"Mortal Remains"

RayS · Post by **RayS** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:56 pm

This book by Henry Scammell is about murders in Fall River about 30 years ago. I have never visited Fall River, and never will.
Is it worth reading about modern life there?

I prefer murder stories that have social significance. Like Marilyn Sheppard (I once worked with a guy who came from that area).

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:57 pm

I don't know about modern murders there.

There is an interesting film from the 1960's I think called Below the Hill.
Set in Fall River about a guy who loses his job at the mills and kind of has a crisis in his life and marriage.
It's black and white. The only point to watch it is to see older Fall River and not enough of those scenes anyway.

Sold thru the FRHS
http://www.lizzieborden.org/details.asp?ID=80

(No picture shows when I go there).

SteveS. · Post by **SteveS.** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:09 pm

Ray……the book is good reading in it’s own right and is right on in describing Fall River street life in the Flint Section and Bedford/Pleasant street areas of 30 years ago. These areas were strife with prostitution and drugs at that time. I would say the book is definitely not indicative of Fall River today. The city and it’s police force have worked very hard to clean up those areas and they are nothing like what they were 30 years ago. You wont find prostitutes on street corners in those areas today like it was back then.
The housing projects mentioned in the book ie: Sunset Hill have been revitalized and renovated. Nothing like it was back then. But then again……what is like it was 30 years ago? As a side note I personally know Sony Spada that is mentioned in the book.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:20 pm

That's what the film is good for- seeing Fall River in the early 1960's. I'd borrow it rather than buy it tho.

Thanks for the extra info on the book!

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:13 pm

RayS · Post by **RayS** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 5:58 pm

There was a picture of the pleasantly named "Harbor Terrace" on this site some time ago. How beautiful it looked!!! How shocking are some of its tenants (according to the book). Just when were they taken? Few people around?

During FDR and Truman the public housing projects in local towns were two story garden apartments. Little trouble then. In Ike's time they started to build the monster apartment housing, instant slums where police and firemen did not go unless they had back-up. And yes, there were problems because of bias and prejudice. One effect of new buildings w/ central heating was an end to fires caused by space heaters.

The cattle and mining boom towns in the 19th century, and the oil boom towns in the 20th century all showed that when masses of new people are placed into close proximity then troubles arise. Its not the high density, its the high poverty that causes this. The senior projects never had problems.

I browsed this book because of Scammell (wrote 'Bones' w/ Ubelaker). I'm sure any large (or small) town has its bad spots, especially after dark.

So if people come to visit, they should know that its not Mayberry in New England.

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:09 pm

SteveS. · Post by **SteveS.** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:22 am

You brought back tons of memories for me mbhenty. I myself used to hang near the Magic Mushroom years ago. Not a proud memory. You went into much more detail describing places that really brought it all back to me. Especial Pier 14 and those outlandishly dressed pimps. You are dead on about those living in Fall River’s projects today not having community ties. They were brought in from outside Fall River and placed in the projects. I never made a connection between Carl Drew and Charles Manson but now that you have made the link the similarities are definitely there in the way they psychologically controlled those around them.

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 1:16 am

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:50 pm

william · Post by **william** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:56 pm

Michael/SteveS:

Thank you for sharing that colorful narrative - most interesting.
I am looking foward to Chapter 2!

RayS · Post by **RayS** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 3:40 pm

I think that garden-style apartement (two stories, only about 8 apartments per building) are more people friendly than those instant slums, many built without ANY parking spaces.

Bringing in outsiders (welfare people?) into a new area is bad for both. IMO

I just browsed the book so far, but wonder what if anything the Town Fathers (the heirs of the Mellon House Gang) did about this?

SteveS. · Post by **SteveS.** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:01 am

I think the heirs to the Mellon House Gang turned thier backs to the plight that was in certain sections of Fall River back in the 1970's but the true story of Mortal remains one good thing is that it made them finaly take the blinders off and start cleaning up the city.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 1:31 am

Thanks for the mention mbhenty!

Fall River is really so much more than Lizzie Borden, and although I have a great interest in the Borden case a primary reason why I joined was because of the conversation about Fall River and it's history.

I too have read Mortal Remains, very chilling, perhaps because it takes place in a landscape you very much can recognize. The troubling thing is that the families affected by this crime are still very much alive and when things like Robin Murphy being released from prison, or Carl Drew trying to hit the news you really have to feel for the families that still leave with this and still fear.

RayS · Post by **RayS** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 12:51 pm

The end of the book says the drug and prostitution trade moved to New Bedford. !!!
No mention of the implied changes in city government.

I once read about a local town that wanted to get rid of its "Adult Booktore". Since no laws were broken (adults only) they hit on the idea of parking a police car right by the entrance. Business dropped off, and the owner moved out on the highway.
Your results may vary.

WHO runs your town and for whose benefit? Who were the landlords of those establishments? There was a scandal a century ago when they revealed who owned the bars and brothels in many towns.
Hint: it wasn't the poor or middle-class.

SteveS. · Post by **SteveS.** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 12:17 am

Just curious William, how far along you are in the book and what do you think of it so far? Just as a side line, another thing I always found odd when I was living in Fall River was that no one ever batted an eye with Rogers Funeral Home and Rogers Coney Island Hotdogs right across the street from each other.

God I miss those Fall River gaggers.