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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.