1. "August 26th, Second Day of The Preliminary Hearing, 1892"
Posted by Kat on Aug-26th-02 at 4:54 PM

The Fall River Tragedy, Ed. H. Porter, 1893

August 26th, Second Day of The Preliminary Hearing:
Pg. 97+
"DR DOLAN was placed upon the stand again and dwelt at length upon the question of his opinion as to which of the Bordens was murdered first. He said: 'I will say that the condition of the blood indicated that it had been out of the living tissues an hour and a half to two hours. Did not, the first time I was up-stairs, examine the edges of the wounds of Mrs. Borden. Formed my opinion of the time since Mrs. Borden's death when I first saw her. Think she must have been dead an hour and a half to two hours.'

Abram G. Hart was then called to the stand. He is the Treasurer of the Union Savings Bank, of which the late Mr. Borden was President. He testified: 'Saw Mr. Borden about 9:30 o'clock at the bank on the day of his death. He usually called at the bank at that time in the morning. The day before, at a quarterly meeting of the trustees, he was not present. He said on the morning of the day he died that he would have been present on the preceding day, but had been ill.'  The defense did not cross-examine the witness.

John T. Burrell, cashier of the National Union Bank, in which institution Mr. Borden was a depositor and stockholder, saw Mr. Borden come into his bank on the morning of Aug. 4, the day he died. Did not know if Mr. Borden came back to the bank again. The two banks are in the same building. The defense did not cross-examine.

Everett Cook, cashier of the First National Bank, of which Mr. Borden was a director, saw Mr. Borden at the bank Aug. 4. He came in about quarter of 10 and went out five minutes of 10. He did not come in again that day. He usually came in daily.

Charles T. Cook, insurance agent, had charge of one of Mr. Borden's business blocks on the corner of Anawan and South Main streets. He had been in the habit of seeing Mr. Borden, but did not see him on the day of the murder. The last time the witness talked with Mr. Borden was on the Sunday before the murder. There was no talk with reference to a will. Three weeks before that he had told the witness he had no will, but said nothing about making one. The witness positively denied that he had spoken to Inspector Medley about the fact that Mr. Borden was making a will.

Mrs. Dr. Kelly who lives next door south of the Borden residence, testified that she was at home on the morning of August 4th and saw Mr. Borden walking around from the back door as if he had been trying to get into the house. He had a small white package in his hand at the time. This was at twenty-seven or twenty-eight minutes before 11 o'clock, and she fixed the time, by an appointment which she had with the dentist.

Jonathan Clegg saw Mr. Borden in his store on the morning of the murder at 10:20 o'clock, and he left there exactly at 10:29 o'clock. On leaving the store Mr. Borden went south.

John Cunningham, a newsdealer, testified that he was in front of a house four houses north of the Borden place when he first heard of the murder. Saw Mrs. Churchill cross the street. Was told that Mrs. Churchill wanted a policeman and telephoned to the City Marshal by a clerk in the paint shop. It was ten minutes to 11. Cross-examined by Mr. Jennings--'When I telephoned I was going up towards the store. Mrs. Churchill I saw coming from her own house, I should think. Mrs. Churchill came over to some men. I passed them, and after I had gone three or four feet a boy told me Mrs. Churchill wanted me to telephone. Officer Allen then came along. He went in the house right off and came out. Charles Sawyer went into the house with Mr. Allen. Then I went down street, and when Mr. Allen came out I asked him what the matter was and went in. Found Mr. Manning and Mr. Stevens, two reporters, in the yard. Did not notice anybody go in the barn.'
Mr. Jennings--'Did you notice the cellar door, Mr. Cunningham?' 'I did particularly. I tried it and it was locked. I remained there about ten minutes more. Officers Doherty and Mullaly came.'

Francis H. Wixon, a deputy sheriff, was in the Marshal's office when he heard of the murder. The Marshal was talking through the telephone. It was about ten or fifteen minutes past 11, as on his way to the office he heard the bell in the city hall strike 11. The witness went up five or six minutes after the message was received and arrived at about 11:30 o'clock. There were not many people in the house and the witness saw Dr. Bowen there upon his arrival. Officer Doherty overtook the speaker in the yard, and together they went in the house, and looked at the body of Mr. Borden. He knew nothing about Mrs. Borden's murder and had some consultation with Dr. Bowen. The result was that the witness removed Mr. Borden's watch. Saw nothing of Lizzie Borden. Dr. Bowen then went upstairs and the witness and the officer followed. He saw Dr. Dolan there before the witness left. Continuing, Mr. Wixon said, 'I went out in the yard and looked south. There I saw a man in an open space, who was sawing wood. In the same lot two other men at work. They had not heard of the murder and I told them.'

