Questioning Sequence at the Inquest

[Yooper]

The sequence of interviews at the inquest may play a role as we search for answers in the Borden case. Does anyone know if individuals were questioned with the other witnesses present, or were they interviewed out of earshot of the others? The reason I ask is that stories can be modified to correlate with other stories when everyone has the chance to hear them. If the witnesses were questioned individually while the others were excluded, then no one knew what the others had said in testimony. This might have some bearing on the testimony of a given individual at the inquest, before the stories became more commonly known. An example might be Lizzie's stumbling about being upstairs or in the kitchen when Andrew arrived. This was something Bridget could corroborate or refute and Lizzie's awareness of Bridget's testimony might well play a part in Lizzie's answers to the question. If Bridget had been questioned before Lizzie, and Lizzie was aware of Bridget's testimony, then Lizzie was taking a chance by saying she had been in the kitchen.

Who knew what is certainly important, but when they knew it is just as important. There was always a chance people might have gotten together and discussed the case before giving testimony, but some were more likely to have that opportunity than others. For instance, Lizzie might have discussed the case with Emma, John Morse, and Alice Russell very easily, but less easily with Bridget because Bridget was absent from the Borden household for part of the time before the inquest.

If witnesses were questioned in an individual setting, sequence would not make much difference. If people were questioned in a group setting, sequence might well play a role in the testimony given.

[Harry]

Each witness was questioned separately. There were various officals attending dependent upon who the witness was. Here's an example from the New Bedford Evening Standard when Bridget (the first to testify) was called:

"... Upon the arrival of the Sullivan woman at the Second District Court, which adjoins the police station, the officers were all in readiness, and a swarm of newspaper men sought admittance to the room. They were hurried out and the door closed. But Fall River it is a leaky place, and at 12:30 o'clock, after the hearing adjourned for dinner, the proceedings were revealed. There were present Judge Blaisdell, District Attorney Knowlton, City Marshal Hilliard, district officers Seaver and Rhodes, Medical Examiner Dolan, the district attorney's stenographer, Miss Annie Read, (sic) and a couple of police officials, who were among the first called to the house of the Bordens last Thursday...."

Actually, they did a fairly good job of keeping the testimony protected and the witnesses apart.

[Yooper]

Thanks Harry, that's just what I was looking for. If Bridget was questioned first and Lizzie was unaware of Bridget's testimony, there was possibly another dynamic added. If Lizzie thought she was going to answer the same questions put to Bridget, as she certainly would to some degree, there was the added onus of possibly giving a different answer to a question than Bridget had. This would raise red flags and Lizzie would have endured the hot seat. As long as she was being interviewed they might as well try to pin her down immediately, then go back and recall Bridget if they thought it was necessary. I'll reread Lizzie's inquest testimony to look for patterns, places she may have stumbled if that particular information might be corroborated or refuted by others. This is an instance where Bridget's inquest testimony might be very helpful!

[Chichibcc]

Had things been done that way, I think Lizzie would've had some problems....

[Yooper]

Lizzie told Bridget directly about Abby having received a note when Bridget was going to her room, so Lizzie had to be aware that Bridget would likely have mentioned it in her testimony. What follows is from Lizzie's inquest testimony with my comments in blue, they are not part of the original text:

62(19)(Partial)
Q. When did you last see your mother?
A. I did not see her after when I went down in the morning and she was dusting the dining room.
Q. Where did you or she go then? First opportunity to mention the note.
A. I don't know where she went. I know where I was.
Q. Did you or she leave the dining room first?
A. I think I did. I left her in the dining room.
Q. You never saw her or heard her afterwards? Another opportunity to mention the note.
A. No, sir.

