Who was on the Lizzie Borden trial?

Answer 1

The Borden case is one of the most interesting in American history. The fact that the case remains unsolved adds to the mystery. There was a handful of suspects but most were cleared of the double murder of Andrew and Abby Borden. In any murder, those closest to the victims are the most likely to be considered first. In the house that hot summer morning was Andrew, Abby, Lizzie and the Borden's maid Bridget Sullivan. A distant relative of the Borden's and a house guest at the time of the murders, John Morse was also considered a suspect early in the investigation. Lizzie's older sister Emma was actually miles away visiting friends in another town.

Morse had left the house after breakfast and his whereabouts were easy to verify, attending to some buisiness, securing his rock-solid aliby. So we know where Emma and Morse were, which leaves Lizzie or Bridget or as Lizzie claimed, a murdering intruder. This theory is the most farfetched and unbelievable scenario of all. There was as estimated 1 1/2 hrs. between the two murders. It is highly unlikely an intruder would have remained in the house for 90 long minutes with threat of discovery inevitable, considering that Lizzie and Bridget were doing chores in and around the house. So that leaves the suspect list much shorter. Lizzie or Bridget. Bridget had no reason to commit a double murder. And her story remained the same reguardless how many times she was interrogated. So that leaves only Lizzie. She had the means, motive, opportunity and desire to live a more opulent lifestyle than her pennypinching father would allow. Together with other circumstancial evidense makes for a very strong case with Lizzie as the killer. In fact, it is the only scenario that makes any sense at all. Fearing a change in her father's will and years of animosity probably pushed Lizzie to commit these murders.

OK - Given that, legally, it is still, officially, an unsolved murder - "shadow of a doubt", and all that. In the revue "New Faces of 1952", there was a song called "Fall River Hoedown", later recorded by the Chad Mitchell Trio and commonly called simply "Lizzie Borden". The song is comedy, and also implies that there was little doubt Lizzie did it.

Answer 2

The Lizzie Borden trial began June 5, 1893 and ended on June 20, 1893 with a verdict. The main players were as follows:

Judge Justin Dewey*

Prosecution:District Attorney Hosea Knowlton and Thomas Moody.

Defense:Andrew Jennings and George Robinson, former Mass. govenor.

Jurors:George Potter, Wm. F. Dean, Lemuel C. Wilber, Wm. Westcot, Louis B. Hodges, Augustaus Swift, Frank G. Cole, John C. Finn, Allen H. Wardell and Silas D. Dammon.**

*Justin Dewey was one of three judges that presided over Borden's inquest held shortly after her arrest. The other two:Caleb Blodget and Albert Mason.

**Does not include alternates.