178. Hendrickson's "Death to Pigs" (1 of 3)

I recently purchased Robert Hendrickson's 2011 book Death to Pigs: The Behind the Scenes Story of the Charles Manson Family and the Crime/Trial of the 20th Century.  The book includes Paul Watkins' comments about the Fountain of the World, as previously included here, as well as Hendrickson's comments regarding same.  From Page 274:

In Box Canyon, just up the road from the Spahn Ranch, is where Manson supposedly tried to take over the 'Fountain,' an established religious sect.  In 1958, when I was only 14 years old, the 'Fountain' became newsworthy when ten members were killed there.

The story then was rather simple and straightforward.  The group had gone relatively unnoticed and actually tended to several community needs, like helping to feed the homeless.  Then, on December 10, 1958, two disgruntled members set off explosives killing the sect's leader...it was as if Barnum and Bailey had been commissioned by the traditional news media to creat a circus-like atmosphere.