Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-17
His idea was that the murders we're the
work Of lunatic.

street.
In the case Of Mrs. Borden the police
were utterly unable TO locate her outside
the house on that fateful morning, not
witbstandIn0 the statement OF Lizzi'
Borden that Mrs. Borden had been sum
moned 10 sick neighbor. According. e
Miss Borden. the note was delivered e
Mrs Borden by q messenger-boy. but she
could not describe the boy. She did mol
know the neighbor aud diligent search has
failed to reveal the slightest trace oil
either. The note which Mrs. Borden i
SAID 10 have received could not be found
10 was regarded rs singular by the police
that neither Miss Borden nor Bridget SUI.
livan had heard the noise OF the fall OF
Mrs. Borden's body. Mrs Borden weighed
geo pounds. and il was clear that she had
tumbled headlong and at full length &c
the floor.
DR.. Bowen, the family physician, who
was called TO the: Borden house few
minutes utter the discovery OF the bodies,
told the police that Mr.: Borden, was, IN
his judgment. asleep when attacked, lie
thought that an axe had been used, az
there we're several cuts on the head four
and half inches long.
DIFFERENT STATEMENTS.
Miss Borden told the police that she wes
in the barn when the murders occurred.
A policeman visited the barn on the Jay
of the tragedy and examined the floor,
which was covered with thick layer oil
dust. There were no footprints In this
dust except those made by the officer IN
his investigation.
Hiram Harrington. O brother-in-law OF
Borlen. had an interview with Miss Bor-
den the evening of the day of the murders.
She told him that she was in the kitchen
when the father came home st 1880
O'Clock. Dir. Borden sat down on the
lounge In the next room. and she went
In there and helped him to remove his
coat. inquired solicitOusly as to his condl-
ton, put on his dressInR-gown, assisted
him 20 a reclining position, and withdrew
on finding him comfortable She left the
house and went to the barn about l0:45
O'Clock and staid there twenty to thirty
minutes. On returning she found Mr..
Borden's body. Miss Borden told Har-
rington that she thought the murders had
been committed by strangers.
Tho stomachs of MIR. aud Mrs Borden
have been sent 10 Bosten for chemical
analysis. which will show not only whether
poison was administered, but also is relied
on TO settle the question as to which OF
the couple died first. On this depends the
disposition of a large part OF the estate. If
Mrs. Borden died first her relatives would
not inherit her dover rights.
One of the most singular things in con-
nection with the tragedy is that the
weapon with which the murders were
committed has not yet been found, beyond
peradventure, although the house and its
chlmneys. the yard, cellar, barn, and every
part of the premises were searched and
dug over industrIously. Several axes and
hatcbets were found, put none of them
bore bona fde blood stains. A Ratchet was
found in the Borden cellar with what
looked like blood stains on II, but they
were very old stains, apparently, and Miss
Borden said that the Ratchet had been used
several weeks previous in killing pigeons.
BRIDGET sULIyAN's TESTIMONY.
On her second examination 10y the police
Bridget Sullivan changed her former story
IN some details She said that she began
10 wash the windows at $3.50 O'Clock and
did not get through until 1890. During
this hour she commanded full view of
all the entrances TO the house, and was
positive no one entered or departed.
Just as she finished she saw Mr.. Bor-
den approaching and let him In. Then she
attended TO some matters Ill the kitchen
and went upstairs to lie down because
of pain in her back. On her way up
stairs she passed through the room where
Mr. Borden was lying on the lounge and
found him sleeping. She left Lizzie Bor-
den ironing IN tho kitchen, and knew
nothing of the murders until called down
by Lizzie.
The police are clear on the question of
motive. They allege that 1t was the pur-
pose of Lizzie Borden, by killing Borden
and his wife. TO inherit one half of his
estate Bearing on this point information
was furnished the police only two days
ago TO the effect that Mr. Borden was
about TO make q will. The police consider
the information reliable. No will has been
found since his death. and he IS believed
70 have died interstate. Ii Is said that
Lizzie Borden knew no was about to make
will.
Before the tragedy Lizzie Borden lived
the humdrum lie Of small place. She
once taught Sunday-school class and was
bright but sedate. She made an extended
tour Of Europe year or two ago, since
which she has devoted herself largely to
novels and hos resumed her Sunday-school
teaching. Throughout her surveillance
and arrest she has borne herself with won
deriul calmness.
RRsULT OF THE CHEMISTS ANALYSIS.
A Fall River dispatch says that Professor
Wood, of the Harvard Medical School, has
advanced far enough in his analysis TO de-
termine several important points. 1t IS
expected by the government that he Will
testify at the preliminary examination
that the blood-spots on the small axe,
carpets, and sofa-coverings, sent him
for examination. are almost identical
in formation, and that they appear
20 be human blood. 1t is also intl-
mated that Dr. Wood has found no evil
dence of poison in the viscera sent HIM tor
ANALYSIS. Such evidence will do much to
strengthen the government case IN one
way. but IN another 1t Will weaken If. The
finding will dIsprove the theory that the
Old Ueople's sickness on Tuesday night
prior TO the murder was caused by poison
inc, aud thus the attempted purchase of
prugsic acid by Miss Borden on Wednesday
will, even if true. fail IN value as a supple
montary piece of evidence showing criminal
deliberation and planning on her part