Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-19
ANALYZING EVIDENCE
(Continaed from First Pace

"He has not proved it, has he? And many
things offered in faith by him have been
stricken out BY the court because they were not
proper. The commonwealth came here intend
ing to do the best things, but were not allowed
They were going to prove that this young lady
went out to buy poison, bu. it was not proved;
1t was not allowed. and / shall expect the dis
triot attorney to get up and say SO or shall be
disappointed in him. They were going to
show you the defendant had contradicted her
self. but the court said this not proved.
Now you are going to say, Il rather think
that Messrs Knowlton and Moody would
not have offered this If they had not
proof but this won't do. Decide this case
from the evidence on the witness stand, and
nothing else, SO you will leave those things out;
no poison, no instrument appeared, no state
ment made under oath by her that you know
ANYTHING about don't care what you have
read. My intention is not to distort facts. but
to find out Just how stand; things that are
not in dispute will not touch, and trust
will not by single letter step over the line Of
proof or deal unjustly with the commonwealth
80 dear to us all"
Gov. Robinson then began a chronicle Of the
events connected with the crime and its discoy-
cry as they appear In the evidence.
The prisoner sat in the dock with her face
covered with a fan while he analysed the evil
dence.
ANALYzING THE EVIDENCE.
After cautioning the jury to disregard certain
parts of the district attorneys opening as not
proved by the evidence, the ex-governor pro-
ceeded to dispose of certain points Of the prose.
BUTTONS evidence in detail. The only connection
between defendant and the crimes was the blood
spot on the skirt. which was explainable as men
strual blood. The proposition that Lizzie must
have seen Mrs. Bordens body when upstairs
was unsound, because the body could be seen
from only one stair. and there she would not
stop and look il she did not suspect wrong.
Lizzie's statement that her mother had received
| note and gone out was plain II Mrs. Borden
told both Lizzie and Bridget about it, and that
they could not believe Lizzie lied about it,
yard and the barn were reconcilable
The testimony Of three men proved
that Rubinski saw the defendant
coming to the house from the barn, aud there
fore her statement of her whereabouts at the
time OF the murders was true. When Lizzie
| spoke about going upstairs for Mrs. Borden
she meant the front stairs, because all knew
she could not be up the back stairs. AZ a sheet
had been obtained from there. Lizzies laugh
ter on the stairs was immatsrial unless guilt
was assumed.
The ring buried with Mr. Borden shows her
| affection for him. The custom of locking doors
was not to lock daughters from the parent, but
for protection.
Had the defendant committed the crime she
would not have given an alarm SO coon. The
defendants emotion at the discovery Of the
crime was not assumed. Family sickness, de-
| PENDANTS conduct before the murders and her
visit to the cellar afterward were no evidence OF
. guilty mind
The burning of the old things was 9 custom
In many houses and the burning OF the Bedford
cord dress was thus explained. The dress worn
on the morning of the murder WAS not changed
till noon. The Bedford cord dress hung till
Sunday morning In the closet which the officers
| searched. Defendant could not have committed
both murders without changing her dress be-
tween them. Matron Reagan's story was false.
Experts differed ~ to which Ratchet could have
been used, and he argued that none Of those
produced WAS used. Exclusive opinion was
improved He detailed the manner IN which
an outside assassin might have committed the
crime.
Recess was then taken.
Scenes In the Court Room.
Special Dispatch 10 The Evening Star.
NEW BEDFORD. Mass, June l9-The great
battle for Lizzie Borden's life 10 now going on
in the court room. Every inch Of standing
room is taken, scores Of lawyers especially,
who have not attended before. gathering today
to hear the arguments Of ex-Gov. R ,binson and
District Attorney Knowlton.
1t is 4 historic event The battle will rank
with the greatest efforts of Choate and with
Websters plea in the famous White trial. where
the picture OF the sleeping old man familiar to
all the reading books was drawn.
No two lawyers in this state could be more
nearly matched than ex-Gov. Robinson and
District Attorney Knowlton. Both are scholars.
statesmen, full OF years Of experience without
feeling rs yet even the touch OF age. II their
positions were reversed neither would be 80
strong. Gov. Robinson has the warm heart.
the natural eloquence needed to espouse the
cause Of the defendant
Mr.. kuowlton has the hard head, the incisive
discernment, the remorseless logic, tina. can
best press upon jury the demand OF outraged
and violated law more than ALL Each thor
oughly believes in the side he advocates aud it
is matter OF conscience as much AZ pro-
fessional emulation that excites the best efforts
Of each.
Ex-Gov Robinson began speaking shortly
after o'clock.
The defendant was present and listened
intently to every word. As is usually the case,
she was responsive 10 kind words and his
pathetic references to herself
Gov. Robinson opened with . graphic de-
scription OF the crime. He turned to the Jury
at one point and said: Tho finding Of Judge
Blaisdeli Of the district court in Fall River,
worthy man as ne may be. is OF no sort OF con-
sequence here and has no sort Of influence or
obligation over you We would not be safe il
in these great crises our lives hinged upon the
decision OF single man In prejudiced and
excited community. No. We walk away from
Fall River, we come down to the broad sea-
eAoASs W. Shh 'iAo uIccZcs Ot tuo bcd ana tQsTe
Is freedom; here is right; here are you gentle
men,"
The eloquent speaker urged that it was
physically ard morally impossible for Lizzie
to have committed the crimes He paid q
generous tribute to Mr.. Knowlton's shrewdness
by recognizing his great popularity in the
county from which the jurymen were drawn.
with his wel!-earned reputation and his
high standing at the bar he would have no nced
to search for laurels for his fame, and he is one
OF the last men that would demean himself SO
as even to think of 1t. He stands above the
miserable assertions that unthinking people will
make, and he walks into this court room only as
the representative of the commonwealth of
Massachusetts,, that is yours and mine and his,
and says gentlemen, all have to show YOU is the
case We have against this woman And if the
case l have had brought to me b, the Fall River
poilce Is not sufficient. or you have anv doubt
about it he will say, il he speaks what mis- heart
prompts HIM to utter. For Gods sake. shy so
like men, and Bristol county will be the happier
and the securer afterward"
Gov Robinson scoring of the Fall River police
and incidentally Of the blue-coated fraternity
In general was appreciated by the audience
Policemen are human made out OF men,
and nothing else, and the blue coat and the
brass buttons cover only the kind OF q man
that is in such. II you do not get tho greatest
ability In the world inside policemans coat,
you may. perhaps. get what you want. and that
Is sufficient, but you must call upon him only
FOR such service is he can render"
The eject OF newspaper criticism on the po-
lice force was graphically set forth as follows: