Bridget

[Angel]

Does anyone remember reading how long Bridget kept working in Fall River after her trial testimony? I'm trying to see how close her departure coincided with when Lizzie got acquitted and released from jail. If Lizzie was guilty and was released I'm wondering if Bridget felt threatened enough to leave town if she thought she could be in danger.

[kssunflower]

Good question. I've read that she left for Ireland immediately after the acquittal, possibly with Lizzie's or Emma's financial help. I've also read somewhere that given Bridget's meager possessions at the time of her death, it's doubtful she got any assistance from them. Who knows.

[Yooper]

I don't know how soon after the acquittal Bridget left, but I'll bet she didn't hang around very long. She had probably had enough of Fall River by then to last her a lifetime. It may not have been fear for her personal safety which caused her to leave, she may have simply wanted to dissociate with the notoriety as much as possible.

[Harry]

The Boston Globe had this on June 25, 1893, 5 days after the trial:

"The last heard of Bridget Sullivan, the celebrated servant girl, she was visiting relatives in Newport. It is said here that she is going back to work for jailer Hunt – the man who doesn't want his picture took – in New Bedford."

I believe she stayed with Hunt a little while after and then went to Newport? South Bethlehem? Don't quote me on that as I can't remember the source off hand.

On June 26 in the Boston Globe, C. J. Holmes, in an interview, squelched a rumor going around:

""How about the truth of the story to the effect that Bridget Sullivan will return to work for the Borden sisters?" "The story is not true. Bridget Sullivan and the Borden sisters have had no communication with each other since the trial. Furthermore, Bridget is superstitious enough not to be willing to return to a house where murder has been committed. Why, she wouldn't stay there last August; was kept there by the police a day or two, I believe, and then departed for good."

And this is from the witness statements, p21. Note the date. She did not leave New Bedford until the trial was over. The prosecution saw to that.

Fall River, Saturday October 1, 1892. Bridget Sullivan. "Yes, I left New Bedford for good. I did not like the way the papers spoke of me, said I was in New Bedford jail. And I got a postal card from the Court, requesting me to call for my witness fees, and that was addressed to New Bedford jail. I did not like this, so I thought I would show them I would not stay any longer. I think I will try to get a place here, through Mrs. McKenney's Agency; if not, I may go to Newport R. I. and work in the hotel where I was employed before. I have relatives in So. Bethlehem, and as I worked there before, I may go again." In a joking manner she said she may go back to Ireland. She promised wherever she would go, she would let me know through Mrs. Harrington of Division street. She saw nobody about this case since the trial, but several called at New Bedford, and she would not see them; neither would she in the future, for she was tired of the whole thing. "I think it will be hard for me to get a place, for no one wants to hire a person for one month. I think the District Attorney should give me something for my time. The papers and postal card made me feel badly; but aside from them, I got tired over there. I had nothing to do but look at the walls of the prison, and I found seven grey hairs in my head. I would rather have a place where I would have something to do."

[snokkums]

I didn't know Bridget had relatives in Newport; I thought she went to Ireland and visited relatives. Then moved to Montana or somewhere. But, it does seem like she left Fall River quick after the trial.

[Harry]

I didn't know Bridget had relatives in Newport; I thought she went to Ireland and visited relatives. Then moved to Montana or somewhere. But, it does seem like she left Fall River quick after the trial.

The relatives are in So. Bethlehem, PA not in Newport, RI.

[patsy]

It will probably always remain a mystery. I thought I read on these boards recently that Bridget did pay a visit to the Bordens once after the trial was over but maybe I was dreaming.

On Warps and Wefts there is an article that has a discussion about a Bridget Sullivan who was shown traveling to Queenstown, Ireland from Boston in June 1894. They show a copy of the manifest. This may or may not be our Bridget since that was a common name, but it is something to think about as far as when she may have gone back to Ireland.

http://lizziebordenwarpsandwefts.com/2008/10/

[nbcatlover]

Kat had typed up the following article. Bridget was a brief mention. Hard to know if the newspaper story is fact or fiction.

New York Sun
24 September 1893

LIZZIE BORDEN’S NEW HOME.

One other incident in the old house was the visit of Bridget Sullivan, who was the family servant at the time of the murders. She called on the day that Lizzie reached home. It was a short call, and has never been repeated.

Somehow I thought Bridget was still working for the jail-keeper in New Bedford during the trial in 1893.

[Harry]

Partial quote:

Somehow I thought Bridget was still working for the jail-keeper in New Bedford during the trial in 1893.

Yes, Bridget worked for the Hunt's all through the trial.

[patsy]

Kat had typed up the following article. Bridget was a brief mention. Hard to know if the newspaper story is fact or fiction.

New York Sun
24 September 1893

LIZZIE BORDEN’S NEW HOME.

One other incident in the old house was the visit of Bridget Sullivan, who was the family servant at the time of the murders. She called on the day that Lizzie reached home. It was a short call, and has never been repeated.

Somehow I thought Bridget was still working for the jail-keeper in New Bedford during the trial in 1893.

Thank you. Kat's article was what I had read recently and yes we have no way of knowing whether that was true or not.

[nbcatlover]

Thanks, Harry. It must have been fun to be a newspaper report in 1892 when you got to write fiction as fact.