New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-21
TO FALL RIVER.


tragedy, and dismayed by the accusation that she
was the cause Of it. has been the object Of con-
spiracy almost dark as the crime from which
1t sprang. She has been surrounded by class
Of vulgar people, 10 which her whole life had
heen a stranger She has been the victim of
pos session Th"y were h'r accuscrS and her
Iacrs They had her at every Disadvantages
CIRCUMSTANCES AGAINsT HER.
If she spoke, II had 10 he through their mouths
and they were free to distort. they did dstort,
everything she said 10 manufacture, as they did
manufacture. colossal lies against her They
the officers OF the public As such they
had access 10 the newspapers, and the stories
they told, now shown 10 bo UNANIMOUSLY false.
the means by which public opinion was
formed and crystazed against her. until. in the
circle of her friendships. the belief prevailed
that she hideouS criminal.
Those who had been her n'shhors and her
friends fell away from hor in suspicion and dis
gust and of tho little hand that remained faith
ful 10 the last only three or four were permitted
by the powers that held her in custody and that
moved maliclously for her destruction to visit
and assist hor.
1t is not remarkable that Lizzie Borden came
into the courtroom that has witnessed her
triumphant vindcarion with the lines of proud
despair traced deeply in her face. She had small
reason for nope. From that saturday night the 6th
of August, when, in the room from which the
murdered bodies of her father and stcpmother had
been only few hours removed. she received tho
Mayor Of the city of Fail River and his Marshal
OF Police. and listened 10 them say: IL is you,
Miss Borden who are under susplcion-' from that
moment until the day III" was first brought into
this courtroom her experience with the law-ths
law that presumed al men innocent until they
are proved guilty. the law that throws a shield
around thos" who rive il their tru" allegiance
was a long chapter of unrclieved horrors. Goadod,
hunted, deliberately lied about, made to say in
eliminating words size had never thought. pic
turcd in incriminatnc scores that existed only in
the Wind rtiye Imagination of Ter jailors. she had
small reason think that tie last chapter of her
aliictions would not he what those who had
brought her TO il meant il should be- the record
of her doom
DRAMATIC SCENE IN THE COURT ROOM.
How wicked and silly the women have been
who have crowded day after day into this court
rocn gazing, almost glaring at her proud. cold
face. How little they knew of the character
that lay behind the features they saw. How
little competent they wcr" to judge UNDER
stand. While tic Dstrct-Attorney was speak
ing yesterday morning, calling her murdercSS
and invoking vengeance upon her, saw her look
out Of the courtroom window into the sunlight
and at the trees and flowers. Her chin began
to quycr and her eyes, that had been dry and
fierce through all of his denuncations. quickly
filled with tears She drew, she wrcnched
them from the freedom they had been looking
upon. She held her fan for an instant before
her face, and behind it she touched her handker-
chiet To her eyes. Then she brought both ian
and handkerchief away, and there again her
hard, cold undaunted, unieelins countcnance, and
her dry eyes fixed directly Oh the man who was
dcnOunclng her.
The scene which ended this wonderful courtroom
drama presented sensation i'll its highest form.
For four long hours the prosecutor had en-,
gagged in brilliant and merce,s arraignment. His
the voice and his the manner suited the task
he had in hand. He said il was a painful task
but he seemed 10 enjoy it, He said he per-
forming th" hardest duty Of his lite, but he per-
formed il with an enthusiasm. a hearth
ness of spirit and earncstncss of man.
ncr that did not well accord with his pro-
fcssions Ii was truly IA remarkable speech one
that nobody could have mad with the materials,
Mr. knowlton had e. make il, unlrS, his soul
WAS III IL lie u"i"lCfu III" police prJufcTs AS il
tl.ey had been angels of purity. lie placed the
word Of that lying Reagan woman. the matron
OF the Fan River police station over that Of tho
seven honorable men and women who testified ~
her falsity. One Medley WIS Of more value in
his eyes than sin eight disintereste,l persona
who had sworn TO Medley's confusion Ienorin,
the breaks the defence had made in the testimonv
of the States witnesses by their own admission.
and contradictions, ignoring the unbroken evt.
depce that tho defence had produced supplytna