Chapter 1885： Moser House

Such a small town with a long history and full of legends will definitely be written repeatedly. This is undoubtedly. For example, in "Treasure Island", Captain Fettering died in Savannah, before he died, Give the treasure map to Billy Pens.

In "Gone with the Wind", Margaret Mitchell puts Scarlett’s hometown in Savannah, a "gentle and courteous coastal city", "stands aloof on the coast of Georgia, dignified, calm, Educated, watching Atlanta, a small city on the border 300 miles inland."

There are also the wafting feathers in "Forrest Gump" and the street garden where Forrest Gump tells stories, taken from Savannah.

If you want to see the city carefully through images, the "Midnight Garden of Good and Evil" directed by Clint Eastwood is the most appropriate. It tells the story of Savannah and was shot in Savannah.

However, Yang Cheng has never read the text or the video, but at this moment, he is immersed in the new book that still exudes the fragrance of ink.

In 1994, New York writer John Burrant published his non-fiction work "Midnight Garden of Good and Evil".

Some people describe John Burrant's temperament, broad taste, unique style, and exquisite narration. Yang Cheng thinks it is very accurate. He also wrote a book about Venice-"The City Where Angels Fall", which is also a major bookstore. recommend.

But his masterpiece is still "Midnight Garden of Good and Evil". The version sold today is his later revised edition. In the foreword of John Burrant, he said, "Savannahs have a high tolerance for eccentric behavior. And even encourage weird behavior.

Savannah is a closed and introverted town, where rumors prevail. The main topic of people's chat is naturally the behavior of others. Therefore, the stranger the behavior, the more powerful the chatter.

Therefore, in Savannah, people appreciate heresy, even if it is just because they can bring people to talk. Those who behave strangely understand this, which makes them encouraged and even weird. "

Brandt said that the city has an almost pathological fascination with rumors, and he also uses the framework and narrative method to tell a true story he heard from the rumors.

The story takes place in Mercer House in Savannah. Jim Williams, the owner of Mercer House, was born in Gordon Township, Georgia. His father was a barber and his mother was a secretary in a mining area. He was a child born from an ordinary family in a small place.

His Mercer Mansion is considered to be one of the most aristocratic private residences in the United States, and he himself is often mistaken for a noble family by unclear guests.

At this time, Jim Williams would tell others in a generous and generous manner that he was actually a nouveau riche, and he also told others about his family background in detail, making the listener a little overwhelmed, but he himself enjoyed it.

Jim Williams started out in the 1950 repair and rescue plan of the historic area in the center of Savannah. He was originally in the antiques business, but he smelled business opportunities in this plan.

He bought some old houses, renovated them and sold them. After buying and selling dozens of old houses, the media and people from all walks of life began to praise him for his contribution to the restoration of Savannah’s old houses. So, social honor and huge wealth It hit his head with a rush.

However, he did not stop his antique business, traveling back and forth between Europe and the United States, returning boxes of oil paintings and fine antique furniture and furnishings.

Many noble ladies in the upper class, regardless of whether this person is a nouveau riche or not, have come to buy them one after another, making Jim Williams as swelling as a purse.

In the end, he actually bought Mercer House.

Savannah has a considerable number of European-style giant houses, the most important of which is Mercer House.

This house was built in 1860 by General Hummerser of the Confederate States of America. After the Civil War, General Mercer was imprisoned for killing two deserters. After being in prison, he sold the house that had not been built. The new owner completed the house.

But it was not General Mercer who made this house famous, but his great-grandson Johnny Mercer, a famous composer, and his masterpiece "Moon River" sung throughout the world.

Johnny Moser has never lived in Moser House, but he often visits here when he returns to Savannah after becoming famous.

The most narrative and most unfortunate in American history, the widow of the chief Tong, Jacqueline who later married the ship king Onassis, once visited Mercer House, asking for 2 million US dollars to buy this huge house. , Was tactfully but arrogantly rejected by Jim Williams.

The core story of "Midnight Garden of Good and Evil" takes place in Mercer House.

In the middle of the night on May 2, 1981, in the study of Mercer House, Jim Williams and his male prostitute Danny Hanfors clashed fiercely. Both sides had guns in their hands. Finally, Jim Williams shot and killed only 21 years old. Danny Hanfors.

Since then, four court sessions and repeated interrogations have been held around whether the case was "justified defense" or "deliberate murder."

Eight years later, Jim Williams, who had spent a lot of money, was convicted of his actions as a legitimate defense, and the case was settled not guilty.

It is precisely because of this story that John Burrant conducted interviews in Savannah for almost ten years. The upper class of Savannah, centered on the annual Christmas party in Mercer's House, has shown various weird people and various rumors from It hasn't stopped, these are all materials of John Burrant.

About the end of the character of Jim Williams, more than a year after the case was closed, one day in January 1990, 59-year-old Jim Williams suddenly fell to the ground and died.

The doctors could not find the specific cause of death, so they had to say that it was a sudden death from a heart attack. However, another theory is quite popular in the local area. It is that the undead of Danny Hanfoss has never let Jim Williams off and finally killed him. It is that the place where Jim Williams died is in his study, where he should have fallen and died if Danny Hanfors shot Jim Williams back then.

As a city where rumors and rumors are popular, there is no doubt that this kind of argument occupies a larger market. No one cares about what happened at the beginning. It is good to be happy, and entertainment is paramount.

In this atmosphere, Yang Cheng and the others came to Mercer House. After the mansion was described in books and movies, it became a history museum in 2004, 14 years after the death of Jim Williams.

Buying a ticket for $12.5 can go in and visit, but visitors can only look at the living room and living room downstairs, not upstairs, because Jim Williams' family still lives in this house.

Jim Williams has never been married and has no children. He lived with his mother back then, but he also had an older sister. His mother had passed away long ago. Now living in the house are his sister and his nephew and niece. .

Coincidentally, Charles and Jim Williams’ nephew are friends, and the relationship is good, otherwise they would just come to the door and want to inquire about the secrets of the family, so it’s good not to be kicked out.

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