View Full Version : "Murder on the Appalachian Trail"
BlackCloud
03-01-2005, 19:27
This is a book purportedly about the double murder of two hikers on the AT in the mid 80's @ Wapiti Shelter in SW VA. I have read that it is a true crime book & alternately that it is a work of fiction, based on actual events.
Which is it?:bse
Lone Wolf
03-01-2005, 19:35
Both. It's a good book.
This book is in Elmer's library in hotsprings along with a number of other good reads. I started reading it when I stopped there in 1990 and read it straight thru. The book seemed to be fairly accurate with there facts and details. It was an interesting book. I felt so bad after reading the book. The taking of 2 lives at such a young age. 2 southbounders were murdered in 1990. I met them in Ma and they were murdered Pa 2 months later. They were just out of college and having the time of there lives. The killers of both couples were captured.
Lone Wolf
03-01-2005, 19:44
Friends of mine hunted down Crews, the 1990 murderer, and caught him.
BlackCloud
03-01-2005, 19:45
Both. It's a good book.What the hell is wrong w/ you exactly?:-?
Lone Wolf
03-01-2005, 19:46
What the hell do you mean exactly? :-?
BlackCloud
03-01-2005, 19:52
What the hell do you mean exactly? :-?It CAN'T be both. :datz It's either a cat or dog; a communist or a capitalist; gas or diesel; fiction or non-fiction!
L. Wolf, I was so angry when another hiker told me about the 1990 murder. I had stopped and talked to both of them for about an hour. I met them somewhere around sages ravine. Latter I heard that the killer was caught wearing one of there packs.
Lone Wolf
03-01-2005, 20:03
The killer had Jeff's pack and boots.
orangebug
03-01-2005, 20:07
It CAN'T be both. :datz It's either a cat or dog; a communist or a capitalist; gas or diesel; fiction or non-fiction!All "fact" has a little fiction added.
This is a book purportedly about the double murder of two hikers on the AT in the mid 80's @ Wapiti Shelter in SW VA. I have read that it is a true crime book & alternately that it is a work of fiction, based on actual events. Which is it?:bse
It's officially a novel. The names of the participants were changed. But the book is a very accurate depiction of the trail experiences and murder of two kids with Maine roots.
In places it was awkwardly written. But it struck me as one of the best accounts I have ever read of what life on the trail is like -- the coming and going of parties of hikers, the trail banter, the sharing and the camaradery of the trail. The book jacket disclosed the ending, but all through the first half I kept wishing it was truly fiction.
The book was based on extensive interviews with hikers on the trail that year who knew the victims, as well as law enforcement people. The murderer was convicted, but got a relatively light sentence. He either was released or was facing a parole hearing a few years ago. I forget the details.
If I remember rightly, the book hints that the victims, both some kind of mental health councilors, were wrong in trying to help the obviously troubled guy who eventually killed them
Weary
The Old Fhart
03-01-2005, 21:08
(to Lone Wolf) "What the hell is wrong w/ you exactly? :-? "Lone Wolf's problem is he read the book and understood it. Reporting the details of the murders don't take up the 400 pages in the book. Using the "facts," Jess Carr wrote a novel with the facts of the murders as the centerpiece. He tried to present what the various characters were like and what conversations they might have had after interviewing relatives and the law enforcement people involved.
So the book is both based on the facts of the case and on speculation about what Robert Mountford, Jr. and Laura Ramsay might have said to each other. He does a good job of giving us a look inside the killer's mind as well. I found the book to be interesting and readable. You get a degree of understanding of the characters involved that you might miss if it were just a documentary account of the case.
siouxdog
03-01-2005, 21:30
does anyone know if they ever caught the killer of the two young ladies in va? i think they were killed in a meadow by a rifle if i'm not mistaken.
Youngblood
03-01-2005, 22:37
Is everybody talking about the same book?
Murder on the Appalachian Trail: a novel, 1984, by Jess Carr
or
The Whole Truth: A Case of Murder on the Appalachian Trail, 1999, by H.L. Pohlman.
The Weasel
03-01-2005, 23:35
"Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism." --- HST
I spent a night alone in the Wapiti II ("Wapitu") shelter a year after the murders took place. I don't believe in ghosts, but that place may be haunted. It's beyond creepy. Believing that the murders had actually taken place at the other Wapiti shelter, I awoke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, feeling unalloyed fear and knowing I had made a mistake.
