Image via WikipediaThere are few stories in American history, that still haunt and mystify us like the story of Lizzie Borden. We are all familiar with the gruesome images of Mr. Borden strewn across his sofa in the home's parlor, while wife Abby Borden's body is lying face down in a pool of her own blood in an upstairs bedroom. Do we have a fascination with the macabre? Or is it the mystery that surrounds the murders that keeps us searching?
It has been over one hundred years since that day in August of 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts , and we find ourselves unable to resist the urge to watch any and every documentary that presents itself on television. What is it about the 32 year old bible study teacher, that captivates us still? Is it that mischievous glare that we can't pull away from in her photographs? Or is it those eyes that seem to have a secret hiding deep within them? Why does she still captivate us long after the fact? More than likely, it is because it is still a horrific unsolved mystery, perhaps one of the first so well publicized. The lack of experience of those investigating the case at the time, made for a botched case from the start, but does it mean they got it wrong? According to modern age analysis, not necessarily.
Image via Wikipedia
Murders of this caliber were certainly not prevalent in late 1800's. Let alone committed by a woman. Today, we have at our disposal advances in modern technology and psychology that allows man to analyse murders of this type on a multitude of levels. Such advances can tell us a lot about the mindset of the killer that the investigators of the day were not aware of. The way the weapon was used alone, suggests that the purpose of the attack was not merely to just terminate a life, but to cause great bodily harm. A hatchet was sought out to mutilate the vessel it made contact with. It was also a weapon of convenience. Pistols of the time, were clumsy and not easily acquired in those days without drawing attention to oneself. Most homes of that era, had a hatchet in them. The level of passion the murderer executed is evident as well. Though the old nursery rhyme exaggerated the number of "whacks" actually wielded, it was still more than enough to bring about certain death to the victims. The killer of the Borden's, was not afraid of discovery, they were angry. There was a personal connection to both Abby and Andrew Borden, otherwise Abby would have been spared.
Did Lizzie do it? More than likely she did. It is not likely that a stranger or enemy of Mr. Borden would kill Mrs. Borden, and then wait around for over an hour and to kill Mr. Borden. An enemy of Mr. Borden would have ample opportunity to kill him in any number of localities. Mr. Borden was not hard to find, and he was by all accounts a creature of habit. Fear of discovery within the Borden home alone would make this a risky and hard to believe scenario. The fact that two living witnesses remained on the day of the murders also suggest this was no random killing. Why wasn't Lizzie and the maid slain? They were as much a threat to the killer as Abby Borden would have been. Not only did Lizzie have motive, but it has also been suggested she was mentally ill. Was Lizzie well and of sound mind? It has been suggested that she was bi-polar. This may well be true.
Image by dbking via FlickrToday the infamous Borden home, is a Bed and Breakfast Inn. The current owners have gone to great pains to restore and maintain the original character and decor of the home. The owners claim that it is indeed haunted to this day by Mr. and Mrs. Borden, Lizzie and some unknown children spirits as well. It would not be beyond the realm of possibility to assume that a home that witnessed such gruesome events would be anything less than haunted, would it? They remain, and their home is still very much their own. Lizzie died in 1927 and lived only a short distance from the Borden home. Even though she was found not guilty, she was never again accepted into the community.
It has been over one hundred years since that day in August of 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts , and we find ourselves unable to resist the urge to watch any and every documentary that presents itself on television. What is it about the 32 year old bible study teacher, that captivates us still? Is it that mischievous glare that we can't pull away from in her photographs? Or is it those eyes that seem to have a secret hiding deep within them? Why does she still captivate us long after the fact? More than likely, it is because it is still a horrific unsolved mystery, perhaps one of the first so well publicized. The lack of experience of those investigating the case at the time, made for a botched case from the start, but does it mean they got it wrong? According to modern age analysis, not necessarily.
Image via WikipediaMurders of this caliber were certainly not prevalent in late 1800's. Let alone committed by a woman. Today, we have at our disposal advances in modern technology and psychology that allows man to analyse murders of this type on a multitude of levels. Such advances can tell us a lot about the mindset of the killer that the investigators of the day were not aware of. The way the weapon was used alone, suggests that the purpose of the attack was not merely to just terminate a life, but to cause great bodily harm. A hatchet was sought out to mutilate the vessel it made contact with. It was also a weapon of convenience. Pistols of the time, were clumsy and not easily acquired in those days without drawing attention to oneself. Most homes of that era, had a hatchet in them. The level of passion the murderer executed is evident as well. Though the old nursery rhyme exaggerated the number of "whacks" actually wielded, it was still more than enough to bring about certain death to the victims. The killer of the Borden's, was not afraid of discovery, they were angry. There was a personal connection to both Abby and Andrew Borden, otherwise Abby would have been spared.
 Image via Wikipedia |
| The Jury of the Lizzie Borden trial |
Image by dbking via FlickrToday the infamous Borden home, is a Bed and Breakfast Inn. The current owners have gone to great pains to restore and maintain the original character and decor of the home. The owners claim that it is indeed haunted to this day by Mr. and Mrs. Borden, Lizzie and some unknown children spirits as well. It would not be beyond the realm of possibility to assume that a home that witnessed such gruesome events would be anything less than haunted, would it? They remain, and their home is still very much their own. Lizzie died in 1927 and lived only a short distance from the Borden home. Even though she was found not guilty, she was never again accepted into the community.
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