghostly woman known as “The Night Hag.” The episode digs into the crime, the trial, the execution, and the one of the wildest Chicago stories that followed. Be sure to like, subscribe and leave a review! Check out Allen's books on Amazon! https://amzn.to/3HEf2u9 Got a question or comment? Hit us up on our socials! Instagram https://www.instagram.com/southernghoststories/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/southernghoststoriesonline Follow Allen on X https://x.com/ATOAllen Use code SAVE10 for 10% off your order over at https:// monstercitymadhouse.com

People in this episode

Host: Allen Sircy

Topics covered

true crime
ghost stories
historical events
murder
executions
Chicago history

Keywords

Martha Perteet
Andrew Perteet
Chicago
Night Hag
murder
ghost stories
public execution
Polk Street

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Chicago’s Night Hag: The Ghost of Martha Perteet

Places: Chicago, Polk Street