Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Forum has been too quiet, so posting a relatively minor but intriguing inconsistency. I was rereading Medley's witness statement reports and noticed the disconnect in red below. The statement is dated August 5th, but he states the activity described occurred on August 7th. Just find that interesting and surfaces the question of how soon after interviews were these reports written. Are the statement dates the day of the interview or the day the report was written?
I presume the day of the interview. Since the reference to August 7th is the final sentence, there is the possibility that this was added after the original statement was written, but not sure why that would be the case.

The other aspect of this statement that is intriguing is that the comment in blue is directly contradicted by Mrs. Poole in Jennings Journals, pg. 251.
Per Mrs. Poole, "Thursday (Lizzie) got here in morning -- went down street in afternoon(,) about evening got home (,) about dark Emma & friend came in evening - Went to Whiting's (clothing store)."

Officer Medley Witness Statement - Pg. 31
Fall River August 5, 1892.
In accordance with instructions, I visited New Bedford. I find that Lizzie Borden arrived in that city on Thursday July 21st, and went to Mrs. Poole’s, the mother of a friend, a former schoolmate, living near South Water street. While there she never went out alone, always going in the company of the family, with one exception, that being Saturday morning July 23, when she went on the street to buy a piece of dress goods of some cheap material, being gone about one and 30 minutes. She went alone and returned alone. No one called to see her while here. She never made mention of her family affairs. On Tuesday Lizzie, Mrs. Poole, and Mrs. Poole’s daughter went to ride to Westport to see Mrs. Poole’s daughter who was a schoolmate of Lizzie’s, and who is now married to Cyrus W. Tripp. They spent the day there, leaving time enough for Lizzie to connect with train at New Bedford for Fall River. That was the last time the Poole’s saw her. While at Westport, Lizzie saw no one outside of the family. Made this visit to New Bedford August 7.

Hi Camgarsky:

There is certainly a discrepancy between the Jennings Journals & the witness statement about Emma's visit. I wonder why that is and why Mrs. Poole would lie? Seems a pretty significant detail for her to forget.

Regarding the date discrepancies in Officer Melody's witness statement, it's possible the investigation covered a two day period, from Aug. 5-7 and involved two separate visits.

Another possibility is that "New Bedford" was a typo and he meant to type Westport. The entry immediately following his comments on the New Bedford visit, Medley describes going to Westport to talk to Mrs. Poole's daughter, Augusta Tripp. The Westport trip was on the 7th. Or perhaps he revisited New Bedford as part of the visit to Westport on the 7th.

Medley police report (witness statements)
.....That was the last time the Pooles saw her. While at Westport, Lizzie saw no one outside of the family. Made this visit to New Bedford August 7.

Fall River, August 8, 1892.
Paid a visit to Mrs. Cyrus W. Tripp at her home in Westport on August 7, 1892. In reply to my questions she made the following statement. “Lizzie told me she thought her stepmother.....

Regarding the two interviews w/ Mrs. Poole. They are remarkably different...it is fairly clear that she was much less forthcoming w/ the police than with the defense lawyers. I guess that makes sense since Lizzie was to some degree a friend, but her additional information to Jennings is extremely thought provoking and informative. The quote (made Saturday afternoon)..."she (Lizzie) told me about getting Frank's pills" quite intriguing. KG Devil tried to figure out who Frank was and we came up with nothing. That aside, the comment could indicate that Lizzie visited an apothecary Saturday morning while she was shopping. Was that apothecary Wright's, of witness list fame?