Lizzie Borden Society Forum

by Kat » Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:10 pm
Audrey?
.............
Anyway, in The Evening Standard, dated November 17th, 1892, supposedly these people were sitting on Mrs. Churchill's steps the morning of the murders:

..."Charles Cook, William L. Hacking, George L. Douglass and Oliver Durling, who together were sitting talking on Mrs. Churchill's steps when the terrible deed was done and who saw no one enter or leave the Borden premises... ."

These were amongst a list of witnesses to the grand jury. The paper came out with some outlandish rumors which they claimed were leaked from the grand jury, but which is debateable, because the inquiry was secret.

I'm looking for the names of Mrs. Churchill's lodgers as we have that info around here somewhere.

I'm still thinking the police would check these people and I believe they were all employed: the boarders, that is.


This is from an early thread 'Room to Rent,' found when I was looking for info on Dr Handy and his Pale Man. I didn't know there were three of Mrs Churchill's lodgers sitting on her steps at the 'time of the murder', (presumably Andrew's.)

I had never seen most of those pictures that Curryong linked to. What a treat. This is the first time I have had a device working good enough to open the link.

Respectfully I don't thing either tree to the front of 92 Second, is a pear tree. The one to the left COULD be but it just doesn't look right. It has always been my understanding that the pear eating man on the fence was near or on the lumber pile and that he was likely a worker from near by. (There was a lumberyard or something back there wasn't there?) I'm just learning how to use my new system so please forgive me for not doing proper research at this time.

The maybe pear tree to the left is right near the driveway into the property and it seems to me a pear eating man would have been noted in relationship to that or the gate or something rather than the fence. So I really don't think we need to explain a man sitting on the picket fence eating pears.

Something I REALLY noticed in the pictures was the fancy well house by the Churchill fence. THAT is big enough to hide, partially hide or obscure someone in the area. I think maybe I have a better idea of the size of the property now. There is a lot there in a small space and I think that would actually make it easier for someone to slip through the yard and not be noticed. How many times do we think we see things and then aren't sure? By the time a neighbor thought they saw someone that someone could have slipped here or there out of sight.

Another interesting thought would simply be that Bridget didn't properly lock the cellar door but felt bad and said she did, perhaps even covered her mistake. I had no idea that was the way the door was built. I always pictured something low to the ground that maybe had to be latched to close. I have lots of food for thought now.

The custom of the house apparently was that (the clothing etc being washed in the washroom part of the cellar) on a Monday or Tuesday morning (weather permitting, of course) Andrew would unlock the cellar door for Bridget. Some things were no doubt washed outside in the wash tubs of the time but that was the custom. The things would then be hung out and Andrew, following this, would re-lock the cellar door. Bridget didn't have a key to the cellar, door, only Andrew had that.

Mrs Churchill's well-house could also be useful for hiding objects, like hatchets!

In witness statements Lizzie asked Bridget in the presence of at least one police officer, the morning after the murders, if Bridget was sure she had locked the cellar door. Bridget said, "Yes, Marm." We also know Morse was concerned about the cellar door. Are we sure Andrew had the only ability to lock and unlock it? Or are we talking about a lock and a bolt that Bridget fixed?

Knowing the Bordens there were probably bolt arrangements on it! Cunningham and his mates as well as the first police at the Borden place that Thursday checked it and it was locked.