The Monroe journal., 1922-10-13
.HiSTlRYIS
MYSTERIES
n.s~~x q. ~ ~-rs7 70 .<l-n~ f--ax-fr
THE BORDEN MYSTERY

THOUGH there have been crimes
q which stirred the public feeling
more deeply, the mystery connected
with the murder Of Andrew ]. Borden
AID his wife wealthy residents of
Fgll River. Mass. contains elements Of
tie unusual which lift IL far above
other similar problems and make II a
iii subject for critical examination
by the most distinguished detectives
Of fiction-sleuths who are always far
more successful thas those OF real
life.
Andrew Borden was seventy years
Of age. His wife was sixty-four, and.
although they were afterwards found
10 be worth some S3n0.u1. they lived
modestly In comparatively small
house. and employed only one serv-
ant Bridget sullivan. This maid Of
all-work, and Lizzie Borden. Mr.. Bor-
dens daughter by his first wife, were
the only persons in the house at the
time tl.e murders were discovered and
suspicion naturally attached itself TO
the Stepdaughter IS bridget had not
the slightest motive for the crime.
After breakfast. ON the morning II
August I. r93. Mr. Borden left the
house To attend to an errand IN the
neighhorhood. and Mrs. Borden went
upstairs 10 arrange the guest room in
preparation for some expected visitors.
Mrs. Borden. as Mas afterwards
brought ont AT the trial, left the first
fCor at 9:30. and il was the last time
that she was seen alive.
Both Lizzie and Bridget Sullivan
were in the kitchen AT ten o'clock
when Mr.. Borden returned IL the
house, and, finding the front door
the only other enirance-l6cked. came
in through the back way and went up
10 his room which communicated only
with the back part oI she house and
could not he reached from the front.
II was about fifteen minutes later that
Lizzie Borden went upstairs, and a
moment later. Shrieked out that her
father had l~en killed. Both the old
man aud his wife had been murdered,
practically chopped 10 pieces, for
there were no less than twenty-nine
wounds on the two bodies while the
rooms In which they were found were
slHttrred With blood almost 10 the
ceiling Investigation showed that
Mrs Borden whose body was dis
covered in the guest room, had been
struck down while Lizzie Borden was
talking Ia the servant on the iirst
floor, only short time before; while
Mr.. Borden had had time only TO reach
his room before being fellcd by Il
bloN that severed his skull.
In spite of the lack If evidence
against her. Lizzie Borden was ar
rested and charged with the two MUIR
derS but was acquitted on the first
ballot Of the jury, as 1t was shown
that il would have been impossible
for her to have killed her stcpmother,
changed her hlnod-spatterrd clothes,
returned to the first floor where She
talked 10 Bridget sullivan for half
an hour and then 10 have gone up
stairs. killed her father and again
change her clcthas before giving the
alarm. To say nothing Of disposing OF
the weapon which she had used.
ON the other hand US the pr0Sccu.
tion pointed out, there was no other
person who possessed both the motive
and the opportunity. Lizzie Borden
had quarreIed with her stepmother
some time before. Her fathers Will
left the major portion of his property
IL his wife. unless he survived her,
IN which case IL was 10 go To his
windows ON the first floor had been
locked Therefore no one could enter
without passing through the kitchen,
whore both Bridget sullivan and Lizzie
Borden were AT work. Finally Lizzie
Borden had discovered the crime
which at once led to the suspicion that
she had committed II. But even the
counsel for the state had to admit that
the blood scattered walls and the to
tai lack of any blood stains on Miss
Borden'S clutliLs presented an i'm
surmountahle obstacle, so far rs her
guilt was concerned.
Her acqulttal, however, not only
added another classic to the mysteries
Of crime. but presented two questions
apparently impossible Of solution by
any reasonable hypothesis: How had
the murderer entered the house when
the only available entrance was
through the kitchen where the two
women were working? How had he
managed to commit two crimes Of this
nature and escape, with clothing which
was certain TO have been thoroughly
hlood-stained. without attracting the
slightest notice?