Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-08-06
FALL RIVERS MYSTERY.
The Horrible Borden Tragedy
Still Remains Unexplained.
THE HOUSEHOLD UNDER SUSPICION.

Miss Borden's Strange Actions, Coupled
with the Fact That She Purchased
Poison shortly Before the Murders
Were Committed. Impress the Police.
FALL RIVER, Mass, Aug. 6.-The Borden
murder mystery deepens and casts the
shadow Of suspicion on the surviving mem
beers of the household. The police were I'M
able TO find any clew outside the house and
they turned their attention to the members
Of the family. They have made no arrests,
but virtually have made prisoners of the
two daughters Of Mr.. and Mrs Borden, the
nephew, John w. Morse, and the servant
Bridget Sullivan.
A most important clew is in the posses
sion Of the police. From Clerk Eli Bence,
at D. R. Smiths drug store, they learned
that Miss Borden had been in the store
within forty-eight hours past and had in
quired for a certain poison. The clerk was
asked to accompany the officers, and they
closely questioned him as to the time Of the
girls call, her condition mentally, the
amount and quality of the poison she had
bought OF called for.
The officers then took the drug clerk to
residence on Second street, where Miss
Lizzie Borden was stopping for the time
being.
The clerk was not previously well ac-
quainted with the young woman, but he
had told the officers that he could identify
her at sight He did identify her, and in
the presence Of the police officers informed
CHI D. q els
and made inquiry for bottle OF poison.
Miss Borden's reply to this accusation, as
well as the exact language vhich was used
at the time, is known only 10 the police and
herself
/ The demeanor Of Miss Lizzie through the
trying ordeal Of being confronted with the
man who says that she asked about poison
was that of contempt and scorn. In fact
/ her conduct, as observed by the police since
the affair happened, has been strange, in
asmuch as she stood the pointed question
| ing of all who interviewed her with the
show of no other feeling than that Of a dis
interested party.
1t is generally known among the close
/ friends Of the family that Lizzie has not
been on the best OF tern ! with other mem
beers Of the household. /. is alleged that for
some time previous she did not sit at the
table with the balance of the family, but
that she had her meals served at separate
table.
The feeling OF GOODNESS between the mem
bers OF the family is not accounted for by
either the police or neighbors. The murder
had hardly been discovered before she told
the neighbors that she was very sorry, as
shs had arranged to 60 to Marion for va
cation. Later it was learned that Misc
Lizzie had inquired at a drug stcre for by
drocyanic acid in a diluted form, saying
that she wished to use 1t for furs.
Very Much Mystery.
The absence of any apparent motive for
the crime has bafiied the police in their in
vestigation fully as much as the absence Of
clews in the immediate vicinity They
don't know which way to turn or where tc
look for evidence. 1t is certainly estab-
lished that the murderer did not attempt "a
leave the house until after the crime was
discovered. He must have been close at
hand when Lizzie opened the sitting room
door and saw her murdered father
Then, too, the murderer must have had
blood stains on hands and clothing, for the
autopsy revealed the fact that there were
no less than twelve deep cuts on each head,
the skull of each victim being laid open and
horribly gashed, yet this daughter bore no
criminsting marks. II she had committed
the murder she must have hidden the nx OF
cleaver in the house, but the police have
searched every nook and corner in the house
and barn without finding the weapon.
The absence Of the weapon goes to prove
the innocence Of the members OF the house
hold more than anything else. 1t is mega.
tive evidence to be sure, but it is important.
The argument used by the relatives ia
that the murderer was in the room with
Mrs. Borden when the daughters screams
announced her discovery Of the first muir.
der. There was no time then for robbery.
Flight was the only thing to be thought Of
While it seems improbable that a man
could have escaped under such circum.
stances without leaving clew it is not i'm
possible, as the many mysterious crimes Of
similar nature have proved