New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-06-02
PRINCIPAL IN OLD
! MURDER CASE DIES
Death Claims Miss iSbeth A.
Borden Of Fall River

Fail River, Mass, June tPt-Miss
Ilsbeth A. Borden, who was &C
Quilted of the murder of her father
and mother in 1898 after one OF the
most celebrated trials in New Eng
land died at her home here last
night,
Miss Borden. who had lived quiet
" in this city since her acquittal, un-
derNent an operation about a year
ago and had never fully recovcreo.
The country was shocked on
August 4, 1892. when the bodies of
her father and mother were dis
covered in their home on Second
street, Fall River. They had been
hacked to death with an axe
Their daughter, generally known
a the time as Lizzie was arrested
ard charged with the crime. Some
o. the most famous lawyers of the
day participated in the conduct Of
the trial,
The leading attorneys in the
trial are now dead Attorney Cen
eral Hosea NJ. knowlton represent
ed the state and Andrew ]. Jen-
nings OF Fall River was chief coun-
sci for the defense.
Others directly connected with
the trial also have died, except tor
2 sister, Emma, and with the pos
sihle exception OF Bridget Sullivan.
q servant in the Borden home, who
was a leading witness. She return
ed to her home in ireland later
and il is not known here whether
she is still living. After her acqult-
tai Miss Borden was not again in
the public eye. She maintained her
home in Fall River but made fire.
ouent. trips to other cities, mainly
Washington.
Andrew J. Borden was a wealthy
retired business man and owned
much valuable real estate in this
city. 1t was in the middle of the
forenoon of August 4. 1892, when
his daughter Lizzie rushed into the
home OF a woman neighbor and
told her that she had found her
father dead in the living room.
The neighbor returned with her
and saw the body, then went up
stairs and found the body of Mrs.
Borden in a bedroom. The autopsy
showed that both had been killed
with either an axe or cleaver.
For several days the case baffled
the authorities. Finally. building up
a case of, circumstantial evidence
about Lizzie Borden. they arrested
her and brought her to trial in
New Bedford. AS motive the
state sought to show that in view
of the fact that Mrs. Borden was
her stepmother she feared that she
would not get liberal share OF
her fathers estate upon his death
and decided to do away with both
father and stepmother in order
that she and her sister Emma
might get the estate at once.
In her own defense Miss Borden
Insisted that she was not in the
house at the time of the murders.
She said that Mr.. and Mrs. Borden
were alive when she went out to
the barn in the rear of the house
to look for some fishing tackle and
when she returned she found them
dead. Her sister, it was definitely
established. was away from the
house at the time on an errand.
During the trial Emma Borden
stood by her sister staunchly and
Insisted that she could have had
no. possible motive for the crime.
After Lizzie Borden's acquittal the
case lapsed into an unsolved mys
terry. There was some testimony at
the trial about man. possibly a
peddrer. who had been seen in the
vicinity of the house on the day OF
the murders, but his identity was
never established and no further
arrests were made.
The sister Emma Is still living
but for many years she had not
made her home with Lisbeth. So
far as known she Is the only near
relative.
Lizzie Borden was IS years old.
During the later years OF her life
in Fall River she had lived virtual
~ alone and had few II any close
friends. So far as known she never
discussed with anyone the murder
Of her parents nearly IS years ago
ind her lawyers said today that
they knew OF no will or statement
which she might have left,