The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-06-06
ON TRIAL FOR HER LIFE.
The Case of Lizzie Borden Opened
at New Bedford. .m
QUICK WORK IN SECURING A JURY.

District Attorney KnowIton Believes That
tho Trial VIII Consume Three Weeks
Time-Brief Review of One of the Most
Remarkable Cases on Record.
New BEDFORD, Mass, June 6.-The long
anticipated Borden murder trial has be.
gun. Early yesterday morning every avail
able shady spot on County street near the
court house was preempted, and patiently
tho sltters and ISLANDERS waited until tho
bell on the court house was tolled, signify
Ing the opening of the court. Ten minutes
later every available foot of space had an
occupant, and it became necessary to sta
tion guards at the doors.
The prisoner was attired in very be-
coming costume Of black brccaded stuff
and wore a pretty shade hat relieved by O
touch here and there of blue
The jury was completed at AS In tho
afternoon, with Charles l. Richarcs, Of
North Attleboro, as foreman. The quick
ness with which the jury was empaneled
was surprise to everybody, even the
counsel, and they were somewhat unpre-
pared. After the selection of the jury the
court was adjourned until today, when tho
counsel began their opening addresses to
the jury.
District Attorney Knowlton is of the
OP'htoA ehoe az ittioD thIcc NeChS Will Db
required to finish up the trial, provided
there are no set backs
The Borden trial is going to be one of the
most memorable in the criminal annals of
New England. Lizzie d. Borden is a young
woman 81 years of age, who has heretofore
led respected life, who was identified with
numerous religious movements, who, no
cording to the testimony of her friends,
was kind of heart and thoughtful for the
for nt.I n
young woman split open her aged fathers
head with hatchet as he lay sleeping on
sofa, and afterwards go back and so bat
ter his face and head with the same weapon
that even the doctors who looked upon the
hideous sight could hardly command their
nerves? Did this Same young woman,
Just before or just after this deed, strike
down her stepmother and chop and hack
her head and face until it was beaten al
most out of human resemblance? Did she
do at least one of these horrible deeds
within twenty minutes time, and was she
at the end of that interval able to appear
before the neighbors she had summoned
without a spot of blood on her clothing,
without sign Of arrangement or hasty
adjustment of bcr dress, with the weapon
concealed beyond discovery, and not even
scrap Of direct evidence to connect her
with the deed left undisposed OFF
Did Lizzie d. Borden do all this and do
1t in broad daylight, between 1920 and Ii
o'clock in the morning, and in house
close up to the sidewalk of one of the
most frequented streets of a town of sc, 600
inhabitants, house closely elbowed, and
overlooked and surrounded, by other
houses, with their windows and doors all
open as in a hot midsummer morning?
Twelve men under the legal guidance of
three judges and the misguidance of six
lnt .s,,a. Il. I
Lizzie Borden did all these things.
On Aug 4, 1892, when Andrew J. Bor-
den and his wife were murdered, Emma
Borden, the eldest daughter was not at
home. She was away in New Bedford on
visit, and hence is entirely eliminated
from all consideration in the discussion of
the crime. She is the older of the two sis
ters, and Mr.. Borden had no other chill
dren. ...-..
Andrew Borden was known as hard
hsted, closebargaining business man, fond
of money to the degree of being counted
penurous. He had no very warm friends,
and in his grasping, unrelcnting way of
doing business had made quite the num-
Der of enemies, which such men usually
raise. There were many men who had had
their moments of hating him, although
beyond certain unsatisfactory statements
none of this had developed during the time
Ithhehibesly pitceuiuB lhb tTuSeuy. IN
Fall River Borden was counted one of the
wealthy men Of the place. His property
was vahously estimated at from $3.50 coo. to
$5o0,000. He owsed business block, still
known as the Borden block, farms, sew.
eral houses, had manufacturing and bank
stock, and was the president of the Union
Savings bank.
As to the exact state of affairs in the
Borden household there is conflict of evil
dence, but that Lizzie and her stepmother
were not on cordial terms there is no ques-
tion. Lizzie always addressed her and re
ferred to her as Mrs. Borden, and in for
mer years had hot words with her not in
frequently. Between Lizzie and her father,
on the other hand, there were as many
demonstrations Of affection as would be
expected of two such people. The house
was a cold and cheerless one even under
the most favorable circumstances, with
the atmosphere of severe economy all per
yading and all things moving in narrow,
sordid grooves Borden and his wife lived
happily enough, and between Lizzie and
her father there were always kindly rela-
tions.
Fleeing in Terror from Cholera.