The story of Lizzie Borden may seem a simple one, but the details surrounding the case and the debate over whether Lizzie really committed the crimes in question are what makes this case very interesting…
Lizzie Borden / Picture Credit: Buzzfeed Unsolved Network on YouTube
Who was Lizzie Borden?
In August of 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were found murdered in their home.
Their daughter Lizzie was arrested and tried for the murders. She was acquitted however, in 1893 and lived in Fall River until her death in 1927.
This case was never solved.
Early life into adulthood
Lizzie was born in July 1860 to Andrew and Sarah Borden.
Sarah died shortly after Lizzie was born, and Andrew re-married around three years later to a women called Abby.
Andrew had two daughters (with Sarah) named Lizzie and Emma, who did not get on well with Abby. The sisters addressed her as Mrs. Borden instead of her first name.
The sisters worried that Abby wished to get hold of their father’s money, as he was very successful in his chosen fields of business – manufacturing and real estate development.
Lizzie and Emma helped to manage rental properties owned by their father, and lived with him and Abby into adulthood.
Borden murders and trial
One morning in August 1892, Andrew and Abby were murdered and mutilated in their home in Fall River.
Lizzie alerted Bridget, the maid, to Andrew’s corpse. He had been attacked and killed while asleep on the sofa.
A search of the home saw the body of Abby in an upstairs bedroom – with Lizzie in the same room.
Both Andrew and his wife were murdered with a hatchet.
On inspection of the bodies, it was found that neither victim had defence wounds. This suggests that, since no scars or cuts were found on their arms signifying them raising their arms in defence, that they either knew their attacker, or they were attacked from behind.
Due to being asleep on the sofa - or so the authorities suspected - Andrew would not have had any defence wounds. Abby on the other hand, you would expect to have these kinds of wounds if she saw the attack coming.
As well as this, both victims were struck multiple times, suggesting a crime of passion.
With no signs of breaking and entering found around the house, it is very likely that whoever murdered the pair was somebody already inside.
Policemen who were called to the scene suspected Lizzie immediately, though she was not taken into custody at this time.
As Lizzie’s sister Emma was out of town at the time of the murders, she was never a suspect.
In the week between the murders and her arrest, Lizzie burned a dress that she claimed was stained with paint. It could be questioned, of course, whether or not you would burn a dress because it was stained rather than simply washing it – this was a very questionable move.
Prosecutors would later allege that the dress was in fact stained with blood, and Lizzie burned it to cover her crimes. This seems a rather obvious assumption.
One motive that was discussed which would cast Lizzie as the murderer, was that she believed her father was writing her out of his will in favour of her step-mother, Abby.
The hatchet or axe used in the murders was also said to have blood and hair on it – but this belonged to a cow, not humans as thought before. Not much is said in regard to the whereabouts of the murder weapon.
However, more evidence against Lizzie came in the form of many inconsistent stories she told, and an overheard conversation between Lizzie and her sister, accusing Emma of ‘selling her out’.
Furthermore, Lizzie stated that when her father went to take a nap, she removed his shoes. But, in the crime scene photos, Andrew was still wearing his shoes, the reason for which is unclear.
Lizzie was indicted in December of 1892. Her trial began the following June (in 1893) in New Redford.
She did not take the stand in her own defence, and her inquest testimony was not admitted into evidence.
The testimonies given by others proved inconclusive.
In June of 1893, Lizzie was acquitted of the murders of Andrew and Abby Borden.
No one else was ever charged of the crimes.
After the trial
This case is very interesting due to the seemingly high amount of evidence against Lizzie, the fact no one was ever charged for the murders, and the suspicious behaviour Lizzie demonstrated after the murders and while she was in custody.
After she was acquitted, Lizzie went back home to the family home in Fall River. However, her life was not the same.
Neighbours would talk badly about her, and Lizzie knew they all considered her guilty, so was never again a respected member of the community – as you might expect.
Emma moved out of the house she and Lizzie both shared in 1905. It is said this was because of Lizzie’s sexual fascination with another woman, however, it is largely believed that Emma said little of this matter as she may have learned new details surrounding her father and step-mother’s deaths.
Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal
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