Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Reading over some out-of-town newspaper articles about the trial, it talks about Dr. Bowen's testimony.

"Witness testified that he had attended Lizzie up to the time of her arrest, and given her several doses of morphine."

Of course the defense was saying she was out of her gourd when she testified at the inquest, in the hopes of making it inadmissable.

I happened to think - I remember his line in the movie that she had received it "all the time she was in the jailhouse". And "I've not stopped giving it. She is still receiving it." But did Dr. Bowen travel to Taunton to give it to her, or move there temporarily just for her? I never heard of another doctor at Taunton or New Bedford giving her morphine. Did she stop receiving it once she was moved out of Fall River?

I don't remember of any record of Dr. Bowen even visiting her at Taunton and I doubt if he did he would be allowed to administer any drug to her. The jail apparently had its own doctor.

In the May 15. 1893 Evening Standard there is reference to a doctor at Taunton:

"Dr. Paige, jail physician, said to an Associated Press reporter that Miss Borden's illness is of bronchial nature and came on after her return from the arraignment. The following day she experienced a sudden chill and has since been under his care. Owing to noise in the women's quarter, she has been taken into the keeper's house, where it is quiet. She will undoubtedly be in fair condition at the time of her trial. "

There is reference to her receiving medication from Bowen on the 7th, (Sunday night). There is also a mysterious trip made by Mrs. Brigham to Dr. Bowens house on the day Lizzie was called to the inquest on the 9th. From the Evening Standard of August 10:

"City Marshal Hilliard does not ordinarily serve subpoenas, but he served one on this occasion. It was a regular summons to appear as a witness at an inquest. He found Mrs. George S. Brigham, an old friend of the Borden girls, in the house with the ladies. Just after the marshal entered the house Mrs. Brigham left the house and crossed the street to the office of Dr. Bowen opposite. The crowd were much excited by this, for they supposed it betokened the illness of one of the inmates of the house, and this, following upon the visit of the city marshal, looked as if the marshal had announced that it was his duty to arrest one or more of the inmates of the house. But a moment later Mrs. Brigham left the doctor's office and re-entered the Borden residence. "

I have no idea what that was about. It may have been just to alert Dr. Bowen that Lizzie was being called.

Bowen at the trial:
Q. I ask you about the morphine that you were giving her and you tell me on Friday you gave one-eighth of a grain, which is the ordinary dose, I understand, mild dose, and on Saturday you doubled it, you gave it, sent it, and she had it on Monday and Tuesday, and how long did she continue to have it?
A. She continued to have that all the time she was in the station house.

Q. After her arrest, was it not?
A. And before.

Q. In other words she had it all the time up to the time of her arrest, the hearing and while in the station house?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. So that if before the arrest, she was one, two, or three days before the private inquest, she was there when she had been given for several days this double dose of morphine?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. I suppose physicians well understand the effect of morphine on the mind and on the recollection, don't they?

Page 329

A. Supposed to, yes, sir.

Q. Is there any question about it?
A. No, sir.

Q. Do you know whether she had ever had occasion before to have morphine prescribed for her, as far as you know?
A. I don't remember that she had.
...............

........RE-DIRECT EXAMINATION.


Q. (By Mr. Moody.) How many times did you personally see her take the medication?
A. Not more than twice, I think.

Q. When were those two times?
A. Between one and two in the afternoon, of Thursday.

Q. And that was bromo caffeine?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. Is bromo caffeine a medicine which has a tendency to create hallucinations a week or so after it has been taken?
A. No, sir.

--Someone may have been hording Lizzie's prescription, for all we know. Bowen says he didn't see her take it.
The preliminary query was : "You gave it, sent it..."?


It's a good question, and an interesting citation Har.

It's masterful how, under Moody's direction, the medication under discussion becomes bromo caffeine instead of morphine. Bowen, of course prescribed both medications for Lizzie.

He prescribed 1/8 of a grain of morphine for Lizzie to take at bedtime Friday and doubled the dose on Saturday and continued with double doses Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. And Adams emphasizes the point:
"So that ... one, two, or three days before the private inquest, she was there when she had been given for several days this double dose of morphine?
Yes, sir." (Trial, 328)

Adams goes on to ask Bowen if morphine double doses of morphine can "somewhat effect the memory and change and alter the view of things and give people hallucinations?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: There is no doubt about it, is there?
A: No, sir." (trial, 329)

After saying "I have no further questions" -- Adams no doubt takes his seat feeling he's made his point.

BUT Moody probably knows that Bowen did not actually go to the station house and physically administer the morphine to Lizzie -- so he steps up and asks:
"Q: How many times did you personally see her take the medication? (Note he is deliberately vague here and avoids the dreaded 'morphine' word.)
A: Nor more than twice, I think.
Q: When were those two times?
A: Between one and two in the afternoon of Thursday. (the afternoon of the murders.)
Q: And that was bromo caffeine?
A: Yes. sir.
Moody then has Bowen admit that bromo caffeine does not create hallucinations "a week or so after it has been taken". (trial, 329)

And quickly changes tack and begins querying Bowen about the time he sent the telegram. Thus, he effectively minimizes Adams's point about the effects of double doses of morphine.

I think the prosecution questions were astutely formulated to present the implication that if Bowen never saw Lizzie take the morphine -- maybe she didn't take it.

I still tend to believe she did take it.

Thanks, guys! Could be that Mrs. Brigham, or someone, was picking up Lizzie's prescription for her. Love those quotes, Harry, from the "New Standard" - such a different take on things - more information than the usual papers we use for reference.

Thanks for the trial post, Kat. Now I remember, after reading this, that Bowen said he didn't actually see her take it but like twice.

Interesting point on the testimony you posted, Diana, and thanks. It's one issue where it looks like Governor Robinson, or Adams, didn't get the best of the prosecution.

Well, how do you like this? All this time I had it in my brain that Lizzie was getting morphine the entire time, until the trial ended. I think it was the "Legend...." movie that stuck it in my mind - how Lizzie would be glassy-eyed and go into these flashbacks during the trial.

Apparently she had no real doctor treatment in jail until she got that bronchitis in May of '93.

And she got moved special because it was too noisy for her??? Gee, when I look at the shows on women's prisons and see all the yelling and mega noise, I think I know what one of those women would get told if they complained.

Yes, That Double Dose has been something confusing to people who study the case.
They pick up the "Double Dose" phrase, not realizing it meant Bowen had doubled the original dose..
I'm glad you made that point, Diana.

I think she took it too. That birth sign is subject to addictions.
Either that, or we should start looking for someone acting loopy- maybe Dr. Bowen himself- or Morse?