63 (20)
Q. Did she say anything about making the bed?
A. She said she had been up and made the bed up fresh, and had dusted the room and left it all
in order. She was going to put some fresh pillow slips on the small pillows at the foot of the bed,
and was going to close the room, because she was going to have company Monday and she
wanted everything in order.
Q. How long would it take to put on the pillow slips?
A. About two minutes.
Q. How long to do the rest of the things?
A. She had done that when I came down.
Q. All that was left was what?
A. To put on the pillow slips.
Q. Can you give me any suggestion as to what occupied her when she was up there, when she
was struck dead?
A. I don't know of anything except she had some cotton cloth pillow cases up there, and she said
she was going to commence to work on them. That is all I know. And the sewing machine was up
there.
Q. Whereabouts was the sewing machine?
A. In the comer between the north and west side.
Q. Did you hear the sewing machine going?
A. I did not.
Q. Did you see anything to indicate that the sewing machine had been used that morning?
A. I had not. I did not go in there until after everybody had been in there, and the room had been
overhauled.
The preceding addresses Lizzie's awareness of Abby having gone to the guest room and questions what Abby might have been doing there. Nothing Lizzie mentions is reason for having missed Abby for an extended length of time. It tends to imply an excuse might be needed for not having seen or heard Abby all morning, so this is another opportunity to mention the note.
Q. If she had remained down stairs, you would undoubtedly have seen her?
A. If she had remained down stairs, I should have; if she had remained in her room, I should not
have. If she had remained down stairs, I should have. If she had gone to her room, I should not
have.
Q. Where was that?
A. Over the kitchen.
Q. To get to that room she would have to go through the kitchen?
A. To get up the back stairs.
Q. That is the way she was in the habit of going?
A. Yes, sir, because the other doors were locked.
Q. If she had remained down stairs, or had gone to her own room, you undoubtedly would have
seen her?
A. I should have seen her if she had stayed down stairs; if she had gone to her room, I would not
have seen her.
Q. She was found a little after 11 in the spare room, if she had gone to her own room she must
have gone through the kitchen and up the back stairs, and subsequently have gone down and
gone back again?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Have you any reason to suppose you would not have seen her if she had spent any portion of
the time in her own room, or down stairs?
A. There is no reason why I should not have seen her if she had been down there, except when I
first came down stairs, for two or three minutes I went down cellar to the water closet.

64 (21)
Q. After that you were where you practically commanded the view of the first story the rest of
the time?
A. I think so.
Q. When you went up stairs for a short time, as you say you did, you then went in sight of the
sewing machine?
A. No, I did not see the sewing machine, because she had shut that room up.
Q. What do you mean?
A. I mean the door was closed. She said she wanted it kept closed to keep the dust and
everything out.
Q. Was it a room with a window?
A. It has three windows.
Q. A large room?
A. The size of the parlor; a pretty fair sized room.
Q. It is the guest room?
A. Yes, the spare room.
Q. Where the sewing machine was was the guest room?
A. Yes, sir.
The preceding was intellectual bantering over logistics particular to the Borden house. Lizzie tries to explain how she might have missed seeing Abby if Abby had been in the house with her, and it tends to come off as providing excuses thought of ahead of time and planned for. Again, it would be far simpler to mention the note rather than engage in "what ifs" with the prosecutor.
Q. I ask again, perhaps you have answered all you care to, what explanation can you give, can
you suggest, as to what she was doing from the time she said she had got the work all done in
the spare room until 11 o'clock? Another prompt to mention the note.
A. I suppose she went up and made her own bed.
Q. That would be in the back part?
A. Yes sir.
Q. She would have to go by you twice to do that?
A. Unless she went when I was in my room that few minutes.
Q. That would not be time enough for her to go and make her own bed and come back again?
A. Sometimes she stayed up longer and sometimes shorter; I don't know.
Q. Otherwise than that, she would have to go in your sight?
A. I should have to have seen her once; I don't know that I need to have seen her more than once.
Q. You did not see her at all?
A. No sir, not after the dining room.
More bantering.
Q. What explanation can you suggest as to the whereabouts of your mother from the time you
saw her in the dining room, and she said her work in the spare room was all done, until 11
o'clock? Just tell him about the damned note, Lizzie!
A. I don't know. I think she went back into the spare room, and whether she came back again or
not I don't know; that has always been a mystery.
Q. Can you think of anything she could be doing in the spare room?
A. Yes sir. I know what she used to do sometimes. She kept her best cape she wore on the street
in there, and she used occasionally to go up there to get it and to take it into her room. She kept
a great deal in the guest room drawers; she used to go up there and get things and put things;
she used those drawers for her own use.
Q. That connects her with her own room again, to reach which she had to go down stairs and
come up again?