At this point the court took a recess for dinner, and upon coming in again, John Shortsleeve testified to having seen Mr. Borden in a shop on South Main street at 10:30 or 10:40 o'clock. Then John V. Morse, a brother of Mr. Borden's first wife, was called, and said:
'I am 59 years old; live at present at the Borden house. My permanent home is Dartmouth. I used to live in Iowa, in the West. I returned home from the West after living there 20 years, three years ago last April. I first lived in Warren and then in Dartmouth. My sister, the past Mrs. Borden, died about 1863. Heard of the marriage to the second wife before I came from the West. Have resided in Dartmouth the past year, coming to Fall River every month or two. In connection with the tragedy, left New Bedford to come here August 3 on 12:35 train.[ Saw Lizzie at the Borden house-sic]. Arrived there at about 1:30 o'clock; dined there, stayed till after 3, then went over to Swansea; hired a horse and wagon, and got back about a quarter of 9. Visited Borden's farm and another place; went there on business relating to Mr. Borden; went there to see about cattle that day; invited Mr. Borden to go with me. I saw Mr. and Mrs. Borden on my return. Emma did not arrive until the night of the tragedy at about 6 o'clock. I did not see Lizzie until after the couple were killed. I heard her come in the night before and go up the front stairs. This was about 9:15. Her room was at the head of the front stairs, and I occupied the spare chamber. This room was not accessible at night from the stairs. Mr. and Mrs. Borden slept in the east room next to Lizzie's room. Miss Emma's room was just north of Lizzie's, just back of the spare room. Stairs lead from Miss Lizzie's room to the spare room. I did not hear Miss Lizzie's voice when she entered. I retired about 10 o'clock. Mrs. Borden retired first. I rose about 6 o'clock and came down stairs a few minutes afterwards. When I came down I found no one, and I first saw Mr. Borden. This was fifteen minutes after I came down. He entered the sitting room and Mrs. Borden appeared soon afterwards. I took breakfast with the family, Mr. and Mrs. Borden and myself. We ate breakfast at about 7 o'clock, and I then saw the servant. She waited on the table, coming in when the bell was rung. There were bananas on the table. After breakfast we went into the sitting room and engaged in conversation. Mrs. Borden came in and out of the room, and was dusting. She had nothing on her head. I went away at a quarter before 9, and Miss Lizzie had not been down, to my knowledge. I went down to the post office and mailed a letter. Then I went up Pleasant to Weybosset street to visit a niece at the home of Daniel Emery. This is about a mile away.'

District Attorney--'Where did you go when you went away from the house? I don't ask this for my own sake. The witness is no client of mine, but it's only fair in view of what has been said that he should tell his story.'

'The last I saw of Mrs. Borden she was in the front entry. The last words Mr. Borden said were: "John, come back to dinner." I fix the time I left the Borden house at a quarter of 9 by having my watch with me. I saw Mrs. Borden go into the front hall before I left home. Can't say if she had a feather duster in her hand. It was the last time I saw her alive. It was Mr. Borden who let me out that morning. The letter I posted was, I think, to Mr. William Lincoln [sic]. I walked up to Emery's; left there at 11:20 o'clock. The dinner hour at the Borden house was usually 12 o'clock. I came back on the horse car down Pleasant street, and went right up Second street. At the door the servant girl told me of the affair. Inside the house were Mr. Sawyer, Dr. Bowen and two policemen. I did not see Dr. Dolan there. Then it was about a quarter of 12, I should estimate. After I had been in the house two or three minutes I saw Miss Lizzie in the dining room on the sofa. I spoke to her, but I do not remember what I said. I saw the bodies and then went down stairs and saw Lizzie. I did no searching. The last time I was at the house before this was in the middle of July. I did not see Miss Lizzie then. I was there in June and stayed a day and did not see Miss Lizzie at that time. I was on corresponding terms with Mr. Borden and Emma when I was West. I never had a letter from Lizzie in my life.'

Mr. Morse testified that Mr. Borden had told him that most of the family had been sick the day before. He was also questioned at length concerning the condition of things at the house when he arrived.

