The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-06-16
MURDER OF THE BoRDENs.
Taking of Testimony for Defendant
Lizzie Borden Begun.

NEW BEDFORD. June 15.-The tenth
day of the Borden trial opened with a
big crowd.
The prisoner was overwhelmed with
floral offerings and appeared in excellent
spirits, despite the seeming disheartening
proceedings of yesterday.
The witnesses to-day were druggists,
who testified to the use of prussic ac.d
The defense vigorously contested every
point of the prosecutions testimony,
which went to show that the acid was not
used for other than medicinal purposes,
and was unsuitable for cleaning furs. the
purpose for which Miss Borden said that
she wanted it. Finally the court ex-
cluded all testimony in regard to the
purchase ofprussic acid. The Common
wealth rested its case here.
After recess Mr.. Jennings opened the
case for the defense. He said they would
show the previous spotless character of
the prisoner and absence of intent, pur-
pose or opportunity. Defense would
show that the relations between father
and daughter excluded any motive for
killing him, and the motive to kill her
mother alone was not enough for the
Government claim that the same person
killed both. He said the evidence against
the prisoner contained no particle of di-
rect testimony, but was wholly and abso-
lutely circumstantial. I'VE shall show
you that there were others about the
house on the day of the murder, and that
people were in the barn and all over it
before it was examined. We shall show
you that the dress was soiled with paint
early in the day, and was burned without
any deception of the officers, and other
witnesses will testify that the prisoner
had on the dress she said she wore. and
we shall ask you to consider that no
blood was found upon it or herr
During the opening the prisoner sat
with her face buried in handkerchief.
crying. Martha Chagnon testified that
about II O'Clock the night preceding the
murders she heard a noise like pounding
on the Borden fence.
Charles y. Clifford and Uriah Kirby
both swore to having seen a strange man
near the Borden residence at the same
hour.
Mark Chase swore he saw a buggy
standing in front of the Borden house at
IL o'clock on the morning of the murder.
In it was a man whom he had never seen
before or since.
DIR. Handy testified that on the morning
of the murder he saw in the neighborhood
a medium-sized young man, very pale
and acting strangely. Mrs. Hart testified
to the same effect.
Walter z. Stevens swore that he went
into the barn on the morning of the MUIR
der and heard people walking about in
the upper part. This contradicts Officer
Medley's testimony.
Herman Robiuski testified that he saw
woman come out of the barn on the
morning the murders were committed
and go to the stairs on the north side of
the house.
After some other testimony the jury
retired while counsel argued the admissi-
bility of the evidence of Joseph L. Nav.
who found a man covered with blood
near steep brook on August 10th. who
talked about the Borden murder. The
questioning was reserved until morning
and the court adjourned.
ANOTHER RATCHET FOUND.
FALL RIVER (Mass.), June I5.-Last
night the son of c. c. Potter, while look
ing for ball, found a Ratchet on TOP of
John Groves barn, which is located lust
in the rear of the Borden property. Potter
this morning reported the find to the DO
lice. He still has the Ratchet in his possess
sion, and describes it as an ordinary i'm
plement with a hammer head. The
handle is weather-beaten, and the blade
covered with rust.