Lizzie Didn't Do It!. William Psy.D. Masterton

      FIGURE 1.4

      John Morse

      under suspicion

      From New Bedford

      Evening Standard,

      Aug. 5, 1892

      Bridget Sullivan seems never to have been seriously considered as a suspect, although there was one inconsistency in her story. She originally told the police that she had been washing windows on the third floor at the time of Andrew's murder. Later she admitted that she had actually been resting in her third floor bedroom. One can well understand the motivation behind her original statement; for anyone, and especially a servant, to lie down during the day was considered downright immoral in 1892. One newspaper article stated primly, "The servant in the average Fall River family is much more likely to be found washing windows or making bread than in bed at 11 o'clock in the forenoon."

       Within forty eight hours the police settled upon Lizzie Borden as the likely murderer; they never changed their mind. There seem to have been three principal reasons for suspecting Lizzie. First, Fleet and Harrington became suspicious of Lizzie when they interviewed her after the murders. She seemed altogether too calm and unconcerned, showing no signs of grief for her father and stepmother. Second, Lizzie's story about the note Abby Borden received was hard to believe. The note was never found and no one ever acknowledged sending it. Finally, Lizzie's attempt to buy prussic acid, a deadly poison, seemed incriminating.

      On Saturday evening, Marshal Hilliard and Mayor Coughlin drove through crowds of curious onlookers to 92 Second Street to talk to Lizzie, Emma and John Morse. Coughlin started the conversation by saying, "I have a request to make and that is that [all of] you remain in the house for a few days, as I believe it would be better for all concerned if you do so." Lizzie asked, "Is there anybody in this house suspected?" After some hesitation, Mayor Coughlin replied, "Miss Borden, I must answer yes; you are suspected." A court later ruled that from that point on Lizzie Borden was, in effect, under arrest.

      Chapter 2: PEOPLE AND PLACES

      In this chapter, we will look at the principal characters in the Borden murders: Andrew Jackson Borden (aged 69), Abby Gray Borden (64), Lizzie Andrew Borden (32), John Vinnicum Morse (59), Emma Lenora Borden (41) and Bridget Sullivan (25?). Their lives prior to August 4, 1892, and their personalities may help us understand what happened that day. We'll also look at the place where the murders occurred, 92 Second Street in Fall River, Massachusetts.

      The Victims: Andrew and Abby Borden

       In 1892 Borden was a common name in Fall River, shared by about 400 people. There were at least four Andrew Bordens and two Andrew J. Bordens (the other one was a janitor). The family played a major role in the development of Fall River; distant relatives of "our" Andrew were instrumental in founding the cotton mills that became the city's largest industry.

       Abraham Borden, Andrew's father, was a fish peddler who cried his wares from a pushcart in the streets. Andrew, growing up in impoverished circumstances in a shabby house on Ferry Street, vowed never to be poor again. In that respect he succeeded spectacularly, leaving an estate of $350,000, equivalent to perhaps five million dollars today.

       Andrew Borden spent more than thirty years as an undertaker, where he prospered handsomely. Perhaps it was his money-back guarantee that attracted so many customers. Andrew promised that his caskets would preserve the remains of a loved one longer than those of his competitors. There is no record of anyone asking for his money back.

       In 1878 Andrew retired from the undertaking business to pursue other financial interests. He became a stockholder in just about every profitable bank and cotton mill in Fall River. At the time of his death, he was president of the Union Savings Bank and a director of a host of institutions, including the First National Bank of Fall River, the B. M. C. Durfee Safe Deposit Trust Co., Globe Yarn Mills, Troy Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing and the Merchants Manufacturing Company. Most of his energy was devoted to protecting the interests of these institutions and others in which he had a financial interest.

       Andrew Borden had extensive holdings in real estate. His proudest possession was a three story commercial structure in downtown Fall River, built in 1890, which he modestly named the A. J. Borden building. Fifty years after his death it would be a major stop for every tourist bus that came to Fall River. Beyond that, Andrew owned several tenements. Reportedly he adjusted the rent to the financial status of the tenant, but only in one direction. Anyone who received a promotion or salary increase could look forward to having his rent raised.

       Through foreclosures, Andrew picked up two farms in nearby Swansea. To make them more profitable, he sold farm produce on the streets of Fall River and even at 92 Second Street. Charles Sawyer, the man pressed into service as a guard on August 4, said he was familiar with the house because he had gone there to buy "vinegar and other stuff" from Andrew.

       To state the obvious, Andrew Borden was obsessed with the acquisition and retention of money. The idea that spending money could be more enjoyable than making it never occurred to him. As a Fall River Globe article pointed out:

       "He rarely, if ever, visited places of amusement; Providence and Boston were the limits of his traveling experience. He dressed poorly and, for a man of his means, shabbily . . . In his own peculiar way he undoubtedly derived much pleasure from [money]. His wealth was his theater, excursions and all kinds of amusements, embodied in the one thing. It was his pleasure to add to it, to scrape together, multiply, and see his great mass doubling and redoubling."

       Andrew Borden's miserly ways made him many enemies. Among them was Hiram Harrington, married to Andrew's sister Lurana., who told the following story:

       "Mr. Borden was an exceedingly hard man concerning money matters, determined and stubborn; when he got an idea nothing could change him. He was too hard for me. When his father died, he offered my wife the old homestead on Ferry Street for a certain sum of money. My wife preferred to take money from Andrew instead. After all the agreements were signed, he wanted my wife to pay an additional $3 for water tax upon the homestead."

       Small wonder that three different authors, all of them Fall River natives, said that the predominant reaction in Fall River to Andrew Borden's death was, "Well, somebody did a good job!"

      Figure 2.1 Andrew Borden

      Figure 2.2 Emma Borden and mother, Sarah