Bridget Sullivan was then called and said: 'My name is Bridget Sullivan, and I was known by the name of Maggie at the Borden house. I was employed there for two years and nine months. I swept the front hall every other week and had no duties in the bedrooms. At the time of the tragedy Miss Emma was not at home. She had been out of town for a week, and when she was gone the family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Borden and Miss Lizzie. Miss Lizzie went with Miss Emma when she went away, but came back. I first saw Mr. Morse between 1:30 and 2 o'clock on the day he arrived. I saw him again walking out in the afternoon. I did not see him when he arrived home that night. I got up at 6:15 o'clock Thursday morning, and it was 10 o'clock the night before when I retired. I locked the screen door and the back wooden door before I went to bed. When I came down in the morning I found the doors exactly as I had left them, and I opened them. I went out for milk, and afterward hooked up the screen door. The back door remained open. Nobody else came in or out that I can remember, except members of the house. I did not go out of the house again until Mr. Borden went out. Nobody was up when I came down, and the first one I saw was Mrs. Borden. I saw her in the kitchen and on the back stairs at half past 6. Never knew anybody to go up the back way to the front part, or the front way, to the back part; Mr. Borden came down about two minutes after Mrs. Borden; he went out doors before breakfast; he went into the barn and got some water; he emptied a pail from the house and came back; I was in the kitchen all the time; after Mr. Borden came in with his pail he washed up; he put his dressing coat on after washing up; think he put his necktie and collar on after breakfast; we had for breakfast cold mutton, soup, johnny cakes and coffee; breakfast, as nearly as I recollect, was at 7:15; after breakfast they were in the sitting room; Mr. Morse had come down to breakfast; he went out at quarter of 9, I should judge; Mr. Borden let him out; Mrs. Borden, I expect, was in the sitting room when Mr. Morse went; I saw Mr. Borden there about 9; don't know when Mr. Morse went;
after Morse went, Mr. Borden went up the back stairs; did not see him when he came down or went out; don't know if he went out the front or back door; I went out in the back yard awhile; I was sick at my stomach and vomited; did not see Mrs. Borden when I came back; was out in the yard four or five minutes[sic], and came back into the kitchen and washed dishes. Mrs. Borden told me she wanted the windows washed inside and outside all around the house. I did not see Mrs. Borden after that. She went into the kitchen. The next time I saw her she was dead. Lizzie was then through with her breakfast. She came downstairs before I went outside. She was then in the kitchen. When I came back I don't know where she was. I asked Lizzie what she wanted for breakfast and she said she didn't feel like eating anything. When I saw Mrs. Borden she had a dusting cloth and was dusting the dining room. I didn't know where Lizzie was. That was after both men had gone. I don't know whether or not I locked the screen door after I came in from vomiting. I then cleaned up the kitchen and straightened up and commenced to prepare to wash the windows. I went down cellar and got a pail, got a brush from the closet and went out to the barn to get a stick. Miss Lizzie then came into the back entry and asked where I was going. I told her I was going to wash windows and that she need not hook the door. I told her I'd get the water in the barn, and she said all right. The door was then hooked and I had to unhook it. I was down in the cellar earlier in the morning to get coal and wood. The next time I went down was when I got the pail. It was half an hour after Mrs. Borden told me to wash the windows before I commenced. During that time I did not see Miss Lizzie except when she came to the screen door. Where she was I don't know. I had not been doing any work in the spare room; Lizzie Borden never did work in the spare room when her friends had occupied it. After I went out to wash the windows I saw Lizzie; she had asked me as I went out if I was going to wash the windows; I told her yes, and that if she wanted to close the windows I would get water in the barn; five windows I had to wash; I shut three before I went out, and two others were already shut. I did not see Miss Lizzie after I got out; I had not seen anybody while I was in the barn after the dipper. When I went down stairs after the pail, I went down the kitchen stairs. We wash on Monday, and