Lizzie's 'pending engagement'?

[LABRhush]

I've always heard that one of the newspapers, w their yellow journalism, had written an article that Liz had an engagement to be married that they retracted. Has anyone tracked down this acrticle, or found which newspaper it was?

[mbhenty]

The story of Lizzie having a boyfriend was made popular by a little old lady from Maine who claimed to know Lizzie. Rudy Cameron gave the story to the Ellsworth American, a small newspaper in Ellsworth Maine. In her story she claims that David Anthony was Lizzie's boyfriend and that he wanted to marry her. Of course what makes her story interesting is that she fingers Anthony as the killer. This of course is an interesting can of worms. With a couple of beetles, snails and lizards just for flavor.

The story of Lizzie to be wed first appeared in The Fall River News, back in 1896, 3 years after the murder. Supposedly it was to a school teacher in Swansea. Edward Radin, in his book "Lizzie Borden, The Legend, The Truth, The Final Chapter, Radin claims that he saw a letter where Lizzie apologizes to a friend (I think?) and disputes the engagement.

As for tracking down the article, I would need to do a little research to see if it exists.

[mbhenty]

Now I hate quoting Frank Spiering. Even when he is right.

This is taken from his book Lizzie and one of the earliest accounts but well after Radin.

Now I remember Radin claiming that the news was first reported in a fall river paper. (which would make sense.) There is no doubt that the story was picked up by papers across the country. But did Spiering mean "The Fall River Globe" or did he just make up "The Boston Globe." Though December 10th looks like the real date the story appeared.

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But the press would not leave her alone. On December 10, 1896, a brief article which appeared in the Boston Globe was picked up by newspapers throughout the country:

IS LIZZIE BORDEN TO MARRY?

Fall River, Mass., Dec. 10--Friends of Lizzie Andrew Borden, who was once accused of the murder of her father and stepmother and whose trial was one of the most famous the country has known, are congratulating her upon the approach of her marriage. The husband-to-be is one Mr. Gardner, a school teacher of the village of Swansea, which lies a few miles across the bay to the west of the city. He has been a friend of Miss Borden since childhood days, which they spent upon adjoining farms. The engagement has been rumored about for weeks, but it lacked confirmation until a few days ago, when it was learned that Miss Borden has given to a well-known dressmaker an order for a trousseau. Mr. Gardner has had erected in South Somerset a fine new house. It is said that the wedding will probably take place about Christmas.


The residents of the farm adjacent to the one which Andrew Borden had owned in Swansea were named Gardner. And the eldest son was a school teacher. But the story of Lizzie's romance and impending marriage had been fabricated.

Soon after the article appeared, reporters from out-of-town newspapers flooded Fall River.

Gardner went into hiding and Lizzie withdrew behind the oak doors of Maplecroft, where she was constantly harassed. The incident infuriated and disturbed her. Two days later she wrote to Mrs. Cummings, the dressmaker Emma had written to earlier. The letter's significance was that it revealed the strain Lizzie was under.

It was from Mrs. Cummings, whose shop on Elm Street stood beside Andrew Borden's Union Savings Bank, that Lizzie supposedly had ordered her wedding gown.


My dear Friend
I am more sorry than I can tell you that you have had any trouble over the false and silly story that has been about the last week or so. How or when it started I have not the least idea. But never for a moment did I think you or your girls started it. Of course I am feeling very badly about it but I must just bear as I have in the past. I do hope you will not be annoyed again. Take care of yourself, so you can get well.
Yours sincerely
L. A. Borden
Dec. 12, 1896

[mbhenty]

A good point to keep in mind is that many writers are pariahs of information, taking or stealing what was written before them. Spiering and others just took at face value what others had written before them, taken to gossip, or just made facts up. Thus it is with suspicion that one must read their books. That is even more truthful today, and on the internet excessively thoughtless and careless to look at info at face value. To get the truth one must air on the side of research. Pure research takes one back to the beginning or the original source if not from the mouth of the mule itself. Legal and court documents are best. Newspaper reports have some tenability. At least some of them try. Even so, they are wrong more than once and many written with prejudice, error, and sensationalism.

And that is why I may be insincere, or at best, reckless to use Spiering without closer investigation. Even a parrot repeats what it heard, though he has no idea where he heard it.

[LABRhush]

Thanks Mbhenty! When I got back on to check the forum, the letter was going to be my 2nd question... and you already covered it. Ha. I knew the report was false since the woman couldn't cross in front of a window without making the papers, but like you said, tracking down trusted resources can be difficult! Thanks again ☺