Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-06-21
LIZZIE BORDEN CLEAR.
The Jury in the Borden Case Declare
that Lizzie is Innocent Of Murder.

The crowd which usually thronged |
the corridors of the court building in
New Bedford, Mass, where the trial
of Lizzie Borden for murder has been
in progress for the past several weeks,
was not so large yesterday as ON the
previous days. However, at the OPEN
ing of the court there were as many
people in the room as any time du-
ring the session. Miss Borden enter
ed the room at S:55 and Gov. Robin
son took his seat beside her, and the
two engaged in conversation until
court opened at o'clock. The jury
was polled and the District Attorney
picked up the argument where he
dropped it Monday night He eau
toned the jury upon the near ap-
proach of the end. The counsel who |
opened the case for the defense said |
the motive was part of the Govern
ments case, but the speaker said this
was not so. Motives are neither ade-
quate nor even tolerable when consid-
cred in connection with the crime.
The motives of the man, Lind, were
as inscrutable as are the ways of Di-
vine Providence.
1t was one of the very hottest days
in the hottest summer we have ever
known, and you are asked to believe
that she left her work at the ironing
board and went up into that hot barn.
You were there in that barn and you
know what it is even ON cool June
day. She told Officer Harrington that
she could not hear any noise because
she was up in the loft. This was the
, only place-the hottest place about
where she could get and not hear
anything. In all of your observations
have you ever heard OF an attempt to
create an alibi which was more strange
than the circumstances of this one2
That barn alibi will not stand. We
come back and find her father dead
and story on her lips which has no
vestige of truth in it.
Continuing the speaker thoroughly
reviewed the important evidence adj
duced at the trial, on both sides of the
case, and grappled in an able manner
with every opposing fact which tend
ed to destroy the theory of the prose-
cutlon as to Miss Borden's guilt.
AT the close of this argument the
court proceeded to instruct the jury
as to the law of the case.
The court said the burden of proof
is one Of the government, and the de-
fendant is not obliged to shoulder.
The jury was not to deal with the ev-
idence in captious spirit. If not le-
gally guilty, you are to say so.
The jury was asked to think over
carefully whether person contem-
plating crime would be likely to tell a
friend of it, or predict it anyway the
day before hand. In the matter of
the dress the court asked the jury to
say whether they could extract from
all the descriptions of the dress
| enough to identify 1t.
The quarrel story the court dispos-
ed of in short order, and of course
left it with the jury to say whether it
was reasonable to say that such per-
sons who were interested in getting
Mrs. Regan's story became so without
having first ascertained the truth Of
the matter. The court said the jury
will lift the case above the level Of
passion into the clear lines of truth
and reason.
At the conclusion of the charge the
attorneys consulted few moments.
The jury was allowed to retire and
counsel agreed upon what exhibits
were to be put into the case, after
which they were brought in again,
the oath administered by the clerk of
the court and the jury took the case.
1t was just 48O o'clock when the
spectators, who had kept their seats
patiently during the retirement of the
jury, noticed movement indicating
their return. A moment later the
twelve men filed into their seats and
were polled.
Miss Borden was asked to stand up,
and the foreman was asked to return
the verdict, which he announced "Not
guilty"
The words, "Not guilty" had scarce
ly left the foreman's lips when a wild
cry of long pent up feeling in the pris-
oncrs behalf, burst forth and the
scene ofwlld enthusiasm which follow
cd defles description. AS soon as
possible the room was cleared, al
though 1t was hard task, since every
body wanted to sneak with Miss Bor.