Laughter -- what the heck?

[camgarsky4]

I was casually reading "Lizzie Borden Sourcebook" and found an interesting observation by the NY Times reporter. This particular reporter narrates the testimony and then inserts random observations that help give the reader a sense of the trial atmosphere. His reporting of the testimony is presented a bit clumsily. but appears accurate. The non-testimony observations the writer provides are very useful.

Below is Bridget's testimony of when Andrew arrived home from his downtown walk. This is when she tells us about hearing Lizzie laugh upstairs. Many of us suspect she had already killed Abby, which makes the laugh more than a bit creepy. Actually its almost unbelievable. But after you read her testimony below, you will see the NY Times reporters' observation of Lizzie's mannerisms during the Prelim and one instance in particular.

Bridget Sullivan testimony – Preliminary Hearing
Q. Up to the time you let Mr. Borden in, had you seen Miss Lizzie?
A. She was up-stairs at the time I let him in.
Q. Where up-stairs?
A. She might be in the hall, for I heard her laugh.
Q. Up the back or front stairs?
A. The front stairs.
Q. At the time you let Mr. Borden in?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. Was that the first you had heard or seen of her since you spoke to her at the back door?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. You had not seen her or Mrs. Borden during the intermediate time?
A. No Sir.
Q. What was the occasion of her laugh?
A. I got puzzled on the door, I said something, and she laughed at it; I supposed that must make her laugh, I don’t know.
Q. She laughed when you said something?
A. Yes Sir. I did not expect the door was locked. I went to open it. I was puzzled; I went to unlock it twice.
Q. What was it you said, if it is not too bad to repeat?
A. No. I did not say much.
Q. Some exclamation you made when you had trouble with the door?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. Was that the time she laughed?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. Did she laugh out loud?
A. Yes Sir.
---------------------------------------

New York Times August 27th Article is a long, in-depth report from the Preliminary Hearing.
“Three or four times she (Lizzie) enjoyed a hearty laugh; for instance, when her attorney, desirous of ascertaining the space occupied by the body of her stepmother as it lay upon the floor compared the aged lady’s physical proportions to those of the solidly-built District Attorney.”
---------------------------------------

I've sat here for a few minutes trying to imagine sitting accused of murder and listening to testimony which is a bit rude about your step-mother whom you are accused of murdering and then laughing out loud in response to those rude comparison. I just can't get my head around it. I would be on my best P's & Q's and focused on giving off an innocent and caring aura.

To laugh out loud on Aug 27th, 23 days after Abby Borden (Lizzie's step-mother for over 25 years) had been viciously murdered, to me, clearly demonstrates an absolute and total disdain and disregard for Abby. Lizzie had zero emotional connection with Abby.

No claim to psychological expertise, but this seems like highly peculiar behavior.

[PossumPie]

The first incident you mentioned, the laugh on the stairs, has been debated quite a bit. Lizzie testified in several placed that she was upstairs basting a strip on some clothes, was on her way downstairs when Bridget let her father in.

INQUEST LIZZIE:
A. I think in my room up stairs.
Q. Then you were up stairs when your father came home?
A. I don't know sure, but I think I was.
Q. What were you doing?
A. As I say, I took up these clean clothes, and stopped and basted a little piece of tape on a
garment.
Q. Did you come down before your father was let in?
A. I was on the stairs coming down when she let him in.

Bridget fiddling with the lock let out with an expiative (she says it was "pshaw" but more likely she let out something more vulgar) and Lizzie, on the stairs, laughed at the curse word. Lizzie confirms multiple times under oath that she was indeed on the stairs, in fact she stuck to that story, but then changes her story to denying being upstairs at all, and being in the kitchen when Bridget was letting Mr. Borden in. Bridget testified at inquest and prelim. and trial that she heard Lizzie laugh on the stairs. The inconsistency is chalked up to confusion by the Lizzie's innocent crowd, but purposeful changing the story when she realizes she has admitted to being within feet of Abbey's body just before her father returns by the Lizzie did it crowd. The fact that Bridget was adamant about hearing Lizzie laugh, and Lizzie partially confirming her being on the stairs, Lizzie probably did laugh. If she were guilty, that could be seen as cold-hearted, but might have been nervous release.

The laughs in court could be chalked up to nervous laughter, besides I don't think anyone denies that Lizzie (and Emma) didn't like Abbey. Even if innocent, there was not much grief over Abbey's death.
What I'm saying is that any laughter might be seen as nervous release.

[dalcanton]

What exactly is “pshaw” and how is it a rude term?

[camgarsky4]

Excellent question. My brain subconsciously translates it to “ah shit”. Google says it is an expression of impatience or contempt, so apparently it is a real expression.

[PossumPie]

What exactly is “pshaw” and how is it a rude term?

Pshaw was NOT vulgar, the thought was that Bridget was too ashamed to tell the world under oath that she said "Sh*t" or some other more vulgar term. Lizzie probably wouldn't have laughed if she did say "Pshaw" Remember back then smoking or cussing was forbidden for women.

[Steve88778]

Definition of pshaw
—used to express irritation, disapproval, contempt, or disbelief

Source: Webster's Dictionary

[PossumPie]

There are a few defining moments in the mountains of testimony that hold the most influence over belief of guilt/innocence. The lack of blood on Lizzie, Lizzie trying to buy poison, The note, and Lizzie on the stairs.
The implications that Lizzie was upstairs, coming down, and laughed (such that Bridget heard her and could verify that Lizzie had been upstairs) are huge. Lizzie verified (at first) that she indeed was upstairs coming down. Her and Bridget's testimony meshed perfectly. Then she denied ever being upstairs at the time of Andrew's return. It doesn't prove Lizzie killed Abbey, but only that she had walked by the room where Abbey lay dead.
This also has a huge implication for those who deny the medical evidence that Abbey was killed at least an hour before Andrew. It would mean that as Lizzie walked by the guest room on her way downstairs, she didn't see Abbey in the guest room alive and well.

