Evan Hunter - Lizzie

“Miss Russell, what were you doing when Bridget Sullivan came to you?”

“I was at my work.”

“In consequence of what Bridget told you, did you go somewhere?”

“Yes, sir. I went upstairs to change my dress.”

“What did you do then?”

“I went over to Mr. Borden’s.”

“Speak up, please.”

“I went over to the Borden house.”

“When you got to the Borden house, do you recall who was there?”

“I only remember Lizzie.”

“Where was she when you got there?”

“I’m not positive.”

“Was she upstairs or downstairs?”

“Downstairs.”

“Did you have any talk with her, or did she say anything to you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, go on and tell us what it was.”

“I cannot tell it in order, for it’s very disconnected. I remember very little of it. I think she was standing in the door — leaning against the doorframe — as I went in, and I asked her to sit down in the rocking chair, which she did. There was somebody came around, I don’t know who they were. There were people there, came in; either they were there or came right in or something. I don’t know what followed...”

“Now Dr. Bowen, after she replied that she had been in the barn looking for some irons...”

“Or iron.”

“... was there any other conversation in that connection?”

“She then said that she was afraid her father had had trouble with the tenants, that she had overheard loud conversation several times recently. That was the extent of the conversation in the dining room.”

“Then what was done?”

“Then I asked for a sheet to cover up Mr. Borden.”

“To whom did you address that request?”

“I addressed that to Mrs. Churchill and to Miss Lizzie Borden at the same time. They were both in the same room. And to Miss Russell, who was there by then.”

“What was done in consequence of your request? Describe everything that was done.”

“Bridget Sullivan said, ‘I guess the sheets are up in Mrs. Borden’s room, Mrs. Borden’s desk where she keeps the bedclothes...’ ”

... and I asked Dr. Bowen if he would get the keys off the shelf in the sitting room. And he did so, and Mrs. Churchill said she would do anything to help me. She went in and unlocked the door and got two sheets, I guess...

... when the sheets were brought back, I covered the body, and Miss Lizzie Borden asked me if I would telegraph to her sister Emma. Directly after I took the address, I asked, “Where is Mrs. Borden?” The answer was that Mrs. Borden had received a note that morning to visit a sick friend. I wished to notify the officers, and as I was going out, Officer Allen — I didn’t know him at the time, a short, thickset man — came in, and I satisfied myself that the officers knew of the affair. I met him in the kitchen. As I was going out, he was in...

I went in the sitting room where Mr. Borden was. He was lying on the sofa side of the door that opens from the dining room to the kitchen. I went to the front door, the front halls, and looked at the door. The door was locked with a night lock and also with a bolt. I looked behind the door to see if anyone was standing there, and then I came out and I told the doctor I’d go down and get some officers to investigate the case. When I went out, I saw a closet there, and I thought I’d look into the closet. Then I looked in a clothes press there, nigh the stove, in the kitchen. I made no other investigation before I left the house.

I told Mr. Sawyer to stay there until I came back...

After Mr. Allen left me there, the other persons, I don’t know whether they were ministering to her some way, they seemed to be fanning her. Rubbing her hands or face, seemed to be. I couldn’t tell exactly what they were doing, but they appeared to be... I don’t know but that they were rubbing her hands. At one time I was within three feet of her, I should judge. Stood there quite a while. In fact, she wasn’t more than three or four feet from the door that led from the entry.

She was sitting in a rocking chair... well, not quite in the middle of the room but quite near the door to the back entry. She was sitting there and appeared to be somewhat distressed, I thought from her appearance. I didn’t see any signs of blood upon her hands, her hair, or her dress. I couldn’t tell you the color of the dress, or whether it was light or dark. I think the people there were Mrs. Churchill, Bridget and Miss Russell...

I started to unloosen her dress, thinking that she was faint, and she said, “I’m not faint, Alice.” Her dress was loose here, where I started to unloosen it. It was loose here, so it pulled out. I think I fanned her. I don’t remember whether I bathed her face. I don’t think I bathed her face in there. I did not see any blood on her clothing. Not a speck of it. Nor upon her hands. Or her face. I don’t think her hair was disturbed. I think I should have noticed it if it was disordered. I can’t give any description of the dress she had on that morning. None whatever...

My name is Phoebe B. M. Bowen. I live right across the street from Mr. Borden’s, lived there nearly all my life. I’m Dr. Bowen’s wife. When I got to the house on the morning of the murder, Mr. Sawyer was at the door, and Mrs. Churchill, Miss Russell and Miss Lizzie were in the kitchen. Miss Lizzie was sitting in a chair, and Miss Russell was sitting in a chair beside Miss Lizzie. Mrs. Churchill was standing in front of her, fanning her. She was reclining in a chair, with her head resting against Miss Russell.

I thought she had fainted, she was so white, until I saw her lip or chin quiver, and then I knew she hadn’t fainted. I stood directly in front of her. Miss Russell asked me to wet a towel to bathe her face and hands, and Lizzie shook her head no. Her hands were very white as they laid against her dark dress, in her lap. The dress had a blouse waist, with a white design on it. A dark dress. Her hair was arranged as it usually was. I did not see any blood on her hands, or face, or any part of her...

... after I brought the sheets to Dr. Bowen, after him and the officer left, I said, “Miss Lizzie, if I knew where Mrs. Whitehead’s was, I’d go and see if Mrs. Borden is there.” Mrs. Whitehead is Mrs. Borden’s sister that lives in Fall River.

And she said, “Maggie, I’m almost positive I heard her coming in. I’m sure she’s upstairs.”

And I said, “I’m not going up again.”

Mrs. Churchill said she would go with me.

I went from the dining room into the sitting room and upstairs.

The door to the spare room was open as I came up the stairway.

As I went upstairs, I saw the body under the bed.

Right between the bed and the wall... the bed was high enough to see. I went right into the room and stood at the foot of the bed. I don’t recall anything about the curtains or shutters in that room at that time, I couldn’t tell how they were. I couldn’t tell anything about how light it was in that room at that time. I didn’t stay long enough to notice anything, didn’t stop to make any examination of Mrs. Borden to see what was the matter with her.

Mrs. Churchill was behind me.

Bridget was leading the way, and as we went upstairs, I turned my head to the left. And as I got up so that my eyes were on the level with the front hall, I could see across the front hall and across the floor of the spare room. At the far side of the north side of the room, I saw something that looked like the form of a person. I turned and went back down, into the dining room, and made some noise. Miss Russell said, “Is there another?”

I said, “Yes, she’s up there.”

My name is John J. Manning, I’m a reporter. I was a reporter last August when I heard of the Borden murder. Mr. O’Neal, city editor of the Globe, told me to go up to Second Street, a stabbing affray had taken place there. I received the information between twenty-five minutes and half-past eleven. I ran the greater portion of the way. On the way to the house, near the entrance to Hall’s Stable, I saw Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Bowles and one or two other persons whom I don’t recall at this time. I crossed the road — they didn’t care to say much about what had happened — I crossed the road and went into the yard. I tried to open the door, and Mr. Sawyer was inside. It was a screen door. I was not allowed to go in. I sat back on the steps, waited for some person to come, with whom I could go in. I had been there some two or three minutes, and Dr. Bowen came in. I bade him good morning. He passed in, and I wasn’t allowed to go in with him.