iron Tuesday, and on Monday and Tuesday the cellar door was open. I opened the door the day I hung my clothes out, and don't know if anybody else went in or out of it that week before the murder. I shut and locked the door Tuesday, myself. I got through washing the windows at twenty minutes past 10, I think. Washed the sitting room side first and then the parlor and last the dining room. The windows were shut upstairs. I then went inside at the screen door, hooked it, and getting a hand basin washed the sitting room windows inside. Did not see Lizzie or Mr. Borden in the house while I was washing the sitting room windows. Didn't see anybody outside or in the house while I was washing windows. I heard Mr. Borden try to get in at the front door. Afterwards went to the front door and found the bolt and lock turned. Miss Lizzie was upstairs at that time. She might have been in the hall, for I heard her laugh upstairs as I let Mr. Borden in. I went to open the door and it was locked, and I made some exclamation when she laughed aloud. I did not see her until five or ten minutes afterwards. I was in the sitting room. Mr. Borden came in and sat down at the head of the lounge in the dining room. He was reading and I was in the sitting room washing windows. I did not see her when I let Mr. Borden in. I heard her tell her father that Mrs. Borden got a note and went out. Lizzie spoke very low. I don't know where Lizzie went then, and I don't know whether or not she stayed in her room. After I finished in the sitting room, Mr. Borden took the key from the sitting room shelf and started upstairs the back way. When he came down I was just going into the dining room. I did not see Miss Lizzie then. She was not in the dining room, sitting room or kitchen. Then Mr. Borden sat down near the window in the sitting room, with a book or paper in his hand. He brought the key back and put it on the shelf. He sat in an easy chair, and I had started to wash the first window in the dining room. I did not see Miss Lizzie, and only saw her when she came into the dining room, and then to the kitchen, and then back again to the dining room with an ironing board. She placed the ironing board on the dining room table. Where she came from I do not know. She put the ironing board on a corner of the table. It was about two feet long. She always ironed the handkerchiefs. I did not hear Mr. Borden leave the chair in which he was sitting. After I finished I came into the kitchen, and Miss Lizzie asked me if I was going out. I told her I didn't know, as I was feeling sick, and she said if I went out to be sure and lock the door, as 'I may be out,' and Mrs. Borden had got a note and gone out. I then went upstairs to my room, and Miss Lizzie was down stairs working at the ironing board. She came out and told me there was a sale of dry goods at Sargent's. If Mr. Borden changed his position to the sofa, I didn't know it. Soon after I got upstairs it struck 11 o'clock. I was then lying in bed, but I didn't take my clothes off. I thought I had time enough to get dinner at half past 11. I always went upstairs before dinner if I had time. Didn't look at the fire before I went upstairs. The dinner was to be soup to warm over and cold mutton. Had not put the soup on, and the potatoes were in the soup. A coal fire was started in the morning. I was going down stairs about 11:30. Had not gone out of the screen door again after I commenced to wash the windows inside. I next heard something when Lizzie called me. It might have been ten or fifteen minutes after I came upstairs. She hollored at me. I knew from the way she hollored something was the matter. She hollored loud; she said her father was dead. She told me to run after Dr. Bowen. I wanted to run in ahead and see, but she told me to run quick and tell the doctor. I went and told Mrs. Bowen about it. Mrs. Bowen told me to tell Miss Russell about it and I went back and told Miss Lizzie. She told me to go after Miss Russell. When I got back from the Bowens, Miss Lizzie was still at the door. When I got back from Miss Russell's Dr. Bowen had just got out of his wagon, and I think Mrs. Churchill was there. Miss Lizzie was then in the kitchen. We talked, and Miss Lizzie said she'd like us to search for Mrs. Borden. I said I'd go upstairs, and Mrs. Churchill said she'd go with me. I went up and saw Mrs. Borden before I went in. When the house was searched that day a box of hatchets was behind the furnace. I don't know if the cellar door was open when the officers were searching the house the day of the murder. I asked Lizzie where she was, and she said she was out in the back yard.'

