Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Lizzie and The Unsolved Murders

On this day in 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were murdered in their own home--apparently hacked to death by an axe. After a couple of days of investigation, police came to suspect one of the Bordens' two daughters, Lizzie, of committing the act.

Lizzie Borden, of course, has become a popular figure in American murder lore; songs and poems were written about her and the brutal murders attributed to her.

However, after a trial in which the prosecution could put forth nothing but circumstantial evidence, Lizzie Borden was aquitted of her parents' murders, and she went back to her home town with her sister. She lived in a handsome estate there until her death in 1927.

It was never determined who actually killed Andrew and Abby Borden; the evidence in fact still points to Lizzie. She was acquitted, however, because the prosecution had not been able to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

A list of all the circumstantial evidence of Lizzie Borden can be seen here.

Photo link here.

7 comments:

Eric Mayer said...

Coincidentally I just finished We Have Always lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson so when I read this, about Lizzie going to live with her sister afterwards, I thought, hmmmm...wonder how it went for them?

Julia Buckley said...

I guess her sister was a key witness for the defense. But of course there are so many unanswered questions there. Did she believe Lizzie was innocent, or did she just want others to believe it?

And if in fact Lizzie Borden committed these very brutal murders, my mind instantly wonders . . . was she abused or molested?

Anonymous said...

I never believed Lizzie was guilty.
There was a transient who came to the farm (common at those times).

Unknown said...

Lizzie was innocent. There were many transients and one of them did the evil deed and left poor Lizzie to face the music.

Julia Buckley said...

That may well be, but that raises new questions: why did the transient wait hours between the first murder and the second? Why not kill Lizzie, as well? And what motive would they have for brutally killing two strangers with an axe? There's no mention of a robbery.

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