Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I came across an older (1980) book about the case titled “Lizzie Borden: A Case Book of Family and Crime in the 1890s”, edited by Williams, Smithburn & Peterson.

On page 17, there was a statement from Mrs. Churchill regarding what Lizzie had initially said to her once the alarm bell had been rung regarding Mr. Borden’s murder.

Mrs. Churchill said, “Lizzie’s answer was remarkable. She made two or three comments about the heat, then said: “Do come over. Someone has killed Father.”*

The asterix was further explained with “*Mrs. Churchill did not tell the police or the court of Lizzie’s inconsequential prelude to the news of her father’s death. Only after the trail did she tell the neighbor, Mrs. Kelly, these details.”

I had never read before that Lizzie had talked briefly about the weather before summoning Mrs. Churchill over. I just couldn’t believe how odd that was. Her father had just been brutally killed & the first thing that came to Lizzie’s mind was idle chat about the weather? Even if she were in shock (innocent?), it still seems like a strange thing to say. On the other hand, could it point to her nervousness (guilt?) over having just hacked her father to death?

I was taken aback by learning of this “weather-chat.” I don’t recall this ever being mentioned in any of the other books I’ve read about the case & I’ve read several.

dalcanton wrote:I came across an older (1980) book about the case titled “Lizzie Borden: A Case Book of Family and Crime in the 1890s”, edited by Williams, Smithburn & Peterson.

On page 17, there was a statement from Mrs. Churchill regarding what Lizzie had initially said to her once the alarm bell had been rung regarding Mr. Borden’s murder.

Mrs. Churchill said, “Lizzie’s answer was remarkable. She made two or three comments about the heat, then said: “Do come over. Someone has killed Father.”*

The asterix was further explained with “*Mrs. Churchill did not tell the police or the court of Lizzie’s inconsequential prelude to the news of her father’s death. Only after the trail did she tell the neighbor, Mrs. Kelly, these details.”

I had never read before that Lizzie had talked briefly about the weather before summoning Mrs. Churchill over. I just couldn’t believe how odd that was. Her father had just been brutally killed & the first thing that came to Lizzie’s mind was idle chat about the weather? Even if she were in shock (innocent?), it still seems like a strange thing to say. On the other hand, could it point to her nervousness (guilt?) over having just hacked her father to death?

I was taken aback by learning of this “weather-chat.” I don’t recall this ever being mentioned in any of the other books I’ve read about the case & I’ve read several.

I've never heard it either. In my mind, this holds some small weight, Churchill allegedly tells Kelly, who allegedly tells...someone...who the author somehow discovered. I'd need to know more about it from closer to the source (Mrs. Churchill) Having said that, it is strange, but Lizzie said and did a LOT of strange things that day. If she was not guilty, she sure did all she could to try to get people to think she was.

If it's true, that's pretty weird, and points, to me, to Lizzie being out of her mind.

NancyDrew wrote:If it's true, that's pretty weird, and points, to me, to Lizzie being out of her mind.

Or, perhaps, "temporarily insane"?

Yes, Darrowfan, perhaps. I think Lizzie was quite odd anyways. A peculiar person. I have often wondered if she suffered from either a personality or mood disorder. Certainly anyone who could commit 2 murders and then go on to live a lavish lifestyle at the expense of those 2 dead people isn't "normal" in my book.