To Take Charge of the Farm

[Haulover]

Inquest, Morse:

Q. You do not think you had written announcing your visit at this time?

A. I don't think I did. Let me see, let me tell it as I think of it. Mr. Borden, when I was over here sometime in July, that I speak of, wanted to know if I knew of a man he could get on his farm, to take charge of it, I told him I did not know, I would see. When I got back I wrote him I knew of a man I thought would suit him, I would send him over. He wrote back to me he had rather I would wait until I saw him. I have his letter in my pocket, if you want to see it.

_________________________

prob. somebody has insight into this i don't. what i wonder is -- is mr borden saying he wants to replace mr. eddy -- to put somebody else in charge -- indicating there was a problem there? is this then a clue that things were not right at that farm and borden was looking to make a major overhaul? and maybe somebody did not want this change to take place? and this has something to do with why the bordens were not already at swansea? and did anybody ever take inventory of exactly who all was attached to that farm -- like maybe somebody lizzie had gotten involved with?

[Audrey]

Iron clad alibis and letters in pockets....

These a a few of John's favorite things!

[Haulover]

this may be something everybody knows but me, and i'm still looking -- or it may be an actual BLANK as to whether there was a strain between borden and what was going on at the farm?

[Kat]

I saw Mr. Eddy's house and land and the house was nicer and more substantial than Andrew's in Swansea. I don't know when he acquired the property. We know Mr. Eddy was sick Thursday and he might have been chronically ill and ready to retire.
It's a good question to find out when Andrew's man did leave his employ.
Andrew had 2 farms, tho, and a new man might be for the other farm?

Other than that, Morse gave different reasons for coming to Fall River Wednesday. He was to find out about some oxen, or see Andrew about a man to work for him.

[Kat]

An *inventory* of farm laborers and managers of the Borden Swansea holdings?

Porter, Fall River Tragedy, pg.45:
"Thorough investigation of theories advanced upon the strength of Bridget Sullivan's statement that the crime was committed by the Portuguese employed upon the farm of Andrew Borden in Somerset, resulted in placing them with the other numerous opinions and possibilities which have been exploded by the authorities. In the excitement attending the discovery of the bodies of the murdered couple, inquiries directed to the domestic, elicted [sic] answers to the effect that the Portuguese must have done it. The individual referred to was a Swede laborer, and Marshal Hilliard thereupon drove to the Somerset farm. The investigation there was necessarily brief in its character, but such as it was, satisfied the Marshal that the laborer, whom the Sullivan woman designated as the Portuguese, was far removed from the house on Second street at the time the murders were committed. In their persistent following of every possible clue the authorities deemed it advisable to make an exhaustive examination regarding the whereabouts of the Swedish laborer, at the time of the tragedy, and with this end in view another trip had been made to Somerset. The result confirmed the opinion of Marshal Hilliard. The man established a thoroughly satisfactory alibi, and the officials were forced to acquit him of the possibility of any knowledge or of complicity in the affair.

Some time before Andrew Borden had purchased some property located across the river. This property was owned by a number of persons, heirs of a former owner, and among them was one who was strangely disinclined to part with the place, at least at the figures satisfactory to the other owners. His dissatisfaction was made manifest to such an extent that among the stories circulated regarding the affair was one which suggested the possibility of this dissatisfied individual having some knowledge of the ones responsible for the tragedy. This story, although without reliable foundation, it was deemed best to investigate also, and accordingly the person referred to received a visit from the Government officials. The desired knowledge was easily secured, and the fact readily established that the party in question had no connection whatever with the murder of the aged couple."

pg. 49:
"The other clue was to the effect that a Portuguese had been seen burying a bloody hatchet on the Borden farm in Swansea. Officer Medley visited the farm and searched in vain where the axe was alleged to have been buried. He found a Portuguese laborer who had been on the farm all day Thursday and who had killed some chickens for market."

pg. 67:
"The cry went out from some source or other that a Swedish farm hand, dubbed “the Portuguese” had done the deed. This was the first clue, and it started half a dozen policemen and the City Marshal over the river to the Borden farm. The hunt ended the same afternoon and the clue was promptly exploded, for the farm hands were all in their accustomed places, and it was impossible to connect any of them with this crime."

pg. 68:
"Monday night the bloody hatchet was found on the farm in South Somerset. It belonged to an old man named Sylvia. The only thing that it had killed was a chicken."

--I don't know if this is referring to the Borden Farm. Porter calls the Borden farm in Somerset but it was Swansea. Lizzie recounts the fact that there are 2 farms in Swansea in her testimony.

pg. 267:
"...Lizzie spoke out right determinedly, as you know, and promptly: Why, Bridget did not do it. Then somebody said: Why, the Portuguese on the farm. No, says Lizzie, he is not a Portuguese; he is a Swede, and my father has not any men that ever worked for him that would do that to him. Not Alfred Johnson that worked for them, not Mr. Eddy, another farmer that worked for them, no assistant—I cannot believe it of any of them."

Our member Joe has been working on a Morse Genealogy and I was helping him and he has John Vinnicum Morse's great-grandmother as Mary Eddy. As yet he has not looked for a connection.
Try the Witness Statements also for Eddy and Johnson.

[lydiapinkham]

Did the police take Morse up on his offer to show the letter in his pocket? I don't remember any mention elsewhere of that letter. Could Morse have been bluffing? He does seem to have almost as many different explanations for his presence as Lizzie has for being in the barn!

--Lyddie

[Harry]

Did the police take Morse up on his offer to show the letter in his pocket? I don't remember any mention elsewhere of that letter. Could Morse have been bluffing?

Good Q Lyddie. I checked Morse's Inquest testimony and found this (page 98+):

"Q. You do not think you had written announcing your visit at this time?
A. I dont think I did. Let me see, let me tell it as I can think of it. Mr. Borden, when I was over here sometime in July, that I speak of, wanted to know if I knew of a man he could get on his farm, to take charge of it, I told him I did not know, I would see. When I got back I wrote him I knew of a man I thought would suit him, I would send him over. He wrote back to me he had rather I would wait until I saw him. I have his letter in my pocket, if you want to see it.
Q. What was the date of that letter? You may refresh your memory. If you have no objections, I will see it.
(Witness produces the letter dated July 25, 1892.)
Q. Have you any objection to me keeping this?
A. No Sir, I would not like it lost, because it was the last one I ever had from him.
Q. That, then, was the last correspondence before you came over?
A. That is the last.
Q. You did not write him you were coming?
A. No Sir.
Q. You came partially in pursuance of that request?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. Was that about ten days before you came?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. So they were not expecting you that particular day, but were looking for you at any time?
A. Yes Sir."

Note that when Morse is asked if he came "partially" because of this he answers yes.

I checked the Prelim and Trial and there is mention of that letter in either.

As a sidenote, it emphasizes the point that one has to read all the source documents as there are things in one that are not in others.

[lydiapinkham]

Thanks for the transcript about the letter, Harry! Morse apparently handed over the letter, but to whom? I presume it became an exhibit, but who was questioning him at this point, defense or prosecution?

--Lyddie

[Harry]

Lyddie, at the Inquest only Knowlton asked the questions.

The Inquest itself doesn't say whether Knowlton returned the letter or not and as I stated it is not mentioned at the Prelim or Trial.

It's a rare expression of sentiment in the whole Borden case.