New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-15
THE STORY OF THE MURDERS.
REVIEW OF THE COMMONwEALTHS EVl
DENCE.
WHAT THE PROSECUTION HAS TRIED To fNo'
THAT LIZZIE BORDEN DID ON
AICI ST a 1892,


AUGUST 4, 1892.
New-Bedford Mass, June Alt Is no easy "'n
within reasonable limits Of space 10 gave eo'Ie.'
flea of the against Lizzie Borden. lhis Is iai
point at which to review IT, for the Commonwealth :
evidence is practically in. Barring the unexpected
the record contains complete story OF the Borden
tragedy as the District Attorney understands H. Inc
reason Why IL is so difficult n case TO review IN
few connected sentences Is that IT CONSISTS VI 81
many hundred loose, vague, shapeiess mcts' 10 ap
precate the bearing Of which 1t is almost necessary
to zee the witness who narrates them; to unders' M
what he IS and what are his relations to the ahair
ord IN note the manner In which he tells ais story
and the degree and character OF the resistance he
offers TO the crosscxamlnaton OF the defence All
this to be sure, in some measure apples 10 every
account Of a great trial. but 1t applies here III all
that especial measure due TO the circumstances tal
have lent 10 the Of Lizzie Borden so wonderful
AN interest. II Is almost incredible, next to i'm
possible that she should be guilty and yet, timld
as an honest man must be about pronouncihg hci
guilty, lie Is utterly perpicxed to find the grounds
ON which lie can declare himself satisfied Oh her
innocence. AS told by the prosecution and as quail
fed by the admissions and explorations OF its Wit
nesses Oh crosses animation, tie facts OF the case
seem TO lie these:
HER LIFE AND FAMILY RELATIONS.
Lizzie Borden thirty three years Cd, we'll educated
well brought up. having lived a useful and refined
ue active In tae practical relief work Of Christian
Chr >ch Wis, until the morning OF August 4, 1892
By all who know her, regarded good woman
Her father worth about $50 00) was seventy wears
Old Ills wife was her sepmother but had been
married to her father for twenty seven years During
all that time Lizzie. her Olcer sister Emma, and
Mr. and Mrs. Borden had lived together day and
night Oh terms which, though not loving were no
30 unpleasant as TO have attarctcd attention. j
seems to be true that there was measure OF iii
feeling between Lizzie and Mrs. Eorden, ana that Thu
sentiment they entertained toward one another wa!
not felt apprecaby by other members OF the family
Emma did net precisely love her sepmothcr, bu
Emma's nature Is sluggish ana less positive
than L!zzc's. Perhaps tho best way to descT b
Emnia's feeling Is that she sympa.zed with Lizzic
but cid not actively display her hum0r. Both III
sisters were on the best OF terms with their father
and he with them; and there is nothing yet 70 SHOW
that he was ret on good terms with his wife
They lived together and always had, marie.
couples usually do.
The only things in cyid nee 10 show Li2ze's fcclin
toward her mother contradictory. They ar
Midget sul,iyan's statement that during the tw
years she had lived In ine f..nly, they being th'
two years ending at IN" time Of the tragedy, L.zz'
and Mrs Borden appeared to be on good terms
that they talked together and appeared In cacl
others society In a friendly way. second tn
statement OF Assistant Marshal Fleet. the pO,ic'
offcer, that Oh the afternoon OF the murder, Mrs
Borden being then dead. when he asked Lizzie some
l1ItnS about her mother. using that expression
Don't call her my mother. She Is m,
s;epmother. My mother Gied when l Wa
four years Old Third and last the statement o