Ghosts and Legends - The Third Eye Man of USC

There is a Legend that surrounds The University ofthat they "eye" was not a large eye, but an eye all the
South Carolina. Some call it a ghost story, while otherssame. The policeman ran from the scene and called
think that it is something else. The "it" I am referring tofor back up.  
is the "Third Eye Man". The first reported sighting wasIt is told that the policeman was in hysterics and when
in 1949 on campus grounds. School records at thehis back up arrived, there was no sign of the third eye
university state that a strange man dressed in all silverman. He had a hard time convincing his friends of what
was witnessed by two students opening a man holehe had seen. People thought that maybe this freaky
cover and crawling inside, pulling the cover back overencounter would be the last of the third eye man, but
the opening and disappearing into the sewers. One ofthey were wrong.In the late 1960's, the underground
the students who witnessed this strange occurrencetunnels or commonly referred to as "the catacombs"
was named Christopher Nichols and wrote for thebeneath the University, became a popular place to
Gamecock.frequent for students.
He wrote about what he had dubbed as the "sewerThese tunnels connect most of the University. One
man" and word began to spread around campus.night in early October, a fraternity took a few pledges
After a few weeks, the initial hype of the sewer mandown to the catacombs.. They entered the tunnels and
had faded.About six months later, in 1950,  Aas they rounded the first corner, they were met by a
University Police officer was patrolling when he"crippled looking man dressed all in silver" (according to
stumbled across two mutilated chickens. It waspolice reports). The man charged at the students
reported that feathers and chicken parts werewielding a pipe, and it didn't take long for the students
scattered all over the loading dock of Longstreetto realize that this was not a joke. One of the pledges
theatre. The officer's first instinct told him that this waswas forced to the ground by the creature, and was
some sort of twisted college prank. He walked backreported to suffer "minor cuts and minor shock."
to his vehicle to report the findings.Two of the students went to the police and later that
After making a call into headquarters, he returned tonight the first "third eye man-hunt" began. The police
the scene and was shocked to discover a silver mansearched for hours, but the hunt was to no avail. As a
keeled down over the mutilated chickens. Heprecaution, the police sealed off the entrances to the
immediately shined his flashlight onto the figure which intunnels anyway.It is said that University maintenance
turn looked up at him. What the officer saw horrifiedworkers even today, will not venture into the tunnels
him. Staring back at him was what was described asunless it is absolutely necessary and will not go alone.
a grotesque, oddly colored face with what the officerIs the third eye man a ghost? Or is it something else
said was a third eye on it's forehead. It was statedpossibly even more frightening? We may never know.