Lizzie Borden Society Forum

We all know that Lizzie was at the top of the stairs laughing. Bridget stated that she heard Lizzie laughing.

I have two questions about this. What was Lizzie laughing at or about, and-- Why wasn't Bridget ever questioned about this.

Lizzie had several versions of where she was when Andrew came home....but Bridget placed her at the top of the stairs, or ON the stairs, so I tend to believe that is where she actually was. Lizzie was trying to place herself as far away from Abby's body as possible. When Bridget finally went upstairs to look for Abby in the front part of the house, I recall they could see Abby's body under the bed from the stairs as then went up. It stands to reason that if they could see Abby's body, Lizzie could too! So, Lizzie had to deny that she was somewhere that she could have seen the body!

As far as what she was laughing about, I think she found Bridget's "oh, pshaw!" comment amusing! And I'm sure that is exactly what Bridget said! I heard my grandmother use that expression many, many times when she became exasperated over something. It always gave me a chuckle, too!

Bridget having heard Lizzie giggle or laugh tends to support the truth of her statement about Lizzie being upstairs when Andrew arrived. If Bridget had seen Lizzie in the kitchen or anywhere downstairs when Bridget brought her window cleaning implements indoors, then heard someone giggling upstairs when she let Andrew in, I'm sure Bridget or the authorities would have made something of it. I can think of no good reason why Bridget would not say she saw Lizzie downstairs if that was true. Bridget finished the outside of the dining room windows, then moved everything to the sitting room and started there on the inside. The rear screen door had to have been unhooked when Bridget moved inside with her work.

I agree, Lizzie was probably laughing at Bridget's difficulty in opening the door, or at Bridget's comment. It likely looked that way to the authorities at the time so they probably found no need to pursue it any further.

I can’t remember where I read it, but a friend, and churchgoer with Lizzie said that she would open her mouth wide, and laugh so loudly it would startle the Chinese pupils in her class.

If true, she obviously had a distinct laugh, and Bridget surely knew where it came from.