65 (22)
A. Yes.
Q. Assuming that she did not go into her own room, I understand you to say she could not have
gone to her own room without your seeing her?
A. She could while I was down cellar.
Q. You went down immediately you came down, within a few minutes, and you did not see her
when you came back?
A. No sir.
Q. After that time she must have remained in the guest chamber?
A. I don't know.
Q. So far as you can judge?
A. So far as I can judge she might have been out of the house, or in the house.
Q. Had you any knowledge of her going out of the house? The NOTE, Lizzie, the NOTE!
A. No sir.
Q. Had you any knowledge of her going out of the house? Now, LOOKA HEAH, DUMMY!
A. She told me she had had a note, somebody was sick, and said "I am going to get the dinner on
the way," and asked me what I wanted for dinner. There! That was as easy as pulling horse teeth with tweezers!
Q. Did you tell her?
A. Yes, I told her I did not want anything.
Q. Then why did you not suppose she had gone?
A. I supposed she had gone.
Q. Did you hear her come back?
A. I did not hear her go or come back, but I supposed she went.
Q. When you found your father dead you supposed your mother had gone?
A. I did not know. I said to the people who came in "I don't know whether Mrs. Borden is out or
in; I wish you would see if she is in her room."
Q. You supposed she was out at the time?
A. I understood so; I did not suppose anything about it.
Q. Did she tell you where she was going?
A. No sir.
Q. Did she tell you who the note was from?
A. No sir.
Q. Did you ever see the note?
A. No sir.
Q. Do you know where it is now?
A. No sir.
Q. She said she was going out that morning?
A. Yes sir

I was originally under the impression that the story about the note may have been primarily conjured up as an excuse for Lizzie not having missed Abby all morning, and secondarily as a way to prevent Andrew or Bridget from searching for Abby. However, if it was designed as an excuse, this would have been the time to use it! It may indicate that Lizzie was not planning that far ahead, she had plenty of time to mull over the ramifications of having killed Abby and what might be needed as a result.

[DJ]

I located a copy of-- gasp!-- Victoria Lincoln's book, and she brings up the biz with Lizzie not mentioning the note at the Inquest, at first.
According to VL, Lizzie was questioned three times, over three days.
Also, according to VL, Lizzie was more forthcoming about JV Morse's visit AFTER Emma testified and gave some info pertaining to Uncle John. Lincoln writes that Emma probably "compared notes" with Lizzie after Emma testified and before Lizzie testified again, so that Lizzie did not seem to be contradicting or withholding info that Emma had given.

I think that goes to your point, and, if true, does mean that Lizzie modified her testimony based on the testimony of someone else at the Inquest, as closed as the proceedings were, or were hoped to be.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

Could it be that word leaked to Lizzie re the note, and she figured she better mention it, before all was said and done?

One could see why she WOULDN'T want to, given the terrible fabrication it surely was.

Also, the fact that she remains mum about it so long speaks to the logic that it NEVER existed, because it would have been a stupendous reason for Mrs. Borden's alleged absence, why Lizzie believed she was out of the house and was thus unconcerned about her PROLONGED ABSENCE.

That seems to be what Knowlton was driving at: Didn't you (Lizzie) wonder where Abby was? Was it customary for her to vanish for several hours, no word given? Oh-- she had a note to visit a sick friend.

IOW: If that note had been delivered, Lizzie ought to have been jumping up and down and screaming about it, as you indicated.

[Yooper]

Does it seem odd that information concerning Morse's visits would be something to conceal? Lizzie and Emma might have had some opportunity to compare notes at any time before the inquest, but not necessarily without Morse or Alice Russell present. That might have inhibited a free exchange.

It didn't appear that Lizzie was ever going to mention the note, she only did so after being prompted six or eight times! I can understand not wanting to mention a fabrication. Knowlton was definitely attempting to elicit information about the note, I don't think there appears to be any question about that.

If there was a note it would have been mentioned early and often, there would have been no "mystery" about where Lizzie thought Abby was that morning. If there was no note and it was a fabrication, Lizzie would have tried to avoid mentioning it because she knew good and well that it could not be corroborated by anyone and it would make her look like a liar.

[shakiboo]

But on the other hand, she knew it was going to come out, too many people knew she had told Bridgett about the note. You're right she should have popped that right out, first thing. Whether it was a lie or not, the out-come was the same. But at least, it might have made her look less like a lier(?) because maybe the person who delivered the note might have a reason to not come forward (?)

