Mondo Lizzie Borden

For many years, I have collected images related to the Lizzie Borden story. Part of my collection consists of photos posted by individuals in various places, Photobucket.com, Flickr, and Google Images, just to name a few, that detail their stay at the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast.

When you see the photos as a series of those who assume the classic positions of the murder victims, you get a rather humorous take on the case.

I present for you now a grouping of the few, the brave, the not really dead, titled:

Assuming the Position at Lizzie Borden’s House

In a previous entry on Mondo Lizzie Borden, I recommended OTIS (Odd Things I’ve Seen) and his part one of a two part series about staying at the Lizzie Borden B&B. I hope you have read it as it is well worth the visit!

Part two has now been posted and you will enjoy this as much if not more than part one. Heck, read the whole blog. You’ll be happy that you did! This is a concept for a blog I wish I had thought of. Great work!

I give it my highest rating of 5 whacks!

DiscoveryTimes cable network will be showing Lizzie Borden Had an Axe tonight, Monday, November 26, at 8PM and 11PM EST. This is the latest documentary on the case, made for the Discovery Channel a few years ago in 2004. In it you will see Detective Tom Lange (of OJ Simpson fame) and professor of criminology Tom Mauriello spray Luminol around the murder house on 92 Second Street, looking for blood evidence. They do find some blood evidence on the ceiling under the sitting room where Andrew was murdered, which is very interesting, but in the same section of the show they claim that the luminol test also shows blood evidence around a bowl in the chimney (after how many people lived there since the murders in 1892??) that may or may not be original to the house when the Bordens owned it. My favorite part continues to be the dollhouse reconstruction of the crime, and I think this part works well to show in 3-D just how the crimes were committed.

The site for the show is still online and shows photos from the production.

In the interest of fair reporting, I appeared in the documentary as an expert on the case and assisted the production as a consultant. If you look real close at my neck in the shots of me you might see the welts that I had from a reaction to an antibiotic I was taking at the time. The turtleneck sweater almost covered up the marks!

A blogger with a site named OTIS (odd things I’ve Seen) is penning a two part missive on his stay at the Lizzie Borden B&B. What makes this contribution to the world of Lizzie different is that OTIS is well done. While the actual identity of the writer remains a mystery (he says his name is unimportant), his ruminations on oddities are well worth the read.

Part one has been posted for your reading pleasure and I suggest you give him a gander. And while you are there, check out his other essays, including Stephen King’s House, Stonehenge, and Centralia (the town that still burns in Pennsylvania). This site rankd high in the “I wish I’d thought of that” column.

Thanks to Ed Shands for the find!

Lee-Ann Wilbur, co-owner of the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast, appeared on the Montel Williams show to discuss her paranormal experiences with psychic Sylvia Browne. The show aired on Halloween, October 31, 2007. Her segment lasted a little over 7 minutes. Here it is in its entirety.

My friend Neilson Caplain passed away yesterday. Neilson was a great man and a wonderful conversationalist.

He was an author, historian, collector, preservationist, past President of the Fall River Historical Society, and a true gentleman. He wrote regularly for The Hatchet and loaned me many items related to the case and Fall River. He also wrote regularly for the now defunct Lizzie Borden Quarterly.

He will be tremendously missed.

Neil’s obituary appeared today in the Fall River Herald News.

Neilson Caplain
CAPLAIN, Neilson M., 96 years old of Fall River died on Thurs., Nov 15, 2007 at Sakonnet Bay Manor in Tiverton. He was the beloved husband of the late Hattie (Kossoi) Caplain.

Born in Jamaica, NY he was the son of the late Samuel Jacob and Nettie (Zoline) Caplain. A graduate of Erasmus High School in Brooklyn, NY he attended New York University and was the Founder and President of U.S. Ring Binder of New Bedford where he worked for 30 years.

He was a member of Temple Beth El of Fall River, a Trustee of Charlton Memorial Hospital, Founder of the Fall River Marine Museum, Worshipful Master of the Watuppa Masonic Lodge, a member of the American Philatelic Society and Past President of the Historical Society of Fall River.

Considered to be a Lizzie Borden Aficionado he was a contributing writer for the magazine called “The Hatchet”.

He leaves his two sons, Ronald and his wife Claire Caplain, and Scott and his wife Susan Caplain all of Fall River; as well as 6 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

A graveside service will take place today, Nov. 16, 2007 at 12 o’clock noon at Temple Beth El Cemetery, North Main St., Fall River. Relatives and friends are invited.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to: The Lown Foundation, 21 Longwood Ave., Brookline, MA 02446. Shiva will be observed at his late residence, today from 1-4 P.M. and Sun., 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. The family was assisted with arrangements by SUGARMAN-SINAI MEMORIAL CHAPEL.