Lizzie's Jail letters

[MysteryReader]

According to a post on Facebook (I'm following the Fall River Historical Society), there are supposed to be excerpts in the book from Lizzie's letters while she was in jail. I think the first line that caught my attention was something to the effect of well, soon they will come up and take me away to an insane asylum. I've not come across that yet in the book.

[Curryong]

Lizzie was probably subject to a lot of fears while she was awaiting trial. Tell us when you come to them, Mystery. One of the main reasons I have bought Parallel Lives (still waiting, waiting) is because of the new material, including letters etc written by Lizzie.

[twinsrwe]

I found this tidbit online:

Martins and fellow curator Dennis A. Binette published a book last year called "Parallel Lives" that included five photographs and 40 letters and documents in Borden's hand that had not been previously published.

Borden was imprisoned in Taunton, Mass., for 10 months pending her trial, and several of the letters published in "Parallel Lives" were written from her prison cell. Borden, who was 32 at trial, has been portrayed as a cold, stoic individual who showed no emotion, but the letters show a sensitive, grieving side of her.

http://tinyurl.com/7op63tk

[irina]

Late 1892 or early 1893 I have read that Knowlton explored offering a way out for Lizzie via an insanity plea. Isn't that report on the mental health of the family due to this action? Is this mentioned in the letter to Pillsbury? As I recall, Knowlton knew the evidence for conviction wasn't strong but he could not justify dropping the charges and could not think of anyone else who could have committed the mudrers. Knowlton felt compelled to go ahead with the prosecution but was looking for a way out. Lizzie's attorneys are said to have rejected this. Someone with a copy of Rebello or some other compendium can probably find the exact information.

(New Year's resolution...buy more books...I can thing of several on Lizzie that need buying plus a couple others for another forum I'm involved with... Then I might get up to speed.)

[Curryong]

Yes, I think that insanity plea of Knowlton's came up in a thread in November/December, didn't it? Must check Rebello. You have an excellent and thorough knowledge of the Borden murders, irina, anyway, in my opinion.

Later, Rebello 174-175.

'Local newspapers reported a commission of insanity experts had been selected to examine the mental condition of Lizzie Borden. The State Attorney General believed Lizzie to be insane although District Attorney Knowlton did not agree. John V. Morse visited Lizzie after the newspaper accounts appeared. He told reporters Lizzie was never examined in jail.

In an interview with the Taunton Daily Gazette, December 1st 1892, District Attorney Knowlton stated the latest insanity cry was 'all bosh'.

Andrew Jennings did not consent to the examination of his client. District Attorney Knowlton in a letter to Pilsbury wrote 'We can make some investigations into the family matters without him but it will not be so thorough as it would be if we had his assistance." (Knowlton Papers 1994:96) Att. Knowlton sent District Police Detective Moulton Batchelder to interview people who knew the Borden family.

A reporter for the Fall River News said he knew of several people who had been interviewed by a man sent to them by the District Attorney to collect information on the sanity of the Bordens and Morses'.

Batchelder wrote to Attorney Hosea Knowlton on November 24th 1892 about this 'survey', which we've already seen on another thread. I think this move was quite bizarre, even if we acknowledge that people in the 19th century did believe implicitly in eccentricity and madness going through the generations in some families.

[irina]

That's what I was thinking of, Curryong! (I have a kind of photographic memory in that I read slowly & turn everything into pictures. Twitter, which is my big thing, destroys this abiliy so I'm not as accurate as I once was.)

Anyway I think Lizzie knew all this was going on and it might have fueled her comment about an insane asylum.

[MysteryReader]

I'll skip ahead to see if I can find them. Curry- did you get your copy yet?

[Curryong]

No, one of the disadvantages of living here and ordering anything from overseas is huge postage costs and a long, long wait for the item.

It's a pity I can't use a port-key as in Harry Potter.! I could transport myself to the U.S., meet all of you and then go book buying in New York!

Australia does have great book stores but books on specialised subjects like Lizzie or Jack the Ripper are often unobtainable. (I tried long and hard to get Lizzie Past and Present and also Parallel Lives locally, without luck.) For JTR, many books are usually published in the UK first. That's why, in a way, I am so fond of Kindle. Instant gratification without too much expense!

Amazon also has many books that feed my hobby of collecting British inter-war detective novels, but again you pay an arm and a leg in postage. Thank goodness our currency was up to par with the U.S. dollar until quite recently, or it would be even more disastrous to my bank account!

[MysteryReader]

There are 4 letters so far from Lizzie to a friend, Annie. I'll do one per post so as not to overwhelm anyone. I'll also write them the way she did. (the brackets are the author's explanation for the 2 people).

p. 480

My dear Annie,

The wind is blowing out side a gale but never a blast inside. Everything is as calm and placid as a summer sea; even to the large white and yellow cat who is lying under the radiator, as sound asleep as if he was dead. His name is Daisy. No my dear do not send me a tea kettle I have no place for it, but under the bed. You were very kind to think of it, though. I am awfully blue indeed the skies are no where. I wonder if you know an Elinor Huntington? Such a person from Boston wrote to me a short time ago. Why do you tell me to keep up courage a little while longer? My counsel gives me no hopes of anything soon, or ever of an acquittal. Your dreams are too rosy, for they must know. Does Kenneth [Annie's son] like his school? Do be careful as you can too of scarlet fever. As if I need warn you. Ella [Annie's sister, Mrs. George S. Brigham] was here last week. Are you to visit the "World's Fair?"

Yours with love,
L.A.B.


I wish I knew what she meant by for they must know? I haven't read any of the sections around the letters which might answer that. Curry, I'm so sorry. Hopefully, soon. If you ordered from Amazon, there should be an estimated delivery date or a tracking number.

[debbiediablo]

I think she's referring to what she hears from her counsel (they) as compared to the 'dreams' of her friend.

[MysteryReader]

Probably. I didn't read around the letters though and went back to where I left off. I'm trying to read it in order but some of the social lives during then wasn't real exciting.