Lizzie goes back to church

[Harry]

Found this little article in the 7-25-1893, Washington Post:



I can understand Holmes being at the church as he stood by Lizzie all through the trial and also I believe he held some position in the church. But why Dr. Bowen? He was a member of the Baptist faith not a Congregationalist.

There had been some gossip previously (prior to the murders) when Dr. Bowen had escorted Lizzie to church.

[Susan]

As always, what an interesting find, Harry. Strange how they are questioning her being in church with that line "Outside her limited circle her purpose to attend service is not known,". Lizzie was a church goer before the murders and she obviously couldn't attend whilst in jail, so why not once she was a free woman again?

Interesting how Dr. Bowen repeated his social faux pas escorting Lizzie to church, did a woman of the period really need a man to escort her to church? Or was he there more as a sort of bodyguard to repel people who might harass Lizzie in some way?

[stuartwsa]

I asked Florence Brigham once about Lizzie's churchgoing, post-trial. She indicated that she thought Lizzie's dropping out was a gradual thing, and not something that happened after one return visit. Unfortunately, she didn't elaborate.

[Harry]

I have read in several places that Lizzie attended church more than just that one time. The most recent was a newspaper article. However, that article contained quite a few errors and that cast more than a shadow of a doubt on the whole article.

The story of the church members moving away from her pew has always sounded a little over dramatic to me.

[Harry]

I've been looking at this "Lizzie/church" question a little deeper.

This is from Rebello, p290, who cites the Boston Advertiser newspaper of June 5, 1894, almost a full year after the trial:

"On Sundays, she frequently attends service at the church where she has so long been a member, and at such times, she and her sister occupy the old pew, where so many times she sat with her father. ... The Borden pew, No. 22, is upon the side aisle, slightly in the rear of the centre of the church and quite near one of the slender gilt pillars that support the roof. The pew is not always occupied, but Miss Borden is frequently there and joins devoutly but quietly in the services. She is not especially active, however, in church work and takes no part in the conduct of the Sunday school."

There's also Lincoln, who was more than willing to print rumor or anything negative about Lizzie. Page 303 of the paperback edition:

"The congregation at Central also showed reticence at Lizzie's return. Lizzie's churchgoing first fell off, and then ceased."

This ties in with stuartwsa's Mrs. Brigham's comments. Thank you for that stuart.

Then we have Spiering, p183:

"Entering through the side door, she sat in the family pew---pew 21 --- which had been rented by her father.
Immediately those sitting near her got up and began moving away, leaving her surrounded by empty pews. Lizzie never went back."

Williams in her "Casebook ...", p265, states essentially the same thing and I believe several other authors do as well.

Like all things in this case, you get a choice as to what to believe. I tend to believe that she gradually withdrew from attendance.

***Note: The Boston Advertiser article incorrectly lists the pew number as 22. It was 21.

[Edisto]

In general, I've never known churchgoers to behave in the way Spiering describes -- obviously moving away from Lizzie's pew as if to shun her. (Well, there are a couple of denominations that do practice "shunning," but Lizzie didn't belong to one of those.) Usually people in church are on their best behavior. Fistfights rarely break out there. If a member of the congregation is in disgrace, he or she may be treated a little coolly, but it's done in a subtle way. Maybe Lizzie was sensitive enough to notice that kind of coolness, so that her church attendance eventually dropped off. I too doubt that it was such a sudden thing.

I recall a church service when I was about 15. I was a member of a youth choir that flanked the pulpit on the minister's left hand. On the other hand a children's choir was seated. Our chairs were arranged in a semicircle, so that I could clearly see the children. One of them was obviously not well. His complexion was a nice shade of Nile green, and he was gasping for breath. Suddenly he stood up and downloaded his entire breakfast (a large one) right in front of the pulpit. I thought, "Omigod! What on earth do we do?" But the deaconry of the church had the matter well in hand. A group of them came clumping with measured tread down the aisle, bearing a stack of burlap bags. (Where they got them I have no idea.) They carefully arranged several of them over the offending puddle, and the service continued without interruption. The only thing missing was a special musical selection for that part of the service. (Perhaps "We Shall Gather at the River" would have done in a pinch.) That's illustrative of the way I've known people to behave in church. No moving one's seat to avoid the presumably innocent Miss Borden.

