[houseoftechno]

Lizzie Borden’s Inquest Testimony is important because it is the only time we hear Lizzie speak about the murder of her father and step-mother. She was not compelled to testify at her murder trial and she does not speak publicly of the murders ever again. In this document we hear Lizzie for the only time, give her account of the murders.

The Inquest Testimony of Lizzie Borden was conducted over three days, from August 9th through August 11th 1892. Judge Josiah C. Blaisdell of the Second District Court presided over the proceedings held in a courtroom over the police station in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Hosea M. Knowlton, who later went on to prosecute the Commonwealth's murder case against Lizzie Borden, represented the State.

Lizzie Borden did not have legal representation in the proceedings. Lizzie did request that their family attorney, Andrew J. Jennings, be present. However, her request was refused under a state statute that an inquest may be held in a private manner.

Ultimately, a panel of judges ruled that Lizzie Borden's inquest testimony could not be admitted at her trial.

Because Volume I of the Inquest Testimony has been lost, Lizzy Borden’s testimony is reproduced from The Evening Standard, New Bedford, MA, June 12, 1893. It was created by Terence Duniho and Stefani Koorey. Bridget Sullivan’s testimony, also in Volume I seems to be lost forever and is not included here.

With the exception of Bridget Sullivan’s testimony, the below link provides a transcription of the full Inquest; Volume I, with all of Lizzie Borden’s testimony, and Volume II, which includes the testimony of John V. Morse, Emma L. Borden, Dr. Seabury W. Bowen, Adelaide B. Churchill, Hiram C. Harrington, Charles S. Sawyer, Augusta D. Tripp, Alice M. Russell, Sarah B. Whitehead, Hannah H. Gifford, Eli Bence, Frank H. Kilroy and Frederick B. Hart.

Lizzie A. Borden: August 9, 10 and 11, 1892 Inquest Testimony
https://www.historictrialtranscripts...uest-testimony

(Sorry, I originally loaded the full transcript text but it brought down the DR server gerbil and Chris had to patch in a hamster upgrade for the trouble I caused. Hopefully this newly linked site will stand over time.)

[houseoftechno]

Meanwhile, I just saw "Lizzie Borden Took and Ax." It has a little bit of a TV production feel to it, but Christina Ricci is so excellent in it, nothing else matters.

[houseoftechno]

This is my second favorite Ricci film, after Pumpkin. Between the screenplay and her execution, Ricci's Lizzie Borden had both overt and subtle psychopathic and interesting odd traits often seen in a cold blooded killer: Narcissism, pathological lying, stealing, incest, lesbianism, animal cruelty and uhhh, the ax murders.

[Grannyg]

Originally Posted by Gazzoid ↗

Lizzie Borden was acquitted but then later found innocent???

According to the info that I've read about the case in the past, Lizzie's big Sis was her character witness and stated that though Lizzie hated her Step Mommy "Abby" & didn't get along with Daddy, "Andrew"...... there was no way she was capable of such a crime. It was also determined that Lizzie was a bit soft in the head.....so they tried looking into other possible suspects, which just threw a wrench into the works, causing so much confusion that there never was a true outcome of a real suspect, besides Lizzie. (There were 3 other possibilities besides Lizzie that the police considered, though):

1) The Irish maid, Bridget Sullivan....who was washing windows outside at the time of the murders. Terrible for her who was likely innocent, but may have had knowledge of the murders & known who committed them (not Lizzie).....see below:
Bridget was known to be stern & had no sense of humor, causing many to not like her. Oh, and she was having an affair with the 3rd possible suspect.....who had been residing in the Borden residence. Lizzie's Uncle!
When the trial ended, Bridget abruptly moved to Butte, Montana & at the age of 35 she married John Sullivan in 1905 (never having children) & finished her days out in Butte & finally Anaconda, Montana.....Dying March 25th, 1948. She also outlived all of the Borden's.

2) A second suspect was the alleged & illegitimate half Brother, "William Borden". He was Lizzie & Emma's 1/2 Brother....
But, he was known to have been plying money out of Daddy.....begging for money & blackmailing Andrew Borden for more money. He was speculated to have committed the murders out of revenge, after his father failed to submit to his extortion demands & eventually cut off all money flow.

3) The third & most likely possibility was Lizzie's Uncle, John Vinnicum Morse (1833-1912). He was a possible/ & the next probable suspect due to inconsistencies in time frames & plot holes in his statements to the police.
Morse was related to Lizzie & Emma by being the Brother of their biological Mom, "Sarah Anthony Morse Borden." & was the 1st wife of Daddy, "Andrew."
Regarding his possible involvement....It goes like this:

Morse had been staying w/ the Borden's in their home at the time of the murders. He stated he was there to stay with the Borden's....but was actually in town visiting a different niece (not Lizzie). There were many holes in his statements to the police, concerning time frames.

