Abby's Ear
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augusta
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Abby's Ear
I came across this autopsy photo of Abby online. What is going on with her ears? The left one is way out of whack (no pun intended).
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Kat
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Maybe her left ear was affected by the flap-wound?
Maybe it's not held tight to her head because of that wound?
It also looks like her head is turned slightly- at least not straight.
Otherwise it does look strange.
I couldn't open your file with my browser; Here is the link:
http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Crime ... byhead.jpg
Maybe it's not held tight to her head because of that wound?
It also looks like her head is turned slightly- at least not straight.
Otherwise it does look strange.
I couldn't open your file with my browser; Here is the link:
http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Crime ... byhead.jpg
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Bob Gutowski
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Earrie, ain't it?
Also, most folks' ears are not perfectly symmetrical, and age might've accentuated that. Also, since this photo was taken at the cemetary a few days after the murder, rigor mortis would be well over, and things would be sagging a bit, no?
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william
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Susan
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One question I've always had was how did they shave Abby's head so closely? I assume it was with a straight razor and with all the lumps and bumps and cuts, how did they do such a clean job of it?
I don't know if this helps any, but, I drew some lines on the pic of Abby's head to show you where the center line of the head would be and the angles that its laying at. It appears to be tilted slightly to the left and at a slight angle. Her ears appear to be the same size this way, maybe they look odd because of the angle of her head and whats visible with each ear?
I don't know if this helps any, but, I drew some lines on the pic of Abby's head to show you where the center line of the head would be and the angles that its laying at. It appears to be tilted slightly to the left and at a slight angle. Her ears appear to be the same size this way, maybe they look odd because of the angle of her head and whats visible with each ear?
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Kat
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Thank you for the new view of Abby's head, Susan.
This photo in The Knowlton Papers has the legend:
"View of the wounds upon the head of Mrs. Borden."
"Photograph by James A. Walsh, Fall River, Massachusetts."- page 19.
The other view with hair says:
"Trial Exhibit #18: Postmortem examination of the corpse of Abby Durfee (Gray) Borden, August 4, 1892. Photograph by James A. Walsh, Fall River, Massachusetts."- page 17.
Here is Walsh at the trial testifying:
Q. Do you identify this one as a view that was taken upon that afternoon?
A. Yes, sir.
(Photograph of Mrs. Borden's body marked Ex. 15 for identification.)
Q. Do you identify this other view of Mrs. Borden's body as one made by you upon that afternoon?
A. Yes, sir.
(Marked Ex. 16 for identification.)
Q. Do you identify this view of Mrs. Borden's body as one taken upon that afternoon?
A. Yes, sir.
(Photograph marked Ex. 17 for identification.)
Page 123
Q. In who's presence were these views taken?
A. There were several officers there and Dr. Dolan.
Q. Was Dr. Dolan present while each view which you have identified was taken?
A. I could not say that he was present at all of them; he was at some of them.
Q. Do you remember what officer was present at all of them?
A. No, I could not say any officer was present at all,---going in and out of the room.
Q. Do you identify this (Exhibit 18) as a view taken upon Aug. 4, 1892?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. The one just identified was a view of Mrs. Borden's head?
A. Mrs. Borden.
Views 15, 16, 17 & 18 were of Mrs. Borden= 4 pictures. Here are listed 4; we have 4, so I gather this shaved-head picture of Abby was one of the 4 taken on August 4th by Walsh.
That was a good question which came up from Bob. I had assumed this before, but didn't know until I looked for it.
This photo in The Knowlton Papers has the legend:
"View of the wounds upon the head of Mrs. Borden."
"Photograph by James A. Walsh, Fall River, Massachusetts."- page 19.
The other view with hair says:
"Trial Exhibit #18: Postmortem examination of the corpse of Abby Durfee (Gray) Borden, August 4, 1892. Photograph by James A. Walsh, Fall River, Massachusetts."- page 17.
Here is Walsh at the trial testifying:
Q. Do you identify this one as a view that was taken upon that afternoon?
A. Yes, sir.
(Photograph of Mrs. Borden's body marked Ex. 15 for identification.)
Q. Do you identify this other view of Mrs. Borden's body as one made by you upon that afternoon?
A. Yes, sir.
(Marked Ex. 16 for identification.)
Q. Do you identify this view of Mrs. Borden's body as one taken upon that afternoon?
A. Yes, sir.
(Photograph marked Ex. 17 for identification.)
Page 123
Q. In who's presence were these views taken?
A. There were several officers there and Dr. Dolan.
Q. Was Dr. Dolan present while each view which you have identified was taken?
A. I could not say that he was present at all of them; he was at some of them.
Q. Do you remember what officer was present at all of them?
A. No, I could not say any officer was present at all,---going in and out of the room.
Q. Do you identify this (Exhibit 18) as a view taken upon Aug. 4, 1892?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. The one just identified was a view of Mrs. Borden's head?
