The sun., 1893-06-13
A POINT FOR LIZZIE BORDEN.
HER TESTIMONY At THE INQUEST
EXCLUDED AT THE TRIAL

| Gov. Eobinson's Contention that at the
Time OF the Inquest Miss Borden Was
In Eject Prisoner. and that Her Tosti-
nony Was In No Sense Voluntary,is Suss
| tnincd ny All Three OF the Jndges-The
| Prisoner Bursts into Tears and Her
BODY Shakes with Suppressed Emotion
as the Decision IL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Exhibit. In the Cnsc-Thc Hatchet.
New BEDFoRp. Juno 12.-Thc seventh day OF
the Borden trial did not discrcdit the reputa-
| tion tho cause has earned as unique and
| crowded with sensations Gore and hatchets.
axes. plaster casts that might have been bor-
rowed from n Bowery chamber OF horrors.
| bloody garments. bits OF bloody carpet and
| blood. spattered furniture and house lttinRs-
| these were the stage properties in this legal
drama that is winding itself out to the length
OF n Chinese play. Tho talk OF the witnesses
and lawyers went further and dealt with au-
topsies. and even with things that. though not
unfit for publication, are yet much better out
| OF print than in it. In tho hallway Just out
| side the court room was the bloody sofa on
| which poor old Mr.. Borden died SO horribly.
| 1t was covered all over with Gunny sacking,
| but whoever did not know what 1t was had IL
pointed out. so that all were prepared on the
| very threshold for the legal saturnalia that
was to go on within.
| Miss Borden is not we'll. and her face and
| manner showed it. She is utterly at fault with
tho reputation she first set up human bn-
| romcter that showed each morning what tho
| state OF her cause would be during the
| day. 1Ier Illness is trliin2. but it served to
| bring her before to-dny's crowd Of spectators
, with all her old heaviness Of features
| and absence OF facial mobility. At the jail
| It Is explained that 1t was the grip that
she had in Taunton. and. though che had IL
| lightly. she is far from well OF it. Those who
| are superstitious have given her up Guide
| to each dny's Developments and now depend
upon n study of tho flowers that deck the
| bench before the three grzzled Judges. They
| repaid tho glances that were bestowed upon
them. for where tho blue heliotropes had been
on Saturday there stood q vase OF white carna-
tions-s snow-white ones-between tho guilty
red ones and the uncertain Iallid pinks.
Much the most important event OF the day
was the argument for and against this admis.
sbility OF the testimony Miss Borden gave at
the inquest. when District-Attorney Knowlton
questioned her and she made contradictory
replies to questions as to her whereabou at
the time her father must have been butchered.
1t will be remem bered that this battle for and
against the adn ission OF this testimony raises
| a new point In law in the old Bay State. But
that is important outside Of this cause. What
was important here was how the Court would
| decide II. for all who pledged to convict
Miss Borden II they can were most anxious to
get in the testimony. while her friends were a.
intensely desirous OF keeping it out. The Gov
| ernment would have liked to hnve read what
she said on that occasion for the edif1cation Of
this jury: and them again. II 1t was admitted
they could cross-examiue her upon 1t all
over again in case she should be put on tho
stand. Miss Borden's lawyers were opposed
to this course because they say she was under
the influence OF morphine. and because she
was without guidance by counsel and was In
the hands OF Mr. knowlton. whose manner to.
ward her. as we'll as his persistence in con-
STRUNG every act and word Of hers against
her. has led her to fear him and to shrink
from him as. perhaps. any woman SO placed
would fear powerful man whom she regard
ed as her enemy and prosecutor Out OF court.
in the hotel. and the streets it has been popu-
larly believed that it would be bad day for
the prisoner when this testimony. given in her
should be read TO this Jury. Some wanted her
to have the worst that could befa! her, Others
which to meet this ordeal. Thus is society
here rent in twain upon the question OF her
As to ths new point in law, the facts are
have borne witness at lnqueSts and INQUIRIES
their own previous testimony. but in every
such case the first testimony has been given
ha Miss d ms give
Testimony at the inquest after the murders In
formally arrested. IHt that she was to al in.
tents n prisoner and accused Of committing
she was surrounded and watched by the po-
lice, she was told by the Government that she
to 1 s e sne o
was denied to her and she stood alone. a help.
wG a By H psnd In poes
and Government officials that now again
gather at the Court House door and is seen to
| in the case against her.
,This: morning was set apart for tho hearing
crowded Even on the sidewalk the lawyers
had to struEsls to get through the perpetual
| Great was the curiosity 10 hear tho master
lawyer, ex.Gov. Hobinson. as a speech maker;
| District Attorney, made the argument for the
admission OF the wonan,s previous testimony
he sS Sr M e1"rs
II was 70 he presumed that Gov Robnson
his Gw aS the "sss 100 GSs at PIT hean H.
and he departed 50 FAR from mere
ly legal argument that the AUDIENCE
h Miss Bos sss
den rot leave TO retire Gurig# the, the aMrgument. M
| After two hours. Of talEing pro and con. tho
three dtGnillsI Judges lslt the room to con.
an or hes fHei ed
| back into the room and the High sheriff, with
| his suit OF blue and brass. commanded all to
| rise until the Court WAS seated, the strain
| upon the people in the room WIS auch that nt
the end IN "Y1loIion OF suppressed sounds
| Tho Judges f0ani that Miss Borden had
| been to all int"mts and purposes prisoner
| chnr.:rl with two murders. and her testimony
II, ne ingges, was not voluntary. The feeling
| OF both sides IN the controversy over her guilt
| was that this was II grand piece Of good for
| tune for her. When the decision was reached
| by the hiet ice here was man in front
| OF and a man behind the correspondent OF THE
Sr>. both spoke to him. and almost simultor
neOusiy,
THAT Is logic and good law" said one. the
any itn.r decision"
Great God" said the other. 1t is a crying
shame that lus:irc Sh puli ne defeated aud a
murderer prut"ctoi because Of so slight 9
loint as hat decision is based unon."
was ASST Sitting behinI Mr.. noDInson, @ She % hurst and
into tears. hiding her face in her handk srchIeL,
while her body shook with the force OF her