The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-08-30
NO POISON +!
NOBlO0d dOnthe HatChet,
Says Prof. Wood.
MISS LIZZIE SMILES.
The Prosecution Receives a Severe
Setback This Morning.
SHOES AND STOCKINGS CLEAN.
The Expert who Was to Dcmolish Miss
Borden's Claims to Innocence Flatly
Contradicts DIR. Dolan-The Stomachs
all Right and Digested Normal.
ESPECIAL TO THE SEws.l

FALL RIVER, Aug. 30.-Yesterday was
the most important day thus far In the
great Borden case.
1t was n day in which the disclosures
were of character that shed high lights
and deep shadows upon the sayings and
doings of Miss Borden. For these the
public have anxiously waited. Now they
have them-they have evidence both for
and against. Are they nearer decision
than before ? Perhaps not. but he who
carefully weighs the evidence of wit
nesses yesterday will have little cause for
regret IL he is "A believer in Lizzie's in
noceuce.
A brief summary shows that the gov
ernment gained one point, though that
was somen hat doubtful testimony,
while the defence made two strong points
both on the best of authority.
The first relates TO the poison theory.
This the public has looked for long, and
basing its expectations upon recent re-
ports tha diligent search had failed to
reveal any case Of the sale of prussic acid
on that day, it had almost come to believe
that the poison theory was to be aban-
doned.
1t was startling statement therefore
that Mr.. Hart made when he said that
Lizzie had tried TO buy 40 cents worth of
prussic acid" of him on Thursday. The
statement fell upn the audience like a
thunderbolt. 1t began to dawn upon
Lizze's friends that the government did
and was determined only to allow evil
dence enough to come in to commit the
accused. But the authority of the wit
ness may be doubtful. He did not know
Miss Borden He simply recognized her
afterward and confirmed his recognition
-. L.. l<.xA -. l.
went with the policeman as n spy upon
her at night. Think Of the astonishment
of the audience when the next witness
took oath that she spoke neither low nor
tremuious, but in fairly loud tone
III one Is right, the other is wrong. IL
Lizzie spoke loudly she did not speak low
or tremulously Both descriptions of the
same voice speaking at the same time
cannot be correct. Ii becomes merely a
question of veracity between the two or,
rather. question Of whether either of
them knew her we'll enough TO be sure of
identifying her at any time. Ii is a doubt
full question and until il is corroborated
on either side by more definite testimony
IL must be considered as having little
weight.
What this point or the prosecution
lacked In defnltenees was equalized by
the positiveness of the testimony OF Mrs.
Churchill on the subject OF that note.
~ haS otch ny tnc RONtrIl-
ment that the theory Of n note announc-
ing the sickness of some one and making
IL necessary that Mrs. Borden should 90
out, was fabrication OF Lizzies, aud al, |,
her friends as well rs enemies, have agreed
that IL was disagreeable fact and one
that needed disproof by the defence. The
disproof IL at hand or at least so much of
IL as Mrs. Churchil's word Is capable Of
giving In Bridget's testimony she
distinctly stated that Mrs. Borden said
nothing to her about note aud
that all she knew about it she heard from
Lizzie's lips. Mrs. Churchill states that
Bridget told her Mrs. Churchil), that
Mrs. Borden said To her (Bridget) that she
had received n note and had to 20 out.
Mis-. Borden had gone out quickly and
had not told ber( l3rid0et) where she was
going, though she USUALLY does"
Here aie two statements by different
witnesses, each Of them witnesses of the
first order-the one with unimpeachable
charac er-the other with "A character mt
least open TO question. And the two
statements, though varying but slightly
are as different as the two poles In their
bearing upon the case The one raises