Half the police force on the day of the investigation, were on a trip to Rocky Point. Due to this, they were short-handed & were dealing w/a flood of people in & around the Borden house.....Police were worried about evidence being compromised in the Borden house due to this situation. Also they were desperate to solve this case, quickly.

There was speculation that Morse murdered Abby in a “fit of rage” while Abby has been tidying up the guest room where he’d been staying. Abby Borden could be “caustic” & they didn't get along. They likely had harsh words w/ each other, leading him to finally end her.

Morse possibly left the house after the Abby's killing (1st kill), likely in search of an alibi, stating he was mailing a letter. Morse then returned to the Borden residence where he killed Daddy, Andrew (2nd kill).
Why? Speculation was that he killed Andrew because he had no choice. Andrew would've known it was he who killed his wife, Abby, so his brother in-law had to go!

The holes in Morse's story were in the time frames in his statements....which were continually inconsistent. When Morse was questioned by police, he told them that he was visiting his niece Ms Emery (not Lizzie), on Weybosset Street at the time of the murders. He said he went back to the Borden residence at about noon.

Then he changed his story to earlier at 11:30 a.m. He then finally settled on 11:20 a.m. Though nothing was set in stone, eventual speculation was that he was lying & he actually returned about an hour earlier.....giving him time to kill.

Per a witness, Dr. Bowen, Morse was seen leaving as Dr. Bowen arrived at the Borden home to check on the sick family member(s)....arriving at 11:32 a.m.
Remember that it was hot weather & they ate bad lamb stew for dinner the previous night....(which had turned & gave them all various degrees of food poisoning) Dr. B was already at the Borden house, according to Officer Doherty, who was on the scene at that time. The good Doctor stated that he saw Morse at the house at 11:32 a.m.

That hour difference could have given Morse time to kill his brother-in-law & cough up his alibi.

If Morse was the killer, police felt Morse may have used the meat cleaver to whack both Borden's multiple times in the head. Police thought it possible the cuts in the victims skulls were mistakenly believed to have been caused by a hatchet (commonly found on people’s properties at that time), yet it was likely a meat cleaver.

Also gossip was that Morse was having an affair w/ maid, Bridget Sullivan. During his prior visits, Morse slept in a 3rd floor guest room.....not far from Bridget’s room. (Abby Borden clearly did "not" approve).

Beginning in the spring of 1892, Morse moved to the 2nd-floor guest room where Abby was found dead. Morse may have left the house early & returned to be w/ Bridget. He found that Abby Borden was still at home. A verbal fight ensues, then the murder of Abby....Morse leaves, then he returns & kills Andrew.

Lizzie was at home at the time of the murders but likely didn't care about the affair w/ Bridget &* Uncle Morse. Her sister, Emma (was closer to Morse) but was away at the time.

Police never questioned the doctor about his whereabouts & witness statements. Once an initial alibi was established for Morse, he was no longer a suspect. Even though there were other inconsistencies in Morse’s alibi / statements such as:
1) Where & when he mailed a letter that morning (concerning the inconsistencies in his time frames).

2) The maid, Bridget, likely knew Morse committed the killings, because directly after the crimes & Bridget testifying in court....Bridget abruptly moved to Montana, quickly got married to John Sullivan.....
Morse also left at the same time & moved to Iowa, where he resided until his death & was buried there. Neither of them ever returned to Fall River.
Morse was so easily overlooked by police because of his alibi's.....even though holes were poked in them. Nothing concrete was ever proven that he was the suspect. Initially his alibis seemed to make sense.

*****************************************

Here is the full poem/ doggerel....sung to the tune of "Ta-ra-ra Boom de-ay":


Lizzie Borden took an ax,
And gave her mother forty whacks,
When she saw what she had done,
She gave her father forty-one.

The police arrived on the scene,
Seeing Lizzie sweet and serene.
Two butchered bodies they did find,
Hack handiwork of insane mind.

In court the judge did decree,
Lizzie's innocent and set her free.
Parents wealth she now possessed,
Murder's easy her mind confessed.

When in hell the devil asked,
Did you perform this grisly task.
Take a chance, an ax give me,
Grab a nap then wait and see...

Lizzie Borden, bow your head,
Don't you wish that you were dead?
Lizzie Borden, bend your knee,
One, two, three & out goes she!