Fall River, Massachussetts
So often hauntings are linked to tragic and unexpected deaths. One of the most startling cases of the 1800's and still disturbing in present day, is the events that occurred on August 14, 1892. It is the mystery of the murders that are so alluring, since they remain unsolved.
That morning, with Bridget the maid upstairs washing the windows, and spinster Lizzie Borden at home, Andrew Borden and his second wife, Abby, were brutally slain, most likely from an axe, judging by the wounds to their heads.
The family lived in a busy neighborhood, so in spite of a few neighbors claims of seeing a visitor enter the home, the police pinned the crime on daughter Lizzie Borden. Although she was questioned the same afternoon and free of any blood that would most likely coat the killer, some hypothesized she committed the act while nude, thus making clean-up easier.
Another thought of the police was due to the fact that Lizzie's stepmother was killed nearly an hour before Andrew, and if a stranger had done it, what was he doing during the hour between?
Lizzie was acquitted of the charges due to lack of evidence, and lived out her life in seclusion, later moving from Fall River. She now lays buried in the cemetary with her family, who's spirits aren't resting easily, according to visitors of the Lizzie Borden house.
The current owner turned the house into a bed and breakfast, an attraction to people curious about the mystery and ghost hunters.
Many have felt cold spots throughout the house, felt a presence, witnessed doors and shutters opening and closing by themselves, and even heard voices. Some claim to have seen the spirit of Abby tidying the same guest room she died in, or being tucked in at night by her. Others have seen the mattress and covers indented as though someone was lying there and then rise again.
Perhaps they won't rest easy until the mystery is solved. Recently, a program about the case was aired, and the modern-day detectives used current forensic technology to possibly unearth some facts of the case. While their results were inconclusive, some of the findings were astonishing. Upon spraying the ceiling in the basement and an antique basin in a recessed wall with luminol, a phosphorescent substance that react to blood, it glowed, indicating traces of blood over a century old!
Another field of forensic study, even newer, the study of post-mortem psychology provided insight into the possible state of mind of Lizzie Borden. The idea is based upon the general belief of her guilt, and if the hypothesis is correct, her motive stemmed from being molested by her father. According to the study, it explains why Lizzie (and possibly her older sister, Emma, out of town that fateful day) never married, and in cases where this occurs, it isn't uncommon for the child to at least partially blame the mother figure, also, hence both murders. Again, the claim is unsubstantiated.
At first glance, it's easy to believe the investigators charges against Lizzie. It was convenient, and made sense according to some details. The amateur detective in me has reared it's ugly head, and while I make no claims to either proving or disproving Lizzie's guilt, there are some interesting things to ponder.
The bodies were left for hours before finally being examined. Once the autopsies were performed, they were given to the funeral home to be prepared for burial, only to be disturbed once more to remove the heads for further study. The bodies of Abby and Andrew Borden were actually buried without them at first and later, after the trial, were exhumed so the skulls could be interred with them.
Additionally, though not entirely their fault, no definite murder weapon was found (the axe was suspected), no method was figured out (the theory was Lizzie was nude), and witness accounts were ignored if it didn't fit into the neat solution they formed.
As mentioned, Lizzie's stepmother died nearly a full hour before Andrew Borden, who was asleep on a sofa in the parlor downstairs. At some point, Lizzie claimed to be in the loft of the barn looking for fishing lures, which the police had a hard time believing due to the stifling August heat... yet the second floor bedroom apparently wasn't affected because the body of Abby Borden was "ice cold." If she was ice cold, according to the rate at which a body loses heat, the time frame would have been longer between the deaths.
At the time, Emma, Lizzie's older sister lived in the house, and she was visiting friends out of town. Her alibi checked out. Another person, Lizzie's uncle, John Morse, amazingly came to town only the day before, with intentions of spending the night, yet arrived with no luggage, which is also strange. It's likely he slept in the bed that Abby was making when she died.
John, Andrew's only brother, was investigated and also exonerated because his alibi vouched for him. He was across town at the time of
the murders. Interesting enough, John was once a resident of Fall River and had moved away for one of two reasons. Some sources say there was a falling out with Andrew over some business dealings; some say John was involved in shady business outside of the family. Furthermore, medical experts of the time, and modern day forensic scientists who have studied the facts are in agreement that it isn't very likely a woman could yield the force necessary for the blows suffered by the victims.
Though many questions arise in Lizzie's favor, just as many facts work against her. The afternoon of August 4, the day the murders occurred, Andrew Borden was set to withdraw the inheritance of both of his daughters and entrust it to his brother John, who vowed to cut their portion in half, and tends to blow the theory that he's the murderer. That same day, the farm was to be signed over to Abby, their stepmother.
Both daughters had been furious by the news, and this was what drove Emma out of town to get away. Lizzie had originally joined her and returned home early, and even visited a neighbor on August 3, the day before the murders, recounting in their conversation how many enemies her father had made. Another event that day placed Lizzie in a pharmacy inquiring about a toxin that's a known poison.
We may never have a definite answer to who is responsible for the deaths, and unfortunately, the spirits may never rest easy until the mystery is solved.
