The Lizzie Borden Society archive

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1. "William Borden & Taunton State"
Posted by Kat on Mar-9th-02 at 3:02 AM

Since "Absence of Blood" THREAD diverged into 2 interesting themes, here is an update on the Billy Borden /Taunton records.

Get out your Lizzie Borden Quarterly's dated FALL/WINTER 1995,
pgs.15-17, article by Jon N. Keller "The Mysterious William S. Borden."

"...In July of 1992, I decided to investigate Arnold's claim of a possible cover-up at Taunton State as concerns the existence and status of information about William S. Borden in their files.  I sent a letter of request to Gary C. Phillips, who is Chief Operating Officer there, for a copy of William's record.  I then made further inquires by telephone  with the records department at Taunton State Hospital while lodging in Fall River for the BCC Centennial Conference on Lizzie Borden.  They informed me that a record on William S. Borden did, indeed, exist in their attic archives and that they would agree to make a copy available to me.  Finally, on August 24, 1992, Taunton State Hospital sent me, via FAX, all the information they had on file concerning William S. Borden.  Since receiving this data, I can certainly say that I find Arnold Brown's allusions to a cover-up on the part of the state hospital to be groundless, to say the least.

The information does indeed establish that William Borden was in the asylum at one time prior to the April 20, 1901 news article.  However, the time of his stay at the facility is recorded as December 8, 1874 to December 2, 1875.   That is almost 20 years before the date that Arnold Brown supposes that Bill was committed to the asylum.

...Further it shows that William was never in Taunton during the 1890's as Brown supposes, but rather in the 1870's and therefore his treatment there seems to have had no relationship to either the Borden or Manchester murders.  The file clearly shows no admissions for Bill between the date of discharge on December 2, 1875 and the last curious entry in the record dated May 15, 1901, which concerns his alleged suicide in Fall River. "

--The article contains a facsimile or recreation of the original record.  Someone may wish to transcribe it here.  Otherwise:  "Watch This Space."

(Message last edited Mar-9th-02  3:03 AM.)

I can not dispute the findings in 1992 and even Brown interjects that he too had received conflicting information regarding William Borden. I submit that there were, as we can find too easily through public records, there may have very well been MORE THAN ONE William Borden. We must bear in mind that "our" William Borden was born out of wedlock as the result of an adultrous affair.  Whereas the Fall River directory of 1892 lists over 175 Borden heads it is, I submit, likely that more than one of any specific first named Borden did in fact exist.  If the directory lists 175 "heads" of families one can only imagine the off-spring and so on.  Brown, like all the other writers, offers us his theory and I find it plausible.

But were they all *cider-vendors* and commit suicide on the near same date?

Edit coming: You see, there is this article, and I can't supply you with a transcription here because of Copyright.  And if I try to paraphrase...well that's how misunderstandings and errors occur.
Therefore, you may assume there is more information here than just what I chose to expose from this article.  I'm sorry to leave you in limbo over this..but the facsimile of the record does state :

"5821 (p.287)  William S. Borden  Act 19   Married

May 15-01  A few days ago the above patient Wm. S. Borden committed suicide by taking carbolic acid, and afterwards hanging himself to a tree by the roadside."

The document also names his father as "Charles", his sister as "Eliza A. Borden" (a somtimes patient)(Which might be where Brown got his *inspiration* of Lizzie being related, though I doubt she was ever a patient)... and lists a sister "Amanda Taylor", also a somtime patient.  Also lists "MARRIED. Fall River. Labour."
"Hereditary.  2 Sisters and 2 Aunts insane."

(Message last edited Mar-9th-02  10:07 PM.)

Wasn't "hereditary insanity" a code word for 'syphilis', a disease that affected many person great and small in those times?

The recent biography of Howard Hughes mentions this disease, and how it affected his hearing. Does this remind you or a contemporary show business radio talk host? Could it explain his thinking?

Sounds more like our ex-president to me.

Is that Ford, Carter, Bush Sr? Some of these tripped over their words?
I'm sure "slick willy" would have his interns checked out by the White House physician - "reasons of national security"?

No Ray, It's old Slick Willie I'm referring to. Never once in his 8 years of shame did he release his medical records. Something to hide maybe?

It must have taken a lot of fumigation to clean up the place when he left. Then again he tried to take most of it with him until he was caught.

I figure if you're implying, Ray, that Wm. S. Borden, his 2 sisters and 2 aunts all were mad from syphillis, then that would have to reflect as far back as the GRANDFATHER, right? To affect Aunts?
Can that inflict 3 generations?
Also, you're supposing the aunts were of the same paternal lineage, which we don't know.
Let's stick to inherited genetic pre-dispositions combined with possibly poor diet, and poor nuturing.