[DJ]

Well, for whatever reason(s), Lizzie wanted to distance herself from Morse in her testimony; whereas, Emma never did.

They allegedly never spoke. (From midafternoon Aug. 3rd to midday Aug. 4th.)

They allegedly never came face-to-face.

Lizzie says she was out when he arrived (catching herself in a lie, when in earlier testimony she says she was sick and in the house all day, until she went over to Miss Russell's).

Not only is she not dining with her parents; she is not talking to, even greeting, this blood uncle.

Is it any wonder that such behavior roused suspicion then, as it still does now?

Of course, all this is Lizzie's and Uncle John's word against the World's. For all we know, Lizzie and her Uncle could have stayed up all night in the guest bedroom, telling ghost stories and eating s'mores.

[Yooper]

But on the other hand, she knew it was going to come out, too many people knew she had told Bridgett about the note. You're right she should have popped that right out, first thing. Whether it was a lie or not, the out-come was the same. But at least, it might have made her look less like a lier(?) because maybe the person who delivered the note might have a reason to not come forward (?)

I think what it boils down to is; if there was a note, Lizzie would have no good reason to believe that the author or delivery person wouldn't corroborate it. She would have had every reason to think they would come forward and back up the story. If the note was a fabrication, then Lizzie would know for certain that there was no one to come forward to back up the story. By not coming up with the note story until she had been sufficiently badgered, it looks as though Lizzie was avoiding the mention of it and she makes it look like a fabrication. If Knowlton hadn't been so insistent, she may not have ever mentioned it. There seems little doubt that Knowlton was aware of the story about the note, either from Bridget's inquest testimony or from the police notes. Is it any wonder why they found her probably guilty?

[Yooper]

Well, for whatever reason(s), Lizzie wanted to distance herself from Morse in her testimony; whereas, Emma never did.

They allegedly never spoke. (From midafternoon Aug. 3rd to midday Aug. 4th.)

They allegedly never came face-to-face.

Lizzie says she was out when he arrived (catching herself in a lie, when in earlier testimony she says she was sick and in the house all day, until she went over to Miss Russell's).

Not only is she not dining with her parents; she is not talking to, even greeting, this blood uncle.

Is it any wonder that such behavior roused suspicion then, as it still does now?

Of course, all this is Lizzie's and Uncle John's word against the World's. For all we know, Lizzie and her Uncle could have stayed up all night in the guest bedroom, telling ghost stories and eating s'mores.

It seems to me that Lizzie had very little to do with Uncle John. Emma was the primary or possibly the sole correspondent when he lived in Iowa. The behavior seems to predate the murders by some time.

Eli Bence also refuted Lizzie's contention of staying indoors on the 3rd, she tried to buy poison from him. Maybe that's where she was when Morse arrived!

Lizzie's behavior really does seem suspicious, ranging from antisocial to downright antagonistic over time. Bridget must have been aware of this, I think she really downplayed it in her testimony. I wonder if the maid previous to Bridget was ever interviewed? She would have been there when the blowup over the Whitehead house took place, Bridget was not there at that time.

[shakiboo]

I wonder if the maid previous to Bridget was ever interviewed? She would have been there when the blowup over the Whitehead house took place, Bridget was not there at that time.[/quote]
I wonder who she was and why she has never been heard from? What a great thought Jeff!!! She could add a whole lot of imformation, wonder why no reporter thought to hunt her down!

[DJ]

Yes, had I been prosecuting the case, I would have tracked down that maid! Wonder if she was still in FR? Wonder if Emma and/or Lizzie was still in touch?

The flip side of course is this: There was an unwritten code that if you blabbed a family's secrets, you would probably never work again in private homes.

Also, that maid might have been afraid to come forward, for fear of being accused of something herself, such as stealing.

That's a large part of what kept Bridget in check, surely: That she was fearful of being accused of something-- perhaps the murders themselves.

Knowlton himself thought she was in on it, or that she knew something. Lincoln (there she is again!) says that Bridget was questioned for an entire day, then brought back for some more.

That is, she was questioned longer (and apparently, harder) than any other witness at the Inquest.

**********************************************************************************************************************************

What Knowlton should have done is to track down this maid and interviewed her privately. Perhaps he could have come up with some pointed questions for Lizzie and Emma.