Jess Carr's book was not very well written, IMO, and his portrayal of thru hikers was off the mark.
Rain Man
03-02-2005, 11:29
...The book jacket disclosed the ending ....
Dang, Weary, and I'm reading it right now... you just gave it away for me! Well, that is, right after the TITLE did.
:jump
I don't think it's the best written book so far, but I am enjoying the hiking parts.
For what it's worth, my public library lists this book (Murder on the Appalachian Trail) under FICTION.
:sun
Rain Man
.
BlackCloud
03-02-2005, 12:04
I want to read the book before I hike thru there & sleep @ the notorious Wapiti shelter. Sounds like an interesting book; I'll try it out - but 400 pages......
Thanx people.............:-?
BlackCloud
03-11-2005, 11:49
For those interested, the book's 1st 150 pages are a waste of time and paper. But after the victims confront the insane Randall Lee Smith @ Wapiti Shelter in the spring of 1981, it picks up in a hurry, only to get bogged down again during unneccessary word-for-word retellings of the legal proceedings in the spring of 1982. It would have been a great 200 page book.
In addition, I was disturbed by basic factual inaccuracies that I could catch. The author writes that it's a week's hike from Damascus to Pearisburg, and that it's a day hike from Chestnut Knob to Wapiti: I DON'T THINK SO! So what else did he get wrong? We'll never know.
Anyway, I would only recommend this book if you really want to know about these particular killings, how they were perpetrated, and how it affected the AT community.....
This topic brings back some memories. Regarding the May 1981 incident on the AT, I was thru hiking the Long Trail and stopped in Waitsfield, Vt in early June of that year, and several of the folks in town I came across informed me of the news. Looking back on it now it is interesting how many people were aware this incident in the pre internet days and back when the number of hikers was considerably lower than it is today.
Brushy Sage
03-13-2005, 18:28
Has anyone ever figured out whether the rate of murder on the AT, per number of hikers (all hikers on the trail; not just thru), is any greater than the rate of murder in the general population of the nation? I'm guessing it's lower on the AT.
Its got to be a very small number.
Editted for brevity.
Has anyone ever figured out whether the rate of murder on the AT, per number of hikers (all hikers on the trail; not just thru), is any greater than the rate of murder in the general population of the nation? I'm guessing it's lower on the AT.
Remember there are damn lies and statistics.
No one knows how many people use the trail in a year -- or for how long. It's my guess that the total recently has been around 5 million a year on average. Or 100 million over the history of the 80 year history of the trail. If I remember rightly around nine people have been killed on or near the Appalachian Trail.
That's 0.00000009 %
If murders occurred nationally at the same rate, only 23 people would be murdered a year in the United States. This is an example of statistical lies.
Most of my 100 million spend only a few minutes or a few hours on the trail. People live elsewhere 24 hours a day. No one has any idea of the relative hours of useage.
And of course many of the same people come again and again to the trail, while most never get near the thing, so my 100 million estimate over 80 years may be a gross exaggeration -- or it may be grossly conservative.
REgardless, your guess is right, Brushy Sage. On the AT one is probably as safe from murder as one can possibly be in this country.
Weary
Weary--
Like most journalists you got your decimal in the wrong place before the "%" sign. Good thing you didn't become an engineer.
Rick B
BlackCloud
03-14-2005, 12:16
Has anyone ever figured out whether the rate of murder on the AT, per number of hikers (all hikers on the trail; not just thru), is any greater than the rate of murder in the general population of the nation? I'm guessing it's lower on the AT.
Well , I've been doing some research on this issue, and it's fairly inconclusive. Two problems.
1. Agencies and trail clubs overstate how many people use the AT. To even back up, what is "using the AT". Crossing the AT? Camping near the AT? Hiking on it for a mile out of a 20 mile loop hike (like in Shenandoah NP)? Agencies and organizations count them all - it's a funding thing. You should see how the Park Service calculate volunteer hours, but I digress....
2. That leads to the 2nd problem - not all people killed on the AT were AT hikers! The most recent example are the two lesbians killed in Shenandoah NP near Skyland Lodge. They weren't hiking the AT, they just happened to camp near it!
In the end, this question actually requires a determined study, and I for one would read the book........