A. Mrs. Borden.
Views 15, 16, 17 & 18 were of Mrs. Borden= 4 pictures. Here are listed 4; we have 4, so I gather this shaved-head picture of Abby was one of the 4 taken on August 4th by Walsh.
That was a good question which came up from Bob. I had assumed this before, but didn't know until I looked for it.
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Susan
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Thanks, Bob and Kat, good info to have. So, was it possible that those pieces of Abby's hair that were buried with the clothing in the Borden's yard may have come from them shaving her head that day? I was always under the impression that they were just pieces of hair that had been severed by the hatchet and they had come loose when they took down Abby's hair. I wondered if there was any photos taken of Andrew and Abby's eyes? There was a practice of this in the mid 1800s, don't know if they were still doing it at that point in time? The idea being that the last image seen by the dead person was frozen in their retinas and it was attempted to capture that image on film. 
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Kat
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In part reply to the question of photographing the corpse's eye, I've been noticing lately on the CSI shows where they are dwelling on the eyeballs of the witnesses-
they may have a citizen's videotape they check and it is taking pictures from the opposite direction of the tragedy, they blow up the eyeballs of the people in the still and study the close-up of the reflection and see what was going on in front of them!
It's the viscous fluid which reflects the scene.
Of course, since a dead body has no longer viscous fluid, this won't ever work, and for the other natural reasons as well, we know it's impossible to see what the victim saw, later.
I thought the hair was the "rat"- the false hair Abby wore- which was donated with other evidence to the Historical Society. But yes, hair and bone was found you're right, when the stuff which had been buried was dug up. Maybe that was just what you surmise!
W.S., pg. 4, Doherty:
"I requested to see her; and on going up stairs found her lying on the floor, face downward, between the bed and dressing case. Several spots of blood was on the bed, and also a large tuft of hair."
Also
W.S., Chase, Aug. 5th, pg. 42:
"1 sofa pillow and tidy, one large piece of Brussels carpet, one roll of cotton batting, one sheet and several pieces of cotton cloth, three towels, one napkin, one chemise, one dress, one pair drawers, one skirt, two aprons, one hair braid and several pieces of hair from Mrs. Borden’s head from five to eight inches long, one neck tie, one truss, one piece of black silk braid or watch guard.
I also found mixed in with the hair of Mrs. Borden a piece of bone, which from it nature I took to be a piece of Mrs. Borden’s skull, it was cut so smooth, that I thought it might be of use in determining what kind of instrument was used, as the bone and hair both had the appearance of being cut with a very sharp instrument; I gave this piece of bone to Dr. Dolan.
About the middle of the next week Dr. Dolan ordered all the articles dug up. After taking out pieces of clothing and of the carpet, they were ordered buried again. This time they were all put in a box."
they may have a citizen's videotape they check and it is taking pictures from the opposite direction of the tragedy, they blow up the eyeballs of the people in the still and study the close-up of the reflection and see what was going on in front of them!
It's the viscous fluid which reflects the scene.
Of course, since a dead body has no longer viscous fluid, this won't ever work, and for the other natural reasons as well, we know it's impossible to see what the victim saw, later.
I thought the hair was the "rat"- the false hair Abby wore- which was donated with other evidence to the Historical Society. But yes, hair and bone was found you're right, when the stuff which had been buried was dug up. Maybe that was just what you surmise!
W.S., pg. 4, Doherty:
"I requested to see her; and on going up stairs found her lying on the floor, face downward, between the bed and dressing case. Several spots of blood was on the bed, and also a large tuft of hair."
Also
W.S., Chase, Aug. 5th, pg. 42:
"1 sofa pillow and tidy, one large piece of Brussels carpet, one roll of cotton batting, one sheet and several pieces of cotton cloth, three towels, one napkin, one chemise, one dress, one pair drawers, one skirt, two aprons, one hair braid and several pieces of hair from Mrs. Borden’s head from five to eight inches long, one neck tie, one truss, one piece of black silk braid or watch guard.
I also found mixed in with the hair of Mrs. Borden a piece of bone, which from it nature I took to be a piece of Mrs. Borden’s skull, it was cut so smooth, that I thought it might be of use in determining what kind of instrument was used, as the bone and hair both had the appearance of being cut with a very sharp instrument; I gave this piece of bone to Dr. Dolan.
About the middle of the next week Dr. Dolan ordered all the articles dug up. After taking out pieces of clothing and of the carpet, they were ordered buried again. This time they were all put in a box."