***********************************************************************************************************************************

Back to the alleged lack of communication between Lizzie and Uncle John:

Yes, it does seem Emma had a much more "cordial" relationship with him.

But, for Lizzie not to even say "hello" to him? It's easy to see why Knowlton thought that extreme behavior.
It's one thing not to correspond with someone, another not to speak to them.
Also, for Lizzie to come in from Alice Russell's the evening of the 3rd and not to speak to her parents, nor to her uncle, whom she had allegedly not seen that day, would have been considered uncivil in the extreme, and bespeaks the lousy relationship that Lizzie had with her parents.

Is it any wonder that Lizzie became the prime suspect, after such info as that came out, from Lizzie's own mouth, no less?

[Yooper]

That's been my take on Bridget's testimony about relations within the household, she had her future employment to consider. Blabbing family secrets would have been all over the newspapers, and she would have had a hard time finding another job as a maid. The same might be true for the previous maid if questioned formally in a courtroom. As suggested, a private interview might have provided a few surprises for Knowlton to have up his sleeve.

Lizzie was aware of Morse's presence, so she might well have at least said hello to him on her way upstairs from her visit to Alice, at the very least acknowledging his presence. Morse never made much of it, so either he was downplaying a bad relationship to help Lizzie's defense, or he was simply accustomed to it and didn't give it much thought.

I think Knowlton thought Bridget was involved, or at least holding back information. I can certainly understand that point of view, for most of the morning all they had was the word of Lizzie and Bridget for what the other was doing. If they were in cahoots, it would be possible to hide quite a bit. The greatest problem with involving Bridget is motive. If both Lizzie and Bridget had been considered equally suspect, then Bridget would likely have taken the fall for it because she was poor and working class. As we all know, well bred young women simply don't do things like that....

[Yooper]

This is Lizzie's testimony from the Inquest and Bridget's Preliminary and Trial testimony about upstairs/downstairs. The problem has always been: if Lizzie was in the kitchen when Andrew arrived, why didn't Bridget see her and why didn't Lizzie see Bridget as Bridget came indoors to finish washing the windows?

Lizzie, Inquest, August 9th
p. 60:
Q. How long was your father gone?
A. I don't know that.
Q. Where were you when he returned?
A. I was down in the kitchen.
Q. What doing?
A. Reading an old magazine that had been left in the cupboard, an old Harper's Magazine.

p. 61-62, Referring to Andrew's return:
Q. Where was Maggie when the bell rang?
A. I don't know, sir.
Q. Where were you when the bell rang?
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.
Q. Then you were up stairs when your father came to the house on his return?
A. I think I was.
Q. How long had you been there?
A. I had only been upstairs just long enough to take the clothes up and baste the little loop on
the sleeve. I don't think I had been up there over five minutes.
Q. Was Maggie still engaged in washing windows when your father got back?
A. I don't know.
Q. You remember, Miss Borden, I will call your attention to it so as to see if I have any
misunderstanding, not for the purpose of confusing you; you remember that you told me several
times that you were down stairs, and not up stairs when your father came home? You have
forgotten, perhaps?
A. I don't know what I have said. I have answered so many questions and I am so confused I
don't know one thing from another. I am telling you just as nearly as I know.
Q. Calling your attention to what you said about that a few minutes ago, and now again to the
circumstance you have said you were up stairs when the bell rang, and were on the stairs when
Maggie let your father in; which now is your recollection of the true statement of the matter, that
you were down stairs when the bell rang and your father came?
A. I think I was down stairs in the kitchen.
Q. And then you were not up stairs?
A. I think I was not; because I went up almost immediately, as soon as I went down, and then
came down again and stayed down.
Q. What had you in your mind when you said you were on the stairs as Maggie let your father
in?
A. The other day somebody came there and she let them in and I was on the stairs; I don't know
whether the morning before or when it was.
Q. You understood I was asking you exactly and explicitly about this fatal day?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. I now call your attention to the fact that you had specifically told me you had gone up stairs,
and had been there about five minutes when the bell rang, and were on your way down, and
were on the stairs when Maggie let your father in that day---
A. Yes, I said that, and then I said I did not know whether I was on the stairs or in the kitchen.
Q. Now how will you have it?
A. I think, as nearly as I know, I think I was in the kitchen.
Q. How long was your father gone?
A. I don't know, sir; not very long.
Q. An hour?
A. I should not think so.
Q. Will you give me the best story you can, so far as your recollection serves you, of your time
while he was gone?
A. I sprinkled my handkerchiefs, and got my ironing board and took them in the dining room. I
took the ironing board in the dining room and left the handkerchiefs in the kitchen on the table
and whether I ate any cookies or not I don't remember. Then I sat down looking at the magazine,
waiting for the flats to heat. Then I went in the sitting room and got the Providence Journal, and
took that into the kitchen. I don't recollect of doing anything else.
Q. Which did you read first, the Journal or the magazine?
A. The magazine.
Q. You told me you were reading the magazine when your father came back?
A. I said in the kitchen, yes.
Q. Was that so?
A. Yes, I took the Journal out to read, and had not read it. I had it near me.
Q. You said a minute or two ago you read the magazine awhile, and then went and got the
Journal and took it out to read?
A. I did, but I did not read it; I tried my flats then.
Q. And went back to reading the magazine?
A. I took the magazine up again, yes.