'When was it she said that?'

'After I got back from Mrs. Russell's.'

'Do you know what dress she had on?'

'I don't know.'

'Had Mrs. Borden said anything to you about going out?'

'No, Sir.'

'Was it her habit to notify you when she went out?' Mr. Adams promptly objected to this and the Court excluded the question.

'Then the only thing you know about her going out was what Lizzie told you?'

Mr. Jennings objected to this question and said that while he did not object to the District Attorney asking leading questions on unimportant matters, this was altogether too serious a point to allow such queries. District Attorney Knowlton declined to take this view of the matter, and a discussion commenced, pending which an adjournment for the day was taken."

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts VS. Lizzie A. Borden, The Knowlton Papers, 1892-1893, Fall River Historical Society, 1994.

Pg. 36+, HK027:

"Boston   Mass.   Aug. 26 / 92

Dist. Attorney Knowlton
Fall River   Mass.

Dear Sir you are fooling your time away trying to place the Deed of the Borden Family upon the young Lady Miss Lizzie Borden as I can Satisfy you if you Could only get hold of me that she is not guilty the Peddler Robensky speeks the truth I did purchase the several articals of him, and took his advise and walked to New Bedford then took the train for Boston Where I have been ever since.  No power Will Ever hang me for the Deed for I Shall Blow My Brains out, but before I do I shall Clear Miss Borden in some way.  Without Showing the Fall River police that thay are in any way Smart.  I had a motive and I Swore that I Should kill the Bordens and kill I have BUT I hope no Innocent person will suffer for my Crime.  I could tell you all the particulars if I could have my revolver at my head to not give you a Chance to hang me   I slept in the Barn the night before.   after the deed I jumped the fence and flew down to the Pond, and Washed my face and hands the police will find my coat and pants buried about 10 feet out in the Pond also my old Black Slouch Hat, is all covered up by 3 large stones, don t  fail to hunt for the Same.  As I speek truthful for this once, if never again, please try to Convince all people that poor Lizzie is INNOCENT for God Knows she is and so do I Murder will out, but I will kill Myself before any of you get hold of me.  poor girl poor girl She is all I care for.  I have a good mind to give Myself up, but know I will Clear the Girl before she will suffer more than she does now.
I live at # North St. ever since.   Whiskey done the deed not me."

Great stuff, Kat!!!  Lets do a shot of whiskey to the Preliminary Hearing! 

If we're talking shots, let it be morphine...have to stay in character

Ooops, I forgot, the WCTU may be watching!!!  How about a shot of Prussic Acid with a pear juice chaser? 

Could that have been a hoax to mislead the investigation?
AR Brown tells that the letter from "Samuel Robinsky" (sp?) was a contrived hoax from Lizzie's lawyer Arthur Phillips. But he doesn't go into the reasons why; because of cutting 1100 pages down to 350?

I'll tell you something...that letter didn't NEED to be a *contrived* hoax.[my use of your phrase I am applying to this "Whiskey" letter]] .....there were plenty of letters like that...who knows why they wrote that stuff?

I just came across the "Robinsky" letter today in the Sourcebook.
I believe it was investigated so thoroughly that the Police Officers of Boston & Fall River pretty much PROVED it was phony and SAID SO, 100 years before Brown ever did.  (See Witness Statements ...or my SUSPECT LIST at Museum/Library)

(Message last edited Aug-27th-02  10:10 PM.)

BROWN,
The Legend, The Truth, The Final Chapter, Nashville, Rutledge Hill Press, 1991
Page 227

"[A] letter from a Samuel Robinsky. It is reproduced here exactly as it was printed in the Globe.

Waltham, Massachusetts
August 27, 92

Miss Emma Borden:---Dear Madam.---You must excuse that I take the liberty of sending you these few lines. I ought to have written to you before but I was unable to do so as I was travelling every day. My name is Samuel Robinsky, I am a Russian peddler when the fatal murder in Fall River occurred I was only a few miles from Fall River that day while sitting on the roadside towards New Bedford  I met a man who was covered with blood he told me that he worked on a farm that he never could get his wages so he had a fight with the farmer he said he ran away and did not get any money after all he had was a 5 doll bill he bought from me four handerchiefs 1 looking glass 1 necktie collar and shoe blacking his boots was covered with blood and he puts lots of blacking on it.
I helped him to fix up again and get cleaned but by this time I did not know anything about the murder. I felt sorry for him and thought only he give the farmer a good licking. I advised him to travel at night which he said he would do, as he feared arrest during the day. I gave him my lunch and he gave me a quarter and told me not to say anything that I met him he asked me what time the train left for Boston after 8 o'clock at night and I told him he had also a bundle with him, which was about two feet thick or big when I was peddling I did not read any papers only Sundays, as I am studying the English language.
When I was in Boston last Sunday a friend of mine told me about the Fall River murder. I told him that I was in Fall River and around the neighborhood. I told him about my stranger and my friend said but why did you not report this to the police. I told him I was afraid as they would lock me up as a witness, and another thing, I did not have any license so I was afraid, I told my friend I would write to you or Mr. Jennings. I read last Sunday's Boston Globe and thought that I might have seen the murderer. If I should see him in Boston I am sure yes dead sure I should know him again.
He is of medium height dark brown hair reddish whiskers or moustache weighs about 135 pounds gray suit brown derby hat his shoes was what they called Russian leather no blacking on so called summer shoes. He put my blacking on to make them look black and people would not see the blood. It was about 4 o'clock noon that day I only heard about the murder at 6 or 7 o'clock that night. I kept quiet as I have no license and feared to be arrested my stranger was very much afraid he asked me a million times if he looked all right again, and I brushed him off with my shoe brush and told him to wait till dark.
If I come again to Fall River next week I shall call on you if you think it is necessary but all I can swear to is the stranger which I have seen that afternoon this is all but if this man was the murder I can not say, but I shall find him out of 100,000. Will close now will go to Fitchburg tomorrow morning and return to Boston Saturday night. Please do not say anything to the police as I have no license and would be arrested. If I had known about the time I met my stranger it would have been different as I would have followed him up and perhaps got the reward.
I thought it was a poor farm hand so took pity on him as I know as a rule farmers seldom pay their hands during summer.
Hoping that my information will be of some use to you,

