M.A.P.I. Lizzie Borden B&B Investigation

Transcription

1 M.A.P.I. Lizzie Borden B&B Investigation Date of Investigation: 5-7 December 2008 Attendees: Lee Jaxon Jade Laura Janine Ali Saudade Richard Jane Heather Lily Special Guests: Tiffany Johnson Rachel Matt Moniz Location: 92 Second Street, Fall River, MA History: The Lizzie Borden B&B is the site of one of the most infamous murder cases of the 1800s. 1

2 On the morning of August 4, 1892, Borden's father, Andrew Jackson Borden (age 70), and her stepmother, Abby Durfee Borden (age 65), were murdered in the family home. The only other people present at the residence at the time were Lizzie and the family maid, Bridget Sullivan. Emma Borden, Lizzie's sister, was away from home. 2

3 The Borden sisters' uncle, John Vinnicum Morse, brother of Andrew Borden's first wife, was visiting at the time, but was also away from the house during the time of the murders. That day, Andrew Borden had gone into town to do his usual rounds at the bank and post office. He returned home at about 10:45 a.m. About a half-hour later, Lizzie Borden found his body. According to Sullivan's testimony, she was lying down in her room on the third floor of the house shortly after 11:00 a.m. when she heard Lizzie call to her, saying someone had killed her father, whose body was found slumped on a couch in the downstairs sitting room. Andrew Borden's face was turned to the right hand side, apparently at ease as if he were asleep. Shortly thereafter, while Lizzie Borden was being tended by neighbors and the family doctor, Sullivan discovered the body of Mrs. Borden upstairs in the guest bedroom. Mr. and Mrs. Borden had both been killed by blows from a hatchet (11 for Andrew and 19 for Abby), which in the case of Andrew Borden, not only crushed his skull but cleanly split his left eyeball. 3

4 Seven days later, Lizzie was arrested. It seemed she couldn t keep her story straight, and she seemed to be acting strangely. Ten months later, her 14 day trial began in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She was defended by the former governor of Massachusetts. One of the prosecutors would go on to become U.S. Attorney General. But, since no blood-soaked clothing was ever found (could she have burned it?) and no blood-soaked hatchet was found (could she have cleaned it?) it took less than an hour and a half for the jury to deliberate and find her not guilty. The case resulted in the now famous childhood rhyme: Lizzie Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks. And when she saw what she had done She gave her father forty-one. Five weeks later Lizzie and Emma moved out of the Borden family home and into a fashionable home later dubbed Maplecroft. In 1897 came Lizzie s second brush with the law when she was accused of stealing a pair of paintings a matter that was handled privately. From there, the two lived on in relative obscurity. Lizzie died on June 1, 1927, from a long illness that followed complications from a gall bladder operation. Emma died 9 days later from a fall at her house in Newmarket, a house that she bought and moved to shortly after a dispute with Lizzie. They were both buried in the family plot along with their sister, mother, and stepmother. The home at 92 Second Street opened in 1996 as a Bed & Breakfast. It has since changed hands coming under the management of new owners, Lee-ann Wilbur and Donald Woods. The two have been bringing their own touches to the business. They have staged reenactments on the anniversary of the murders for guests to walk through. They have brought in psychics to perform readings and a local author to sign copies of his Lizzie Borden book. They have also started candle-lit tours of the home for further atmosphere. They are also taking great strides in further setting the Borden House back to a state of how it appeared in In the time since the murders, the Borden's barn was knocked down and a print shop was built to wrap around the home. Wilbur and Woods have demolished the print shop and built a replica of the barn so that the house will appear as it once did on that 4

5 August morning. They also constructed a parking lot behind the house to make visits more convenient for guests and visitors. With help from crime scene photos, the new owners are also re-upholstering some of the re-created furniture to make it further match the historical pieces they represent. They have been continuing to purchase actual Borden artifacts for the B&B's collection as well. Hauntings: There have been more than a few sightings of possible supernatural events in the house since the murders. Stories range from ghostly lights appearing in photos, to a maid seeing a depression in the shape of a body appear in the blankets atop the bed in the room where Abby Borden was murdered. There is another odd, if not supernatural story. The first family to own the house after the Bordens had both of the children born, years apart, on the anniversary of the murders. People have said that they have seen the spirit of what could possibly be the housekeeper. Her name was Bridget Sullivan. This female figure attached herself to the man that was investigating the house. He had the feeling that somebody was always right next to him and continually followed him around the house. He actually felt as though someone had touched him. Once he saw a picture of the housekeeper he realized it was not the housekeeper that was following him, it was Emma. There is also a spirit of a black cat. Abby Borden loved cats and had a favorite cat that was black. The story surrounding the cat is that Lizzie killed Abby Borden's cat in the basement of the house. There are two other spirits in the house, a boy and a girl. The ages of the children were about five to eight years old. It is said that a family that lived next door to the Lizzie Borden house had children and that Mrs. Kelly was actually mentally disturbed and had drowned both of her children before Abby and Andrew were murdered. The Kelly home and the Lizzie Borden home are the only two regional houses on the street. There is however two other children that play in the house with the Kelly children, but no one knows who they are or where they came from. Further investigation of the surroundings and the neighborhood may prove where the other two children come from, but until then nobody will ever know for sure who the two unidentified children are or why they are at the house. Abby Borden is seen in the house from time to time, but Andrew makes his presence known all the time. It is said that Andrew does not appreciate how people come into his home and mock him. The couple staying in the John Morse room that were doing the investigation were the only ones in the house, but heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Upon investigating, they found that there was nobody there. It was probably Andrew Borden walking the steps as he did many times. It is said that the presence of Lizzie Borden is felt from time to time, but no one has actual proof that it is her. She is usually only seen for a split second. 5