It is certainly TRUE that poor nutrition in pregnancy and afterwards can cause mental retardation. That's the reason for the WIC program (food stamps). An ounce of prevention worth more than a pound of cure?

It is also probable that just William alone may have contracted a disease. Or from his mother or father. There may be a reason why Andy married an older woman past child bearing age, even tho he wanted a son (heir and spare?) to carry on his business. Then and now, the "glass ceiling" makes it more difficult for a women to be "one of the boys". Do we agree?

Note that the usual cure for syphilis was mercury: "it'll cure you if it doesn't kill you". And it also resulted in people "mad as a hatter". BTW did any of you browse thru last year's biography of Howard Hughes?

Do you agree that the secret of William Clinton's success is that he was a flunky of the Rockefeller's? (Like Kissinger.) How else can a dirt poor boy rise high in state or national politics?

Also, don't forget 'pellagra' as a temporary cause of insanity back then. Or the prevalent TB from poor diet (a disease that results from poverty, and the rise of Corporate Capitalism after the Civil War). There are books written about the effect of economy on health in the past. The present is too controversial to document.

Many excellent observations gents all valid and plausible points to ponder.  After reading Arnold Brown I have to give his theory some serious thought as to the person of William Borden, illegitimate son of Andy J.  All of Brown's assertions are that ole Billy boy was without doubt a genuine nut-case.  His nuttiness could have been attributed to any of one of your causes making this lost soul of history possible....BC

Note that a shameful disease like "hereditary madness" provides a reason for Lizzie to shield Wm Borden (the other living family members would agree with this!). Nothing would bring back Daddy Dearest, but keeping quiet would prevent a wider scandal to shame the living (and unguilty members). Even today families do not discuss abortion, unwed pregnancies, mental illnesses, etc. Or is it different in your families?

Not to mention another claim against the estate!

Right on....rays!!!  I have made this observation in many other threads that we are all but HUMAN...and therefore subject to all the strains of weakness and astigmas.  The only major league change from 19th century to 20th century to 21st century is...Technology!!

As far as the humanrace is concerned we are no different in 2002 then we were in 1892 (save for our health care program with sometimes leads to longevity).  And there were those who lived to 100 years of age and older back then maybe fewer than today, but they were here on planet earth.

The human mentality has not changed dramatically over the past 150 years as you have pointed out we don't talk about certain "embarrassing issues" within the family structure today as they did back in 1892 for the very same reasons.  BC

I'm not so sure I agree that "the human mentality" hasn't changed much in the past 100 years.  Maybe you meant the deeper emotions...but I think the "mentality" has evolved somewhat...and yes, DUE TO technology.  We are better informed, more sophisticated, and have a wider world vision, rather than a "small-town" view of existence.  We also have bigger government which means more red-tape in our every-day lives, and more *headaches* resultant.  We are also less in touch with nature at it's most pristine, and less in touch with our near-neighbors...therefore more isolated.  All these things WOULD make us *different* than our own very relatives from a century ago.
I admit the cruder emotions are the same, probably back as far as cave-man days--the emotions that incite MURDER.
But in my family we talked of EVERYTHING, even if we squirmed while it was happening.  My friend's family is the same way, and another I can think of.  More was *laid out on the table* to be discussed, than anyone cared to hear.  Maybe that's just big families?-kk

(Message last edited Mar-22nd-02  11:09 PM.)

Do you remember the whipered gossip about the Kennedys circa 1963? Partly political, and partly true!! Was JFK much different than LBJ? Or others whose history is still censored? Remember Warren Harding?

I read "Scorpion Tongues" last year, and another book about "capitol gossip". Your library may have a wider selection than mine.

In this other book (circa 1996?) about the White House. It said that Lincoln was probably infected during his business trips. That's why his wife ended up in a madhouse, and all his children after his first died young (like Henry VIIIs children). Also, they said this about Woodrow Wilson's "nervous breakdown" (altho they say it was really arteriosclerosis).

Could this explain the behavior of the many corporate presidents whose companies collapse? Not minding the store?

I browsed the biography of Howard Hughes, corporate president and loony, last month. I hope I can find the time to read it, they mention an awful lot of famous movie stars and other names.

(Message last edited Mar-26th-02  12:41 PM.)

To what are you refering, Ray?

I am referring to the "French pox" as it was called. Even today it is called bad taste to refer to it by its name. 25 years ago I read a book on the effect of diseases on human history - probably out of print. Miscalculations can be affected by the leader's health and emotions. Woodrow Wilson's failure to accomodate some Senators is blamed may be due to more than his pride.

Not too many people realize that 100 years ago brothels or "massage parlors" were more common than today. You can look up "massage parlors" or "escort service" in any fairly large city today. Such activity was held to be sinful and shameful, so they never recorded it in your high school history books.

Did anybody read the book titled "Capital Scandals"? Or something like this?