Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-25

Lirzie said to Have shown Much Antipathy
to Her Stepmother.


The preliminary hearing Of Miss Lizzie A.
Andrew J. Borden and her stepmother, was set
for today at Fall River. The hearing was post
poned Monday at the request Of District At
torney Knowlton. 1t is said that Bridget Sui
Ivan. the servant employed at the Borden
household. had long before the tragedy made
the statement to her associates that there was a
constant warfare going on in the Borden home.
Mrs. Borden and her stepdaughters. Bridget
says. were on anything but pleasant terms with
each other although lire. Borden tried in
Lizzie. the girl declares. showed more an
tfpathy toward the stepmother than did her
sister
II il supposed that ut the inquest Bridget
Sullivan divulged great deal OF important in
formation of this character and furnished the
government grounds which 10 base the
theory of q motive. Another new feature of
the case is n letter which Miss Lizzie wrote to
her sister Emma the Tuesday before the muir
der The first knowledge of the letter came
out q. Miss I.izzie's examination at the inquest
in reply TO the question. Did you notice any
suspicious persons about the house on the day
Of the tragedyF'
Miss Lizzie said she did not notice suspicious
persons on the day, but had on the Monday
night before, and had written account Of
the incident noticed then to her sister Emma
Inquiry develops the fact that on Wednesday
Miss Emma got letter from Miss Lizzie, In
which Mise Lizzie refers to her anxiety over
something which happened ON Monday night
When she returning home from a call she
noticed n nan in the back road. just as she
opened the gate. He disappeared on discover
ing her After entering the house she was so
disturbed over what she had seen that she went
to of the windows in her room command
ing the back ward and watched. She saw a man
who looked like the she had seen already
moving about. Ii was quite dark and she could
not give any description OF him.
Miss Emma Borden showed the letter to
friends in Fair Haven whom she visiting
when she received it, and then she destroyed it,
She says il also turns out that the letter which
Miss Lizzie Borden sent to Marion friends, and
which was received BY them on the day of the
murder, also destroyed. because II con-
tanned reference TO something which, In the
opinion of the young woman to WHOM it was
sent, might in the light of subsequent events,
be misconstrued-
WHY LIZZIE BORDEN Is HELD.
A special dispatch to the New York World
from Fall River Mass. in regard 20 the case of
Lizzie Borden saws that Marshal billiard de-
clared that the assumption of the defense that
the postponement was an indication OF weak
ness is wrong.
The experts are not ready. il is true he
said. but know that Mr.. knowlton is satisfied
to present his case to the court and he was yes
terday. Miss Borden was arrested on strong
suspicion. backed by strong circumstantiai evil
dence. II she cannot be held on that evidence
we are perfectly willing to see her released.
1T was with great reluctance that we were
compelled to take her into custody. The muir
ders were committed by some one and the in
eliminating circumstances conferred about her
The public demanded the arrest Of the
murderer. and because the prisoner in custody
j. a woman and the daughter Of the persons
who ware killed sope of the Dublic howl That
always the way"
rs she in your custody now or that of the
sheriff of the county,
..She Is in mine. Until the court turns her over
to the sheriff she will remain in mine. At present
she il person held under suspicion only, not
yet having had trial
II notice that the warrant on which she was
arrested. and which was sworn to by You,
accuse her of the murder of Andrew j. Borden
only and does not mention Mrs. Borden. Why
was that?'
The reason is simple II a man had COM
mitted twenty burglaries he would be held for
one at first. but on his trial all the evidence
against him would be produced and the grand
jury would indict on all the charges"
Then. while You base your case against
Lizzie on the murder Of her father YOU expect
to show also that she killed Mrs. Borden?
The evidence in one case will include the
other. The plain presumption Is, of course,
that both people we're killed by the same per-
son"
Why was the murderer Of the man selected
Z In preference to that of the woman. who, the
doctors declare evidently killed first?''
.'You will have 10 ask the district attorney.
He drew up the warrant and made the choice
for his own reason"
1t is apparent however, that the daughter is
charged with the murder of her father only. be-
cause she discovered his body while the blood
still trickling from his frightful wounds,
and because, so lar as can be found out. she
was the last person to and talk 10 him.
In discussing the strange affair today local
lawyer. who has known the BOrdens since boy
hood, expressed great admiration for the self
possession Of Lizzie Borden in the position in
which she has been placed.
1T seems hardly possible" he said. ''that
woman who had committed such crimes could
maintain the demeanor borne by Lizzie all
along. II guilty ordinary woman would
protest her innocence and show signs of her
horror Of being accused IL innocent she should
scarcely bear up under the weight Of the OUT
rage upon her.
AN ordinary person would appeal to some
one for help. Miss Borden has done none of
this. She has shown no fear; she has never APP
peared to Resent u supposed outrage; she has
not appealed to her friends.
There is some reason for her marvellous
eomposure, for Lizzie Borden is not insane.
That Is, i cannot think her The reason
must be all-powe-ful one
The rock that sustains Lizzie Borden is her
knowledge Of the murderer. She knows who
butchered her parents That guilty knowledge
Is her strength.
''VicariOus g,rilt, borne with the conviction
that the persons guilt cannot be proved and
based on some strong personal motive for con-
cealnent, il an impregnable bulwark for a
secret.
'Ncw. then, why should should she want to
conceal the SLAYER of her parents? There We
are baff,ed She was never known to have a
lover, who might have done the deed To hasten
his marriage and the possession of her share
of the Borden wealth. But she was never u
demonstratiye girl. and even if she did love,
no one would be nkely to know it. However,
am not especially partial To the love theory.
There remains her knoa ledge of the crime
an instiEatOr. II she WAS an accessory only
her demeanor is explained. II she procured
the murder II the result of long eousid-
cred plan and when it was done she salts
fed She could easily have concealed the muir
de-er in the house. sent Bridget out Of the way
and covered his retreat.
There Is my theory; / don't think any
woman could keep up Lizzie Borden has
done If she had killed those old people with her
own hands. l doa't think she or any other
woman could do il if she were innocent
MANY women can keep a secret. no matter
how terrible. when il belongs to some one in
whom they have deep interest. believe that
she has guilty knowledge Of the crime, but
do not believe that she inflicted the death