Toolshed
03-14-2005, 12:58
I just read the book detailing the Wapiti Shelter Murder over the weekend, as well as the book on Rebecca Wight's murder in PA in Micheaux State Forest.
I agree on the the book by Carr about the Killer Randall Smith - Probably 200 pages worth of good reading, the rest was not that interesting... Though my heart goes out to Bob Mountford and Susan Ramsey's families. What tragedy.
On the other hand the book about the Murder in PA by the Killer Stephen Carr (IIRC) was well written and got right into the subject matter. It also highlighted that it appeared right from the beginning that there were some issues surrounding the woman's lesbian activities and that it appeared that Claudia Brenner witheld informaiton for the police for a while. Later in the book, the Defense attorney touched on issues that he felt the police witheld.
What I found terrifying was that as Claudia Brenner was running for her life several miles away form the scene, according to Carr, he saw her several times and could have killed here at any time.
What was just horrifying in the Wapiti shelter murder was that Susan Ramsey could have easily walked off in the protection of the Forest Service Crew when they arrived at the shelter and found her sitting uncomfortably with the killer - She had already felt horrible vibes about this guy, but yet she chose not too.
I stongly beleive in listening to gut instinct or that 7th sense that tells you when something may be awry - And staying clear of the situation.
Weary--
Like most journalists you got your decimal in the wrong place before the "%" sign. Good thing you didn't become an engineer.
Rick B
A high school chemistry teacher 60 years ago told me about the rule of three: Though I've taken several semestas of calculus, the rule of three is the only math I know other than adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.
100,000,000 people is to 100 percent, as 9 is to x percent. Unfortunately when I solved the equation I forgot to multiply 9 by 100, before dividing by 100,000,000. I now think the accurate percentage is 0.000009 %.
All use figures, of course, are only guesses. No one keeps records, not even the National Park SErvice. ATC estimated 4 million quite a few years ago. I understand that estimate was made during a round of beers in Harpers Ferry.
I rounded up to 5 million, reduced the average for years prior to 1995 and came up with the most accurate figure yet: 100 million since the trail was "completed" in 1937. I challenge anyone to come up with a better estimate. Why I hadn't even had my afternoon beer when I guessed that figure. No way could it be wrong.
But a mystery remains. If the trail was completed nearly 70 years ago, how come our land trust is facing a $200,000 mortgage payment next October.
You can help, however. JUst open www.matlt.org
Weary
Rain Man
03-14-2005, 13:37
... It also highlighted that it appeared right from the beginning that there were some issues surrounding the woman's lesbian activities and that it appeared that Claudia Brenner witheld informaiton for the police for a while.....
I was very much insulted that the "issue" about "allegations" of "withheld" information were discussed and analyzed as if she were a criminal. For me, it would be like a black victim calling in a lynching report, then being accused/disbelieved by the police because he/she didn't volunteer "by the way I'm black" or some such.
But, it does illustrate how police think, I suppose, and how they do, or appear to, victimize the victim on occasion.
These victims were (1) murdered, and (1) shot multiple times. How come the cops have to know sexual orientation before believing the victim? If the couple had been a man and woman, would the cops have been suspicious of the surviving victim until he/she said "Oh, by the way, I'm a heterosexual."
But that's the cops. The author did a GREAT job of analyzing the whole legal process, I thought. Not much of a hiking book, but a great legal book! I recommended it to my non-hiking daughter at the University of Michigan Law School as soon as I finished it.
Rain Man
.
Weary--
I am a product of public schools.
I learned that 1 out of 100 is 1%, not .01%. Not sure why it bugs me to read otherwise so often.
Feel free to point out my spelling errors if you ever find one. Ha!
Rick B
BlackCloud
03-14-2005, 16:47
I was very much insulted that the "issue" about "allegations" of "withheld" information were discussed and analyzed as if she were a criminal. For me, it would be like a black victim calling in a lynching report, then being accused/disbelieved by the police because he/she didn't volunteer "by the way I'm black" or some such.
But, it does illustrate how police think, I suppose, and how they do, or appear to, victimize the victim on occasion.
These victims were (1) murdered, and (1) shot multiple times. How come the cops have to know sexual orientation before believing the victim? If the couple had been a man and woman, would the cops have been suspicious of the surviving victim until he/she said "Oh, by the way, I'm a heterosexual."
