The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-18

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move by IN elaborate cleansing process
every microscopic spot OF blood from inc
Ratchet or axe che had employed, OF 10 nioe
that weapon SO artfully that no search nus
discovered it: and all OF this within perioo
OF from eight to thirteen or fourteen min.
utes after the murder OF her father. ana
with the servant, BRIDGET SULLIVAN likely
to come in upon her at any moment.
Now, It is as certain as any Psychological
proposition can be, that young woman IN
LIZZIE BoRDEN's position. supposing her 10
have planned and executed the hrst muir
der precisely as the prosecutors assert
would have boon led on to the second criiiio
only by one OF three motives. Inc insano
Joy Of killing might have taken possession
OF her temporarily and impelled her 10 iur.
Their butchory; but in that case tho seconu
victim would have been the SULLIVAN girl
whom word could havo summoned from
the yard. A vague idea OF self-protectlon
might have suggested the destruction OF
possible witness against herself; In that
case tho second victim would have been the
servant girl right at hand, and not the
father, away from tho house probably ior
all OF the forenoon. The third possibility Is
in the line OF the prosecutions theory. Inc
murder OF the father might have been con-
templated and planned along with that OF
tho stepmother, and the brutal mode OF
execution might have been deliberately
adopted in order to free herself from sus-
picion and to lay the foundation for the
idea, now actually entertained by 80 many
persons in spite of the Fall River police. that
some unknown homicidal maniac had en-.
tered the house and departed unseen; putin
that case a murderer as Intelligent and SELF
possessed as Miss BORDEN Is alleged to nave
shown herself. would certainly have carried
her arrangements for self-protection little
further than the prosecution claims. she
would not have attacked the first victim at
a time OF tho morning when an interval OF
two or three hours, every moment OF whlcn
threatened to bring exposure and TO pre-
vent the completion OF her enterprise. must
elapse before the second victim came within
reach OF her hatchet. And when she old the
deed, she would have provided plausible
traces connecting the crime with an out
slider, ut least as artfully devised as the
means she Is said to have adopted TO as
connect it from herself. Particularly would
this be true, II the motive OF the double
murder was tho future enjoyment OF riches
and domestic tranquility.
The only motive firmly established by the
testimony at New Bedford is the motive OF
the police to make case against LIZZIE
BORDEN at any cost The bias and unscrupu-
lousness Of these officers Of the law have
been demonstrated from beginning to end.
Within few hours after the discovery OF
the crime they had determined to fas-
ten the guilt upon the daughter OF
the house. They have shifted their as
sertions in regard to details OF tho
crime q dozen times. but every time
to make new facts fit their one theory
Of the daughters guilt. They have woven
the greater part OF the web Of circumstances
which at the beginning Of the trial seemed
to enfold the girl. Whatever there is In the
point Of exclusive opportunity exists simply
because the Fall River police have confined
their investigations to single trail. They
have produced one weapon after another as
the weapon OF murder. The greater part OF
Miss BoRDEN's subsequent behavior con-
firming the theory of her guilt, rests upon
the testimony OF the police officers and those
whom they directly influence. After the
proved falsihcations. the proved contradic-
tons. the proved suppressions OF facts favor
able to the prisoner. have been eliminated
from the case as it was presented In the
opening speech OF the prosecution. some-
thing remains OF that case. but it Is not
| much. 1t is decidedly not enough to prove
LIZZIE BoRDENs guilt. 1t is not enough
to establish her guilt beyond reason
able doubt. 1t Is hardly enough to warrant
| q reasonable doubt Of her innocence.
If the verdict OF tho jury acquits. 1t
| cho,,ld Ia arraptnd ma the full and final
solution of the question OF Miss BoRDEN's
guilt. Barring tho incomprehensible an
fractuosities Of the juryman's intellect.
there is little doubt to-day as to what that
verdict will be. The fact that the crime
still remains n mystery. and may remain
mystery forever. should not 30 influence q
single honest mind rs to help cloud the re-
mainder of this poor girls life. Her ordeal
of horrible torture has already lasted for
more than ten months.