The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-08-24
HILLIARD is TALKING.
II Lizzie Can't Be Held He'll Be
Glad to Let Her Go.
NO LIGHT ON THE MYSTERY.
A Fall River Lawyer Advances the Theory
That Lizzie Didn't do the Murders but
That She Knows Who IL the Guilty
Person.


lawyers. j. j. jennings and Melville o.
Adams, are both out of town. 1t was re-
ported that they had gone to Westport to
prepare their case In quiet. Mr.. Jennings
thinks he scored victory In forcing the
prosecution to adjourn the hearing until
they could put in all their evidence.
In the absence Of District-Attorney
Knowlton Marshal Hilliard declared to
World reporter Yesterday that the as
sumption of the defense that the post
ponement was an indication OF weakness
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 Yesterday. Miss Borden was
arrested on strong suspicion, backed bv
strong circumstantial evidence. IL she
cannot be held on that evidence we are
perfectly willing to see her released.
"It was with great reluctance that we
were compelled to take her into custody.
The murders were committed by some
one, and the discriminating circumstances
centered upon her.
"The public demanded the arrest of
the murderer, ahd because the prisoner
OF the persons who were killed some OF
the public howl. That's always the way"
us she In your custody now or that OF
the Sheriff Of the countyp
''She is In mine Until the court turns
her over TO the sheriff she will remain in
mine. AT present she is a person held
upon suspicion only. not yet having had
trial"
II notice that the warrant on which
she was arrested, and which was sworn TO
by you, accuses her of the murder OF An
drew j. Borden only, and does not men
tion Mrs. Borden. Why was that ~
"Tte reason is simple. II a man had
committed 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 in
dict on all the charges"
'"rhen, while you base your case against
Lizzie on the murder of her father, you
expect to show also that she killed Mrs.
1.-The evidence in one case will include
the other The plain presumption Is, of
course, that both people were killed by
the same person."
"Why was the murderer of the man Sc
lected in preference to that of the woman,
who, the doctors declare, was evidently
killed frsti"
"You will have to ask the District At
torney. He drew up the warrant and
made the choice for his own reason"
1t is apparent, however that the daugh-
ter is charged with the murder of her
father only because she discovered his
body while the blood WIS still trickling
from his frightful wounds, aud because,
so far as can be found out, she was the
last person 10 see and talk to him,
In discussing the strange affair to-day a
local lawyer, who has known the Bordens
since boyhood, 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 n woman who had committed such
crimes could maintain the demeanor
borne by Lizzie all along. If guilty an
ordinary woman would protest her inno-
cence and So ow signs of horror OF being
accused. II innocent she should scarcely
bear up under the weight Of the outrage
upon her.
some one for help Miss Borden has done
none of this She has shown no fear, she
has never appeared to resent a supposed
outrage, she has not appealed to her
friends.
There is some reason for her marvel
lous composure. for Lizzie Borden Is not
insane. That is, l cannot think her SO.
The reason must be an all.powerful 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 guilt, borne with the con-
viction that the persons guilt cannot be
proved and based on some strong personal
motive for c0ncealment, Is an impregna-
bic buiwark for a secret.
"Now, then, why should she want to
conceal the slayer of her parents There
we are baffied. She was never known to
have lover, who might have done the
deed to hasten his marriage and the pos
session of her share Of the Borden wealth.
But she never was demonstrative girl,
and even IL she did love- no one would be
likely to know. However, am not espec-
tally partial to the lover story.
There remains her knowledge of the
crimes as an instigator. IL she was an
accessory only her demeanor Is explained
If she procured the murder 1t was the re-
suit OF long considered plan, and when
it was done she was satisfied. She could
easily have concealed the murderer in the
house. sent Bridget out of the way and
covered his retreat.
''There Is my theory j don't think any
woman could keep up as Lizzie Borden
has done II she had killed those old peo-
pie with her own hands. don't think
she or any other woman could do it il she
were innocent.
"Many women can keep secret no
matter how terrible when it belongs to
some one in whom they have deep in
terest. / believe that she has guilty
knowledge OF the crime, but / do not be-
lieve that she inflicted the death blows"
IL was learned to-day that Edward T..
Wright, OF the " right Drug Company,
OF New Bedford. has been in consultation
with District-Attorney knowlton and has
To him the composition and
effect Of prussic or hydrocyanic acid.
This would indicate that the State still
clings to the theory OF poison being ad-
miDistered before the hatchet was used.