I remain very respectfully,
SAMUEL ROBINSKY.

P.S. Please excuse paper and mistakes as I am a foreigner."

--This rendition of the letter is different than the one published in the Lizzie Borden Sourcebook, pg. 151, possibly from the Fall River Daily Herald.  The dates are contrary, to begin:  The Sourcebook has a date of August 17, '92.  This copy from Brown has a lot of run-on sentences to begin, whereas the Sourcebook has regular punctuation and beginning sentence capitals.  There is a word left out here or there, in Brown, that shows up in Sourcebook.  Either one of these copies is correct and one an abomination, or they are both sadly wrong. 
Anyone know a third source to add as comparison?


(Message last edited Aug-29th-02  12:35 AM.)

This is how the Robinsky letter appeared in the Aug 25th, 1892 New Bedford Evening Standard:

Waltham, Mass. Aug. 17, 1892.
Miss Emma Borden.
Dear Madam --- You must excuse that I take the liberty in sending you these few lines.  I ought to have written you before this, but I was unable to do so as I was travelling every day.  My name is Samuel Robinsky.  I am a Jewish peddler.  When the fatal murder in Fall River occurred I was only a few miles from Fall River that day.  While sitting on the roadside towards New Bedford, I met a man who was covered with blood.  He told me that he worked on a farm and that he never could get his wages, so he had a fight with the farmer.  He said he had run away and not got any money after all.  All he had was a $5 bill.  He bought from me four handkerchiefs, one looking glass, one necktie, a collar and some shoe blacking.  His boots were covered with blood and he put lots of blacking on them.  I helped him to fix up again and get cleaned.  But at this time did not know anything about the murder.  I felt sorry for him and thought only that he gave the farmer a good licking.
I advised him to travel at night, which he said he would do, as he feared arrest during the day.  I gave him my lunch and he gave me a quarter and told me not to say anything that I had met him.  He asked me what time the train left for Boston after 8 o'clock in the evening, and I told him.
He also had a bundle with him, which was about two feet thick or big.  When I am peddling I do not read any papers, only Sundays, as I am studying the English language.
When I was in Boston last Sunday, a friend of mine told me about the Fall River murder.  I told him that I was in Fall River and around the neighborhood.  I told him about my stranger and my friend said:
But why did you not report it to the police?
I told him I was afraid, as they would lock me up as a witness, and another thing, I did not have any license, so I was afraid.  I told my friend that I would write to you and Mr. Jennings.  I read last Sunday's Boston Globe and thought that I might have seen the murderer.  If I should see him here in Boston, I am sure, yes, dead sure, I should know him.
He is of medium height, with dark brown hair and reddish whiskers or moustache, weighing about 135 pounds.  He wore a gray suit and a Derby hat.  His shoes were what you call russia leather, no blacking, or so called Summer shoes.  He put my blacking on to make them look black and people could not see the blood.
It was about 4 o'clock (noon) that day.  I only heard about the murder at 6 or 7 o'clock that night.  I kept quiet, as I had no license, and feared to be arrested.  My stranger was very much afraid.  He asked me a million times if he looked all right again, and I brushed him off with my shoe brush.  I told him to wait till dark.  If I go again to Fall River next week I shall call on you if you think it is necessary, but all I can swear to is the stranger which I have seen that afternoon.  This is all, but if this man was the murderer I cannot say, but I shall find him out of a hundred thousand.  I will close now.  Will go to Fitchburg to-morrow morning and return to Boston Saturday night.
Please do not say anything to the police for I would be arrested.  If I had known about the murder about the time I met my stranger it would have been different as I would have followed him up and perhaps got a reward.  I thought it was a poor farm hand and so took pity on him as I know as a rule farmers seldom pay their hands during the Summer.  Hoping that my information will be of some use to you, I remain
Very Respectfully,
  Samuel Robinsky.
P.S. Please excuse paper and mistakes as I am a foreigner.

