1. "Borden Murders Solved!"
Posted by rays on Jun-11th-03 at 12:01 PM

Borden Murders Solved!
Special to the "New York Times" by Jason Blaar

Yesterday March 31, 1899 the mystery of the Borden Murders was ended with the conviction of William S Borden for the murders of Abby and Andrew Borden on August 4, 1892. The jury did not recommend mercy. Sentencing will occur next week.

The case was broken last fall when Ellan Eagan and her lawyer met the District Attorney. Ellan Eagan told the police of witnessing a stranger when she passed the Borden house that fateful day. While the description could fit many, his presence at the Borden home narrowed the list of suspects. The police brought William S Borden to the police station to renew his retail cider license. While there, Ellan Eagan observed him and said "that's the man!" The police kept him there by saying they lost his papers. A team of detectives sped to his home to question the people there. Young Henry Hawthorne told the police that William S Borden spoke of his revenge on rich relatives. The police then arrested William S Borden, and the Grand Jury indicted him after William L Bassett told of driving him to the Borden house that fateful morning.

The high point of the trial was when Master Henry Hawthorne told how William S Borden talked of killing "Abby and Andrew". Defense Attorney Arthur Phillips asked Master Henry why he didn't tell the Grand Jury this. "Talking to the District Attorney helped me to recover this memory" he said. Attorney Phillips then asked if the $5,000 reward also helped him to remember? The objection from the District Attorney was sustained. Courtroom observers say this prompted Attorney Phillips to put William S Borden on the stand to refute these allegations. The Prosecutor then questioned him about past visits to the Taunton Asylum, his sisters, his mother and father. While questioning him about the murdered couple, the angry William burst out saying "I killed them and would gladly do it again." He cooked his own goose.

After the trial I asked Master Henry what he would do with his share of the reward. He said "I will buy a farm for my parents like Bridget did." His parents were happy with this decision. A party was planned with Ellan Eagan's family for next week.

As this reporter passed by a group of urchins playing in the street, he heard a familiar tune.

"Willie Borden took an axe,
And gave his Step-Mom forty whacks,
When he say what he had done,
He gave his Papa forty-one."

And so it goes.

Copyright 2003 by Ray Stephanson. All Rights Reserved.

Good stuff, Ray. I think Jayson Blair would have fit right in with the l890's press. 

i appeciate the wit, ray.

At first I thought someone had found new information on the murders!
  Good Rays!  I like, I like!  Did Mr. Blaar do another article on how the Borden sisters reacted to this new info? 

Way to go, Rays!!
Joe

When contacted, the Borden sisters disavowed all knowledge and responsibility for the actions of William S. Borden.
"We would never have guessed this in a million years", said Emma.
Lizzie said "I knew I would be proved innocent in the by and by."

This reporter notes that they said this in the minute before he was escorted off the property. A similar story was told by Henry Harrington.

This had been in the back of my mind for some days. I wanted to post this on Friday (its date), but will be away.

It was prompted by the story that those who testified against M Skakel now received thousands of dollars in "reward money" for their testimony at the trial. Earlier I browsed the article by RF Kennedy Jr, who said his cousin was convicted on dubious testimony. It wasn't either circumstantial or direct evidence. Maybe there will be another book?

You can read the book "Fatal Justice" about the conviction of Jeffrey McDonald. The book "Tainting Evidence" has a chapter on how the "evidence" that was not there origianlly turned up after they re-checked the case.

McDonald, like Sam Shepard, may have been convicted on the basis of his immoral conduct (playing around with a nurse). Isn't this an occupational hazard for doctors and nurses? (I once heard a story about this from a reliable source.) Just because a husband plays around does not necessarily mean murder; but its not a sign of innocence either.