What were Lizzies activities July 23rd?
Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2021 10:48 am
We all spend so much time dissecting August 4th, but I am thinking that understanding what happened in the days leading up to August 4th will be equally telling. I tend to be flexible on the timing of events because that is easy to confuse. However, specific recollections of events are more meaningful and I give great merit to them when evaluating Borden info.
Most of us know that Saturday, July 23rd might have been a key date for the murders, because that is when Lizzie was in New Bedford and shopping alone. We also know that Knowlton identified two different pharmacists in New Bedford that he had summoned to testify in the trial and there are solid indications that Knowlton believed Lizzie had attempted to purchase Prussic Acid at these pharmacies. Did she visit those pharmacies on the 23rd? Did she acquire a hatchet that day? Did she purchase dress cloth to make a duplicate dress? These are all possibilities that have been debated.
What makes the 23rd even more fascinating is that Lizzie may not have been forthcoming about her activities that day.
Below is testimony by Emma and Lizzie that directly contradict:
Lizzie Inquest testimony
Q. How long had she (Emma) been in Fairhaven?
A. Just two weeks to the day.
Q. You did not visit in Fairhaven?
A. No sir.
Emma Trial Testimony
Q. How long had you been in Fairhaven?
A. Just two weeks.
Q. And you were visiting?
A. Mrs. Brownell and her daughter.
Q. Had you seen Miss Lizzie during the two weeks?
A. Yes sir.
Q. When?
A. Well, I can't tell you what day it was. . . she had been at Fairhaven.
Q. Was it on her way over to or back from Marion?
A. Oh, I do know. She went to New Bedford when I went to Fairhaven, and I think it was the Saturday following our going Thursday.
Q. That is, she went to New Bedford the same day you went to Fairhaven?
A. Yes sir
If both ladies are telling the truth, I can only think of one explanation....they visited in New Bedford (or anywhere not in Fairhaven) and Lizzie was been a bit ornery in her answer. For the more conspiratorial minded, perhaps they visited Uncle John in South Dartmouth (just south of New Bedford). I recall a newspaper article that reported the sisters visited the home where Morse was staying. This story was never verified to my knowledge.
Anyway, tossing out a sub-topic to see what you all think.
Most of us know that Saturday, July 23rd might have been a key date for the murders, because that is when Lizzie was in New Bedford and shopping alone. We also know that Knowlton identified two different pharmacists in New Bedford that he had summoned to testify in the trial and there are solid indications that Knowlton believed Lizzie had attempted to purchase Prussic Acid at these pharmacies. Did she visit those pharmacies on the 23rd? Did she acquire a hatchet that day? Did she purchase dress cloth to make a duplicate dress? These are all possibilities that have been debated.
What makes the 23rd even more fascinating is that Lizzie may not have been forthcoming about her activities that day.
Below is testimony by Emma and Lizzie that directly contradict:
Lizzie Inquest testimony
Q. How long had she (Emma) been in Fairhaven?
A. Just two weeks to the day.
Q. You did not visit in Fairhaven?
A. No sir.
Emma Trial Testimony
Q. How long had you been in Fairhaven?
A. Just two weeks.
Q. And you were visiting?
A. Mrs. Brownell and her daughter.
Q. Had you seen Miss Lizzie during the two weeks?
A. Yes sir.
Q. When?
A. Well, I can't tell you what day it was. . . she had been at Fairhaven.
Q. Was it on her way over to or back from Marion?
A. Oh, I do know. She went to New Bedford when I went to Fairhaven, and I think it was the Saturday following our going Thursday.
Q. That is, she went to New Bedford the same day you went to Fairhaven?
A. Yes sir
If both ladies are telling the truth, I can only think of one explanation....they visited in New Bedford (or anywhere not in Fairhaven) and Lizzie was been a bit ornery in her answer. For the more conspiratorial minded, perhaps they visited Uncle John in South Dartmouth (just south of New Bedford). I recall a newspaper article that reported the sisters visited the home where Morse was staying. This story was never verified to my knowledge.
Anyway, tossing out a sub-topic to see what you all think.