THANKS a lot, Harry!
That is JAW-DROPPING!

Two news sources the same but Brown is different.

However, we don't have the original Globe article, of which he says this is an exact  transcription.

Musn't come to any conclusions, or What?

Spiering, Frank
The Story of Lizzie Borden, Random House, N.Y., 1984, pg. 128 (paperback):

"Waltham, Mass., August 17, 1892
Miss Emma Borden:

Dear Madam- You must excuse that I take the liberty in sending you these few lines. I ought to have written to you before this, as I was unable to do so, as I was travelling every day. My name is Samuel Robinsky. I am a Jewish peddler. When the fatal murder in Fall River occurred I was only a few miles from Fall River. That day, while sitting on the roadside, towards New Bedford, I met a man who was covered with blood ...

(Note:  This section is author's insertion--"The letter described the man as medium height, weighing about one hundred thirty-five pounds, with dark brown hair and reddish whiskers, clothed in a gray suit and a brown derby hat. The letter continued": )

I read last Sunday's Boston Globe and thought that I might have seen the murderer. I kept quiet as I had no license and feared to be arrested. My stranger was very much afraid.... If I come again to Fall River next week I shall call on you, if you think it is necessary, but all I can swear he is the stranger which I have seen that afternoon. Will close now. Will go to Fitchburg tomorrow morning and return to Boston Saturday night. Please do not say anything to the police. I would be arrested. If I had known about the murder the time I met my stranger it would have been different, as I would have followed him up and perhaps got the reward.
I remain very respectfully,

Samuel Robinsky

P.S. Please excuse paper and mistakes as I am a foreigner."

--This rendition of the same letter is now the worst I've seen.  Sentences are actually rearranged to suit the author Spiering.  We still need that Globe.

In Porter's work, page 92-93, there are several differences from the Standard as well.
In the first 3rd of the document there are about 10 differences.

Even if we got the Globe who's to say THEY didn't transcribe incorrectly, especially from original handwriting?  Is there any point in comparing further?

The letter itself would be the standard.

Could AR Brown have gotten it from the Knowlton papers? A photocopy of the letter would answer that (if significant to research this).

What about that letter posted from Albany? I wonder if that was Joseph Carpenter's attempt to pay back Andy, and clear the innocent Miss Lizzie?

You know, that was a good question.
I thought later I should probably been more clear by stating Also where the Doc. WASN'T.

You're right about checking Knowlton, because I did look there last.  But then I realized that since the letter was directed specifically to EMMA, Knowlton wouldn't have it, except as a copy.  It may end up in the Hilliard Papers.(Coming soon?)  That would be a likely place.

The other books I checked before I threw in the towel because I saw the trend and where we were headed with this:
Pearson--no
Sullivan--no
Lincoln--no
Radin--no
Knowlton--no
--"no" meaning not mentioned.

Kat, the letter is mentioned in Lincoln, but, no name given as to who sent it.

Page 212

The interested reporters needed to have their attention diverted.  During the recess, the graceful Melvin O. Adams called them together and handed out copies of a letter to one and all; the original, he explained, had been mailed to Emma Borden from Waltham on the day of Lizzie's arrest.

   The letter was from a man who identified himself as "a Jewish pedler" who traveled about selling handmirrors, shoelaces, blacking, and the like.  He said that "when the fatal murder occurred" he had met a bloodstained man not far from Fall River who told him that he had got into a fight with a farmer.

  Mr. Jennings, the reporters were told, had telegraphed the Mayor of Waltham, who replied that nobody of the name signed to the letter lived there, though he might have come from Boston.

I don't know if that is what you are looking for or not? 

(Message last edited Aug-29th-02  9:03 PM.)

Thanks.  That was a good find.

A "fatal murder"?  Is there any other kind?

Mailed the day of Lizzie's arrest?
The letter is dated Aug. 17, Lizzie was arrested Aug. 11.
Poor Lincoln can't get away with anything!

Thanks for this very interesting information. AR Brown was right again in deducing this was a forgery (from Arthur Phillips?). It was sent to Emma!!! Sending it to the officials would be some sort of crime, I guess. But a private letter would not be a crime.

