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8/9/2019 Martin_ Lizzie Borden _article
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LizzieBorden
ByJamesKirbyMartinetal.,AmericaandItsPeople,2ndEdition.
AndrewBordenhad,astheoldScottishsayinggoes,shortarmsandlongpockets.Hewascheap,notbecausehehadtobefrugalbutbecausehehatedtospendmoney.He
haddedicatedhisentirelifetomakingandsavingmoney,andtalesofhisunethicaland
parsimoniousbusinessbehaviorwerelegendaryinhishometownofFallRiver,
Massachusetts.Localgossipsmaintainedthatasanundertakerhecutoffthefeetofcorpses
sothathecouldfitthemintoundersizedcoffinshehadpurchasedataverygoodprice.
Andrew,however,wasnotinterestedinrumorsortheopinionsofotherpeople;hewas
concernedwithhisownrisingfortunes.By1892,hehadamassedoverhalfamillion
dollars,andhecontrolledtheFallRiverUnionSavingsBankaswellasservingasthe
directoroftheGlobeYardMillCompany,theFirstNationalBank,theTroyCottonand
ManufacturingCompany,andtheMerchantsManufacturingCompany.
Andrewwasrich,buthedidnotlivelikeawealthyman.Insteadoflivingalongside
theotherprosperousFallRivercitizensintheeliteneighborhoodknownasTheHill,
Andrewresidedinanareanearthebusinessdistrictcalledtheflats.Helikedtosavetime
aswellasmoney,andfromtheflatshecouldconvenientlywalktowork.Forhisdaughters
LizzieandEmma,whoseeyesanddreamsfocusedonTheHill,lifeintheflatswasan
intolerableembarrassment.Theirhousewasagrim,boxlikestructurethatlackedcomfort
andprivacy.SinceAndrewbelievedthatrunningwateroneachfloorwasawasteful
luxury,theonlywashingfacilitieswereacold-waterfaucetinthekitchenandalaundry-
roomwatertapinthecellar.Alsointhecellarwastheonlytoiletinthehouse.Tomake
mattersworse,thehousewasnotconnectedtotheFallRivergasmain.Andrewpreferred
tousekerosenetolighthishouse.Althoughitdidnotprovideasgoodlightorburnascleanlyasgas,itwaslessexpensive.Tosaveevenmoremoney,heandhisfamily
frequentlysatinthedark.
TheBordenhomewasfarfromhappy.LizzieandEmma,ages32and42in1892,
stronglydislikedtheirstepmother,Abby,andresentedAndrewspenny-pinchingways.
Lizzieespeciallyfeltalienatedfromtheworldaroundher.AlthoughFallRiverwasthe
largestcotton-manufacturingtowninAmerica,itofferedfewopportunitiesforthe
unmarrieddaughterofaprosperousman.Societyexpectedawomanofsocialpositionto
marry,andwhileshewaitedforapropersuitor,heronlyrespectablesocialoutletswere
churchandcommunityservice.SoLizzietaughtaSundayschoolclassandwasactiveinthe
WomensChristianTemperanceUnion,theLadiesFruitandFlowerMission,andotherorganizations.Shekeptherselfbusy,butshewasnothappy.
InAugust,1892,strangethingsstartedtohappenintheBordenhome.Theybegan
afterLizzieandEmmalearnedthatAndrewhadsecretlychangedhiswill.Abbybecame
violentlyill.IntimesodidtheBordensmaidBridgetSullivanandAndrewhimself.Abby
toldaneighborhooddoctorthatshehadbeenpoisoned,butAndrewrefusedtolistentoher
wildideas.Shortlythereafter,Lizziewentshoppingforprussicacid,adeadlypoisonshe
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saidsheneededtocleanhersealskincape.WhenaFallRiverdruggistrefusedherrequest,
sheleftthestoreinanagitatedstate.Laterintheday,shetoldafriendthatshefearedan
unknownenemyofherfatherswasafterhim.Imafraidsomebodywilldosomething,
shesaid.
OnAugust4,1892,Bridgetawokeearlyandill,butshestillmanagedtopreparea
largebreakfastofjohnnycakes,fresh-bakedbread,gingerandoatmealcookiesandraisins,
andsomethree-day-oldmuttonandhotmuttonsoup.Aftereatingaheartymeal,Andrew
leftforwork.Bridgetalsolefttodosomeworkoutside.ThisleftAbbyandLizzieinthe
housealone.Thensomebodydidsomethingveryspecificandverygrisly.AsAbbywas
bentovermakingthebedintheguestbedroom,someonemovedintotheroomunobserved
andkilledherwithanax.
Andrewcamehomeforlunchearlierthanusual.HeaskedLizziewhereAbbywas,
andshesaidshedidnotknow.Unconcerned,Andrew,whowasnotfeelingwell,laydown
ontheparlorsofaforanap.Heneverawoke.LikeAbby,hewasslaughteredbysomeone
withanax.Lizziediscoveredhisbody,stilllyingonthesofa.ShecalledBridget,whohad
takenthebackstairstoheratticroom.Comedownquick;fathersdead;somebodycame
inandkilledhim.
Expertshaveexaminedandreexaminedthecrime,andmosthavereachedthesame
conclusion:Lizziekilledherfatherandstepmother.Infact,Lizziewastriedforthe
gruesomemurders.Despiteapreponderanceofevidence,however,anall-malejuryfound
hernotguilty.Theirverdictwasunanimousandwasarrivedatwithoutdebateor
disagreement.AwomanofLizziessocialposition,theyreaffirmed,simplycouldnothave
committedsuchaterriblecrime.
Evenbeforethetrialbegan,newspaperandmagazinewritershadjudgedLizzie
innocentforthesamereasons.AshistorianKathrynAllamongJacob,anexpertonthecase,noted,Americanswerecertainthatwell-broughtupdaughterscouldnotcommitmurder
withahatchetonsunnysummermornings.Criminalwomen,theybelieved,originatedin
thelowerclassesandevenlookedevil.Theydidnotlooklikeround-facedLizzie,anddid
notbelongtotheLadiesFruitandFlowerMission.
JurorsandeditorialistsalikejudgedLizzieaccordingtotheirpreconceivednotions
ofVictorianwomanhood.Theybelievedthatsuchawomanwasgentle,docile,and
physicallyfrail,shortonanalyticalabilitybutlongonnurturinginstincts.Women,wrote
aneditorialistforScribners,aremerelylargebabies.Theyareshortsighted,frivolous,and
occupyanintermediatestagebetweenchildrenandmen.Toouncoordinatedandweakto
accuratelyswinganaxandtoogentleandunintelligenttocoldlyplanadoublemurder,womenofLizziesbackgroundsimplyhadtobeinnocentbecauseoftheirbasicinnocence.