Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-06-10
GROWING WEAK.
Government Testimony IN
Lizzie Borden Trial
Contradicts Itself and Loses Weight
at Least With Public.
oaiess Fisss nhsd W h Me Stsy Il ~
NatcAsts.

| NEw Bsproxp, Mass, June 9.--About
one-half Of the spectators in the court
house this morning were females. SO PER
| sistent have they become In their attempt
to get into the court room that barrier Of
stout boards has been built across two trees
at the entrance that only one person may
pans At time.
| Miss borden was in her seat At S,as this
morning, and her counsel we're ON hand
about the same time. She convcrsed with
ex-tiov. Robinson until court opened. and
appeared very much in earnest about some-
thing.
The first witness called this morning
was Assistant Marshal Fleet. and his cross.
examination by Gov. Robinson was re-
sumed. Fleet said when he went to the
cellar in the morning. Officers MullAney and
| nevine he thought had two axes and two
hatehets on the floor Of the wash.ro0m
which they found in the middle Of tho
| cellar.
The hstchets were found near the Chin
ney in the same box where the broken
handled hatohet was found. In the middle
of the room there WAS a six-foOt pile Of
ashes, ne ar the chimney and near the boz
pile of ashes was near the furnace, he
thought. lie put the clAw-headed hatchet
| in the cellar room under the stairs.
The witness was questioned sharply by
Robinson about the search of the house
and admitted that he did not make u very
thorough examination. The witness said it
was on the second visit TO the cellar In the
afternoon that he found the hatchet with
broken handle. 1t WAS found In tho box
where the other tools were, near the chin
ney. There WAS dust on this hatchct, A.
though it might have got into the ash pile.
There were ashes on the head of tho
hatchet handle, but none on the broken end.
lie thought he put the hatchct back In the
box and went away; the claw head hatchct
looked rs though 1t had been wiped or
scraped. Lizzie had not a chance to clean
this hatchet, the witness was certain; he
would not swear that there were ashes on
the broken end Of the small handle.
II WAS here pointed out to witness that he
had said yesterday that there was ashes ON
the broken part, and he replied he must
have misunderstood tn question. He could
explain In no other way why he had made
those two different statements; he would
leave the matter by saying be did no, know
whether there were any ashes on the broken
part or not.
lie had heard that Officer Medley took
the broken handled hatchct from the box.
Medley didn't testify at the first hearing and
this part was not produced as far NJ the
witness knew. In his testimony. ut the
lower court the ~itness never mentioned
this broken hatcbet. He didn't testify
about it because he didn't think il had any
connection with the murder despite the
break in the handle, evidently fresh, and
the dust.
Officer Phillip Harrington was called to
the stand at l045. lie said he got to the
Borden house about ~ 10. lie talked with
Lizzie and in reply To his question she said
she could tell nothing about the murder.
She said her father came home from the
post Office with small package in her
hand. She asked him II there was any
mail for her and then went away to the
barn.
She heard nobody in the meantime. She
said she was up in the loft; she told the
witness she did not think robbery was the
motive as her fathers watch and ring were
untouched. She .poke Of the man with
whom her father had quarrclled before that
date. Lizzie all the time she was being
questioned by the witness was cool and
shed no tears. Her voice had no tretn0r
In II.
In the kitchen the witness saw Dr.
Bowen lift the I'D from the stove and wit
ness noticed that the fire was nearly ex-
tinguished. There had been some paper
bnrned which still held n cylindrical shape
about foot long aud perhaps two inches
in diameter, witness could not t,ll what
sort Of paper it was.
The witness described the dress worn by
Lizzie Borden ut the time he saw her ~ =
plain house wrap of pink and light stripes,
with diamond figure on stripes. Witness
said Mr.. Borden had on lace shoes when
he saw the body on the lounge. A pho
tograph Of the Borden room was here pre-
| sented showing that he had on congress
shoes.
TN cross-examination Harrington contra
dicted his former testimony a to an In
quiry of Lizzie, but afterwards admitted
| that the former testimony was correct. lie
repeated detailed description Of the pris-
oner's dress, witch causes amnsem ent, and
| the prisoner twice put her head on her arm
and laughed heartily, for the first time in
the trial.
| Ex-Governor Robinson also involved the
witness in a contradiction of his former
testimony ~ to the condition of the barn
door and window. The witness contra
| ulcPu Fttl Us 10 the piAte WucIs Vue
batchet was found.
| Officer Dohcrty was put on at noon and
described his experience at the BOrdens on
the day Of the murder.
Officer Mullaley took the stand at 1898.
| His direct testimony as TO the condition OF
the premises on the day Of the murder de-
vel0ped nothing new except corr0b0ra-
ton of Fleets testimony as to the finding
Of the hanllelcss hatchet.
On cross examination he admitted that he
did nU: search the dresses and trunks in the
prisoners room the day Of the murders. ~
TO the bs;chets found in the box, he said
none but the handleless one WAS covered
with ashes.
lie ma J" the sensation OF the day by stat
ing tina, oih""r tleet found tbe broken nan
, .s mo"s."s ,'. ~ I :" III a., r",nhn, s,a s.nI.sa
II in The bor with the blade.
Governor Robinson at once called for
tb. handle. which Mfr. Kno. lton said k
coujdn't tro luce, a. he had never heard OF
II, before In answer TO an inauiry BY III.
Government, the witness .aid he saw no