The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-16
LIZZIE B0RDEN'S DEFENCE.
4 GREAT POINT ~ HER FLVoR
BROUGHT our.


! House from thr narn on .he Morning OF
the Murde, at the Exact Time mt which
Lizzie says Sh, Went from the Barn to
| tie Eiou-r.-Thc PruSsic Acid Testimony
| of state ThroSn cut, after which the
State R--ts-La eyer Jcnnings's OPEN
Ing 4 French woodchonpcr'- story.
| NEw BEDFORD. Juno 15.-The trial of Lizzie
| Pordcn for her life IL practically ended 1t may
| not be- formally "loscd until Monday. or IL may
| como to verdict On saturday. but as far as the
| backbone of II goes II came to M. end when tho
| wizard lawyer, Robinson. flung the Govern
| mcnts tales abou, poison out OF the window
aud cut of the ease Of the prosecution before it
had developed Substance.
In New York her lawyers would have asked
the Court t" throw the whole case out of court
on top of the diScr"dtcd poison testimony. But
the practice is different here. Ex-Gov. Robin
son said TO THE Sun correspondent that
such dfamati" course IS not approved
in criminal trials and would not he re-
garlcd rs prudent. To take the chance
and then have the court hold that there was
sufficient evidence to 10 before the jury would
magnify the Importance Of tho Common
wcath's evidence in tho minds Of the Jurors
The case H. ended because tho only story to he
unfoded VAS that OF the Government. which
has now been told The defence has nothing
Of Importance to put forward. The theory OF
the prisoners lawyers is that they do not
know who committed tho murders and that
the Commonwealth has not brought out q
sciniIla Of evidence that their client Old It,
The case has ended in burst OF sunshine
for the imprisoned woman. In the police sta-
tionssof Fall River. whence the host OF wit
nesses came to court to tell stories that wore
not as uniform as the clothes they wear, it il
nlniiitpl HAT hat h.,
had has been generally weakened. What is
left Of suspicious circumstance against her Is
not to he attacked hy her lawyers. and already,
In ona afternoon, great gaps and holes have
been made in 1t. pcddler was Put on tho
stand to testify that he saw a woman coming
from the barn to the Borden house at the very
time the prisoner claims to have made the
journey. and two boys were sworn to give evil
dence that they were in the loft Of the barn be-
fore the arrival OF the police officer who testi-
fed to visiting the loft and finding mono Of
Miss Borden's foot prints in the thick dust
that covered the floor.
AT the end of the day the counsel for the de-
fence ATTEMPTED to introduce sensational cir
cumstancc. but tho Commemorative lawyers
fought it tooth and nail, and tho Judges are
now considering whether tc let it in or not IL
is the story of IL French Canadian woodchoppcr
living at Steep Brook. on the edge of Fall River.
He saw Il lunatic with an axe In the woods. The
man was all bloody. ana kept saying Poor
Mrs. Borden; poor Mrs. Borden" This Was on
the day after the murder.
1t would DO interesting to know Just what
was the usual demeanor OF the Puritan maid
ems in Endicott'a time. when they were on
trial before the witch burners. knowing tho
hopeessncss OF their plight. feeling the i'm
placab'e sternness OF their judges. stripped Of
sympathy and companionship. badgered and
having every word and look tortured into evil
dencc against them what was their usual de-
meanor? In time did they not Lecome stoical
and calous and Indifferent to all but the worst2
Such is the view her critics have taken OF the
general conduct of Lizzie Borden For ten
months she has been in tho grasp OF the City
Marshal OF Fail River and his police. What
their attitude was toward her they have shown
in their testimony. II she is not hanged tney
will think the ten months was wasted.
The Puritan maiden now trial has
seemed to behave like a girl with nothing to
hope for. hardened to unkindncss and sus-
picion. How her position operatod upon her
could lot be understood until to-day. To-day
her friends camo to the front. and hcr side Of
the case had its first hearing. Instantly her
demeanor underwent n change. A hint OF this
same thing was noticed tho other day. when
the Judges decided to exclude her testimony
given at the inquest, when she was sur
rounded by the unbroken circle OF her captors,
the police. At that decision she burst into
n convulsion OF pleasure. gratitude.
and sudden relief, that racked her whole
body. She had learned to brace herself against
and unkindness, but mercy and
active friendiness were so new to her that she
broke down before them.
To-day the new current OF testimony and
eloquence on her behalf set in strongly. and
shp lifted like n ohnH nj mt.
shower. She camo in with great bouquet Of
flowers OF many kinds. among which white
and pale colors predominuted. She sat In her
customary listless way examining her fan
and looking into her lap while tho Govern
mont testimony went on and the District At
orney was in command. 1t WIS when tho
Court flung out tho prussic acid Testimony
that sho began to change her demeanor. She
sat up straight and firm. She opened wide
her big brown eyes. picked up her bouquet
md smelled it. and put its blossoms in
letter order. A rosy flush came over
aer face and her eyes sparkled On
other days her lawyers used to have
% rouse her when they thought to distract
,er attention from tho court proceedings
Vow it is she who II sisted on their hearing her.
and her talk was sprightly and gay and punc-
uated with smiles and ripples OF laughter that
she silenced in her handkerchief
She was overcome and wcpt when her old
friend. Mr.. Jennings. tho leader among hsR
awyors. arose ard talked OF nor homo lie auu
Ter yet unspottcd good name. in opening the
Ease on her behalf. llo WAS eloquent. but
,e was still more earnest. and his belief in
Ter innocence shonc in his words like
| lov!n. light in "A forest. For AN hour he
,hampioncd her cause with an ancient
;night's consideration for her sex and herself
t must have tccn "A strange sensation to that
:irl TO hear, for the first time in ten months OF
lgony. u boll and defiant voice ringing out in
lcr dccen,c sho wiped her eyes furtvely
eW times. uut the tea came 81 lHSt that she
iad to pat W her handkerchief, Her face Doing
hidden, She yielded to nature and had hor
.cond cool cry before tn" public.
Mr., Jennings called The attention OF the Jury
- the -lngUht haste Of the Government in So
. -uspsrlon:, From IT," very outset they be;
cvcd ncI guilty and from that moment tried
cred was her father whom she tendcrly loved.