Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-24
SOME RAYS OF LIGHT
For Lizzie Borden in the Postpone
ment of Her First Hearing.
THE CASE MAY BE DISMISSED,
But the States Attorneys Stick to 1t They
Have q Chance
20 PROVE THAT THE GIRL Is GUILTY
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE p1srArcH.1

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.l
FALL RIVER, MASS, Aug 23.-Despite
the protestations of Marshal Hilliard, the
only representative of the prosecution in
town tonight, that the adjournment
asked for yesterday by District Attorney
Knowlton is not an evidence of weakness
on the part of the Comm onwealth, the gen.
eral belief among the lawyers and the
masses of people here is that the time has
come when the authorities must acknow-
ledge that they have acted rashly and with
out sufficient cause. Through the whole in
vestigation made by the police and the
District Attorney there has been a manifest
attempt to keep the public in ignorance of
the facts in the possession of the police.
And now, at the last minute, the prose-
cution makes it known that all the evil
dence will be brought out at the hearing,
and the public can judge for themselves
But THE DISPATCH reporter was told late
tonight, by one of the prosecution other
than Marshal Hilliard, that the postpone
ment until Thursday was desired by both
sides, in order to fully prepare the case
The hearing, said THE DIsfATCH's inform
ant will partake of the nature of a trial by
jury in regard to all the facts being brought
out.
Protests of the Prosecution.
The prosecution emphatically states that
it has no fear of the result and asserts that
Lawyer Jennings was fully as desirous as it
to have the examination postponed. Those
who insist that the State has no case against
Lizzie Borden, and that it has at last real
lied that it has been wrong from the start,
say that the clearest evidence of weakness
in the case against the accused is the TACT
that the prosecution considers it absolutely
necessary to present the evidence of the
medical experts in order to have the pris-
oner held for trial. They say that had the
case of the Commonwealth been strong
enough without the expert testimony the
postponement would not have been asked
for; and further they allege that the repre-
sentations of the experts are not satisfactory
to the District Attorney.
Other evidence, they say, aside from the
expert testimony, has not proven what it
was expected to be. They point out that
the District Attorney has been slow and re-
luctant from the beginning to take any ac-
tion. These critics say that the prosecution
sees that it is mistaken and is now endeav-
oring to smooth its fall in the eyes of the
public by showing its hand and saying that
the suspicious circumstances justified the
arrest of Lizzie Borden.
The State as stubborn as Ever
But Attorney Knowlton, who tells the
truth when he tells anything, meets all this
with the assurance that the case of the
State is as strong as it ever was, and that
he asked TOR postponement in order to
give the defense plenty of time as well as
to complete the preparation of his own side
of the case.
The warmest friends of Lizzie Borden ad-
init that the State need present only enough
evidence to convince Judge Blaidsell that
he should hold the prisoner to await the ac-
tion of the grand jury. BuEthe District
Attorney intends to make known all the
evidence in his possession, so that if Lizzie
Borden is held for trial her counsel Will
know just what they must fight.
The District Attorney is determined to
give the accused woman every chance. He
asked for the postponement of the hearing
solely to enable him to prepare all his evil
dence and present it. Those who think the
State is weakening are wrong. The DIS
PATCH reporter was assured tonight that
the case of the State is stronger than ever
before, and that the prosecutors believe the
prisoner will be held for trial There are
many, however, who say that even if the
expert testimony is what the State expects
there is not then enough evidence to war
rant the binding over of Lizzie Borden.
The Lawyers in Full Accord.
There are some who predict openly that
the case will never 60 to trial They saw
that if Judge Blaisdell, bowling to the will |
of District Attorney Knowlton, holds the |
prisoner for trial. the District Attorney will |
enter a nolle pros. Others say. that on |
Thursday the Government will move the |
discharge of the prisoner This is denied |
by the prosecution, yet it has been |
remarked that Lawyer Jennings and |
the State authorities seem to un-
derstand each other very well. |
The police, however, realize that |
with the abandonment of the case against
Lizzie Borden the mystery of the murder
will remain unsolved and all hopes of clear
ing it up will be more remote than ever be-
fore. To the police it is Lizzie Borden or
no one, and, as was remarked tonight, "the
police will never allow it to be no one"
Lawyer Jennings will make no further
fight against Judge Blaisdell presiding at
the examination. He contradicts the state
ments published in other papers, but Mr.
Jennings assured THE DISPATCH reporter
that while he still maintained that Judge
was probably disqualified from
presiding at the hearing, yet he realized
that it was hopeless and ludicrous