Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-26
A BLOODY STRANGER
Furnishes a Clew Which Lizzie Bor.
den's Lawyer Is Pressing.
THE PRELIMINARY TRIAL BEGUN.
DR.. Dolan Tells of the Wounds and the Tell
Tale Blood Stains
THE PRISONER SMILES At LAWYERS

FALL RIVER, MASS, Aug. 25.-In the
Borden murder case, Mr.. Jennings, counsel
for the defense, has given out letter for
for publication which tells in q rambling
way of the writer's interview with q bloody
stranger. It was signed Samuel Robinsky.
A man of that name is known at Waltham,
where he posed as peddler, who comes
there occasionally, but cannot be found
now. The writer, who claims to be ped
dler, says:
When the murder in Fall River occ urred,
was only few miles away. met man
who was covered with blood. He told me
that he worked on q farm and that he never
could get his wages, so he had a fight with
the farmer. He bought from me four hand
kerchiefs, necktie, collar and shoe black
ing. His boots were covered with blood and
he put this blacking on. l am dead sure
would know him again. 1 kept quiet, as
had no license and feared I would be
arrested. If had known about that murder
at the time met the stranger it would have
been different, as I would have followed
him up and, perhaps. got the reward. l
thought he was Poor Farm hand, and SO
took pity on him, as know, as a rule. farm
ers seldom pay their hands during the sum-
mer.
The Preliminary Trial Begins
After much delay the preliminary. trial of
Miss Lizzie Borden began here in earne st
at 1890 A. M. The first witness called to
the stand was Medical Examiner Dolan.
The witness testified to the position of
the bodies OF the murdered couple when
found, and to sending their stomachs TO
Prof. Wood, of Harvard College,
for analysis. Mrs. Borden's body
was dressed as you would expect
had an old handkerchief about the neck that
was bloody. Witness did not believe it was
tied in knot. and did not remember wheth-
er it was cut or not
Surveyor Kiernan then took the stand
and submitted plans showing the interior
and exterior of the Borden homestead, with
measurements of the rooms, etc.
He thought from the appearance of spot
of blood on the door casing that it was
thrown from the sitting room toward the
kitchen. During his evidence Lizzie bore
an expressionless countenance and bit the
edge of a palm-leat tan, while Emma hid
called back to the stand.
What caused Mr.. Borden's death? was
asked.
Witness-He died from shock. and the
body was still warm when arrived at the
house
A question as to the force required was
objected to. The objection was overruled
Witness said the wounds could be made by
any person of ordinary strength using mod
crate force.
Both the Victims Died Of Shock.
In the witness opinion, Mrs. Borden had
been dead about an hour and half She
died of shock. Witness saw four axes in
the cellar of the house. He examined one
and found it had been scraped and washed
Under the glass he found stains which
looked like blood. He saw some hair on
the ak also. He took some dress skirts and
underskirts from the house, the property of
Miss Borden, the defendant.
The principal things developed by Attor-
ney Adams long examination of Dr.. Dolan
was the exposure of the slip-shod methods
of the police force and the medical exam
liner. The principal witness made a confes-
sion to this fact, allowing that his final
search was DELAYED, and that only partial
autopsy was had shortly after the bodies
were recovered.
Mr.. Adams wanted to know if DR.. Dolan
thought that the hatchet with the peculiar
claw head was the identical one which pro-
duced the crushed wound in Mrs. Borden's |
ucdu. I1c tuOuRnC III COulO nave zone II. |
He thought Mr.. Borden's assailant stood |
between the head of Mr.. Borden and the !
dining room door, perhaps midway of the |
opening.
Large Pools of Blood Unnecessary
From the position of the assailant and
Mr.. Borden, he thought the former would |
have received more blood above the waist
than below. He thought the deed could |
have been done and the person doing it not
have had more than ten spots on his clothing.
All through this exhaustive and tedious
District Attorney Knowlton
hardly raised an objection. Miss Lizzie
Borden did not betray any noticeable feel
ng during the whole day, except possibly
n three or four instances. One was when
Dr.. Dolan described tine CHASTITY wounds on
ler father Then she flushed and tears
,ame into her eyes.
When Mr.. Adams asked if the report of
he autopsy was in the doctors hand
writing and received a negative answer, he
ollowed it with another, which was met
With the smart answer that 1t was not in
at all, but in type-writing.
Lizzie Joined in the smiles that went
lround the court room. When the wood
vas passed around, showing blood spots,
Attorney Jennings made a joking remark,
md again Miss Lizzie smiled
About 8 o'clock, when Miss Emma spoke
4 LlL-c y