Can I Ax you a question?

Day #28 of 31 Days of Halloween

Can I Ax you a Question??

Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother forty whacks;

When She saw what she had done,

She gave her father forty-one.

There are some major flaws with that even over 130 years later.

First off Abby Borland was not her Mother, she was a Step Mother to the then 31 yr old. Lizzie Borden’s Mom passed away when she was just a toddler. Andrew Borden had spent very little time grieving and against family wishes remarried Abby in 1863.

Next, it was proven without a doubt, Lizzie was not alone in the house during that fateful day. A guest by the name of John Vinnicum Morse was in the home, and what wasn't widely known, John was the brother of the Original Mrs. Borden. The Second person was Bridget ``Maggie” Sullivan, a 25 yr old Irish maid, at the time employed by the Bordens. While she was never really a suspect, Bridget Sullivan was in the house at the time of the murders, and it’s speculated that she may have helped Lizzie in some way. On the day of the murders, there were dozens of people coming in and out of the house, Yet none of them were called to testify and rumor has it that Bridget was seen leaving the house with a bundle during the police investigation.

It really has become a true “Who Done it?” Mystery. Here is a breakdown of that, August 4th, 1892

*7am, John, Abby, and Andrew had breakfast. Bridget had gone out to get a “parcel”

*8:45am John left to buy oxen and to visit his nieceJohn’s alibi is somewhat solid. He said he took a streetcar with six priests. But the streetcar conductor didn’t remember John but remembered the priests. The police seemed to confirm his alibi.

*9:00am Andrew went to work

*9:15am Bridget returns back to the home, via the back door, goes to her room briefly, and returns to the parlor where she is sent outside to wash the windows, by Abby

While Lizzie and Emma (Her older sister who was out of town) usually cleaned the guest room, Abby Borden this day went upstairs to make the bed in the guest room.

*9 am to 10:30 am, sometime between there, Abby was hacked to death in the guest room, where John slept the night before.

*10:45 Andrew returned home and laid down on the couch in the sitting room to take a nap

At this time Bridget returned inside and told Lizzie she wasn't feeling well and excused herself to go lie down in her own room. Lizzie then left the house to head out to the woodshop, to prepare for a fishing trip.

*11:15 am, Lizzie said she came back into the house and went to the sitting room. That was where she discovered her father’s bludgeoned corpse. She called Bridget and said that Andrew was dead and that someone came and killed him. She sent Bridget to go get the town doctor, who was a neighbor. Lizzie then sent Bridget and the neighbor upstairs to get Abby, but Abby was already dead. She too was hacked to death.

Abby was dead, being hit 18 times in the head and body, facing her attacker, meaning it was someone she knew. A crime of passion. She had been discovered at least an hour after her demise as the pooled blood had coagulated.

Andrew Borden was indeed asleep during his attack, as one of his eyeballs had been fully severed in half before his skull was crushed with 11 blows. His large frame that stood at 6ft and approx 190lbs was slumped on the couch covered in blood.

Few other facts, and what has been learned since the trial:

Lizzie Borden was a small stature of woman, at 135 lbs and 5”4, who also suffered from epilepsy as well as was often considered meek and small.

The excused as completely innocent John Morse was 6ft 2 and 185 lbs. A Human skull can withstand 250-350ft-lbs of force, It is tough and stronger than concrete and steel (of the same mass) unless you know the weak spots medically (Lizzie was not versed in medical procedures...John was)

The handleless hatchet, the Murder weapon had a hair on it, but it turns out it was Oxen hair

Lizzie had no blood on her clothing, jewelry,or self when the police arrived, however, a neighbor stated she saw Lizzie burning her dress in the stove while police were investigating outside

A woman resembling Lizzie Borden made an attempt to purchase prussic acid the day before the murders. The woman said she needed it to put an edge on a seal-skin cape. Prussic acid, a lethal poison, was only available with a doctor's prescription and so the pharmacist refused to sell it to her.

Lizzie Borden was said to pass out during the Trial, she was found to have morphine in her system. She was prescribed to calm her nerves however hers was an abnormally large dose, but

Andrew Borden was found to have Morphine in his system, again not altogether unusual as it was the start of the first wave of opioid use being known.

Were there motives?

Yes, Andrew Borden did not have a will, so in the case of his death Abby Borden would have not only received his wealth but his properties, and prior to his death, the couple had employed a lawyer to sign papers to have more properties to be put solo in the name of the New Mrs Borland.

Bridget was married to a man, 18 years her senior. It was discovered she was not a stranger to lies as it was discovered she had fibbed about her birthday to be able to marry John Sullivan. She was also the Maid to a man that had also met an untimely demise not 7 years earlier. She was the recipient of a small settlement given to her by Lizzie after the trial was over

Bridget was also often referred to as “Maggie” This wasn't her name at all, in fact, the Borden family had such little respect for the maid they chose to call her by their former Maid’s name.

Emma had made her trip out of town, only known that evening yet had stated to police that it was planned for her dress fitting long in advance. Her alibi was quick to come to the police to prove without a doubt she was with her during the entire time, prior to the time being published.

This double axe murder was carried out just on the cusp of forensics photography coming into play, in fact, Crime scene photos are often seen as the pioneer in the field. Ultimately, there wasn’t enough physical evidence to convict her. We’re talking no fingerprints, footprints, nothing. She was found not guilty.

However, who did it then?

*This lives rent-free in my brain far too much