1. "Looking for blood spots"
Posted by harry on Sep-16th-03 at 9:29 AM
One of the things that I had always thought was overlooked was a search for blood spots on the front stairs, the foyer, the upstairs landing, etc.
Apparently it was seached to some limited degree by Dr. Dolan. From the trial, page 978. Questioned by Knowlton:
"Q. Did you make any examination of the part of the house---something I also omitted ---between the place where Mrs. Borden's body was found and where Mr. Borden's body was found? For example, stairs or hallway, or the route that would be taken in going from one place to the other?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When did you make that examination?
A. That day, the day of the tragedy.
Q. Between the vicinity of the body of Mrs. Borden and the vicinity of the body of Mr. Borden, did you find any traces of blood?
A. I did not."
With the state of forensics in 1892 it could only have been a visual search. Unfortunately his testimony doesn't mention the time of day he made the search.
Blood tracks could have been made in both directions either by the killer, police or civilians.
Oooo, wouldn't it have been great if they had that chemical stuff that glows in the dark when blood is present! Can't recall the name of it now. I think we'd know the path that the killer took through the house and where they hid out between murders.
I think it is called Luminol or something like that. They
say it can always detect the presence of blood -- if it
can work on blood that has been cleaned with bleach, I
wonder if it would work on stains that are over 100 years
old? Even if the wallpaper was changed it might still show
up under it -- and the woodwork would have been painted over
and the floors are probably still the same boards under the
carpets. Who knows what they might find?
I always thought that was strange. How did the killer get from one body to the next without dripping blood somewhere on those stairs or carpet? Too bad there weren't clothes chutes in the house. You know, those holes in the bottom of closets that lead down to the laundry room? The weapon, wrapped in clothing, could easily have been dropped down something like that.
But does anyone think it might have been carried down in a laundry basket?
I'm beginning to wonder if Lizzie did strip down - no, wait - to her chemise for Abby's murder. She could've gathered it up to her waist and strolled with impunity to her room, where she'd have all the privacy she'd need (needless to say, the skirt of a dress could've been held the same way, to avoid bloodstains between rooms).
I think, sadly, that Luminol would be useless now in the Borden House, after years of repainting and wallpapering!
I bet it could still show it up -- killers can clean up
murder sites time & again & it will still show up. What if
they just put new paper over the old? They would have probably
painted over the old paint & not stripped it off & started new,
so all that 1892 stuff is more than likely still under there.
Ok, Kimberly - but YOU call Sally McGinn and tell her you're coming up with the wallpaper steamer and the Luminol! I'll bring the pizza!
Funny stuff!
It is also sensitive to gravy (meat sauce) etc. So it needs a trained person to be aware of FALSE POSITIVES.
We really need to get her here so we can ask about stuff like
that -- you know, what they did about decorating & if all the
old is under the new. Does Bill ever look in here???????????
Hello?????????
Hi Harry. I'm new to the forum and I'm trying to find out how to post a message. I'd appreciate any help you could give me. Also do you or anyone else know the dimensions of the Borden house - square footage etc. Thanks for your help
Hi Breezy and welcome!
You seem to have solved how to post a message but if there is any specific question you have you can ask here or or you can send a private e-mail via this forum. If you look at the upper right hand corner of this message, just below the date and time, you will see 3 icons. The one in the middle (with the red arrow) allows you to send the poster of that message a private e-mail.
Mr Bill Pavao the curator of the Lizzie Borden B&B recently sent us the room dimensions of the 92 Second St address. They are stored in the Privy section of the forum. Due to size considerations Arborwood drops them after a certain time. If you wish I can respost them in the Privy for you.
Breezy, check your forum mail box. I also posted the floor plans of the B&B in Lizzie's Privy.
One way of getting to your mail is to click "User menu" on top and then when the screen changes click the "Inbox" on the left side.
That's great, Har, thanks. I'm sure a lot of people could use that info on posting.
Thanks Harry I really appreciate your help
Where are my manners? Hi Breezy! Welcome to the forum!
ditto susan, breezy. welcome.
i see in your profile you have a cat. i think everyone here has at least one cat.
you'll see a lot of "Kat." she runs a cat orphanage. (she secretly filters for "must have cat.")
Susan doesn't have a cat. Does Kimberly?
That's remarkable about so many having cats. I wonder what that's all about?
Terence had a cat. The first picture I ever saw of him he had a cat on his shoulder! Stef had a cat and she kept it here. "Tartuffe". We called him "Too-fer-roo".
My cats are inherited and I'm truly grateful you didn't go the easy way of humor about me and my " _ _ _ house".
Hi and thank you Susan
Hi Haulover - nice to meet you. I too noticed while reading profiles that many of us have cats. I don't know about everyone else but I'm a curious person and being as cats are too I figure we are well suited to each other
No, I don't at the moment, but, that was the last pet I had, a cat. Her name was Katy or K.D. depending on my mood, she was the one who loved watermelon. If I could have pets in my current apartment, I'd get a cat in a heartbeat, I miss having a little furry, friendly face around the house.
You're welcome! Always nice to see new members join the forum, for some reason there always seems to be a core number of members that pretty much remains the same.