Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-06-30

h'tAcI 1uo ClICum6t8QCco connected
with the killing were particularly afro
cious. The victims were not only killed
by the dsshing in of their skulls, but
their heads were pounded out Of sem-
blance to humanity almost. The sight
was SO terrible that it lie said the ply
siclans were almost sickened by it. Mrs.
Borden had not been seen by any one
for some time, perhaps an hour. before
her body was found in her room. Mr..
Borden was seen by the servant alive
and well not more than twenty minutes
before Lizzie called to the servant that
he had been killed.
A few particulars may be OF service to
help readers understand the case as the
story is told by the dispatches from day
10 day. The Bordens were wealthy peo-
pie and the accused girl, who is one Of
two daughters, was of excellent social
standing, and pi ointment in church and
charitable work. She Was knox IN not to
be on very good terms with her step
mother and there 10 reason to believe
that she knew of hsr fathers intention
to make will leaving half of his prop
erty to his wife. This is supposed to have
supplied the motive for the killing, but
on the other hand 1t 10 poiated out that
the relations between the father and
daughter, though not marked BY any ex-
travagant display of affection, were
thoroughly friendly. The other daughter
was away from home at the time the
murder was committed. A male relative
was visiting the family, but he went out
shortly before the deed was committed,
and his movements during the time
when the killing was done are we'll
settled. He cannot be connected with
the crime in any way. The inmates OF
the house OH the morning Of the murder,
in addition to the man just mentioned,
were Mr.. and Mrs. Borden. Lizzie and
the servant girl. Unless some one I'M
known was concealed upon the premises
and committed the crime, the only pei
sons who could have done it are Lizzie
and the servant. The possibility OF the
servants guilt is not admitted and 90
far the case against Lizzie is based more
upon the negative inference that there
was no other person who could have
committed the deed than upon anything
else. In order to establish her guilt Ger.
tain facts consistent only with her limo.
cence must be overcome.
The time at which Mr.. Borden was
killed is established within a few min.
utes. Lizzie Borden's movements from
10:30 to 10 :55 are known. During that
time her father came home from down
town. From 10 :55 to IL 10 or perhaps q
few minutes later her movement Q
are known only to herself. Dur
ing that time her father was killed
and his head beaten in such a way that
blood must have been spattered all ovtr
the murderer; yet Lizzie had not a trace
OF blood upon her person when she called
the servant and told of her fathers
death. During that period. which did
not exceed twenty minutes, the girl must
have killed her father, have removed all
traces Of the crime from her person and
secreted the weapon with which the deed
was done and composed herself to face
the world, if the theory Of the prosecu
ton is true. The thing seems incredible
even if we accept the theory that che COW
cred herself with a waterproof or that
she Invested herself OF her clothing at
the time Of the killing.
Mrs. Borden was killed before her hus-
band, how long before is, of course, un-
known. Physicians who testified at the
inquest said that the appearance of the
stomach indicated that she was killed
at least an hour sooner. but it 10 possible
that the fact that Mr.. Borden had been
down town would make some difference
in the condition of the contents Of tho
stomach.
If Lizzie Borden committed the MUIR
der, and it is probable she did, she killed
her stepmother, and then changed her
clothes, hid the formidable and bloody
axe and went about her household affairs
in the usual way, pending the return OF
her father from business down town.
Upon his arrival and his lying down to
rest in the front room, she made use OF
an opportune moment to ply the axe
upon his aged head. His murder COM
mitted, she thereupon hastily effaced
every trace Of the crimes from her cloth
ing and person, successfully hiding and
destroying the instrument of death, and,
a moment afterwards, regsining her com.
posture to such an extent a. to be able to
announce the dreadful news, without ex-
citing undue suspicion to herself, which
| aroused the people Of Fall River % they
never were aroused before by any similar
happening. The physical and moral bar.
riers in the way Of the preparation Of the
crimes seem to have been miraculously
overcome, leaving barely any tangible
evidence OF guilt. The crimes were 80
we'll executed that the understanding OF
ordinary minds, devoid OF cat-like cum
ming and feline dextrouenees, lie haffied
in attempting to solve the mystery
thereof by reasonable speculation or
otherwise.
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