Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-12

OF tbs barn the other day while an othc,- went
upstairs and dropped a package weighing ten
pounds on the noor in the RON where the old
lady was Killed. beard the sound distinctly. ,
Mrs. Borden weighed over 200 pounds and
when she fel under the frSt fatal blow ne
dropped Is 80 much lead.
As To the killing Of Mr.. borden by some one
who escaped out % the hack door while Lam.
was in the loft Of the barn the contradictions
are equally strong. Lirzie woald have heard
the person escaping n he Ind shoes on. An
officer walked down the STEPS while l wns in tho
loft and heard the footballs plainly. But that
IL all nonsense. IL this fictitious murderer had
been barefooted he would have been observed
by the people in the streets all the more readily.
There were people ut the windows OF all the
houses In the neighborhood. No stranger went
into the Borden house nor left IL that morning
unless he had wings and few down the chimney
and made his eNit the same way. Lizzie would
have been ARRESTED long ago IL IL were not for
her family connections ard the Borden wealth.
10 show you how strong al pull u being exer-
cised in her favor viii say tina, the persons
who told ne certain things few DAYS AGO now
want to modify their statements or take them
back entirely"
WHAT Mr.. BYsNrs TIMES.
what do think OF the Borden mystory?''
said Police Superintendent. Byrnes OF New
York TO reporter In regard 90 the tragedy
that has thrown n cload over Fall River ana set
the inhabitants of that Massachusetts town all
sgog. well, really, that - hardly fair ques-
ton, he added. "Ilere are murders. com
United IN distant town. an affair of which
know nothing except what l have read IN the
newsraPers-and The police. Won know. do not
always give al their points 70 the newspapers
In matter OF this Kind how can I express an
opinion on the subject when I have not been on
the ground?"
DO YOU think the star chamber methods
puv~uei hv h. Eal
, vestigating this affair are justified under the
cfrcumstancee?' he was asked.
II am not IN q position 10 answer that
question:" said the Superintendent but
surely the authorities are justified in put
| ing any one under surveillance. for Innocence
VIII always prove itself and the interests Of
the innocent can be placed in no better hands
than those Of the authorities. 1 frequently
md PROOF OF innocence in q confusion "
statements. II Is next 20 impossible for a
person who has not rehearsed a story 60 repeat
| II Verbatim. In questioning accused persons
here at police headquargers I regard IL rather -
/ proof OF guilt han OF limo 'ence il a man tells
| us a story twice In precisely he sar1e wAy II
shows that he has rehearsed il. o.. the other
hand an innocent person II sure 70 make so,as
| variR ton in t.
''Such has often been nv experience Free
| quently, after heaang the story OF an accused
person, have turned the conversation into
another chnnnel and then returned % 1, aud
made some excuse 10 have the story repeated.
L have often in such cases found that the two
versions vcricd remarkably. yet I have ALEC
often found that the persons telling these cor
| nic ing stories were Innocent. Therefore, in
the case to which YOU refer should not regard
such discrepancies in the witness statements
| as any proof of guilt"
How do you rekard the employment Of o
private detective By the Borden family, A
point has been made against Lizzie Borden
4 from the fact that detect We smployed
| though he were hired 20 protect her from the
authorities. Now suppose a case a. which
| innocent person is SUSPECTED of murder. That
person, knowing his innocence, sees thst tie
police are directing suspicion against hun. IA
the meanwhile neglo,ting such clnes a. might
lead 20 the appreb nsion Of the murderer.
Would IL not be perfectly natural aud proper
\ Tor that person 20 engage private detective 20
work on ths ca-el'
''Yes. in such a case il certainly would be.
answered the superintendent. although, ~
said, ss a rule the interests Of an inloesns per
sou are in good hnnos when they are IN tie
hands Of the authorities"