[Steve88778]

We don't know if she looked in the bedroom when she was on the stairs on her way down - and exactly how much walk is it from the top of the stairs to the kitchen ? I am working from memory here but she did switch where she was when her father came home - did she laugh as Bridget say "pshaw" maybe a couple of seconds after walking down the stairs ? if she did then she was prob walking down the stairs as Bridget was having trouble unlocking the door. And maybe when Mr. Borden finally cam in Lizzie was walking toward the kitchen or in the kitchen already.

[camgarsky4]

Don't forget to layer up against her inquest testimony two-step about upstairs/downstairs, what Lizzie told Fleet just an hour or so after Andrew's murder about seeing Abby in the guest room around 9am that morning.

Fleet witness statement
Saw Lizzie two hours later, wanted to search her room. Dr. Bowen was in. She did now want to be
bothered, would make her sick. Told her that I must search on account of the murders; otherwise should
not be doing my duty. She then allowed the search to go on. Could not find anything in the room which
would show blood, and found no instruments that had been used for murder. She said that it was
impossible for anyone to get in or throw anything in her room, because she always kept it locked.
Lizzie said that she had not seen Mrs. Borden since about nine o’clock. She then saw her in the
bedroom when she was coming down stairs.

[Steve88778]

Lizzie said that she had not seen Mrs. Borden since about nine o’clock. She then saw her in the
bedroom when she was coming down stairs.

So she was coming down stairs at 9AM as well ?

[Steve88778]

[Kat]

Yes, surprisingly, because Lizzie doesn't usually get up that early.

[camgarsky4]

That comment to Fleet was before any type of morphine had been administered or prescribed.

[Steve88778]

But she was given a preparation of Bromo Caffeine by Dr. B. to settle her down.
Burts trial x-scripts Volume 1 - page 362

[Kat]

May I ask what time this was, each of you, if known?
Fleet's questions and Bowen's dose?
(How did you get all the different colors? Did you have to use the brackets and everything?)

[Kat]

test
Test

[Steve88778]

Fleet arrived at the house at 11:45 - sees Mr. Manning - talks with Mr. Medley - goes through the first floor then goes upstairs and sees Mrs. Borden dead - turns to the right and tries the locked door of the storage closet - then he went into Lizzie's room where Lizzie , Rev. Mr. Buck and Alice Russell were.
He asked some questions about who is Mr. Morse and any idea who could have killed them then Lizzie spoke about the argument that her father had a couple of weeks ago with a man. -

( Nothing about searching the room and that would have made her sick, yet )

The time is now 12:29 as Mr. Medley had to catch a train - Fleet leaves Medley and speaks to officers in the yard - took them into the dining room - then went upstairs into Lizzie's room again for a search.
Dr. B. holds the door open a little and asks what he wanted - then closes the door to talk to lizzie. Lizzie asks if it is necessary but lets him in - then asks her about the time in the barn. And the last time she saw her stepmother was at 9AM.

,､’`( ꒪Д꒪),､’`’`,､I̫t̗ ̩i̺s͖ ̞b̲a̹s̗ḭc͇a͇ḷl͉y͔ ̞o̯f͚ ͉n̜o͉ ̩c̺o̪n̹s̟e͍q̦u̮ẹn̞c̪e̮ ̰w̘e̙a̲t͉h̦e͓r͇ ͍F̮l̠e̻e͓ṯ ͎q̮u̺e͙s̫ṭi͈o͙ṉe̜ḏ ̥h̻e̯r̹ ̹w͈h̭i̗l̝e̺ ̮s̤e̞a͎r͖c͇h̻i͚n͇g̬ ̤a̝n͖d͓ ̘ got t͔h̞e̪ ͉t̝i͇m̱e̜ ̮w̹h͔e̼n̲ ̹s̟h̜e͖ ̮l̮a̻s͚t̺ ̝s̠aͅw̖ ̰h͈e̗r̦ ̝s͓t͔e͈p̺m͔o̩t͍h̬e͉r̥.̪ ̱ ͖O͈r̫ ͉w͔h̺a̳ṭ ̲t͕i̩m̭e̠ ͍D̳r̜.̘ ͈B͈o͈w̱e̟n͔ ̟g̦a̱v͔e̫ ͙h͕e̗r̹ ̮a͇ ͙p̼r̲e͉p̺a̭r̥a̭t̪i̹o̭n̰ ͍t̰o̹ ̰c̜a̭l̜m̲ ͙h̳e̳rͅ ͔d̫o̬w͔n̼.̬ ̰ ͚

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[PossumPie]

But she was given a preparation of Bromo Caffeine by Dr. B. to settle her down.
Burts trial x-scripts Volume 1 - page 362

There is nothing in Bromo Caffeine other than caffeine and and effervescing agent. you dropped it in water and it fizzed. Nothing mind altering it helped headaches the same way a cup of coffee does.

[Steve88778]

There is nothing in Bromo Caffeine other than caffeine and and effervescing agent. you dropped it in water and it fizzed. Nothing mind altering it helped headaches the same way a cup of coffee does.

Correct - it is not a drug per se but a treatment for anxiety or to make one settle down a bit. I don't think it is a mind influencing opiate derivative.

[dalcanton]

Thanks for the translations of “pshaw”. I’ve only come across the word while studying this case.