Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-20
The Lizzie Borden Trial.

Many editors feel so certain that LIZZIE
BoRpES will be acquitted that they have
begun TO denounce the police and magis-
trates of Fall River for ever having had
her arrested.
The officers misfortune (as they no
doubt would call it, has been that their
strongest testimony has been ruled out.
They relied upon the assurances OF the at
torneys for the Commonwealth that 1t
would be admitted. The attorneys were
mistaken. Hence II seems probable that
they will not get verdict Of guilty. or
indeed so much "a hung Jury"
The exclusion of the testimony of Miss
kNNIg H. BORDEN. the companion of L1zZIg
BoRpES's European trip, 10 the prisoners
deop-seated hatred of home. was serious
blow 10 the prosecution. And the story
Of the unsuccessful attempt on the part OF
the prisoner 10 buy prussic acid for an
obviously fictitious purpose, the day be-
fore the murders, would have presented
point which the prisoners LAWYERS could
not have answered without putting their
client on the stand.
Again, the authorities could not foresee
that they would not be allowed to intro
duce the testimony Of LIZZIE BORDES
taken al the coroner's inquest; testimony
which they relied upon to contradict the
defence ut important points. Nor would
the defence accommodate them by put
ting LIZZIE on the witness-stand before the
trial jury.
As II looks, the government trusted =
fairly good evidence and had some OF It
shut out entirely. and some like that Of
the officers and Mrs. REaGAN's spoiled after
it was gwen by Its apparent untruthtul-
ness.
Inc unpreiudiced reader will hardly
caro- 10 JON IN the clamor now being
raised against the Fall River police. They
ana not act hastily. IL was only after
LIZZIE BORDFv had failed to give salts
factory account of herself on the day of
the murders that they caused her arrest.
True. some Of the members of the force
proved to be stupid or untruthtul. and
others super-serviceable. but the majority
Of those who worked on the case were
doubtless faithful and intelligent officers.
Fall River IS city Of but $1,000 iuhabi-
tants and can not afford 10 have the ex-
pensive police and detective corps which
are employed by its neiehbors. Boston and
New York.
1t IS quite possible to believe shat
the case has not been proved, or even
that LIZZIE BORDEN is innocent, without
setting the Fall River police down as
either knaves or fools.
Certainly it does not seem that the gov
eminent started INTO the trial with such an
absurdly inadequate array of evidence az
some newspapers would now have the
public believe. If 1t started III with q
great mass Of testimony, which was noto-
rously inadmissble, that was to the dis
credit of the attorneys for the Common
wealth rather than TO the discredit of the
police However, between what was ruled
out and what was shattered by cross-ex-
animation, or 10y contradictIng witnesses.
il is conceded that it now has but scant
case.
Reviewing the Commonwealth case.
Che only facts which remain absolutely
untouched are that Mrs. BORDEN died some
time before her husband; that a note
which LIZZIE alleged had been sent to her
stepmother on the morning Of the tragedy,
requesting hes to visit n sick friend. has
never been traced, and that the handle
less Ratchet In evidence exactly fits into a
wound in the skull of ANDREW J. BORDEN.
The court house where the case is being
tired is small and desk-room in it could
only be made for twenty reporters. The
other reporters have to find room wherever
they can. The Boston Globe, which has
displayed great enterprise In reporting the
case. rented the stable of EBEN BERRY, ad-
jaoent 10 the courthouse. and transformed
II into a writing ont room and telegraph
Office. The Western Union Telegraph |
Company has an Office established in sheds
III rear of the courthouse.
The New York Recorder has Just put into |
execution new and clever idea. II |
has selected distinguished jury.
consisting of Rev. EDWARD EVERETT |
HALE. OLIVER AMEs, SAMUEL Com
PERs DKLANcEY NIcoLL, and others. Six
of these are from Massachusetts, and |
six from New York. They have been fur |
Dished with stenographic reports of the |
trial, the pleadIngs. arguments of counsel. |
and decisions OF the court, and when all is |
over they will render their verdict Each |
person is TO make up his verdict on read |
ing the proceedings and without consulta-
ton with any other member of the jury.
1t will be interesting to hear what these
distinguished Jurors have to say of the |
case.