The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-08-20
Here. Many Think, a Bad Blunder
Vas Been Made.
MARSHAL HILLIARD'S VIEW
He Thinks Lizzie Did the Deeds When
Out Of Her Head and Has Forgotten
All About Them-An Acquaintance of
Mr.. Borden is Said to Have Witnessed
Painful Domestic Scenes.
ESPECIAL TO THE NEws.i

ftPECIAL Io Iub newell
FALL RIVER. Aug o0-The preliminary
examination Of Lizzie A. Borden is to be
held in the Second District Court room,
which is not large enough TO accommo-
date the parties to the case, their friends
and the members of the press who will
desire to be present. to say nothing Of any
citizens.
A peculiar idea Is to be carried out in
reference to the press on this occasion;
only representatives Of local newspapers
are TO be accommodated with seats and
tables. Each of the local dailies will have
two men. and possibly three, In attend
ance, aud this crowd alone will be con-
siderable, and IL must be admitted that
1t would be hard to accommodate more
In so small house as the Second District
court room.
Outside reporters will have to stand
and write on their knees, IL they should
yet in. 1t Is not known, however, how
many of them will be able to get In. At
least twenty-five will want TO be inside,
and to be seated. but, their prospects are
not flatterinR
The counsel and special friends Of Miss
Borden appear to be planning her defence
with no remotest allusioD1 TO the posi-
bility of her insanity. TheReueral ground
of defence (Which some will consider open
to very plain objection) will he the past
record of the accused or suspected woman
and the utter impossibility OF her having
perpetrated the crimes.
This line may look nice to these counsel
and friends, but IL is never going to clear
her of anything II she Is cleared at ali,
IL must be by snow ing a reasonable alibi
mt the time of both murders or by show
ing that ph> sicaily IL was utterly impos-
sibie for her TO commit them. AS to the
former ground, she cannot prove that she
was out of the neighborhood, as eau John
". Morse, or that, being in the neighbor-
hood, she was not near enought to the
scene OF either murder to have caught
some intimation.
IL Is possible tnat in accounting for her
whereabouts she will be encountered by
Bridget Sullivan, who must have known
enough of Lizzie's Intentions and actions
TO enable her to show eliminating move
ments on her part even IL she knows
nothing of what she actually did.
In regard to the other probable ground
many who say she could not have com
mitted such deeds for want of physical
strength IL is beginning to appear to some
that in time Of violent mania n woman
may have almost superhuman strength.
1t Is, therefore, a weakness in Miss Bor-
they entertain no idea OF having her ex-
amined by an expert as to her sanity. In
their over-confidence OF her ability to
clear herself by her record as a church
member and benevolent character, and
the further view that she could not possi-
bly,, either morally or physically, have
committed the murders, they are over
looking the necessity to n satisfactory
canvass of the case Of an examination Of
her mind.
Such an examination. IL resorted to at
the last moment as n desperate clutch
would damage her cause the worst way;
but IL taken as matter OF course at the
outset and as a rational element in nc
counting for what possibly she has done.
1t would have Leen not only allowable,
but eminently proper.
Some local attorneys are surprised that
this phase of the case has been ignoi ed.
Miss Borden could have been quietly ex-
nmined by expert authority half dozen
times ere this, and very privately, too, so
that, il such were desired, neither herself
nor the public could have known of it !;
but this part OF the defense has been
completely ignored, and, some OF her
friends think, at "a very great risk.
Marshal billiards. view is that Lizzie
committed the murders while insane,
and has forgotten that she has committed
them.
There is much discussion in attorneys
circles about the probability as to senior
counsel for the suspect. Other promi-
nent counsel than those mentioned In
recent special TO the NEWS have been
spoken OF, but nothing can be learned as
TO the engagement of any. IL is not sup
posed that Mr.. Jennings will have a
senior at the examination.
The Borden house looks almost deserted
now. There are no crowds in front, the
yard Is bare, aud there cannot be discov-
cred u sign of life within, although Emma
Borden and Mr.. Morse and some friend of
the family are there all the time Occa-
sionally peghbor, one of DIR. Bowen's
family. or Mrs. Churchill. will run out of
the front door, causing some attention
from passers, but this Is the only sign of
life.
Mayor Coughlin says he is utterly sick
OF the tragedy, and proposes, having with
drawn from Official connection with IL, TO
say no more about IL.