Morning journal and courier., 1893-06-07
LIZZIE R0RREN TAINTED.


England Family at Last Breaks
Down-The Opening of the Famous
Murder Trial.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass, June 6.-Miss
Lizzie Borden and the jury selected yester-
day to try her on the charge of numbering
her father and stepmother were In their
seats before 9 O'Clock this morning. At
least third of the spectators present were
women. The jury heard the indictments
against the prisoner read as soon as court
was opened. Mr.. Moody of counsel for
the state then opened the prosecutions
case, beginning with a story of the murder
on August 4. 1899.
The court room was completely hushed
when Mr.. Moody stepped over before the
jury and began his address, in which there
might be some inklings of sensations to
follow. So all in the room were on the
qui vive. Mr.. Moody made his opening
with a brief sketch of the Borden family.
He called attention to the fact that Miss
Lizzie Borden and her step mother quar-
relied because of an act of her fathers
which was of benefit to a relative of the
second Mrs. Borden.
Mr.. Moody then carefully described the
house In which the tragedy was enacted on
August last. He drew particular stten-
tion to the fact that there was no entrance
at the rear of the house.
He described carefully the position of
the different sleeping rooms in the house.
The importance of the minute description
of the house will become apparent as the
case progresses. When he had finished
that, the assistant district attorney in
formed the jurors that later In the day they
would have an opportunity to visit the
house in which the murders were COM
mitted, and would have made clear to
them the conditions in the building in
Fall River when the two hacked bodies
were found.
Up to this time Miss Borden regarded
the speaker steadily, but no more 30 than
every other speaker in the room. At times
she famed herself lazily, at others she
kept the edge of her fan stuck in her
mouth.
Mr. Moody then got down to the days of
the murder, and followed the movements
of each member of the household, all of
which have been fully told.
1.-THE blows In the head of Mr.. Borden
were made with a weapon 81 inches long, no
more and no less" said the speaker i'm
pressively. "This part of Ratchet is
just that length"
"There were no evidences of struggle
anywhere in the house." he went on. mot
an article anywhere in the house had been
disturbed. The one Who committed the
murders was familiar with the premises"
From the middle until the end of the |
opening address Miss Borden leaned back |
in her chair and never moved a muscle. |
She pat the fan up over her face, and
holding her head forward, pressed 1t
close against her forehead and held 1t |
there.
Her eyes were closed and she appeared
as If asleep. Not by any motion did she |
betrsy that she was cons cious of what was
going on about her.
Just as Mr.. Moody had ceased to speak
and taken one step toward his seat, there
was q noise where Miss Borden was sitting.
She had tainted.
The Rev. Mr.. Jubb hurried over to her |
and placed bottle of smelling salts to her |
nostrils. Deputy Sheriff Kirby and snoth- |
er officer hurried after cracked ice.
The woman's face grew white. The eff
GERS returned with ice in a moment and
couple of minutes later Miss Borden began
to recover.
The jury was allowed a recess of about |
five minutes, and when it had returned to |
the box she had recovered her usual man
ner and bearing.
At 11:30 the defendant refused to ac-
company the jury to the scene of the
crime.
The chief Justice instructed the jury as
to what the view was TO be taken for, and |
then they were dismissed to report for duty
tomorrow morning at o'clock.
VIEWING THE PREMISES
FALL RIVER, Mass, June The Bor-
den jury and counsel arrived here at LEO
p. m. and proceeded Immediately to in
spect the Borden house and neighborhood.
After they had examined the interior a
survey of the exterior and adjoining yard
the fence, and the location of the lumber
pile and barn loft visited. The jury filed
out from the yard and walked up Second
street to DR.. Bowen's house and other
points figuring in the trial were shown and
looked over. Passing to Third street con-
siderable time was spent in Crowe's stone
yard where masons were at work at the
time the murder is alleged to have been
committed and the position and distance
of the porch in DR.. Chagnon's houee where
the doctors daughter was seated at the
time of tho murder was also noted. Every
place mentioned in the history of the
crime. including ths Union bank, were
visited The tour was finished at p. m.
and the jury Is now quartered at the
Mellen house.
LAND COMMISSIONER.
A Chatham Man Appointed by Pres
fdent CIeveIand-A Strong Pjgott
Man.
CHATHAM. Conn, June 8 William Wall