Note that letter from Albany was sent to BOTH Knowlton and the police chief. In case only one of them was on the take? That author really knew something, even if he had to disguise himself and his knowledge.

I don't understand...

Post #8, 9, 11 & 14 all stated the letter was to EMMA.

What's new info about that?

Your reply was to what Lincoln wrote?

That would be the LAST person I would refer to...??

What's the Albany letter?  Carpenter?

If the letter from "Robinsky" in the Knowlton Papers must be a copy of Emma's, wouldn't the letter to hopefully appear in the Hilliard papers be a copy, too?  How would that be a good thing then, other than as another dubious cross-reference?

I think Rays means the Carpenter letter.

I had decided just that, myself.
Only the letter itself could meet our standards.
It seemed possible that it would "show up" in the Hilliard Papers, eventually.  But yes, that still makes no difference.  Even though it's not in the Knowlton Papers, that I could find: ( not in the Index or Glossary A or B), which is pretty dependable, I'd think even trying to get hold of it from the Globe (Brown's source) would be useless because THAT could be mis-transcribed as well.
All we would prove with that source was whether or not Brown's transcriber was "EXACT" as to that copy.

The 2 newspaper sources that are mentioned on this thread, now also appear to have discrepancies, as I've checked the Sourcebook (Herarld?) to the Evening Standard Harry posted.

That means out of 6 sources:
Standard
Herald
Brown
Spiering
Lincoln
Porter
none are compatible with another.
As in, there's no point without the original letter, absolutely, yes.

(Message last edited Aug-30th-02  8:09 PM.)

That is fascinating.  Six different sources and none compatible.  Are they ALL different from one another??  No, I sure wouldn't call the Globe a sure source, nor any of the newspapers.  They were in competition with one another and, for whatever reason, to this day if I read an article I'm familiar with the story of there's always some error in it. 

I suppose these authors got their transcriptions from different newspapers...and the report was faulty and compound that with the author's transcription being faulty.
-So we have an original letter.
-Then the defense copies it?  according to Lincoln and hands it out?
-Then the recipient newsperson files it with the desk.
-The typesetter makes mistakes or is ordered to make corrections for "clarity"?
-Each paper then prints a slightly different version with differing puncuation which can change the essential meaning of some sentences.
-Then an author hires someone to find a source.  That source is copied or transcribed.
-An author may make changes to emphasis a theory.
-The editor may make changes for some reason?
-The publishing house may err in the re-transcription or typesetting of the manuscript. (Back in the old days...1893 to 1991, Porter to Brown)
-VOILA!  Garbage!

--I know I'm not telling anybody anything they don't already know.  I'm just thinking aloud, and getting it down in black and white...or will it be blue on beige?

Good post, Kat.  Actually I never sat down and reasoned it out so thoroughly.  You're right - just a change in punctuation can change the meaning of a whole sentence. 

Yes, I agree!  Therein lies one of the biggest problems, I think, in studying this case. Just a small change here and there has changed the story, meanings, etc. 

That letter from Albany [Joseph Carpenter?] was sent to the two officials, as I remember. If that letter was sent only to Emma [from  a fictitious "Samuel Robinsky"] then that would be why Lizzie's lawyer introduced it as "evidence". So look in the Jennings documents.

The Albany letter is noted in David Kent's "40 Whacks".

(Message last edited Aug-31st-02  8:06 PM.)

Punctuation Counts:

An English professor wrote the words, "Woman without her man is nothing," on the blackboard and directed the students to punctuate it correctly.

The men wrote: "Woman, without her man, is nothing."

The women wrote: "Woman! Without her, man is nothing."

  Good one, Kat!

While there may be differences, are they material? Explained by taking notes and editing, each hearing or emphasizing different facts.

The bottom line is that the letter was phony; "Sam R" did not exist! Yes, he said he was unlicensed so no official trace. Self-serving statements to show reasonable doubt of Lizzie's guilt? That's what I think. And a reason for Jennings to sequester this letter since it could be used against the lawyers (forging evidence).

So what now? Does the letter make a difference? AR Brown answers that.

Actually my point has gotten bigger than the Robinsky letter and the varied transcriptions of it.
That is merely a symptom of a bigger problem that we all might not have been aware of consciously:  The problems with news accounts, letters, transcriptions of primary documents, books with transcriptions etc.  Just to "beware", unless you hold the original in your hand. 
We are fortunate to have so much material to inherit, but be aware that some accounts may be flawed by error, or tainted by slant of theory.