Lizzie, Inquest, August 10th
p. 66:
Q. Now I call your attention to the fact that twice yesterday you told me, with some explicitness,
that when your father came in, you were just coming down stairs?
A. No, I did not, I beg your pardon.
Q. That you were on the stairs at the time your father was let in, you said with some
explicitness. Do you now say you did not say so?
A. I said I thought first I was on the stairs; then I remembered I was in the kitchen when he
came in.
Q. First you thought you were in the kitchen; afterwards you remembered you were on the
stairs?
A. I said I thought I was on the stairs; then I said I knew I was in the kitchen. I still say that
now. I was in the kitchen.

p. 67:
Q. You now say after your father went out, you did not go up stairs at all?
A. No sir, I did not.
Q. When Maggie came in there washing the windows, you did not appear from the front part of
the house?
A. No sir.
Q. When your father was let in, you did not appear from up stairs?
A. No sir, I was in the kitchen.
Q. That is so?
A. Yes sir, to the best of my knowledge.
Q. After your father went out, you remained there either in the kitchen or dining room all the
time?
A. I went in the sitting room long enough to direct some paper wrappers.
Q. One of the three rooms?
A. Yes sir.

p. 70, referring to Bridget:
Q. Do you know when she did get through washing the outside?
A. I don't know.
Q. Did you know she washed the windows inside?
A. I don't know.
Q. Did you see her washing the windows inside?
A. I don't know.
Q. You don't know whether she washed the dining room and sitting room windows inside?
A. I did not see her.
Q. If she did would you not have seen her?
A. I don't know. She might be in one room and I in another.
Q. Do you think she might have gone to work and washed all the windows in the dining room
and sitting room and you not know it?
A. I don't know, I am sure, whether I should or not. I might have seen her, and not know it.

Bridget, Preliminary, (direct ex.) p. 18:
Q. You went in through the screen door, and shut it up and hooked it when you came in?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. Took the hand basin and went to washing the sitting room windows?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. When you came in at that time, did you see Miss Lizzie?
A. I do not think I did. No Sir, I did not.
Q. So as I understand you, you had not seen her after she came to the back screen door, as you began your work?
A. No Sir, not to my memory.
Q. Where she was, you do not know?
A. No Sir.
Q. You did not hear her either?
A. No Sir.

p. 19:
Q. Up to the time you let Mr. Borden in, had you seen Miss Lizzie?
A. She was upstairs at the time I let him in.
Q. Where upstairs?
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.

p. 19-20:
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.
Q. Say anything?
A. No Sir.
Q. Did you see her then?
A. No Sir.
Q. How soon did you see her?
A. It might be five or ten minutes after she came down stairs; she came through the front hall, I don’t know whether she came from upstairs.

She came through the sitting room, I was in the sitting room.


p. 83 (cross ex.):
Q. You said Lizzie was ironing, or trying to iron in the dining room?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. Did you see any flats on the stove?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. Was she sitting in a chair in the kitchen?
A. When she was ironing?
Q. At that time?
A. No Sir.
Q. Did you see her in the kitchen there at all?
A. No Sir. She came in the kitchen before I went upstairs.

p. 73:
(Nothing asked by the defense about Lizzie being upstairs or in the kitchen)
Q. Did you hear the bell ring?
A. I do not know whether I heard the bell ring or not.
Q. You do not recollect today, whether you heard that bell ring or not?
A. No Sir. I know I heard the noise at the door.
Q. You cannot tell whether the bell rang or not?
A. No Sir.
Q. Who tended the bell there in the house?
A. I tended it when nobody was in the house. When Mrs. Borden was in, she went. Mr. Borden went always when he was in the house.
Q. You made a coal fire that morning, did not you?
A. Yes Sir.