But that's the cops.
Rain Man
And I in turn am offended by how you stereotype law enforcement officials as small-minded bigots. :rolleyes:
The world is not black and white. Although what happened to Susan Ramsey and Bob Mountford was in no way justified or deserved, Susan's failure to escape with the Forest Service crew allowed for her and her friend's deaths. The simple and clear truth is that had she left, she would not have been killed that night. In fact, many of her and Bob's decisions later that day led to their deaths. They never should have confronted Randall Lee Smith, despite their training, and should never have stayed at that shelter after having done so. Although they were 100% victims, they are not 100% faultless either.
In SW VA, the police wanted to know everything about Bob & Susan's relationship, as Bob was a suspect in Susan's murder until his body was later found. Thousands of shootings are perpetrated in this country every year by a lover, ex-lover, etc... So the sexual relationship between victim and witness is almost ALWAYS relevant.
I must now read the book on the PA attack.
And I in turn am offended by how you stereotype law enforcement officials as small-minded bigots. :rolleyes:
The world is not black and white. Although what happened to Susan Ramsey and Bob Mountford was in no way justified or deserved, Susan's failure to escape with the Forest Service crew allowed for her and her friend's deaths. The simple and clear truth is that had she left, she would not have been killed that night. In fact, many of her and Bob's decisions later that day led to their deaths. They never should have confronted Randall Lee Smith, despite their training, and should never have stayed at that shelter after having done so. Although they were 100% victims, they are not 100% faultless either.
Are you saying that because of some decisions they made, they are partly to blame for their own murders?? That is absolutely absurd.
This pair of murders represents just a small percentage as most victims are known to their assailants. I don't think that the prior post was trying to proportion blame or fault, but unfortunately many innocent victims do put themselves in compromising positions. Some are just unfortunately naive and trusting despite possibly perceiving that something is just not right. Then on the other hand some victims set themselves up trying to be fair and correct in their beliefs and not offending other parties. The bottom line is that if one feels something is not right about a person or situation then heed that instinct. You are responsible for your own safety, so be proactive. This perception is not gleaned from textbooks and lectures, but from growing up in NYC and also working in law enforcement for 20 years. As far as the cops needing to know details about a persons background or habits, this information can be crucial in not only investigating cases, but especially in prosecuting them once a suspect is in custody. Hope the 2005 AT season will be a safe and memorable one.
"but unfortunately many innocent victims do put themselves in compromising positions."
Most of us who have done so have been lucky, or not unlucky. And sometimes you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I do know that its easy to see the good in people on the Trail, and that has alway been my experience. It is a safe place, to be sure.
On the other hand, its probably a good thing not forget that for every 1600 people who have reported in as 2,000 Milers, one thru hiker has been murdered. Its a bit dramatic to put it that way, and that statistic doesn't reflect thru hikers day-to-day reality, but its something to consider when making your choices.
In retrospect, I can think of a couple times when I should have moved on from a shelter, but did not-- simply because I was tired and felt a sense of ownership over the place. Even if the Trail is as safe as anyplace in America, best to trust your gut.
Toolshed
03-15-2005, 09:00
I was very much insulted....<snipped>Rain Man
It's unfortunate that you were so very much insulted, I am curious - do you tend to judge more with emotion or with fact?
I don't think we should be attacking the police, who are trying to get the full picture. The old saying, "you don't know what you don't know" comes into play here and NOT every victim is a victim. Unfortunately police don't know that until they have completed their investigations.
If your gut instinct is that Claudia Brenner was hiding something or lying, then the invetigation is stymied. Now you don't know if the other stuff she is saying is true. You trust your gut instinct. Of what did she say was true and what wasn't - the only way to get at this is to question - Keeping in mind that most folks the police come in contact with DO NOT tell the full story, or modify it to fit their version of the truth.
Also, IIRC one of the original suspects was Rebecca Wight's former boyfriend, as well, I think also Claudia's former girlfriend was also checked out.
Finally, in most cases of murder, the victim knows the assailant - That is the assailant is usually someone closer to the victim.
bulldog49
03-15-2005, 11:15
This isn't the first example of Rainman's bigotry towards the police. Maybe someday his or his family's well being will hinge on the protection or assistance from the police and he will change his tune.