6 Itinerary: Day 1 We took a road tour of Borden family points of interest in the Fall River. Oak Grove Cemetery History: Oak Grove Cemetery has the Borden family plot where Lizzie Borden is buried. Emma, Andrew and Abby, as well as Andrew's first wife and a third daughter who died in infancy, are interred there as well. How to get there: 765 Prospect St, Fall River, MA Maplecroft House Maplecroft #7 French Street (now 306) in Fall River. History: Maplecroft is the home that Lizzie always wanted and was finally able to have once she was acquitted of the murders and gained her inheritance. Lizzie and Emma lived there together for a time after the murders. Lizzie resided there until the time of her death. Emma moved out suddenly, under mysterious circumstances, decades prior to her and Lizzie's deaths. 6

7 We checked in at the B&B mid-afternoon. Later that evening Colleen Johnson gave us a tour of the house sharing stories of experiences people have had in the various rooms. Day 2 Matt Moniz took us on a road tour of the local area haunts: Shad Pond Factory History: A 19th Century Mill on the edge of Shad Pond in Rehoboth. The building once consisted of a one-story factory 40 by 80 feet for mules, an engine-house, a large storage building with capacity for storing 300 bales of cotton, an office and packing room, all substantial buildings of stone. It was equipped with first-class machinery, and under the efficient superintendence of Mr. G. C. Hutchins. This factory was burned on Wednesday morning, March 5, 1884, doubtless the work of an incendiary. The loss was estimated at $20,000, fully insured. Only the stone walls were left standing, and these ruins continued to stand through the years a somber blot on the landscape, until within the last few years, when most of the rubbish has been removed. Claims: Today the spirits of the people who died in the fire are still seen. Man cloaked in dark clothes appears and vanishes in the woods/strange white lights in the woods at night/people have had a strange sense of terror when they walk past the stone wall ruins like something doesn't want them there. A ghostly figure is reported to inhabit the area near the mill ruins. Some people have seen spirits in the ruins, heard screams coming from them and even seen the fire replay itself. People become overcome by feelings of sadness and have to leave. How to get there: The pond is on Reed Street in Rehoboth. To get to the ruins, you have to take the trail around the pond through the woods. tate=ma&address=reed+st Palmer River Cemetery Location: The Palmer River Churchyard Cemetery is located on Lake Street in Rehoboth. History: The Lake Cemetery is believed to have been located very close to this cemetery, if not on the same parcel. The cemetery was established with, or just before, the formation of the second Church of Rehoboth. Claims: Hear and sometimes see a little boy in 19 th Century clothing. A few people have heard this boy crying for help. Lot of EVPs and apparitions are seen. People claim to have seen the 7

8 ghost of a small, grotesque child. The boy would appear and disappear at different spots in the cemetery. The witnesses said the boy stared at them coldly. One woman said she encountered the ghostly boy while doing historic gravestone rubbings at Palmer River Burial Ground. A few days later, while she was doing more grave rubbings at Mayflower Hill Cemetery in Taunton, the woman saw the same ghostly child. Several witnesses who told him they saw a ghostly young boy with a deformed leg at the ancient burial ground. Rehoboth Route 44 Claims: Haunted by a red-headed hitchhiker who terrorizes motorists who drive by on dark, lonely nights. He has been known to do frightening acts. Descriptions of the ghost and the encounters seem to follow the same basic pattern. The driver is driving along Route 44 at night, usually near the Seekonk-Rehoboth, Massachusetts line, when they encounter a well built man between the ages of thirty-five and fifty-five. He has red hair and usually a beard and is dressed in a red flannel shirt with either jeans or brown work pants and work boots. Sometimes he is well kept, but other times he appears disheveled with an overgrown beard, dirty pants and an untucked shirt. Most times he appears solid to the drivers but not quite all there and there is a rare report of him seeming transparent throughout the entire encounter. The biggest discrepancy in the physical description of the hitchhiker is with his eyes. Some say they look normal but just don t feel right. Some say they are black and empty, others glowing and lifeless. Every color has been attributed to them at one time or another, from yellow and red to green and it is this inconsistency which adds fuel to the skeptic s argument against the existence of a genuine spirit. Several employees of the Cumberland farms spoke of the spirit. They had not seen it themselves, but had heard of the ghost. One s brother had been driving alone when he saw him on the side of the road. He stopped and called out to the man who started to walk towards him. As he got closer, he faded until he had completely disappeared. One told of the hitchhiker appearing in the backseat of his car. He was alone and saw him in the rear view mirror. The radio started to scan the stations and then became so loud it shook the car. The man disappeared and began to laugh on the radio. A woman resident of Rehoboth had seen a shadow in her rear view mirror near the area the hitchhiker is known to lurk. She had conducted interviews herself with people in the area. Her research found the identity of the spirit might be that of a local farmer who was hit while changing a tire on 44. His description matches that of the hitchhiker, although his actions during his death do not match traditional hitchhiker stories. She also identified another aspect of the story might contributes to the legend aspect of the story. Some people remember a ghost story involving a traveler seen on the road between Redway Plain and Wilmarth Bridge Road. The name of the street may have helped change the description of the ghost over time, creating the legend that endures today. 8

9 Anawan Rock Location: Winthrop Street (Route 44) about 1 1/2 miles east of Anawan Street (Route 118). History: Captain Benjamin Church captured Chief Anawan, a Wampanoag sachem and advisor to King Philip, at Anawan Rock in August This action ended the King Philip's War in southeastern Massachusetts. Anawan, along with his remaining warriors, fled to this location at the edge of Squanakonk Swamp to hide from the English troops that were searching the woods of southeastern Massachusetts for any remaining Indian resistance. Church, a famous Indian fighter, received word from an Indian informant that Anawan was hiding in the north end of Squanakonk Swamp. After a difficult march to the site (Route 44 did not exist at the time), Church and his company surprised Anawan, who surrendered without a fight. Anawan was taken to Plymouth. Despite the protest of Captain Church, who had given Anawan a promise of safe conduct at his surrender, the authorities there beheaded him. Claims: Witnesses have reported disembodied voices speaking in unknown languages and various apparitions. Fires can be seen burning on the rock at the top. Indian voices are often heard shouting. We returned to the B&B just after dark. Lee rounded up everyone and we had a Frank s Box session before breaking up into our three groups. Frank s Box "Frank's Box" is a controversial new tool within the paranormal field. Developed by a man named Frank Sumption, this box is also known as the "Telephone to the Dead," a device that can allegedly communicate with the other side. Frank Sumption created the device as a means of communicating with higher-level spirits such as angels and spirit guides. But the device is being tested by paranormal investigators around the world and is creating a buzz within the paranormal community. Frank's Box scans AM and FM frequencies in a continuous fashion, creating white noise, which people believe spirits can use to communicate with. The box is said to be interactive because you can ask questions directly to the spirits and receive replies from them 9

10 as you are talking. Frank Sumption made the box using radio, electric and computer components. He made the first box in 2002, after being prompted to do so from the spirit world. At the time, he made less than 3 dozen, and eventually gave a few of them out to selective participants so that they could test them out for themselves to see if the boxes could be used to communicate with spirits from the other side. The box entered national mainstream when it was featured on an episode of "Paranormal State" when Christopher Moon appeared and used what he termed "the telephone to the dead." Frank Sumption had given Mr. Moon one of his devices to test out, and since then Mr. Moon has begun charging clients who want to communicate with passed-over relatives and other spirits, using his telephone to the dead. Rumors have it that Frank Sumption does not agree with Mr. Moon's practices of charging people while using his creation, and that it was never intended for such use. After word got out about the Frank's Box, people began to do their own experiments and there are quite a few variations on the original device, including the Radio Shack Hack, which is made by altering an AM/FM radio by cutting the mute pin on the radio, so it continuously scans the radio frequencies. Those who have tested this method and other similar methods, say that they have gotten results that are comparable to the original Frank's Box. My Experiences: The chair moving from the most far left corner to the middle of the room directly in front of the door in Brigitte s bedroom. In the Andrew Jenning s room, the K2s lighting up in succession at the end of the bed in the as though something had run across the foot of the bed the ghost cat perhaps? The closet door in the Hosea Knowlten room opening by itself even though it had been latched. 10

11 While sitting in the room the father was murdered in, hearing hushed, yet distressed female voices coming from upstairs above the parlor area. Considering the ghastly murders that occurred in the home, I was sort of surprised by the energy of the place. I expected it to feel much worse than it actually did. I felt very relaxed in the front parlor. I did feel a little claustrophobic on the 2nd floor and on the 3rd floor I felt as though I were being watched. References:

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