The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1893-06-20
DID LIZZIE KILL HER PARENTS?
The End of the Borden Case
Drawing Near.
Great Crowds Try to Hear the
Closing Arguments.
Ex-Governor Robinson Makes Plea
for ACCOMPLISHMENTS Attorney
Knowlton Argues for
Conviction.


BY the Associated Press
New BEDFORD, Mass, June l9.-The
day OF arguments in the Lizzie Borden
trial opened with great crowd at the
court house, scarcely one-tenth of whom
could gain admission. A large proper
ton of those in attendance were fashion
able people in holiday attire. The de-
PENDANT appeared fresh and smiling.
Governor Robinson opened the pro-
ceedings with argument for the defense,
He began by declaring the defendant
physically unable to commit the crime
in the manner committed; that aside
from that it was only possible for ma
MAC or deviV to do it. lie asked the
jury to bring their homes, hearts and in
telects into tn g decision OF the case.
Governor Robinson then rehearsed
chronologically the events connected
with the crmes He saw no reason to
connect confederates OF the defendant
with il. There ie no direct evidence
against Mics Borden" he said. mo
weapon whatever and no knowledge OF
the nee of one has been shown. The
rot know where toe alleged weapon was
kent. There was no spot on her, from
head to foot, with the exception of one
as big as a pin head on her skirt.
Lizzie Borden was at home the morning
the murder was committed, and if she
had zone upstaira and looked under the
bed che might have seen the body of
her etep-mother. Both Lizzie and
Bridget tell about the note which
called Mrs. Borden out, and both were
told of it by Mrs. Borden. Lizzie said
she had been in the barn 20 minutes.
An ice-cream peddler, who knew Bird
get, went by and saw q woman, but not
Bridget, walking to the house from the
barn"
A five minutes' recess WAS here taken,
and the address was discussed freely by
the spectators, much disappointment
being expressed about it.
bridget" said the governor after re-
cess, when che heard that Mr.. Borden
was dead, said she would go to Mrs.
Whitehead's and tell Mrs. Borden, il
she was there. That corroborates the
theory that Brigdet Sullivan, who for
two wears had been closer to the family
than any one else, never heard quarrel
between Lizzie and Mrs. Borden"
The speaker then related the facts of
the alleged blood-etained dress and the
burning Of it, and continued: "If Lizzie
Borden killed her stepmother at 8 AS,
did she come down and greet her father
~ her blood-stained dress? She must
have changed her clothing, and changed
~ egp alter the second slaughter. Liz
aie didn't try to get Bridget out of the
h t'. DON'T you think she would have
~ on some errand ?"
o'torney pointed out that the
disagreed as to what had been
Kill the Bordens, and touched
lle clsw-headed Ratchet and the
! rart withouta handle. "If these are
'mplements with which the murder
committed, where are they ?" he
sod.
i've exclusive opportunity theory, he
I'D WAS simply an anticipation which
Nas nor realized. Anybody could have
Rat.ea into the house by simply avoid
og irdset on the outaide, and Lizzie
rl che inside. ttA
ha lawyer held that the young man
FeIu in the vicinity was an outside spy
tr he person committing the deed
3 at the job was not done by one person.
A dinner recess was taken, and the
assembled. If there had been any blood
on the defendants hair, he said, those
bathing her face would have discov-
cred it.
1t was 3 O'Clock when the ex-governor
closed and District Attorney Knowlton
began to sum up for the prosecution.
Knowlton said "However we may
differ we can agree that this is most
heart-rending case. The woman we are
trying is a Christian. Ii is hard to con-
slider a woman guilty of such a crime,
but the greatest criminals of the world
have been women, and we must face
this case as men. No one who has
told of it saw Lizzie Borden burn
that dress. While Mr.. Borden was
down at the bank that morning the
assassin met Mrs. Borden and killed
her. There was one woman in the
world who believed the old woman
stood between her father and herself.
There was nothing in those blows but
hatred, and great, strong man with
one blow only would have made an
end of it."
The speaker reviewed the movements
OF the family on the morning of the
tragedy and said: "Up to the time the
murder was committed, there WAS no
opportunity for an assassin to come in.
When that 200-pound woman fell it
must have been heard by whoever was
in the house. If Lizzie was downstairs
she was in the pssssgeway of the muir
derer; If she was upstairs, she could not
have helped hearing. She was alone in
the house with the murdered woman and
knew that by and by there was coming
into the house stern, just man who
would have noticed this absence of his
beloved wife. He came in and she said
to him: Mother received note and
has gone out But there was no note :;
there never was any. The note story
originated with Lizzie Borden. Bridget
Sullivan said the first she heard OF it
WAS what Lizzie said"
The court adjourned with Knowlton's
argument not finished.
Lost