BlackCloud
03-15-2005, 11:21
The bottom line is that if one feels something is not right about a person or situation then heed that instinct. You are responsible for your own safety, so be proactive.
That's what I'm saying, and that is certainly not absurd.
Youngblood
03-15-2005, 11:41
This isn't the first example of Rainman's bigotry towards the police. Maybe someday his or his family's well being will hinge on the protection or assistance from the police and he will change his tune.
That's harsh and I certainly don't read that in his statement: "But, it does illustrate how police think, I suppose, and how they do, or appear to, victimize the victim on occasion." Notice the words "on occasion"... I would certainly agree with that statement and think that it is information that one would do well to understand. Not all police officers are the same and the same is true for lawyers, judges, engineers, docters, etc. Even if you are innocent, when the police start asking incriminating questions it might be time to get a lawyer because the intent might be (notice I said "might be") to "prove" you did it rather than find out what really happened. Mistakes are made, sometimes innocently, sometimes not... just ask some of the folks that have had their convictions overturned in recent years because modern DNA testing proved their innocence for crimes they were convicted of before DNA testing was used in criminal cases.
Youngblood
Rain Man
03-15-2005, 12:38
That's harsh and I certainly don't read that in his statement: "But, it does illustrate how police think, I suppose, and how they do, or appear to, victimize the victim on occasion." Notice the words "on occasion"... I would certainly agree with that statement and think that it is information that one would do well to understand. ...
Thanks, Youngblood, for sticking to what I actually said. That's an admirable knack!
So is confession, and I will admit I think I contributed to the misundestanding in this thread. I read back-to-back two books in the past couple of weeks about the social workers' murders and the murder shooting of the two women. I had in mind and meant to be commenting on how some of the police wanted to treat the surviving victim of the two women, so I should have never posted in this thread. I just confused the names. My mistake.
Bigoted towards police? Not at all. Think they are saintly inerrant angels? Not at all. I think the police are just like the society they come from and pretty representative as a group. Good, bad, and sometimes ugly. I consider my opinion balanced, not bigoted.
Fortunately, while sticks and stones may break my bones on the AT, words on WhiteBlaze can never hurt me, as the rhyme for children goes.
Rain:sun Man
.
bulldog49
03-15-2005, 15:10
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7817
Posts 1 and 6.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7817
Posts 1 and 6.
Hey Bulldog, are you a cop or something? Me thinks one doth protest too much. You failed to point out post number 7, where you, again, jumped all over Rain Man for what he said, and again, twisted his words. No where did he mention anything about abuse in his statement. Lighten up and quit putting words in other people's mouths.
Mountain52
09-15-2005, 21:48
In brief....the book is true, however, I cannot speak for the particulars pertaining to the trail, and to even mention, suggest or think that these two loving, remarkable individuals had any control over what happened to them is not only ignorant but preposterous.
Bobby's loving sister
Love and Miss you always
Seriously folks, lighten up a bit. What is it about the mood here that makes a good portion of all the threads on this site devolve into emotional name calling? People disagree with us, but that does not make it OK to start dolling out harsh criticisms and personal attacks. It is a mark of our maturity how well we handle disagreements (not that I'm a saint or anything). I find it increasingly discouraging that I can say with relative certainty any thread that's more than two pages long has at least a few personal attacks in it. This is a wonderful site, acting as a wonderful resource for AT hikers. Shouldn't that be the focus?
BlackCloud
09-16-2005, 10:44
Although what happened to Susan Ramsey and Bob Mountford was in no way justified or deserved, Susan's failure to escape with the Forest Service crew allowed for her and her friend's deaths. The simple and clear truth is that had she left, she would not have been killed that night. I am gratified to hear that you believe the book we are discussing is accurate as it pertains to the crime in question. Rereading my words, I can't help but agree w/ myself. No, Susan was not in "control" of the situation, but we definetly know that she did make a choice to not leave with the trail crew, and hindsight showed us that that was a poor decision. Randall Lee's later testimony also strongly hints that the counselors tried to speak w/ him, which was also a poor choice.
Just b/c I walk into a dark alley doesn't make it ok to rob me; but it is a poor choice, and I must bear some responsibility (not culpability) for my poor choice.
The clear lesson of this horrible tragedy is to trust your instincts. When a community witnesses a crime, it must examine, evaluate, and educate its members on how best to prevent its reoccurrance. That is what this thread and this book are all about. And I do not believe that that is ignorant or preposterous; though of course people can understand your perspective.
