Forum Title: LIZZIE BORDEN SOCIETY
Topic Area: Lizzie Andrew Borden
Topic Name: Officer Allen

1. "Officer Allen"
Posted by augusta on Jul-13th-02 at 7:53 PM

Here's a picture of Officer Allen, the first policeman at the scene.  I didn't realize I had a picture of him.  I always pictured him differently.  But here he is.  Hm.  They must have forgotten to use flash powder!  I'll try it again ...



(Message last edited Jul-13th-02  7:54 PM.)


2. "Re: Officer Allen"
Posted by augusta on Jul-13th-02 at 8:00 PM
In response to Message #1.

Sorry - I guess he's camera shy.  For some reason I can't get the scan.  I know, I know.  I shoulda previewed.  If anyone can get a good scan from his picture from Porter's "Fall River Tragedy", the King Philips edition, page 9, could you please post it? 


3. "Re: Officer Allen"
Posted by Edisto on Jul-13th-02 at 8:05 PM
In response to Message #1.

I was looking at my (repro) Porter book today, and I too found Officer Allen's picture.  Allen was a fairly over-the-hill member of the FRPD, apparently.  I think it's a base canard that he ran back to the police station to get help.  He couldn't have run that far! (Remember that old joke:    This item appeared in a local newspaper: "Officer Williams is a defective on the police force."  After Officer Williams complained, the paper printed a retraction and apology: "We apologize for stating that Officer Williams is a defective on the police force.  We meant to say, of course,  that he is a detective on the police farce.")

(Message last edited Jul-13th-02  8:06 PM.)


4. "Re: Officer Allen"
Posted by augusta on Jul-13th-02 at 9:48 PM
In response to Message #3.

I hadn't heard that joke before, Edisto.  It sure fits some of the Fall River Police force. 

I think I read that Officer Allen sort of half-ran/half walked.  Now I see why.


5. "Re: Officer Allen"
Posted by bobcook848 on Jul-15th-02 at 9:50 PM
In response to Message #4.

For what its worth...I have read in at least accounts that Officer Allen was so hyper upon seeing his "first" mutiliated body that he ran from the house screaming like a banshee back to Police HQ.

I have however read in far more accounts that although Officer Allen was generally the "booking officer" at the station and didn't really see a great deal of "street beat" he was very professional in his duties upon determining a murder had taken place at No. 92.

He may well have been agitated but he was cool enough to check the locks on the front door (which he found all three to be fastened) "ordered" those within the house to remain there and on his way out the side door whilst returning to HQ for reinforcements...he had the presence of mind to assign Charles Sawyer (a civlian) to stand guard over the side entrance.

That's my tail and I'm stikin' to it....

BC


6. "Re: Officer Allen"
Posted by Kat on Jul-16th-02 at 6:48 AM
In response to Message #5.

Here's a weird "George Allen" story...I have no knowledge of any relationship...but if members can shed light on this it would be amusing:

Fall River Weekly News, Jan. 7, 1886, there is a partial printing of an item of "probate", suit for seperate maintenance (see Cummings), dated from the previous Friday.
It seems that a woman married a George Allen in Rhode Island in 1880 (where our hero is FROM).  They moved to Fall River in 1881, and by 1884 Mrs. George Allen left him, claiming abuse and that their home, Union House, was used by him as a place of prostitution.
Our George Allen didn't join the Fall River Police force until 1889, according to Hoffman.....
S T R A N G E


7. "Re: Officer Allen"
Posted by Edisto on Jul-16th-02 at 10:22 AM
In response to Message #5.

Hoffman's "YIOFR" says Allen was a Civil War vet, so maybe this wasn't the first carnage he had seen.  (Of course, he may have been a supply clerk.) Given his military background, "Union House" is kind of a funny name for a house of ill repute.  It's also a double entendre, of course.  Hoffman has a nice little sketch of Allen, with his billy-goat beard.  He certainly doesn't look the part of a ho' master, but who knows?  (Hoffman says he was a machinist in several textile mills before he joined the FRPD in 1889.)


8. "Re: Officer Allen"
Posted by rays on Jul-16th-02 at 3:14 PM
In response to Message #5.

That story about Officer Allen getting upset was a newspaper story: can't be truly believed. Also, as a Civil War Vet maybe the bodies caused a flashback (post-traumatic stress syndrome is only a big word for "shell shock").
He did have the presence of mind to get a big guy to act as guard at the house. He was due back to book in a prisoner.
Also, as an older veteran, he may have been given a desk job.


9. "Re: Officer Allen"
Posted by Kat on Jul-16th-02 at 7:59 PM
In response to Message #8.

I got the impression that the Fall River cops were "nominated".
Under "Doughtery" the item specified the vote (to hire) was 6 to 3, under the Board of Aldermen.

Did they really *take care* of their vets that well?  I would hope so...But hiring him as a cop at the age of 51 ???
Well, who's to say our Allen didn't try his hand at pimping.  AH, that may be how he got *nominated* if you know what I mean...
--Just surmising....(oops, I thought this topic was "Let's Play"...)

(Message last edited Jul-16th-02  8:00 PM.)


10. "Re: Officer Allen"
Posted by bobcook848 on Jul-23rd-02 at 6:56 PM
In response to Message #9.

Here is another oddity of "George Allen's"...many years ago on a local television station, Channel 6 of New Beford/Fall River/Providence had a program on weekdays called "dialing for dollars".

Many local broadcasters aired similar movie segments where you watched the movie and during the commericals the announcer would draw a piece of a disected phone book out of a fish bowl and call someone from the piece of listing.

There would always be a "formula" to calling the person something like, 5 from the top or 3 from the bottom.  When the announcer took the piece of paper from the fish bowl he would count up or down and call that persons phone.

If someone answered the phone and could tell him the "count" from the top or the bottom that person won a cash/merchandise prize.

In any event our local host was a man who was no other then, you guessed it...George Allen...I will have to research to see if he is still alive and if so, is he a decendent of "our" George Allen...

More on this and other topics of genuine interest a little later...

BC


11. "Re: Officer Allen"
Posted by Stefani on Jul-23rd-02 at 7:02 PM
In response to Message #10.

allen from Porter



 

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