If Bridget Sullivan Had Been the Accused

[NESpinster]

instead of Lizzie (and I'm a bit surprised, given the prejudices that existed then, that she wasn't!), do you think that Bridget would have been found guilty?

I would also be very interested in your reasoning!

[Harry]

Do you mean given the same type of evidence that was used in Lizzie's trial?

[augusta]

I voted "no", because I think probably the jury would have the same evidence to consider and it'd turn out the same way.

But I can't cast aside the episode of Bridget crying when a cop came to get her, thinking she was being arrested and he had only come to get her for the Coroner's Inquest.

That's when they should have grilled her. I do believe the police would have gotten something from Bridget had they pressed her more then - maybe her seeing Lizzie in her gossamer thru the window or something. I do think Bridget knew more than she told.

[mbhenty]

BOY, DO I NEED TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. Those other treads are getting to hot for me.

Yes, that makes for an entirely new scenario. What if Bridget was accused and it was Lizzie who did it. What would Lizzie have done? Or What if Bridget was accused and it was not Lizzie that did it and Bridget was innocent.

There are many avenues this could take. Sadly all would probably have the same outcome, and that would be with the conviction of Bridget.

She must have known so much. Even if she did not witness the killings, all the pieces were there for her to figure out what happened.

Bridget must have known so much, all went to the grave with her.

If Bridget did do the murders, in the very same way, still, it would be just a footnote in the annuals of true crime.

[augusta]

I think that's true, mb, that if Bridget had been the one accused the crime would probably have been all but forgotten, even if she were hung for it.

Unless Lizzie had a hand in it too, I don't think Lizzie would have stuck by Bridget any more than what was expected of her by society at that time.

I think Bridget was closest to Abby. According to Mrs. McHenry's article where she supposedly interviewed Bridget not long after the homicides, Bridget expressed disdain for the sisters treating Abby so poorly and almost quit her position a couple of times because of it, but stayed upon Abby's pleas.

I'd like to know why Bridget wasn't accused in some capacity, since it was only her and Lizzie home at the time. Did the police question her beyond what we know? I should think Knowlton got her aside and talked with her and something made him clear her as a suspect. Is there anything in print that talks about why Bridget was cleared?

[snokkums]

I think somehow or another, I itink the system would have rigged the evidence up to make it look like Bridget did it.

[Yooper]

I haven't seen anything which specifically mentions why Bridget was not suspected. However, if the murders were assumed to have a common perpetrator, then Bridget's window washing tends to eliminate her from suspicion for Abby's murder. She seemed to lack motive in any case.

[augusta]

I agree with Yooper - that Bridget had no motive. That's a big thing that would make the cops look at someone else. Who would be the one to get the most out of their deaths?

[Bob Gutowski]

I bet the neighbor ladies would have been able to vouch for Bridget and Abby's closeness. The lack of a motive, and the unlikeliness that she would've killed Abby even in a moment of anger and then STAYED around to kill Andrew, when she simply could've disappeared into the Irish underground, would certainly be in her favor.

[joe1956]

I have no doubt that Bridget would have been found not guilty. There was already enough evidence in her favor not to place blame on her from the start. I know Lizzie said that Bridget was innocent, but the police could still have pursued her (Bridget's) conviction. Although she was Irish, and thought of as a possible suspect, the police had nothing...NOTHING... on her.

[Kat]

It's very strange that Bridget could have been alone in the house with Andrew when he was killed and not be suspected.

She has no real alibi for Abbie's murder either.

You guys are right about motive, tho. The force of the state's argument was always: who was Abbie's enemy? And in the Prelim judgment- it was asked- if this was a man found in the house with the body- in possession of the body, he called it-what would we do with such a man?

Bridget could be exchanged in that question- for 'the man' -and yet she was cleared. Motive impugned Lizzie as the enemy of Abbie, and no one else ever suggested.

[snokkums]

I think that Bridget had a motive in the terms of she wasn't treated all that well in the house. When she was asked to clean the windows, it was unbearably hot, she wasn't feeling good, and I read somewhere that the Bordens' always called her Maggie.
Even if they did treat her good, she was the maid. I mean, this was the time period where there was social classes, and let's face it, she was the maid, the servant. And the Borden's probably did treat her like that. That would be enough to get me to kill someone. LOL

[doug65oh]

Okay, hold that streetcar a minute, please; I’m confused. If Bridget was at all worried about somehow elevating her social status, committing two murders with a common hatchet wouldn’t exactly accomplish that, would it? It might get her name in the papers, bring her notoriety as The Maid Murderess of Fall River or some such, but beyond that, what would she gain apart from a brief encounter with a rope? Washerwoman, seamstress – whatever Bridget might have been to that household, was she that much of a self-centered, egotistical idiot? That’s very nearly what it would take here isn’t it?

As for her not being treated well in the household – well, as you’ve said she was a servant, so bon-bons, beer and skittles wouldn’t exactly be on her menu I wouldn’t think. Consider this if you will: Of the four people residing at No. 92 before the murders, who treated her with at least some measure of respect and dignity (using her own name for instance rather than ‘Maggie’)? Of whom did Bridget say (in her own words) she’d become rather fond – fond enough that she found herself unable to leave the household despite a deteriorated domestic situation? These are not mean and vicious folks we’re talking about, but rather the victims. Only the Borden daughters had done Bridget any disrespect or indignity. Isn’t that closer to the truth as best we know it?

