The Lizzie Borden Society archive

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1. "Bridget's Trip to Ireland"
Posted by adminlizzieborden on Jan-8th-02 at 9:07 PM

By raystephanson on Saturday, 12/29/2001 - 02:42 pm [Edit] [Reply] [Msg Link]  
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Common opinion says Bridget Sullivan got a bundle of cash as a payoff from Lizzie, and went back to Ireland. Radin questions this because Bridget's testimony was not favorable to Lizzie (Bridget worked for the Sheriff?). Brown says Lizzie became a suspect to shield her father's secret, a family scandal kept hidden for decades.

I think common opinion, and the testimony from Montana, is correct. I guess Bridget got about $2500 (ten years' wages, half the reward money?) to go back to Ireland and never return to the US.

The reason is: Bridget knew too much - but didn't realize it yet! As the maid, she must have seen a man who resembled Andy or Emma or Lizzie, whose name said he was a relative. But she knew nothing else. In time, she could have found out more: where he lived, what he did for a living (butchering animals with a hatchet), and his personality (violent, crazy enough to be put in an asylum). She would then have added 2+2, just like Ellan Eagan and Henry Hawthorne did decades later. The payoff to Bridget was to help keep Andy's scandal secret.

This is my conclusion based on the facts known to me, thanks to Arnold R Brown's book.