The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-06-07
AS THE LAW YERS SEE 1T
OPENING or THE BORDEN MURDER
TRTAL BIZ THE STATE.
Mr.. Moody Representing the Government.
Gives His Version Of the Killing of
Mr.. and Mrs. Borden.

S:55 this morning Miss Borden and the
jury were in their seats and counsel were
on hand busily arranging their papers
The doors were opened to the speeta-
tors gathering about that time, and az
least a third Of those present were fe-
males.
The jury heard the indictments against
Miss Borden read as soon as court was
formally orened. and charged as Good
men and true stand together and harken
to your evidence"
Mr.. Moody then stepped TO the railing
and opened the Governments case.
He said. among other things. that on
the 4th day Of August last an old man
and an old woman, without a known enc
my I'm the world. We're stricken down by
an unknown assassin. In the prisoners
dock IS young woman, a daughter OF the
murdered people; a young woman Of good
social standing, charged with the crime
Of numbering these people. II was his
purpose, he said, TO put the story OF the
crime I'm the easiest manner possible.
Mr.. Borden was a man Of considerable
who had saved his money as he made It,
and had maintained his family on what
might bee termed a narrow
scale. Lizzie h. Borden was
two of three years of age when
her father married for the second time.
not long after the death of hts first wife.
The marriage was over twenty-five years
before the time Of their death. and there
was no issue. Abby Durfee Borden at the
time Of her death was about siNty-four
years old. The house I'm which these hom-
icldes were committed has been occupied
by the family some twenty years. There
was. or came 10 be, between the prisoner
and step-mOther an unkindly feeling.
From the nature Of the case II VIII be
impossible for us to get anything more
than suggestive glimpses OF this feelins
from outsiders. The daughters thought
that something should be done for them
by way OF dividing the property atter
they had learned that the step-mother
had been amply provided for. Then came
q division and iI-feeling and the title OF
mother" was dropped. The prosecution
would show that a dress-maker OF the
family had spoken OF the step-mOther as
"mother" when Lizzie chlded her and
said. Don't call her mother we hate
her; she's a mean, spitefui thing" When
an officer was seeking information from
the prisoner right in sight OF the woman
who had sunken under the assassin's Diow,
and asked. "When did you last see your
mother?" the reply came from Lizzie,
"She is not my mother; my mother died
when / was an Infant"
They would show that there was an I'm
passable barrier built up between the
daughters and the stepmother, socially
and by locks and bars Upon the DAY pre-
cediug the homicide John V. Morse came
TO the Bordens 90 visit them. He came
and slept there Wednesday night Upon
Tuesday night an illness occurred In the
household Mr.. and Mrs. Borden were
taken III with retching and vomiting.
and the prisoner was taken the same
way. Bridget Sullivan, the servant was
not A physician was consulted. Upon
the day before the homicide the prisoner
went to a drugstore and there asked the
clerk for ten cents worth OF prussic
acid for cleaning n cape. She was re-
fused, and after some talk went away
The speaker said there could be no doubt
that the prisoner was the person who
went 10 the store. on the evening OF
Wednesday the prisoner made a call on
Alice Russell, a friend Of hers, and II
will appear that the prisoner had been In
tending TO spend vacation at Marion,
and the two friends talked Of that trip.
She told Miss Russell that she had made
up her mind TO go there, but she said:
Il can't help feeling depressed; that
something IS going TO happen; last night
we We're all sick, but the girl, 1t may
have been the bakers bread"
mo" said Miss Russell. "others would
have been sick II that were So"
"rhen Il might have been the milk"
"What time do you get your milkY'
about o'clock"
Il am afraid" Lizzie continued, that
the house will be burned down some
night. Father has had so much trouble
with his men. The other night the barn
was broken into"
"But that was only boys" said Miss
Russell.
Lizzie continued. saying that she had
seen a man about the place. who ran
away when they caught sight Of each
other. and that her father had but re-
Gently bad a quarrel with a man who
came 10 see him. She was fearful Of
trouble
Mr.. Moody then produced the plans OF
the house OF the bOrdens, and the local
ity. and described them plainly 10 the
jury Continuing, Mr.. Moody said: "On
the morning OF the tragedy Bridget Sulli-
on the proof that the only human beings
I'm the house that night were those we
have mentioned Bridget got her fuel
down stairs and built a fire, got the milk
al the rear door and locked IL after she
brought II I'm. There was screen door
here. and this it was which bridget
locked after she got the milk. Llzzle
came down, then Mrs. Borden and then
Mr.. Borden. He did some chores In the
barn. and was seen by Bridget. she sa"
Morse only at breakfast with the others
After breakfast the first one 10 depart
was Morse, at 7:6, and Mr. Borden let
him out and locked the screen door be-
hind him. Soon after Morse went away
the prisoner came down and ate her
breakfast. While she was eating Ar.
Borden went up stairs and Bridget went
out in the yard, because she was SICK,
When she came back Mr.. Borden had
evidently gone down town. Mrs. Borden
and Bridget had some talk about washing
windows, and the latter was told 70 DO
the work. Mrs. Borden disappeared then,
and II will appear that she told the prls-
oner she was going up stairs 70 put some
pillow-cases on the bed In the spare
room You will be satisfied that this was
not far from $50 o'clock, and you WIZ
be satisfied that she never LETT her rooi"
alive again, for no living person saw her
alive again except the assassin. When
nreparlng 10 wash the windows bridget
Went 10 the back door and saw the pris-
o,er there and asked her not 70 lock
the door. as she wanted 20 come IN ana
ger her water, but she said afterwari
mat she might lock IT II she wished and
sbe would get her water from the barn.
Tho door was left unlocked and the
nrisoner went into the house. In p
Inc these windows there were two sttins-
room windows. which were washed hrs',