Case for someone not named Lizzie

[camgarsky4]

It would be fun to read thru someone's 'strawman' of who, how and why someone besides Lizzie murdered the Borden's. Browns book reads like fiction and Radin makes a very weak case against Bridget. On this forum there have not been many scenarios shared outside of Franz (Morse did it with 2 accomplices) and I believe another gentlemen (Jeffrey ??) had a theory on this forum back around 2000 that incriminated John also.

Does anyone have a theory to share? Even a sketch outline would be interesting.

[Rolie Polie]

When I have more time, I'll return- but I have a short thought to present: the murderer must be one of the luckiest people alive to have escaped detection. Everyone keeps remarking about the small amount of blood spatter in both murders, compared to what head wounds usually do. Further, the chances of a novice killing a moving target on the first strike are slim. I still think we're missing a piece that would implicate someone who is a professional killer (or a large animal rustler who can kill them with cleavers) who could enter, kill, and leave such little trace of evidence that the daughter of the victim would be charged with the murders and acquitted for lack of evidence.

I always thought that the "boyfriend did it" was a terrible theory in that he disappeared as soon as she was arrested and left her to face the death penalty for him. Nice guy...

[camgarsky4]

Just using the common sense filter, if Lizzie was just a Co-conspirator, once her partner was in the house, why didn’t she leave the premises and go hang out with Alice Russell or anyone who could be a witness?

[Denise_Noe]

Bridget Sullivan
Emma Borden
Uncle John
Various strangers

[camgarsky4]

Assuming Lizzie was not a co-conspirator, I have tried and failed to build a reasonable case against Emma and Bridget. A random stranger is even more fantastical. A business associate seems unlikely since one was never identified who didn’t have a solid alibi. That leaves John Morse. Of all the peculiarities involving him, only two make me wonder about him just a tab bit. (1). The newspaper article that quotes Ms Emery as saying John left just as Dr Bowen showed up. If that is accurate, then something stinks. That said, that article is the only source for this scuttlebutt. (2). It is odd that John mentioned cellar door open and Lizzie asked if cellar door was open morning after murders. One could almost imagine the door was supposed to be left open to indicate a stranger escaped that way, but the door was not opened by whomever was supposed to open it. It’s a big stretch, but is it possible it was a 3 person conspiracy? I don’t think so, but that is the best I can come up with other than Lizzie was likely the solo killer.

[Steve88778]

I think Uncle John had his hand in both murders. Why would somebody ensure his alibi be so detailed as to recall the cap numbers on the conductor's cap and other street car details. I could understand the street car number which he also remembers - but who remembers the conductor's cap number. And ready to have it handy as to avoid suspicion. Which he seemed to do. Here are some sources to John Morse's conductor cap number recollations:

Victoria Lincoln’s book A Private Disgrace, Lizzie Borden by Daylight, on page 97 Chapter 13 he talks of remembering the badge number on the conductors cap among other things.

It gets better.

John V Morse recorded the streetcar number and the number on the conductor's cap. So they say... You can refer to attorney Arthur Phillips interview. In which he stated that he remembered the number on the street car and the number on the conductor's cap number as well as people that he met along the way...
RECENT SOURCE: New Bedford Sunday Standard Times, May 13,1934...

It gets better.

Emma Borden sent a postcard to Mary Brigham when she was traveling and it’s on display at the historical society that reads: “I’m still concerned about that uncle in the backyard eating pears that day with all of that going on in the house where he was a house guest. That doesn’t seem right to me. And when he can tell the number on the conductors cap, that doesn’t sound right to me. Nobody has gotten him out of the way but I haven’t any theories one way or the other. Who knows ? I haven’t any theories one way or the other.” Source:Lizzie Borden Quarterly Volume III , number 4 , October 1996, Page 16 .

The End -

[camgarsky4]

Do u think he acted with or independent of Lizzie?

[camgarsky4]

If you google ‘Emma Borden postcard’ the images will show the postcard. The only writing is the address and the Addressee. Rest is blank. The quote you attribute to Emma, is actually commentary by Florence Bingham as part of the story. I would presume both Florence and Lincoln got there info from the 1936 Phillips article since there is no other known source and his article was prior to the other two sources. So really one source and it happened over 40 years after murders. An alibi is intended to keep law authorities from suspecting oneself. Yet, Morse doesn’t mention cap badge #’s in his witness statement to police nor while under oath in the inquest, prelim trial or the trial. So this piece of his alibi was never used to defend himself to the authorities. It is also never reported in any newspaper articles at the time of the murders or trial. Frankly, there is zero solid evidence that he ever quoted the badge #.

[Rolie Polie]

Just using the common sense filter, if Lizzie was just a Co-conspirator, once her partner was in the house, why didn’t she leave the premises and go hang out with Alice Russell or anyone who could be a witness?

Indeed, that would have made perfect sense- if she knew what was about to happen and wasn't the murderer. The murderer should also have told her to leave unless s/he wanted her to be implicated. She should have left the premises for the material sale at Sargent's or shopping. Spend 2 hours out, go to the dressmaker, blahblahblah, and come home to a disaster. That she did not leave suggests she was either the only murderer, OR that she didn't know what was about to happen.

Nothing like arriving at the conclusion of two extremes on a straight line.

The police would have helped so much more by immediately sealing off the house and grounds to the public. Instead, the public marched through, gawked, took souvenirs, and corrupted the entire scene. There's no reasonable expectation to find evidence of Lizzie's guilt or innocence after that. The police pretty much had nothing more to go on than that Lizzie was present at the time of the murders. Bridget was too, but was not the subject. Even inheritance for Lizzie doesn't seem to be a motive since she was pretty much independent, financially- She showed people her bank statements and Emma read out her personal finances in court. That suggested that both ladies seemed to be able to live on their own, actually.

So here's some supposition:

1. Mafia existed at the time, along with criminal gangs. Was this the assassination of a businessman and wife who ignored an offer he couldn't refuse? That message would have been clearly received if it were so.

2. I still think that someone like Billy Borden didn't actually have to be Andrew's illegitimate son; he only had to BELIEVE that he was. If he was as deranged as the descriptions suggest, then a delusion is as strong as reality. He would have hit Abby first, too, for the inheritance aspect. He would have considered himself a poor relation of Andrew's. Similarly, someone other than Lizzie and Bridget could have killed both people who had legit reason to be in Andrew's home. Nobody admits it because maybe it's a shocking or shameful revelation for a gossipy and condescending city and family relations. Abby may have known the killer since no one heard her yelling, screaming, or telling someone to leave prior to death. Or maybe it just happened too fast because she was being chased into the corner by the person in the hallway.

As for Lizzie, she would have expected such meetings, never thinking that they would end in murder. Ostensibly, Lizzie's activities sound like ordinary routine and the remembering that there are recreational items needed for the upcoming vacation in Marion. Or, she knew an argument was brewing and just left the house not to hear it or get involved.

Testimony is under oath and unless they're lying, people probably try their best to get it right; but we never know at the time to keep a close log of where we are, what time we start doing things, and how long they take to finish.