Bridget, Trial, (direct ex.) p.232-233:
Q. After you had completed washing your windows, what did you do?
A. I went after I completed them,---with the brush I went and got a dipper in the
kitchen.
Q. And found the screen door, of course, unlocked?
A. Yes, sir, I went and took a dipper full of water and went to the barn and got some
clean water and commenced to wash the sitting room windows again by throwing water
up on them.
Q. By taking the dipper and dashing the water up on them?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When you went into the kitchen to get your dipper, did you see anyone there?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you go into the kitchen more than once during the process of washing
windows?
A. No, sir.
Q. After you had dashed the sitting room windows in the way you have described, did
you do anything to the other windows?
A. Yes, sir, I went right round.
Q. Doing the same thing?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When you had completed this rinsing of the windows, if I may call it that, what did
you do?
A. I went into the kitchen. I put the handle of the brush away in the barn and brought
the pail and dipper in and put the dipper behind and I got the hand basin and went into
the sitting room to wash the sitting room windows.
Q. Did you go to the barn to put away the handle of the brush before you went in, or
after?
A. Before I went in.
Q. Before you went in?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Now I think you said you took the basin in there?
A. Yes, sir, a hand dish in the sink.
Q. What else did you take?
A. A step-ladder in the kitchen.
Q. Anything else?
A. No, sir, except a cloth I had to wash with.
Q. When you came into the kitchen after having put your brush handle in the barn, did
you do anything to the screen door?
A. I hooked it.
Q. After you had got your washing materials into which room did you first go?
A. The sitting room.
Q. I may ask you if you washed the inside of the parlor windows?
A. No, sir.
Q. You did not go into the parlor, as I understand it?
A. No, sir, I did not.
Q. Which window did you begin to wash in the inside?
A. The next window to the front door.
Q. In which room?
A. In the sitting room.
Q. How much had you done of that work before you heard something?
A. I had the upper part of the window done.
Q. Done?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Had you seen anyone up to that time since you saw Lizzie at the screen door?
A. No, sir, not that I remember.

p, 234-235:
Q. When you got to the front door what did you find the condition of the locks there?
A. I went to open it, caught it by the knob, the spring lock, as usual, and it was locked. I
unbolted it and it was locked with a key.
Q. So that there were three locks?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What did you do with reference to the lock with the key?
A. I unlocked it. As I unlocked it I said, "Oh pshaw," and Miss Lizzie laughed, up
stairs,---Her father was out there on the door step. She was upstairs.
Q. Upstairs; could you tell whereabouts upstairs she was when she laughed?
A. Well, she must be either in the entry or in the top of the stairs, I can't tell which.

p. 282 (cross ex.):
Q. After you let Mr. Borden in you say you heard Miss Lizzie laugh?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And you say she was up stairs somewhere?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And you didn't see her on the stairs?
A. No, sir.
Q. Didn't see her at all?
A. No, sir. I didn't look.
Q. You heard the sound of the laugh?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was that all?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Now, after you let him in where did you go?
A. I went into the sitting-room.
Q. And then you say that you next saw her come from where?
A. From the hall, from the front entry into the sitting-room.
Q. You saw her come out of the front hall, as you recall it?
A. Yes, sir.

Lizzie's testimony would have been given without her knowing what Bridget had said about it. Bridget testified ahead of Lizzie at the Inquest. Since the Preliminary came shortly after the Inquest, Bridget likely was unaware of what Lizzie had said at the Inquest.

Bridget testified that she saw Lizzie nowhere downstairs when she came inside to finish the windows. I'm sure Bridget would have noticed Lizzie in the kitchen if Lizzie had been there. Lizzie didn't seem to notice Bridget coming indoors, either. Bridget testified that Lizzie came from the front of the house after she let Andrew in. If Lizzie had been in the kitchen, then who was giggling upstairs? Abby?