1. "Sale at Sargent's"
Posted by joe on Jun-20th-02 at 2:27 PM

Rebello has a note on p. 183 about the dress sale at Sargent's.  it reads that Bridget testified, and Lizzie denied at the preliminary that there was a sale for 8 cents a yard.  "... However, there was no advertisement in the Evening News that a sale was taking place.  The ad appeared in the evening edition on August 4th...."

How could Bridget or Lizzie find that out ahead of time?

And JOE NOW HAS HIS VERY OWN COPY OF THE LIZZIE BIBLE!!!!!

Even worse, as I mentioned on another thread recently, the "Lizzie Borden Sourcebook" has the ad on page 48.  Assuming it's the correct ad, it clearly says "Monday...Monday...Monday" across the top in large letters.  The author's caption says, "The Dress-Goods Sale at Sargent's Where Lizzie Planned to Shop."  If Lizzie was using this ad to lure Bridget out of the house, or if she planned to go to the sale herself, it wouldn't have done much good to go on Thursday.  I guess it's possible David Kent simply picked the wrong ad, but it does make me wonder.  If the ad is complete, it says nothing about "eight cents a yard" either.  The whole ad, after repeating "Monday" three times, says only: "The Frank E. Sargent Company.  Greatest Offering Yet.  Special Sale Monday.  All on One Long Counter."  (Surely there was more!) There's no indication of which paper carried the ad or when it ran.

Oh, my goodness, edisto!  Now I have to get David Kent's book, too, so I can read all the old newspapers.  I'll keep my eyes out for it.
jc

The "Sourcebook" can be useful, but like the other books on the Borden case, it has its defects.  It doesn't clearly spell out where the clippings came from in some cases and the dates of publication in many cases.  The ad I cited is surrounded by undated material from the "Fall River Herald," but the author clearly says it is THE ad that Lizzie saw.  (David Kent was, in most cases, a fairly dogged researcher.) At least if you put together a Lizzie library, you'll be able to check one source against another.  That's what I've tried to do, but I'm often left with a puzzle anyway.

Yes, where did Lizzie or Bridget get that information?  Was one of them down at Sargent's store and got a hot tip on a sale, that turned out to be mistaken as to the day?  Did Sargent's maybe have minor sales at all times and didn't feel the need to advertise them?  I know this is commonplace today, don't know if it was so then. 

The Lizzie Borden SOURCEBOOK is sold at the Fall River Hysterical Society.
See Main Page Header:
Second Street Second Hand Shop......Topic: FRHS - ITEMS
Call for availability.  (Also postage changes JUNE 30 )

[Edit here:  Sorry, Susan we passed in the night...]

(Message last edited Jun-21st-02  3:00 AM.)

Do you know how much the Sourcebook is going for?  I'd love to have a copy, but, if its too much, I'm getting ready to move soon and saving my pennies! 

Then or now, even without a telephone, couldn't there be conversation that would tell about an unadvertised sale? Word of mouth?
Do not expect to find everything in the local newspapers.

FRHS has Sourcebook:

THE LIZZIE BORDEN SOURCEBOOK by David Kent in collaboration with Robert A. Flynn

Reproductions from 41 newspapers, official correspondence and transcripts, illustrations and photos. Limited edition, numbered and signed bookplate. Hardcover, 1992, 9" x 11 1/2", $22.95.

joe

Thanks, Joe.  Thats not too bad, I think I can swing it.