The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-06-21
LIZZIE BORDEN ACQUITTED.
The Jury Return a Finding of
Not Guilty.
A WILD SCENE IN COURT.
The Verdict Is Received with Tremen.
dOus Cheers by the People.
One Hour and Twenty Minutes Was the
Time Occupied by the Jury in Reach
ing n Conclusion-How Miss Bor-
den Received the Verdict.

NEW BEDFORD. Mass. June 20.-At
morning District Attorney Rnowlton re-
sumed his argument in behalf of the
commonwealth. He addressed himself to
the motive for the murder, pointed out
the enmity of Lizzie toward her step
mother as q sufficient motive for her muir
der, and said her killing necessitated the
killing of her father, a stern man, who
knew of the enmity and loved his dead
wife. The only way for Lizzie to possi-
bly, escape punishment lay in killing her
father. This theory was the only one
which would consistently account for the
double murder taking place. Over pc
Eiod of an hour and half occurred be-
tween the acts.
The silk dress produced by the defend
ant was not the dress worn at the time of
the murder. The two versions of the
burning of the DEFENDANTS dress are ir-
reconcilable. lie discussed the DEFENDANTS
conduct since the murder, declared the
story of the quarrel told by Matron Egan
and afterwards denied by her, about the
quarrel between the Borden sisters was
true; said the production of the Ratchet
was no part of the governments case and
closed with an eloquent appeal to the
Jury as follows:
In all of your conversation have you
ever heard OF an attempt to create an
abb which was more straining than the
circumstances of this one. That born
abb viii not stand. He then commented
on the old and dusty condition
of the barn and the fact that keen
eyed people found no traces of
person having been there. How she
could avoided getting blood on her
clothes the jury could not answer because
they were neither women or murderers.
1t was a singular thing that that dress af-
ter being kept so long was burned that
particular Sunday. Lizzie had been told
Saturday night that she was accused of
the crime aud the next morning burned
the dress.
The speaker said Mrs. Regain never de-
MED the stYou gave me away' story I'M
der oath. The prosecution did not claim
that they had introduced the Ratchet
with which the murder was committed.
1t was shown that the Ratchet had been
wet and rubbed in ashes and that the
blade fitted almost miraculously into the
holes in the skulls.
The court then took a recess and on re-
assembling the defendant was given an
opportunity to speak. She said: Il am
innocent, but will leave my case in your
hands and that of my counsel. -
Justice Dewey then charged the jury.
He defined the different degrees OF murder,
stated that the presumption of innocence
increased by the defendants character,
must be real and operative of the motive.
He further charged the jury to weigh the
evidence to see whether the defendant s
permanent state of mind showed mo-
tive Tor the crime. Every material ale
cation in the Indictment must be proved
beyond q reasonable doubt, that is, to a
moral certainty.
He compared direct and circumstantial
evidence and said the failure to prove an
essential fact would be fatal, but a fall
nre to prove helpful fact might not be.
Iizzie's statements about the note were
discussed at length. He said they must
be satisfied that they were false and every
fact proved must be reasonably consist
ent with guilt.
The government did not show that any
body had an opportunity to commit the
crime. 1t must prove that defendant
committed it. The jury must reason as
TO defendanp'S conduct and statements.
They were not to conclude by expert
testimony, but were to apply to it reason
able judgment. They might convict if
satisfied that the act was done by an
other party but with defendant present
aiding and abetting. The fact that de-
fendant did not testify should not in
uueuc6 In61n nSI.
Judge Dewey continuing said the gov
eminent claims that those acts come un-
der the head of murder in the first de-
gree. The law claims that IN order to
prove this every claim must be proved
beyond reasonable doubt. 1t is stated
that the government presents the case on
circumstantial evidence. 1t is understood
by the court that the government claimed
that an essential fact was embraced in
,o%o hot cha 6c
ments which she knew were false when
she was making them. but contemplates
a possibility of there being an ass -
Might he not have come up On her
the note was at hand and removed it as
one OF the links?. In circumstantial
evidence unless every link holds good the
chain is worthless. The Jury was asked
to bear in mind supposed facts that there
was nothing TO connect the defendant
with the murder as far as outward APP
pearance went.
At the conclusion of the charge, at 3
O'Clock, the attorneys consulted a few
moments and then the jury was allowed
to retire.
1t was lust 4:4O O'Clock when the spec
tators who had kept seats, patiently
awaiting the return of the Jury,
noticed a movement indicating their re
turn. and a moment later the twelve men
fled into their seats and were poled. Miss
Borden was asked TO stand up, and the
foreman was asked to return his verdict,
which he announced, mot guilty.'
Then all dignity and decorum of the
court room vanished. A cheer went up
which might have been heard half mile
away. and there WIS no attempt made to
check it. Miss Borden head went down
Oh the rail in front of her and the tears
came Mr. Jennings was almost crying,
while Mr.. Adams seemed incapable OF
speech.
As soon as possible theroom was cleared
end when the spectators had finally gone,
Miss Borden was taken to the room of the
justices and allowed to recover her COM
posure with only the eyes of friends upon
her and in the care OF devoted admirers
At the expiration of an hour she was
placed in q carriage and driven to ths
station, where she took the train for Fal
River Her home no longer, but still the
only objective point for the immediate
present.
AN OVATION.