No one is on a witch hunt to blame the deceased.
I hope you continue to participate in the forum; for as an AT alum, Bob probably would have..............
Mountain52
09-16-2005, 22:09
I agree with Ender's post in that this is a wounderful website for AT hiker's, however, when the thread pertains to my brother then I feel it is my duty (since Bobby can't speak for himself) that I defend something that is written that is not true. What I can say that the above post is NOT accurate about what happened and yes while I agree that everyone has choices this was not a choice made by anyone. I will leave it at that not wanting to relive this horrible tradegy. I just wanted to set the record straight. This was a life long dream for him, he planned the trip as most hikers do for a long time and was very serious about it and enjoyed every minute of it. By the way the name is not Mumford. I am sure this was an honest mistake. Good luck and God Bless. :)
1st site speaks of several crimes, including the AT murder at SNP, and gives safety tips. The 2nd site talks about the Mother and Daughter murder that just happened in the Seattle area.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003123536_forestcrime13m.html
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/277464_hikers13ww.html
Desert Reprobate
01-25-2009, 23:19
The lesson to learn, though, is when you encounter someone on the trail that sets off alarms in your gut, you should heed the feelings and keep walking. A few extra miles and a detour into the woods for the night could prevent a lot of problems
Attorney-AT-Large
05-12-2009, 16:58
I spent a night alone in the Wapiti II ("Wapitu") shelter a year after the murders took place. I don't believe in ghosts, but that place may be haunted. It's beyond creepy. Believing that the murders had actually taken place at the other Wapiti shelter, I awoke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, feeling unalloyed fear and knowing I had made a mistake.
Jess Carr's book was not very well written, IMO, and his portrayal of thru hikers was off the mark.
I was the last hiker to stay in Wapiti II Shelter before the bodies were found in 1981. The girl's body was found the next day. I woke up with a start in the leanto because I felt hands lightly touching my head and shoulders. There was no one there. No one else was staying at the shelter. And there was still just enough post-sunset light coming through the trees that had there been a real person there, I would have seen him against the light.
lilypond
05-12-2009, 17:12
does anyone know if they ever caught the killer of the two young ladies in va? i think they were killed in a meadow by a rifle if i'm not mistaken.
The name of the book about that, I believe is "Eight Bullets".
Attorney-AT-Large
05-12-2009, 17:26
I spent a night alone in the Wapiti II ("Wapitu") shelter a year after the murders took place. I don't believe in ghosts, but that place may be haunted. It's beyond creepy. Believing that the murders had actually taken place at the other Wapiti shelter, I awoke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, feeling unalloyed fear and knowing I had made a mistake.
Jess Carr's book was not very well written, IMO, and his portrayal of thru hikers was off the mark.
In 1981 I was the last hiker to stay at Wapiti II Shelter before the bodies were found. The girl's body was found the next day.
I also experienced terror (no other word for it) at the shelter. I had fallen asleep, but woke up suddenly because I felt hands on my head and shoulders. But there was no one there. No other hikers spending the night. No one there period. There was still enough post-sunset light coming through the trees that I would have been able to see had someone been there.
I managed the 16 miles to the Catholic hostel the next day. That evening I was up in the loft trying to fall asleep when someone burst into the hostel and announced that the first body had been found. The next morning I summoned the courage to tell the priest, Father Winter, what I had experienced at the leanto. I remember that my chest was heaving as I told the story. After what I told him he felt the need to perform "an exorcism" at the leanto. At his request I went back to the leanto with him. So did a couple of other hikers. So did Mr. Mountford. Bob Jr. was still missing at that point.
As we arrived at the leanto, cops were shouldering shovels, etc, and cavalierly announced that Bob Mountford, Jr.'s body had just been found. That's how Mr. Mountford got the news.
