The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-06-12
THE BORDEN CASE.
saturdays Developments III tho Famous
Murder Trial.

AAhhANNS -
Murder Trial.
New BEDFORD, June 1.-THE handle
less Ratchet, now generally known ns
"the hoodoo hatchet," continued its
demolish prauks in the trial Of Lizzie
Borden for her life y yesterday. Itchopped
another great hole in the case OF which
it is the most important feature. Since
the only theory OF the murder that has
been advanced is that Lizzie Borden
bulchered both her parent at the end
Of 80 years Of an upright life, whatever
damages that theory increases the mys-
terry that shrouds the murders.
The commonwealth lawyers tished
up the hoodoo Ratchet with q triumph"
ant blaze OF Boosting, but it is be-
witChed, j turned on them and they
have been lodging its blows ever since
they began to try TO deal with It. That
Ratchet is the most sensational exhibit
in this most sensational case. IL played
the mischief with the government all
Friday, and instead OF resting yester'
day the court was no sooner opened
than il flew at its own guardians and
began chopping and hacking their case
pretty nearly as badly as the bodies OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Borden were chopped.
The commemorative lawyers tossed
the unhoIy thing on the table at which
Lizzie Bordcn's lawyers always sit, aud
there they left it lying as II they wished
to disown it,
Tho lawyers for Miss Borden saw to
it that no one should speak to the as
sislant marshal who said he found the
blade, but had said nothing about the
handle, that being understood to have
been burned or stuck in the stove
wrapped up in paper by the prisoner,
Then the marshal came back and said
fatty that he saw and found no handle,
fatty contradicting the man who was
with him.
After that there was another exciting
contest outside tho court room between
the two sets OF lawyers. The district
attorney, Mr.. Knowllon, sent two otti'
GERS to the Borden home to get the box
in which the blade was found, and the
handle OF it was in it. Miss Borden's
sister, Emma, lives in that house, and
her lawyer saw to it that their antagon-
lists were kept out. That was what hap
pened. Miss Lizzie's chief counsellor,
Andrew Jennings, mad better luck. He
got the box, but, loI the highly import
anthandle was missing. Who took it
can only be guessed at Had it been
found it would have played hob with
the theory that Miss Borden burned It.
However, tho policeman who saw it
proves us good q witness for Miss Bor-
den as the handle itself,
But there were other strong bits oil
evidence, aud one, that showed there
we're no signs that Lizzie Borden had
been in the barn, us she said she was,
on tho morning Of the murder, was
very damaging to the prisoner. She
had told half a dozen men that she
went up in the lott OF the barn and
stayed there half an hour. Yesterday
an officer described that loft as having
had thick blanket OF dust on its floor.
When he looked along the dust he saw
not a mark upon it, yet whom he drew
his fingers on it he saw the finger
marks, and when he got up and walked
he saw what the cowboys would call
"plenty OF aign"-that is to say he saw
his footprints clearly.
The first thing was the testimony OF
Officers Edison and Mahoney, that they
tried to search the Borden cellar for the
Ratchet handle, about which Mullaly
testified yesterday, but we're not allowed
to enter. Mr.. Robinson showed by Ed.
son that most OF the officers prominent
ly connected with the case, except
Mullaly were promoted since the muir.
ders. 1t also appeared that witness and
other officers got over the barbed wire
fence in the rear of the promises with
out difficulty. State Detective George
f. scaver testified and became badly
confused on cross.examination. He
was unable to tell the age OF the break
on the Ratchet handle or about tho
character Of the dresses which he ex-
amined.