New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-15
4 STUDY or MOTIVE.

Ono Of the many incXplicablc things which
the prosecution in the Borden case has failed
TO unravcl is the prisoners motive Tor killing
her father. An attempt has been made 10 show
that her relations with her Stcpnothcr were
uniriendly, that she was unhappy IN her home
and that there had been quarrel over the
disposition Of her fathers property. In The
opening address for the state Mr.. Moody re-
fcrTcd to this branch Of the case. and IN an
ticiration of the admission of tho prisoners
statement at the inquest affirmed taat there
was mercenary motive for the crimes. This
motive has not been clearly established by cvi-
dcnce but whatever bearing it may have upon
the case is derived from the commission Of
the fist crime 1t il be assumed for the sake
of the argument that the prisoner disliked or
oven detcStcd her stcpmothcr. and that she
appfThondtd a diversion OF her fathers f,rune
from the future Use Of herself and her sister
Lot it be granted furthermore. that either in
consequence Of deliberate, prcmcdltatcd pot
or OF sudden outbreak Of passion, the prisoner
may have murdered her s,cpmy,hcr What
motive could she have had for killing her father
also? There is no evidence iadi ating that She
hated him. Win her >cpmother out Of the
way, her fathers property upon his death would
naturally have been shared by the sisters and
he was an old and feeble man.
Lizzie Borden, If guilty. must at least be
credited with GOODNESS Of judgment and quick
ness OF Wit. Her success in removing twice
in the course OF two hours all evidence OF guilt
from her person and her clo,hing indicates that
she retained ho- self-po~cssiOn The fact that
she was ironing on the first floor and laughing
and chatting with her father when they were
las, seen together, bookcn; on the theory Of
the State, both presence OF mind and powers Of
discrimination. II she had killed her step
mother, she was acting with extraordinary col
ness and WAS evidently in full possession Of
her mental faculties. i would have been easy
for her to leave the house soon after tho first
murder and to divert suspicion from herself
by spending an hour or two with a friend or
ncighbor. Why should she have remained be
hind to lie in wait for her father, 30 put a
anew the murdcrcr's gown and to take away
n second life? Shc had nothing to gain by
killing her father. The chief object Of her dis
like and the main source Of family diScord,
if any there were, had been removed. There
was no apparent motive for the Sc,ogd muir
der, by which suspicion WIS rivCtcd upon her.
Indeed il she la left the housc pre- IMPLY after
the first crime, she could have cleared her
SELF and the police would subsequently have
been forced b. their process, % exclusive OPP
poltuniy to make ont case against the ser
want in The kitchen.
In every murder case grounded upon cir
cumstantal evidence the motive must be SCI
forth with clearnesS and po>iiiycneSs before
reasonable doubt Of guilt can be removed
This was done in the Harris case which recently
occupied public attention While the evidence
was Indirect the motive was adequate t. ac-
count for the crime. When there is direct evil
dcnce of mnrdcror's guilt The motive is less
imporant but 1t would seem f. be absolutely
essential 10 IA Successful prosecution in the
Borden case. While something vaguely re-
scmblin2 motive can be supplied for the com
mission Of the first crime, the second murder
is absolutely inexplicablc on the theory Of the
state. The slaughter II the helpless old man
was not required for the prot elton of the muir
dcrer. II decreased UNNECESSARILY the muir
derer's difficulty and danger. As a crime com
mitcd by Lizzie Borden it is utterly unn-
tnllioible