St. Paul daily globe., 1893-06-21
LIZZIE. BORDEN.

LIZZIE BORDE EN-.
The Jury in the LIZZIE BORDEN muir
der case at Fall River, after deliberatio II
of one hour and twenty minutes, brought
in a verdict of not guilty. The evil
dence against LIZZIE borden was
clearly Insufficient to establish her guilt
beyond reasonable doubt. and the
promptness of the jury in disposing of
the case tends strongly to prove that it
was. as reputed to be, very strong
body OF men.
The caseis one of the most mystic
rious in criminal annals. 'If LIZZIE BoR-
DEN didn't murderher Stepmother and
father, who did doit?" is what everybody
was forced to remark. And the defense
made not an effort to show that another
did it: continuing its work wholly to
showing the insutficiency of the evil
dence against the accused. The prose-
cution attempted to maintain the
theory that LIZZIE had an obdurate and
heartless nature; that she hated her
stepmother, and in addition to that,
wanted her out of the way, so that she
and her sister might inherit all of their
tather's estate; and that she Subse-
quently put her aged father out OF the
way to secure the property without
further delay, and to close his mouth as
witness against her in the killing of
his wife. The terrible manner III which
the murdered ones were hacked TO
pieces with Ratchet or axe
would indicate to most minds
that the deed was that of
a fiend. There was a signal failure to
prove that LIZZIE possessed hardened
and heartlesS nature; and without such
she could not have committed the deed
in the way it was done. The prosecu-
ton maintained that after the murder
of her stepmother, in which she must
have been covered with blood, she re-
moved all her clothes. hid them where
they were never found, and washed all
the blood stains from her person; that
when she afterward killed her father, in
doing which she must have been again
covered with blood, she removed her
clothes second time, concealed them
where they were never found, and again
washed the blood stains from her per-
son. At the time of the murder of her
father, according to the position of the
prosecution, the hired girl was in the
garden, and within hearing of the out
side door, which was open.
The police of Fall River manifested
clear determination to- procure the con-
viction Of the defendant at almost any
hazard. The theory Of the force was
4 81,
who testified showed willingness to
testify to almost anything which would
substautiate the latest and most ap-
proved theory. But eX-Gov. ROBINSON,
who conducted the defense, was ready
for all this. and the manner in which he
entrapped these bluecoatS, making them
contradict themselves and each other,
and really say things which fortified the
theory of the defense, has been very
amusing to the public.
But for all the Inconsistencies in the
theory and presentations of the prose-
cution, which ROBINSON made to stand
out boldly, there remained that unan-
swerable query, ''If LIZZIE BORDEN
didn't do it, who could nave done it?'
The defense wisely chose the most in
telligent jury to be had. Only to such
jury could the situation be intrusted
with safety. The states evidence didn't
prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt,
and only such jury would be compe-
tent to lay aside all other considerations
and give that one Its rightful weight.
The prosecution had only on its side an
incomplete chain of circumstances. and
that startling query with which to work
upon prejudice; and where the latter is
to play all important part for the state,
the cause of defendant is unsafe in
the hands of ignorant jurYmen.