It was a balmy, very breezy full-moon Halloween night in Fall River with lots of Lizzie afoot. The Eagle hosted a performance of Lizzie Borden Live and the old house on Second Street was hopping with trick or treaters and 12 guests on tour and having the annual Halloween seance at 10:30. Here’s some of the Halloween fun!
With the proliferation of Lizzies popping up at haunted hayrides, ghost tours and Halloween venues all over the country, Lizzie duds are in demand for the season. The same fashion ensemble used for the Living Dead Dolls series is now available up to a woman’s size 12 in a “dead ringer” three piece in black and scarlet, selling for $44.95.(hatchet not included).
Those leg o’ mutton sleeves are de rigeur of course, but the rest of the costume is easy to manage from your closet and tool bench, being a long skirt, boots and weapon-in-hand. Lizzie’s frizzie bangs and tight little bun complete the look, and perhaps a slightly crazed glint in the eye. Internet tips on Lizzie costuming urge red hair, but of course Lizzie was not a redhead- light brown hair is listed on her passport from 1890.
Don’t forget the costume contest Saturday night at the Eagle on North Main Street, a special feature of Lizzie Borden Live ! , the award-winning play starring Jill Dalton. First prize will be a night’s stay at the famous house on Second Street. Strap on your corset and come on down!
With Halloween fast approaching, a few fearless souls are looking for a frightful weekend getaway at a spooky location. The Travel Channel had placed the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast in the top 10 spookiest destinations 8 years ago at #1, even above the Winchester Mystery House. Lizzie’s place is still on the top ten list, at #1 along with #2. The Bell Witch Cave in Tennesee, #3 The Villisca Axe Murder House in Iowa, #4 The Stanley Hotel in Colorado, #5 Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Kentucky, #6 Sorrel Weed House, Savannah, Georgia, #7 Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California, #8 Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pa., #9 The Myrtles, Louisiana, #10 Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, Chicago. http://www.toptenz.net/10-creepy-places-in-america.php This Saturday 12 intrepid people will attempt to stay the night at Lizzie’s house. Rooms have been booked for months. October is second only to the murder anniversary month, August. Will the annual Halloween seance turn up any new clues?
Opening tomorrow:
October 28 Artists and Fall River Natives Jim Charette and Mark Delisle present Boneyard, a series of paintings, prints, photography, music, video and more inspired by Oak Grove Cemetery. The gallery opening will be from 6-9PM on Wednesday, 10/28 at the Cherry & Webb Gallery, 139 South Main Street. Jim and Mark grew up on opposite ends of Oak Grove and attribute the formation of their life-long friendship to their old “stomping grounds”. As such, this cemetery holds a special meaning to both Jim and Mark. Both artists have generously agreed to donate a portion of the profits from the sale of their artwork to the Friends of Oak Grove. Please mark your calendar and consider attending this event and support these two local artists.
Lizzie was acquitted in her own home town tonight at Superior Court in a repeat of the mock trial redux which was so well attended last month in New Bedford. Will she make it three in a row next month in Taunton when the excellent cast takes the stand again? Read all about tonight’s trial in the Herald News article by Debbie Allard with some superb photos by Jack Foley.http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x637610488/NOT-GUILTY-Lizzie-retrial-falls-in-line-with-history
Something to watch for- The Lizzie Borden Collection-coming soon. The site page is worth a visit to hear the great sound file and graphics. Visit the site at http://www.thelizziebordencollection.com/ Bloody Rare is a site specializing in fine rare books and original movie posters in horror, science fiction, fantasy, mystery and crime.
Even Lizzie’s late, lamented pets are in the spotlight for Halloween. Her three Boston Bull Terriers are the star attraction of the upcoming pet cemetery tour.
Thursday, Oct. 22
Haunted Pet Cemetery - The Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Dedham branch, at 55 Anna’s Place, is hosting a night of spooky tales on a stroll through the oldest section of its 100-year-old Pine Ridge Pet Cemetery – home of the dogs owned by the notorious Lizzie Borden – on Thursday, Oct. 22, Friday Oct. 23 and Saturday Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. each night. The cost is $10 per person (includes complimentary cider or cocoa). Information: 781-326-0729
(photo credit) CELIA FRANK/For Shorelines
Susan Roche (left) plays Emma Borden and Karen Garrett is Lizzie Borden in “After the Murders: The Quest of Lizzie Borden,” which will open Friday at Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre.
Lizzie’s on stage again -this time in a mystery drama by Fernandina Beach playwright Richard Wolf entitled “After the Murders: The Quest of Lizzie Borden”.
To read more about the new production which is set in the interval after the acquittal, visit this link http://jacksonville.com/community/shorelines/2009-10-21/story/abet_production_goes_after_the_murders_in_lizzie_borden_case
“After the Murders: The Quest of Lizzie Borden” will be performed Friday-Sunday, Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 6-7 at the Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre. Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. The theater is in the Adele Grage Cultural Center, 716 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach. Tickets are $15, $12 for seniors, students and military. For reservations, call 249-7177 or visit www.abettheatre.com.
Got Ghost in the parlor?
There were some interesting online comments today as a result of an article posted in the Fall River Herald News- article and comments at this link http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x536357278/Medium-Lizzie-did-it
The popular Lizzie series at BCC featured a Canadian psychic last night, Kim Dennis, who claims to have channeled Lizzie in her livingroom. Nothing is hotter than the paranormal at the moment-both at the Borden Bed and Breakfast and as a popular culture phenomenon. TV is full of it, magazines and best-sellers are doing a brisk trade, and mediums, ghostbusters and psychics are riding the wave.
Ms. Dennis reveals nothing which others have not thought of before. Nearly every possible scenario has been well-imagined over the years since the famous murders: motive, method, weapon, accomplices, etc. There is an abundance of information online and in print about every detail of the crime scene and the principal players as well as a goodly number of who-dunnit theory books. Messages from the Great Beyond have been leaking through the ether since 1893 when a Ouija board was employed to seek out the answers to the Borden mystery.
What is interesting to read are the comments following the article. Is the public saturated with Lizzie Borden- or is it just Fall Riverites? It has surely been a Lizzie summer and autumn, with no end in sight. Whether a believer in the paranormal, or an avid scholar of the case, there’s no getting away from the fact that Lizzie will not be going away anytime soon-a haunting of sorts.
Today's Lizzie Inquest Quote:
"Q. My question is when he (Uncle John Morse)came there.
A. I don't know. I was not home when he came. I was out.
Q. When did you first see him there?
A. I did not see him at all.
Q. How did you know he was there?
A. I heard his voice.
Q. You did not see him Wednesday evening?
A. I did not. I was out Wednesday evening.
Q. You did not see him Thursday morning?
A. I did not. He was out when I came downstairs.
Q. When was the first time you saw him?
A. Thursday noon.
Q. You had never seen him before that?
A. No sir.
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