" Glenburnie " The Scene of The Goat Castle Murder..

I have for years wanted to visit Glenburnie, mostly due
to my fascination with the Jennie Merrill murder case.
This year it was on Spring Pilgrimage and I got my wish!


Ms. Margaret Guido greets us at the door, what a lovely
and charming hostess she was. Margaret and her late
husband lived at Glenburnie for over thirty years. She
said after his death, there was too much up keep so she
traded houses with her son Gary and now lives on the
bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Not a bad trade!

This is the Parlor where Carolyn Guido, the

Mistress of Glenburnie explains the "udder"

of the antique sewing chest.

Owner Gary Guido shows us the dining room

where the murder is reported to have taken place.

" there was a blood trail from the dining room to the back porch"

Sideboard in the dining room ...............

One of the costumed hostesses.......

Fireplace in the dining room .............

This bed was beautiful! The haunted painting

was hanging in this bedroom.

Another bedroom.................

This was the original kitchen fireplace...................

The back porch has been enclosed to make a sun room.

Notice the cabinet has historical things connected to

Glenburnie as well as original newspapers about the

murder displayed.

This is a charcoal drawing of Jennie Merrill made from a

photograph. Upon telling us this, Gary made the remark;

" she is still with us"

Close up view of cabinet.............

A view of the patio outside sun room and cottage

out back...................

While I'm posting about Glenburnie, I want to discuss

another subject with you writers. In writing historical

based fiction, when is it, or is it, ok to mess with the facts?

I had heard about a fiction book that is loosely based on

the Goat Castle Murder. I bought the book and have been

PO"D ever since. First off in the book, the murdered woman,

is the one living with goats and in squalor. The book makes

fun of the "southern way" and is truly written by someone

who has done everything but "capture place" ! I have been

doing research off and on for several years on the case thinking

I might someday write a fact based historical fiction book on it.

After reading this hatchet job, I know I am now!