A number of years later I was backpacking somewhere. It had rained all day. I was aiming for a leanto and hoped there would be room. It was still raining when I got to the leanto. The leanto was full, albeit there was elbow room. A nice woman offered that they would all scoot over and make room for me. I didn't have a chance to say anything before they all dutifully started to shift over to my right as I stood there looking at them. I politely declined and said I would sleep in my tent. The woman, incredulous, demanded, "WHY?!?" I looked at the floorspace they had created for me, and really did not have an answer. It then dawned on me that ever since I had stayed in Wapiti II Shelter years before, I had forever after shunned the left side of any leanto; i.e., where one of them (presumably Bob Mountford) had bleed to death, and the killer had tried to cover up his crime by smearing the floor with black carbon from the fireplace. It had been a subconscious thing until that moment when the woman confronted me and made me confront it myself.
chilling! the hair stood up on my neck reading this story. WOW!
I have been "lurking" on this site for at least 2 years, and with all the times I've felt compelled to post a reply, this is the first time. Ive often wondered if anyone had ever had any "paranormal" experiences on the trail, and now Ive got my answer. WOW!!
It CAN'T be both. :datz It's either a cat or dog; a communist or a capitalist; gas or diesel; fiction or non-fiction!
Sure it can. The books, (3 or 4) and the movies on the TN sherriff of McNairy County, TN in the 1960's are fact based but include fictious dialogue, settings, etc to emblish and give flow to the reading, otherwise, it would be just newspaper and witness accounts.
I live in McNairy county and knew him and his family. His name was Buford Pusser. I rode with him in one of his very fast cars at about 150 miles per hour on a two lane highway, and spent a night in his jail after I got out of the Army. His deputies, at least in my opinion, also assulted me and many others. He was the real deal and was absolutely fearless. If you watch the 1970's movie "Walking Tall" staring Joe Don Baker, not to be confused with the 2008 Holywood creation staring the Rock and ex-pro wrestler, you will see some fiction, but the story is fact based. His life had so much drama it would have been impossible to include it in a single volume of book or movie.
Here's a quick story about Buford. The reader should understand that no racial bias is intended, so don't read that into it.
On Holloween night, 1968, we, the white youth in Bethel Springs, McNairy County TN was having an egg war with the black kids of the same town. I had been out of the Army almost a year and too old to be in this kind of stuff, but in small town America you have to do something for fun. Anyway, we were getting the best of them because of our superior numbers, about 15 to their half as many. Plus, I think we had the most eggs. They ran out of ammo and things began to get heated up. Tire tools and ball bats were about to replace eggs. One of the neighbors who had been witnessing the freakus called the law. In a few minutes, sherriff Pusser arrived on the scene. He was not driving a marked car with roof lights flashing and other obvious official markings. His cars were unmarked, had souped up engines and the red flashing lights were installed behind the grill in front of the radiator. You could not see them until he flipped the switch. He also dressed in a business suit, not a uniform. Instantly upon his arrival, the blacks split back across the tracks and we hung around because where we were is where we always hung around. It was our turf so to speak. Sherriff Pusser called everyone together and lined us up against the post office wall and gave us a sound lecture. Which didn't take long then we just began talking, asking him questions about stuff young people are curious about. He showed us a picture of his face taken in the emergency room the night he was ambushed and his wife Pauline killed. One of the bullets ripped off his entire chin part of his lower jaw. The only way you could see that it was his face was his row of top teeth were plain in the photograph.
Pusser was a giant of a man at 6'-6" and 260 pounds of muscle. That night, we stood my future wife, Janice, back to back with him to compare and contrast the difference. She is 4'-11" and 95 pounds. She looked quiet small standing there with. He just smiled while we all laughed.
I also arm wrestled with him on another occassion. Not to brag, but I has beaten more than 20 consecutive other soldiers at a platoon party one night. Sherrif Pusser put me down with such ease that I felt like a child against a monster.
Anyway, hope I didn't bore you, but yes, fact and fiction can share the same space.
Happy hiking. :sun
I edited my earlier posting regarding fact or fiction where I made a statement concerning myself and others being assaulted in Sherriff Buford Pussers jail. My posting implied the statement to be fact. It is actually just my opinion and to my knowledge there is no record to substantiate it.
Please excuse my choice of words. After giving it some thought I realized it was the wrong thing to say.
Thanks
Kanati
OldStormcrow
05-13-2009, 16:40
"The book was based on extensive interviews with hikers on the trail that year who knew the victims, as well as law enforcement people. The murderer was convicted, but got a relatively light sentence. He either was released or was facing a parole hearing a few years ago. I forget the details."
Randall Smith won't be bothering anyone any longer....he's taking a long "dirt-nap".
http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/breaking/wb/172219