Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-15

cLrxs THAT TIE roLicE HAVE BEEN FOLLOW
rxa-wHY SUSPICION ATTACHED TO MISS LIZ
zrx NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN HKR sroRIEs-
TESTIMONY GIVEN BIT BRIDGET SULLIVAN.
The double murder Of Andrew J. Borden aud
his wife At Fall River, Mass, on the 4sh Of this
month, eliminating - il has in the arrest Of
his younger daughter, Lizzie Borden, Is one Of
the most extraordinary and mysterious crimi-
nal episodes Of the century. Who WAS there
among those who read the first story
of that tragedy ~ho did not feel his in,sgina. ION
thrill with the recollection of Poe's strange and
morbidly fascinating tale Of the murders in the
Rue Morgus9 In the nature Of things murder
II committed for but one. or at most two. Of
four motives jealousy, revenge. self gnin and
that other reason suggested by DE Quincey in
his essay on Murder - Fine Art" insanity.
The circumstances surrounding the assassina-
ton Of Borden and his wife. who was Lizzie
stepmother. were such ~ TO astound those who
would pounce, Cd hand, upon . motive. Bor-
den was rich and pious, aged seventy six years,
. mau whose probity was equal to his thrift.
He had not led public life. be had no Known
enemy who IL could be coRjectured would 60
to the extent Of killing him, much less his wife.
and when the mutilated bodies of the couple
we're discovered, In their own house, shortly be-
fore noon on August 4, the police and the pub.
lie we're utterly at loss for motive, and In
the intense excitement that overwhelmed the
community they turned 10 one another In help
less astonishment and horror.
DISCOVERY OF TEE BODIES.
The body Of Borden was found on velvet
sofa in the parlor Of the house. His head bad
been literally hacked to pieces. There were
seven long gashes on his face and skull. some Of
them m inch and half deep through the fesh
and bone. In the ''spare" bed chamber on the
second floor was discovered the BODY of Mr.
Borden, who Was sixty-seven years old. There
was at first no sight Of blood ard the momentary
supposition was that he9rt failure had occurred.
Mrs. Borden was lying prone on the Hoor on
her face with her arms outstretched and the
toes Of her shoes resting on the carpet On
raising the body there was seen pool of blood,
and an examination disclosed the fact that
death had been caused, rs in the case of the
husband, by repeated blows Of some heavy
sharp instrument on the face, neck and head
In the case Of both there was found deep cut
into the BRAIN
A circumstance, which was not at once OBJ
served, but which was after~ard noticed and
put down as clue, WAS the remarkable absence
Of blood from the numerous wounds on both
bodies. 1t was as II the life current had been
retarded and partly concealed from other causes
before the murderous blows were struck.
plain that the murders were both committed
unexpectedly SO far a. the victims were con-
cerned. Borden's body wac reclining on the
lounge, the lega were resting easily on the floor
the eft arm lay on the hip, the right was folded
across the breast, the ewes were closed and the
surprise or apprehension. The attitude was one
Of repose. The features Of Mrs. Borden we're
not drawn and there WIS absolutely no evidence
Of q struggle.
There we're. 30 far as yet known. but two per-
sons other than Borden and his wife on the
These were Bridget Sullivan, domestic, and
Lizzie Borden. the younger Of the two
daughters. The older daughter was visiting in
another town.
LIZZIE BoRpIN's STORY.
The first alarm was given by Lizzie Borden,
who ran out into the yard and called for help
A neishbor responded and the police were teie-
phoned for. When they arrived they were told
the following story:
The elder daughter had been visiting for
some time in Fair Haven. At O'Clock that
morning Mrs. Borden received . note asking
her to call on friend who was Ill. She lett the
honse, and shortly after her husband followed
and went TO the bank, Of which he was di-
rector. He returned about 1880 O'Clock and
reclined on the sofa in the parior for doze
Bridget Sullivan, who had been working in the
kitchen. passed through the parlor shortly after
his return and asked him how be felt
The reason for this question was explained TO
the police. The whole family had been slightly
i'll for day or two and DR.. Bowen the attend
ing physician, had given il as his suggestion
that they had been poisoned. Mr.. Borden told
Bridget that he was feeling all right and she
went up to the third floor and washed the vim
dows.
According to Lizzie Borden she slept late
that morning and did not get up until Mrs. Bor-
den had gone out, as she thought. in response
to the note from the neighbor. On going
down stairs Lizzie passed through the parlor
and saw and spoke to her father. Surprising
her mother was out, she went into the yard and
entered the barn in search of piece Of lead
from which TO cut ''sinkers' for u fl hing ex-
cursion she expected soon to make to Marion to
join some Sunday school friends who were
already sojournin8 there. While in the barn
she heard cry OF distress coming apparently
from the house. Rushing in, she found her
father dead on the sofa. She called Bridget
and they gave an alarm. Then they searched
upstairs for Mrs. Borden and found her as de-
scribed. The door Of the spare room, thu police
were told. was closed.
Such was the story a. related to the police by
Lizzie Borden and tbs servant, and it furnished
no clues ON which to work.
THEORIES OF THE POLICE
The first theory Of the police was that muir
0efek AaknAAiAr WIN tue pace naQ concealed
himself in the house and had taken desperate
chances for the plumber that might be at hand.
This view was relinquished when ii was found
that nothing had been taken. The police next
turned their attention to the theory that the
murders were family matter and had grown
ont OF the effort Of one Of the girls TO secure Q
half interest in the estate, valued mt $500, 900.
At the outset there were several false clues on
which the police worked, several parties being
arrested on suspicion, but each one established
an alibi.
A careful examinationof the bodies Of Mr..
and Mrs. Borden the day after the killing
served to convince the physicians that Mrs
Borden had been dispatched some time-prob-
ably an hour and half-before her husband.
1t vas after this discovery, coupled with the
failure to locate any suspicious character on or
near the premises before or after the tragedy,
and with the seeming improbability that q
stranger could have lurked in the Borden house
without detection by Lizzie Borden or the serv-
ant, that the police fell back on the theory that
the ASSASSIN was some member Of the house hold
who knew the premises thoroughly.
So much having been settled to their satisfsc-
ton the police proceeded to look for their VIC
tim. Their attention was first drawn to John
v. Morse, . cousin Of Borden, living in neigh
boring town. Morse was sort Of horse trader.
had recently come from the west and was known
to have been at the Borden home several times
and especially on the morning Of the murders.
He WaE shadovAd and ouea fioun6 NV tha vx,1;.,