Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Do you think that Lizzie actually bought all the books and had them destroyed with exception of a handful ? If so why ? Everything in that book was in the papers at that time.
How crazy - or should I say eccentric do you have to be to do something like that ?

No. I think its been established that there are copies in circulation and that is likely a Borden myth.

MB -- I seem to recall you have 2-3 copies yourself or you know someone who does.

More info from NYTimes, Feb 1, 1893. Controversy over use of photos
(plz click on pic)

In the LBQ (Lizzie Borden Quarterly) dated July 1997 there is a letter to the editor from Stewart P. Evans, England, who remarks at the end of his comments that "modern guesses seem to come up with a figure of 25 or thereabouts."
Also, there was found to be something rare: an edition with a picture of Andrew Borden-maybe a salesman's copy?
MBhenty knows most about this topic- William Schley-Urlich also was involved in the quest for knowledge on this subject, but sadly he is no longer with us.

Here is MBhenty's learned opinion on this Forum about copies of original Porters:
(Plz click on pic)

My recollection is correct that the rare photo of Andrew Borden was found in a "salesman copy" of Porter's Fall River Tragedy, and as a frontice piece. Found source in Michael Brimbaugh's article in The Hatchet, Spring, 2012 (vol 7, Issue 2), titled "Collecting Lizzie."
Can be found online Hatchet. (Plz click on pic)