The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1893-06-16

murdered in broad day light and
in their own house. Their skulls
were dashed in and their head:
pounded almost beyond human re
semblance.
Lizzie Borden, one of the daugh
ters, was accused of the crime
She was of excellent social stand
ing and prominent in church and
charitable work; but was known
not to be on very good terms with
her stepmother, and it is supposed
she knew Of her fathers intention
to make will leaving half of his
property to his wife, This wat
supposed to have supplied the
motive for the killing. Mrs. Bor.
den was killed, it is believed, about
an hour before her husband
The time at which Mr.. Borden was
killed was established within few
minutes; and the only persons
known to be about the house at
the time were Mr.. and Mrs. Bor-
den, Lizzie and a servant girl.
The possibility of the servants
guilt was not admitted.
Lizzie Borden's movements from
1870 to 1866 were known. Dur
ing this time, her father came
home from down town. From
1885 to 1I;10, or perhaps a few
moments later, her movements
were known only to herself. Dur
ing that, her father was killed and
his head beaten in such way that
the blood must have been spattered
all over the murderer; yet Lizzie
had not a trace of blood upon her
person when she called the servant
and told her of her fathers death.
AS incredtable as it seems that
the girl, in period not to exceed
twenty minutes, could have killed
her father, have removed all traces
of the crime from her person, se-
creted the weapon with which the
deed was done, and exposed her
self to face the world, she was sent
to Jail and kept there for eight
months without trial, or attempt
to try her, though the constitution
Of Massachusetts provides that no
person accused of crime can be con-
lined longer than six months, be-
fore tfial.
The excuses given for the out
'ageous detention were simply |
puerile, The states attorney and |
police professed to have certain
clues" leading to confirmation Of
,he charges that the accused young
murdered her father and |
'tepmother. These they said
would require time for their work
ng out, to definite and convincing |
proof. This was the pretense.
Then we were given TO under
stand that the judge who presided
1t the committing trial was con-
finced that the state could prove
,he guilt Of the accused; but for
some reasons unexplained, and |
hat admit no explanation, the
tate demanded her commitment
Without hearing this proof, and
his was granted.
Then il was said, as coming
rom the prosecuting attorney Of
ice, that if Miss Borden were held
n Jail long enough she would
urely confess her guilt.
Finally we were told she was
detained nearly year, she and
Ter counsel being kept in ignorance
# the proof by which it was pro-
,osed to show her a murderess, be-
ause the benevolent authorities
more than suspected the woman's |
anity" and were holding up for
developments in that direction,
If the officers had really any
estimony Of a convicting charac-
er, they should have been told to
produce it before the committing
IN order that the ac-
used might then and there meet
T or prepare to meet it on her
rial. That they were not thus
'rdered shows the magistrate either
fool or a scoundrel.
The proposal to terrify the wo-
nan into confession, by holding
yer her an implied threat of per-
'etual immurement in Jail, was
N infamous proceeding. The ex.
'use that she was thought insane"
vas ridiculous, for the way to de-
'elope that fact was to prove it ON
4..s. f.. I /