[Yooper]

Bridget might well have been suspected of Andrew's murder early on. She may have been the primary suspect at first, it stands to reason at first glance. The problem is Abby's murder, not just Andrew's. There is no reason to suspect two separate perpetrators. In all probability, one person committed both murders. Bridget and everyone else said she was outside washing windows at about the time Abby was murdered. The point was made that she went to the barn for water rather than the sink in the house. An additional point was made that Bridget told Lizzie she could lock the screen door if she wished. While Bridget could possibly have come in during that time and killed Abby, how did she get past Lizzie undetected? There may have been others who saw Bridget washing windows in addition to those who testified, who were never called as witnesses because there was no need for their testimony if Bridget had been removed from suspicion. I don't recall seeing anything about Kelley's maid being interviewed, so there may be others who corroborated Bridget being outside at that time. Look at it this way, if Lizzie had been outside washing windows and Bridget remained indoors, who would you suspect?

The one person who SHOULD have suspected Bridget called upstairs to her, told her to come down immediately, and waited for her at the bottom of the stairs.

[Kat]

I don't believe that there are enough witnesses to go on as to where Bridget was when Abbie was killed. She was seen around 10 am and if Abbie was killed at 9 or 9:30, then Bridget has no alibi.
We only have Mary Doolan and George Petty*(Pettee) and Mrs. Churchill. Of course, that is more than we have for Lizzie- granted.

However, as you describe the only other living person in that house as not suspecting Bridget enough that she called for Bridget upon finding her own father's body- that is evocative and an interesting point to ponder.

If we look at them as a team, that's another story, tho.
~ ~ ~

*Pettee at Trial
Q. Did you at any time in the morning see Bridget anywhere?
A. I did.
Page 645
Q. About what time?
A. I should think about ten o'clock.

Q. What was she then doing?
A. She stood in front of the house, nearly opposite the front door.

Q. Did she appear to have anything with her, any implements of any kind?
A. Well, I saw the pail and dipper and brush. I thought she had been washing windows.

Q. Was she stationary at the time you saw her, or moving?
A. She was stationary.

Q. Talking with any one, or not?
A. No, sir.
--------------
(Doolan mentioned in W.S.)
And Mrs. Churchill's sighting
Inquest:
Q. Did you see any other member of the household?
A. No Sir. I saw the girl later washing the windows.
Q. How much later was it she was out washing windows?
A. It might have been ten o’clock. I cant tell.
Q. Washing windows on the outside?
A. Yes Sir.
127
Q. How long should you say she was out there, that you saw her washing windows?
A.. I cant tell. I stepped into my bed room for something, I saw her throwing water up on to the parlor window.
Q. She was washing the parlor window then?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. Do you remember how long before that time she had been out washing the windows, whether that same week, or the week before?
A. I dont think she washed windows but once a week, and Thursday was generally the day.
Q. It was the habit to wash the windows once a week?
A. She generally did.
Q. Did you see her wash any other window beside the parlor window?
A. No Sir.
Q. Did you see any other member of the household beside Mr. Borden and the girl?
A. I did not.
Q. You did not see anything of Mr. Morse?
A. No.
Q. Did not see him go away?
A. No.
Q. Nor you did not see Miss Lizzie out in the yard?
A. No Sir.
Q. Or any other person not a member of the household, before the tragedy?
A. No Sir, I did not see anybody pass out there that morning.


Notice, Mrs. Churchill did not see Morse or Lizzie that morning

[Yooper]

We also need to consider that Bridget wanted to go find Abby at Whitehead's. This implies that Bridget thought Abby was alive at the time. Lizzie prevented her from doing so and directed her to where Abby was found. Given this and the previous information about Lizzie summoning Bridget, I don't think it took the police long to drop Bridget as a suspect in favor of Lizzie. To my mind, the possibility of witnesses to Bridget washing windows at some arbitrary time is weak by comparison, maybe ultimately unnecessary.

[twinsrwe]

I agree wholeheartedly with Jeff, as I was thinking these very same thoughts. Bright was eliminated as a suspected very early in the investigation - the police had to have had reasons for doing so, and I think Jeff hit it right on the head. (No pun intended.)

[Kat]

There was an emphasis in the post that Lizzie "directed" Bridget as to where to find Abbie. Technically that is taking some license, as Lizzie's own testimony gainsays that. I don't wish to nit-pick, but again, it's good to keep Lizzie's voice here on points such as this.

[Yooper]

If what Lizzie says is correct, then why did Bridget and Mrs. Churchill look for Abby in the guest room? Did they take it upon themselves to do so? Did Dr. Bowen direct them there? Bridget's first instinct was to look for Abby at Whitehead's, what prevented her from acting upon it? If they were searching randomly at that point, why did they not peek in the parlor since they had to walk right past it to get to the guest room?

What was done outweighs what Lizzie said about it. Couple this with testimony from Bridget and Mrs. Churchill that Lizzie suggested they look upstairs for Abby rather than somewhere outside the house, and what Lizzie says makes no sense at all.