To the editor:
As a resident of Fall River, I've been following the story regarding Leonard Pickel's "The True Story of Lizzie Borden" in both the Fall River Herald News and The Salem News very closely.
In my honest opinion, Lizzie Borden has nothing to do with Salem or the witchcraft trials. Salem, like Fall River, is a beautiful city rich in history, but with a tortured past.
A few blocks from the center of downtown Fall River, at 92 Second St., the horrific murders of Andrew and Abby Borden took place. Only in Fall River can you tour the scene of the murders and, if you're brave enough, spend the night in the "Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast." Only a few blocks away, the Fall River Historical Society houses actual Borden artifacts, such as the alleged murder weapon, the hatchet, the hairpiece worn by Abby and the blood-splattered bed covering from that hot August day.
Does Mr. Pickel's "The True Story of Lizzie Borden" museum have any Borden artifacts? I think not! So how is his business called a museum?
If you ever find yourself in Fall River, you can check out the real truth about Lizzie Borden. Oh, and don't forget to visit the Borden family burial plot at the historic Oak Grove Cemetery, and remember Fall River is where the "true" history of Lizzie Borden is. Come stay where the Bordens lay!
Robert Carlos Pacheco
Fall River
