New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-11
THE BROKEN HANDLE AGAIN.

Nor Detective Seaver 50 sure as he thought ne
had been abo,: the ALLEGED newness OF the break III
the handle Of the Ratchet. lie told Mr.. Robinson
that he was by trade n carpenter, and had worked
at his trade before he became n policeman The
little piece Of wood which. when tho Ratchet head
was found, was held In the eye Of It. Is by the
states admission not now precisely as II was then
some slivers taken of for the purpose OF
some sllvcrs were taken Off for the purpose Of
chemical examination. Referring to the absence Of
,bos. ,livers Mr. Robinson asked when they had been
removed. sea,er did not know.
.You have had great deal Of experience with wood.
haven't you'' The witness said he had.
O-Caa YOU tell what kind Of wood that piece OF
handle Is made Of A.-No sir; 1 can't
Q-And vet you are carpentcrl Ayes, SIT;
am carpenter.
u.-But with all your experience carpenter you
can't say what Kind Of wood this Isl A.-No, air
Q.-wss the wood sound or rotten Alt looked
somewhat rotten
o-As a carpenter can you tell whether 1t Is rot
ten or noti A.-No. sir.
Odd piece OF wood in the handle look as II IL
had been in tho water at that tmcl A-No. sir, not
a. that tine but thought oftcrward that 1t had been
in the water
o-Now. upon your judgment as carpenter how
long would you say those slivers had oeeh ANoh v"
Al can't TIL.
o.whcn was tn. Grand Jury heidi AIN Novem-
Glad those slivers been taken on at that tme'
Al can't say.
o-uad they been taken OF within six monthsl Al
can't say. a.
o-You saw the break in che hatchet1 A.-Ye' sir
o-And you said It looked like new break A.
Yes. sir
Ayes. sir. -
Q.-Do they look as II they hao oee" ''"o'"i TO-
centlyl Ayes, sir
o-But you won't say whether three months ago or
six nonths1 A.-No. sir.
Q-And yet you are sure you arc carpenter
Ayes, sir.
o-And You think that break in the handle was
fresh break' Ayes. sir.
Q-Iiow freshi Al don't know sir.
o-was II day old or six months o'u' Al
don't know. sir. ~ -
o-And you a carpenteri A.-hes' sir
Mr.. Robinson said that that was all 1t certainly
r.e for his side of thc case a good place to stop.
Inst before court adjourned counsel on both sides
laid before the court a written agreement as 10 the
circumstances under which LIZZIE hordeh gave h"r
testimony before the inquest heu al ran hiVer a
week after ihe murder. and wheh sh' h'd preh ior
all those seven days taking double dose OF morphine
by the prescription OF her PHYSICIAN Lnzles evil
done. ot that time WAS not only contradictory Of
what She had said to her friends and ncighbors aud
TO the police officers concerning her movements on
the aav Of the murders but II whs also saJfcontra-
dicory The State now proposes To put TINS evidence
into the case here and the defence objects, on tho
ground that its admission denies 10 uie oelehlaht
her common law right of not being compelled to
testify against herself There Is no statute on this
subject In Massachusetts. as there Is In New York.
Nevertheless IL Is conceded That al common law the
evidence Is inadmissble II when taken IT was com
pulsorv The oues,ion at issue therefore, is whether
given under the circumstances narrated in the fol
lowing agreed statement It Is or Is not testimony Of
that character. Lizzie Borden signed this state
ment with her own hands. the lawyers for the prose
cution and tn. LAWYERS for the defenc" signing also
lie question Is such nice one that for the benefit