The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-06-19
PLEADING FOR LIZZIE.
Ex-Governor Robinson AS
serts Miss Borden's Rights
Before the Jury.
NO PROOF OF HER GUILT
The Presumption of Innocence
in Her Favor-Her Conduct
Natural and Proper.
Analysis of the Part Played by
the Axe and the Note in
the Case.
NO PROOF OF HER GUILT


Court House. and over an hour before
the time OF opening, the doors were be-
seiged by people, mostly ladies, in holiday
attire, all hoping for seats. But there
were too few seats fer the accommooa-
tion of a tenth part of the claimants and
there was much grumbling in conse-
ouence When the court was ready Tor
opening there were man. y ladies standing
in the aisles, but they Were quickly
ushered to the aute-rooms and corridors
I'd obliged to sniff the battle from afar
1he bar enclosure was packed. with legal
lights from all over the county. In fact.
SO closely was it packed that the coun sci
for the prosecution were obliged TO pass
behind the Justices bench and thus get
to their seats within the bar. When
Sheriff Wright came IN, the aisles
were cleared in second and every
body was obliged TO sit down.
The jury took their seats at SOP. iooKang ing
quite refreshed after two days rest, and
q few minutes later Miss Borden came
I'm. bunch of pinks In her hand and
concented smile on her face. Inc jury
was polled promptly on the opening OF
court, and Gov. Robinson began his argu-
ment,
GOVERNOR RoBINsoN's ADDRESS.
My 1t please your Honors, Mr. Fore
man aud centlemeu,'' ne began, zone of
The most dastardiy aud diAholical crimes
ever committed in Massachusetts was
nerpetrated in August, 1892, In Fail
River. The enormity of it startled
every body; every man feels that the
wrong should be rlghted aud the wicked
brought to justice
Here was crime with all It's borror5.
and who could have done such au act,'
SAYS everybody. In the quiet Of home
ri. frrh m q n q
p0pulous city, who could have doue It.
Inspection showed Mrs. Borden had been
slain by the use of some sharp iustru-
meut. and below stairs was Mr.. Berden's
utilated body. The terror sf
fhs~e scenes no language can
ontSr 20 fud who was equal TO that
euormity, whose whole heart 10 biackened
WITH crime. \ mAniacs MOI q mau OF
senses or heart. a lpaatic, devil Ihey
were all well directed blows which
eau- ed those deaths, not directed by q
b unaerer. none going aniss: surely we
can say at the outset that this was not
The careless, untrained doing of one nm.
faleiiar with such WORK.
SUSPICION RIFE.
Now suspicion begins to fall here and
everywhere. They surround this and
that one and follow out clues everywhere.
No decent man complains of investiga-
tioE, and everything ought to be done,
but we say everything was not done and
ths proper methods not taken. tracing
the course Of all SUSPECTED persous from
The preliminary hearing to this trial,
iii ali those proceedings the prisoner had
No voice; the government sad, II we
can't prove it against her she shall go
free but it was one-sided and you are to
draw no inference whatever from those
proceedings of the preliminary hearing.
We would not be safe IL IL those great
orip,ec our lives huuQ on the words of q
single man.
I'VE come here to seek freedom ana
right through you gentlemen. AS you
begin to. conteniplate this crime you
must say such acts are physically aud
morally impossible tor this young wom-
au. 1t is a wreck of human morals to say
this of her. The defence complains
of no persecution on The part
of the District Attorney. He has
only one duty to do, aud with his
well-earned fame at the bar ne mas no
need to search for fame, and he will be
the last man to attempt such; he stands
above such things aud says all / have Is
the case AS it is and as it was brought me
by the police of Fall River. He is not
here for blood, neither is he helped for
that purpose by our friend from Essex
cuuuty. So you see no small play. no
mean tactics on the part of the Common
wealth, only presentation Of what has
been proven here, and only that"
THOSE PRECIOUS POLICE.
Here the speaker referred 10 the kindly
manner in which the SheriH had used
Miss Borden, and said:-"She came into
this court, presided over by the ablest
justices. who want the commemorative
case tried fairly, and now you are only to
deal with the facts. ! said the case was
brought here by the Fai. River
90 into sarcasm aud denunciation;
the blue coat and brass buttons cover up
what is inside; the officer is always mag
nifying this and minimizing that and
looking for the one who committed the
deed upon which they are at work. Tne
witness stand brings out their weakness
when they knock their own heads to-
gether, nut after all they show themselves
TO be only men with human weakness.
So say to you, this defendant comes be-
fore you perfectly satisfied that the jury
il the most efleshing aspect that the eye
ofhuman beings ever feasted uion- You
are men, Bristol County men, with
hearts, heads, souls and right minds.
aud you come here in obedience
of the laws, because in answer
to thelr demands you must
render this great service; you are loyal
10 the State and to common humanity.
Bring your hearts, your homes and Your
intellect here and let as talk to you as
men. Lizzie A. Borden hos been In your
charge from the day we opened this case,
aud that WAS your oath, ana now comes
the time when not alone are her lawyers
TO speak for her and the Justices to speak,
but YOU twelve men take her in charge.
THE JURY AND THE ACCUSED
ssShe is not the property uf nybody,
a free. intelligent innocent woman in
your charge This woman has never
been alone in this coutt room, but has
been watched carefully. You are trying
this woman for her life, and you are
bound to say i Will critically con-
slider this question and 1 viii
make no mistake for X you do
no power on earth can right lt.
The man l want TO see IN the jury box IS
he who says, as you have SAID,
that he has read and had opinions.
hut you were capable OF using common
sense. The man ion'r like to see is the
oae who is like a piece OF putty 70 take
the impression of he last one who comes
Il contact with him. Every man OF you
l. man enough to say when some one
sassuts an idea III your jury room that
~ 1g v<uyzR the case to say so. i6 Is not
zssiness to unravei the mystery, but
X, say is this W0malI guilty. that's