Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-01-29

doctors present were g. o Belden OF
Litchfeld, T. S. Hanchett of Torrington,
Edward WEIGH of Winsted and F. E. King
of New Milford. At lilo the body was
cut down and turned over to Undertaken
A. e. Fuller of Litchfield. 1t was placed
in very plain coffin, which bore no name
plate or in fact anything else by which it
could be identified. The body had been
offered to friends but they did not think
enough of the dead mans memory to ac-
cept his remains and see that they we're
giqen a christian burial. Sheriff Allen
had therefore made arrangements to have
it entered in the West cemetery, Itch
field, known as potter's field.
Borjesson, who all along had DIS
played considerable nerve, be an to
weaken yesterday afternoon. AS evening
came on he became quite nervous and
paced back and forth rapidly, his hands
| behind his back, within the confines of
his narrow cell, meanwhile muttering to
himself or mumbling over a fragment of
some prayer. Jailer Sedgwick stationed
himself in the next cell and kept a very
close and careful watch over the move
ments of the doomed man. Rev Mr.
Mclaughlin, of Litchfield, who had for
some time been Boriesson's spiritual ad-
wiser, was taken sick yesterday, and the
Rev Fritz Erickson, of Washington, Conn,
| took his place. Mr. Erickson arrived at
noon yesterday and was with he muir
derer until II AS last night. He returned
at o'clock this morning. Last evening
Borjesson made request for pen, ink and
paper and he wanted to write letters
home. 1t seems that the sketches and
other little articles he had made dur
ing his confinement, he had sold, and
| realized therefrom eight dollars. This
sum represented his entire estate. He
wrote the letter to his mother in Sweden
begging her forgiveness and inclosing
| four dollars. This he gave to Rev Mr.
Erickson to mail. The other four dollars
he inclosed in letter which he wrote to
to the family of Emma Anderson, of
whom he also begged forgiveness for his
crime. At midnight Borjesson went to
bed but his last sleep on earth was far
from quiet. He tossed ftfully on his
narrow cot and his dreams seemed to be
many and troubled. He was up at 5
o'clock
The Crime.
Few more brutal murders are recorded
in the annals of the criminal history of
Connecticut than that for which the state
claimed the life of Andrew Borjesson on
the gallows to-day. Borjesson murdered
Mi Emma Anderson, his sweetheart, in
cold blood, and the verdict of all persons
familiar with the horrible act is, that he
simply met just fate.
Boriesson and Emma Anderson were
children together in Sweden and when
little more than in their teens became
lovers. They were poor and Andrew saw
little prospects of being able to provide
home for his future wife. So one day he
told her that he had resolved to try his
fortunes in the United States. When he
sailed from his native land it was with assur-
ances to his sweetheart that he could ap-
Ill, 1. ltlipaDE11y ov5 would ha
| in position to marry. She promised to
| ioin him as soon as he had accumulated
enough money to begin frugal housekeep
| ing. Borjesson made his way to western
Connecticut aud went into farmers en-
ploy. Meagre wages prevented a rapid
accumulation of wealth and it was not
until two years ago, after the greatest in
dustry and economy, that he concluded
to send for Emma He had saved only
about three hundred dollars. Immediately
on receiving the letter from her lover she
and Boriesson's brother started for Amer
ica Emma soon went to work in the
family of Homer Buckingham in New
Milford. She was greatly admired by
many of the Swedes in the town and ap-
peared to be flattered by the a tentions paid
her. Several of her young acquaintance
disregarding Borjesson's claim on Emma,
fell in love with her. Borjesson became
| lQ6adk&lY- 10dlOu6 anu uIkSu Cuu1d W Ii
| speedy marriage, fearing one of his rivals
would carry off his prize. The girl for
some unexplained reason postponed the
| wedding from time to timr. Boriesson
grew more jealous and gloomier every day
| and finally began to drink heavily.
On the afternoon of August l, 1890, he
called on his sweetheart and asked her to
consent to an immediate marriage. Emma
still pleaded for delay and the suspicious
1 n L. 81
ness. The girl resented this imputation
aud ordered him from the house, telling
him never to speak to her again. He left
her, in q terrible rage and going to a
n Sigh oring saloon drank freely. That
night Emma Anderson was fouIly muir
dered. Her lifeless body was found the
next morning by members of the Buck
ingham family. Her throat had been cut
from ear to ear as shs slept and the bed
and carpet were saturated with blood.
Her head was almost severed. Not salts
fed with this butchefy, Borjesson had cut
two gashes in her body, one in the back
and the other the length of her right arm.
A pocket knife was the iends weapon.
Suspicion at once pointed to Bor lesson
as the murderer as he had in fit of rage the
night before been heard to make dire
threats against some unknown person.
He made no effort to escape the conse-
early the next day. He made full con-
fession to the police and was held for trial.
He was bound over to the superior
court, condemned to death, and thu
penalty has been paid to-day.
The Trial.
Borjesson was defended by Lawyer rs
James McMahon, of New Milford, and
John T. Hubbard, and W. S. Judd OF
Litchfeld. The prisoners confession left
very little for the state to prove and the
testimony on both sides was mostly of an
: expert nature. The defense resorted to
the old dodge of insanity, endeavoring tc
prove that epilepsy had rendered the
prisoner mentally irresponsible. Several
experts testified that this disease produced
, responsibility and expressed the belief
{ that Boriesson did not know what he wa.
doing when he murdered his sweetheart
The, prosecution proved, however, thai
[ the crime was premeditated and sbruta
. ack