Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-06-26
ACoUITTAL OF LIZzIE BORDEN.

HO ITCOUUO
ACQUITTAL OF LIZZIE BORDEN.
The New Bedford jury have done
what they could to restore Lizzie Bor-
Den to her rightful place in a world OF
hope and happiness. They have ac-
quilted her, not without elaboration,
and still with remarkable promptness
and in the face of a mastery argument
for her conviction. If ex- Governor
Robinson disappointed public expect
alton in his address for the prisoner,
District Attorney Knowlton summed
up the evidence against her with ex-
traordinary lucidity and power The
advantage was markedly on the side
of the state in the final argument. If
the prisoners counsel had not made
the best use of a very strong case, the
District-Attorney availed himself of
every fact and inference that bore
against her, and greatly distinguished
himself by his performance. Ifimpas-
stoned oratory, logical subtleties and
sustained argumentative power could
have secured the conviction of the
prisoner she would have been con-
demned; but when the worst that
could be urged against her had been
said in the best possible way, she was
acquitted. After ten months of i'm
prisonment and agonizing suspense
she is free, and in the Judgment of
twelve "good men and true" is limo
sent and void of offence.
We have no hesitation in pronounc-
ing this righteous verdict. Mystic
rious as were the murders in the Bor
den house, the state failed absolutely
in connecting her with them, or in
supplying any ineligible motive for
them. A successful application of the
theory of exclusive opportunity to
case in which direct proof was lack
ing, and in which the circumstantial
evidence was of the f1imsiest nature,
would have given a wrong and dan
gerous trend to criminal practice. Tt
would have done violence to the best
traditions of the science Of law and
stimulated loose thinking and PERM
cious activity among police officials
and public prosecutors. The verdict
in the Borden case emphasizes the
fact that guilt must be proved, and
not lightly assumed because there is
only one person suspected and the po-
lice have no other theory. The Sc
curity of human life would not have
been promoted by a conviction of Liz
zie Borden upon such evidence as was
brought into court. Such a convic- |
ton would have been a most vicious
precedent for stupid, over Jealous
police officers and heartless prosecu-
tors.
The judgment of the Borden jury
will be interpreted by some cynical
people as equivalent to the Scotch
verdict of "Not proven" 1t will be
said that the jury were not necessarily
convinced of the prisoners innocence,
but that they were impressed with the
fact that the State had not completely
demonstrated her guilt. Under the
from the Court the jury
we're certainly under moral obliga
ton to allow her the benefit of every
reasonable doubt to acquit her.
But is this justice? Over the prison
1oor which has been opened for her
release there is no such legend as
Guilty, but not proven" The law
assumes innocence until guilt is prov
I'd. When acquittal follows trial, in
which all the resources of the police
ind the State have been employed in
order to secure conviction, innocence
S established IF Lizzie Borden un-
Ter merciful law has had the right
or ten months to be considered in
locent, SO she has now the inestina
lie privilege of returning to her home,
folding up her head proudly, and pro-
claiming to a world that has been
Ieeply touched by the pathos of her
OF: ''I am not guilty, twelve just men
eing my witnesses. "-Iribat1ee.
The annual meeting of the trustees
f the Vermont Methodist Seminary
7as held Wednesday afternoon, Hon.
'. P. Dillingham;, the president, in
he chair. There we're twenty three
rustees present, including Senator :
rector and Hon. j. B. Brooks of Syr- :
cuse, N. Y. The following officers
vere elected for the year ensuing: I
resident, w. P. Dillingham;; secre S
airy, Rev. w. r. Davenport; treas :
Ter, Thomas Marvin; executive com :
1ittee, w. P. Dillingham;, Thomas (
1arvin, G. w. Parmenter, w. E. Bar G
ey, Rev. w. r. Davenport, Rev. j. {