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1. "Morse Musings..."
Posted by Kat on Apr-20th-02 at 12:51 AM

Y'all had been talking about Morse on the Lubinsky thread, and I have something I'm wondering about...
(uhoh, kat's "wondering" again...)

Anyway,
We agree he's a suspicious character.
We know his birthday is July 5th, the day before George Bush's birthday.  We know he shares a birthday with P.T. Barnum.  (Isn't he the guy that said "There's a Sucker Born Every Minute"?)
Barnum could sell you the Brooklyn Bridge...so it makes me see Morse as sort of a "used horse salesman"...a *tall talker*, a raconteur...a charmer. (Look what Bush has sold us...domestically)

So, what I was wondering is sort of along the lines of Harry's querry:
Why wasn't he more of a male authority figure to the girls in their need, especially on Thursday?  Why wander around the yard?  Is he making sure to see what the police do or do not find?
Wasn't he also in the cellar at one point?  (Trial, page 157).
Also, he stayed IN THE HOUSE, at least until Lizzie's arrest, I believe, and over that weekend, while Alice was still there, with 3 unmarried females .
This always got me.  In that day and age, shouldn't there have been a chaperone?
Also, with dead bodies lying about in the heat, and the occupants of the house basically confined to quarters, what do you envision those 4 people DID from morning till night?  Other than to watch the search?  They STILL had to have meals together, and evenings....  I can't imagine....

(Message last edited Apr-20th-02  2:13 PM.)

I'm supposing Morse stayed outside and followed police around the yard and cellar to protect the girls interests in his own way.

Maybe he felt more useful being snoopy and busy, knowing that dear Lizzie could take care of herself...she did have Alice with her, and Bowen before he went off to his lunch...

(Another thing I can't fathom...Bowen going home to *dinner*, in the midst of that carnage.  He at one point said it was the worst sight he'd ever seen...)

Hey Hey, I'm baaaaaaccccccckkkkkk...sorry about the absence but I had a wicked hectic work schedule this week and haven't had the time to get online...sooooooooo heeeeeerrrrrrrreeee's Bob'O...

Seriously though: the more I read concerning Uncle John the more I like him as having a very 'active' role in the double-whacking. Having been in the house and knowing the layout of the property I am not convinced that he spend nearly as much time as he claimed at Weybosset Street.

Yes he did go there, his niece and Mrs. Emery could vouch for his presence but I think that the police were hoodwinked by his complete recall of the car number and the conductor's number of the trolley he rode back to Second and Pleasant.

We can safely agree that the police of that era where not as astute as many of them are today.  In fact many of the then officers where little more than political hacks most of whom no doubt has less then Lizzie's 11th grade education.

Soooooo, it is my ascertion that Uncie played a bigger part then we can historically plot.  Of course his presence during the days post facto were of great importance to the case as he would no doubt be following cops all over the place during their several searches.

Dear Uncle J., I am sure would have been "most helpful" in assisting the cops as to WHERE TO LOOK and WHERE NOT TO LOOK.  He was not a slouch when it came to ceiphering things he had had many years of wheelin' and dealin' with horse traders...he was I would say...very "street wise.

That's my tale and I'm sticking to it.

BC

Why are some casting suspicion on Uncle John?
His stay was not "unchaperoned" - Abby was there, and, he was a relative. Why do some imagine the worst?

I believe Lizzie called him as a substitute for Andy: he would know how to handle this problem. And he did! The murderer was never uncovered until the Eagan-Hawthorne story.
Bridget was sent away, according to the legend, because she would eventually figure out the same thing.

Also, Jennings was involved the next day to fix things.
Then as now, "call us first then keep your mouth shut".

We don't know exactly when Jennings was called into the case, do we?
We have one line in Porter, 1893. ('Friday")
We have one or two lines in the New Bedford Evening Standard that contradicts this. ("Saturday"-which info was printed on Monday the 8th; but the papers are notoriously mis-informed...)

Was speaking of Morse staying in THE DEATH HOUSE with 3 unmarried females, at least until the 9th, according to the EVENING STANDARD.  If it was O.K., then why didn't he continue to stay there?...I don't believe he did.
It just was not done, not without an older married or widowed female chaperone.
Alice leaves Monday?
Morse leaves Tuesday?
Then the girls are alone till Thursday, when Lizzie is arrested. 
Then EMMA IS ALONE for 10 more months!!  (I believe she had a housekeeper).