The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-06-12
LIZZIE is FAVORED
By % contradictory Evidence Of Po-
licemep.

licemen.
New BEDFORD, Mass, June 12-Tbat
small, broken handled hatchet which the
district attorneys have introduced as the
implement with which Lizzie Borden
chopped to pieces the heads of her father
and stepmother is proving fatal weapon
to the case for the commonwealth. 1t
figured in the most sensational episode of
Fridays proceedings and did deadly exc
cution upon two of the most important
witnesses for the prosecution. 1t again
figured Saturday in a still more dramatic
and sensational incident, at the end of
which two more witnesses, on whom the
prosecution have been building strong
hopes, were totally destroyed. 1t locks as
though 1t would be upon the three and
half inch edge Of this useful little house
hold tool that the case for The common
wealth would split.
Not only did two men distinctly contra
dict each other in their testimony regard
ing the discovery of the hatchet, but two
more men again, and In even y more de-
tailed and specific way.
Contradicted Each Other
with reference to anotheI important mat
ter in connection with it. Assistant
Marshal Fleet had sworn in the most posi-
tive way that there was no handle found
in the box in which the hatchet was dis
covered, or any where near the box. I'm
mediately after came Policeman Mullaly
who swore that he was with Marshal Fleet
when the hatchet was discovered; that the
handle of the hatchet found In the box at
the time and its broken end fitted to the
broken end Of wood which still remained
in the iron blade. Marshal Fleet, being
recalled, elaborate pains being taken to
see that he had no communication with
the last witness or with anybody interested
| in the prosecution, again swore even more
positively than before that there was no
| hatchet handle in the box or near it and
that no hatchet handle was found at the
| time the hatchet itself was discovered.
Detective Medley swore on SATURDAY
| that on the Monday following the MUIR
| der, which occurred on Thursday. he took
| the hatchet from the box and
Wrapped 1t In q Piece Of Newspaper.
| He even described the paper in which he
| wrapped it, and to still further empha-
| size that point, he in open court, with a
| small corner of newspaper torn off for
| the purpose, illustrated by actually fold
| ing up the hatchet as he stood by the
stenographers desk. precisely the manner
| In which he folded 1t on the Monday in
| question, and just the size Of the parcel it
made when folded
| Immediately following him came an
other policeman, police captain, named
| Dennis Desmond. who said that at the
same time and occasion as that to which
Medley had referred he had folded up the
| hatchet, and he. too, to the edifcation of
the court and the Judge practically illus
trated how he had done the folding by
taking complete newspaper and wrap
| ping up the hatchet in great bundle so
large that it could hardly be carried any
| where else than under the arm. This he
said represented the size of the parcel
made when he rolled up the hatchet in the
cellar and gave il to Detective Medley to
| carry To the marshal.
| Medley swore that 1t was he who
| wrapped up the hatchet and that he had
wrapped it in piece of brown paper. Cap
tain Desmond swore that IL was he who
wrapped 1t up and that he had wrapped 1t
| in an en- tire newspaper.
| Jurymen Amazed.
The exhibition rs Desmond, elaborately
! and with an air of benign contentment,
| illustrated exactly how he had folded .he
4
| The jurymen could not conceal their
amazement and glanced with astonished
eyes mt each other aud at the witness. Dis
trict Attorney Knowlton stood with bull
dog stolidity under the ridiculous plight
his witness was placing both himself and
the commonwealth District Attorney
| Moody, who is younger and more nervous,
| fidgeted with flushed face In his chair.
| Mr.. Jennings. of the counsel Of the de-
fense, could not command his features,
and with his back TO the witness and with
] his face twitching x with suppressed amuse-
ment, looked ut the clock high up on the
| wall
| Throughout the courtroom there was
silence so deep and profound that the
rustlng Of the paper was heard as Des-
| mond
CbeerfuiIy and Compiacently
folded IL and wrapped around the narrow
| little blade of the treacherous hatchet.
Lizzie Borden, her hand resting on the
railing I'm front of the witness box,
drummed. pressed and smoothed the slip
perry surface with her thumb and fore
finger. her pale face expressionless and
her eyes cast down. Governor Robinson,
with his left hand thrust deep into his
trousers grimly watched the witness sink