[Edisto]

I have a little book called "Correct Social Usage," which was first published in 1903 by something called the "New York Society of Self-Culture." (Mine is the 1909 issue.) It has chapters on how to behave oneself in various social settings, including church. The chapter on Church Etiquette was written by a Rev. C. W. de Lyon Nichols, the only male who authored a chapter. He counsels: "The laity should bear in mind that a social 'cut' is twice as poignant in a church as in the ordinary surroundings of life."

[Kat]

As an aside, during the video "Histories Mysteries" this picture was shown when speaking about Lizzie's attendance at the Central Congregational Church. I haven't verified it- but it's interesting.

[augusta]

Great find, Harry! I'm sure Edisto is right. People just don't act like that in church - moving to other pews to avoid someone. I had never thought of that before. I wonder why the Washington Post had this little piece and no one, yet anyway, has found it in a FR paper? I'll bet it's in one.

I've always heard and read that she went one time and then quit because of the treatment she got. I hadn't read Emma went, too and certainly didn't hear of Bowen or Mr. Holmes escorting her. That's a really good discovery, Harry. How do you find this stuff?

[Kat]

Here is the Fall River paper on Lizzie in June, 1893, and expectatons of her appearance at church, from this topic:

viewtopic.php?p=18623&highlight=#18623

I found the news item to which I referred. It quotes Charles J. Holmes as to Lizzie's "Future Plans", The Daily Globe, June 26, 1893.
He says he doesn't expect Lizzie to appear in church right away- or at any public gathering, for weeks. "She is a woman of fine feelings and she does not wish to intrude in public under the present circumstances."

"Mr. Holmes was asked several questions about Lizzie Borden and her plans.
'Is it true, that story about a contemplated European trip?'
'No,sir.'
'Will Lizzie and Emma continue to live in Fall River?'
'They expect to do so, living in a quiet, unobtrusive way and trying to win the respect of everybody in the city.'
'Will they stay in the old home on Second street?'
'No! In fact, after the murder and before Lizzie's arrest the sisters were looking for another house; they are looking for one now.'
'How about the truth of the story to the effect that Bridget Sullivan will return to work for the Borden sisters?'
'The story is not true. Bridget Sullivan and the Borden sisters have had no communication with each other since the trial. Furthermore, Bridget is superstitious enough not to be willing to return to a house where murder has been committed. Why, she wouldn't stay there last August; was kept there by the police a day or two I believe, and then departed for good.'
'Who is with Lizzie now?'
'No one except her sister and the housekeeper. A man goes to the house to do the chores.' "

--There's a bit more about the Rev. Mr. Jubb's sermon on the day everyone expected Lizzie to come to church- which she missed.

--I think Lizzie might have gone to Newport in the interim, between June 26 and July 24th?

[nbcatlover]

On a recent trip to Newport, I had an opportunity to examine a reprint of a Victorian manual on a woman's etiquette.

It stated that shunning by the congregation of a church was not acceptable, but social shunning was the appropriate measure to use towards people who were associated with questionable behavior or thinking. Note--it said 'associated with'. In other words, just going on trial for murder would be enough. You didn't have to be guilty to be socially shunned.

I'm sorry that I don't remember the name of the shop where I found the book, but it is known for selling reproductions of Victorian Newport item sponsored by the Newport Historical Society.

[Kat]

Thanks. I agree a woman might be socially shunned after a murder trial.

I also found the item which gave me the idea that Lizzie was in Newport for R&R while Fall River was expecting her at church!

The item is From the Fall River Daily Herald, July 6, 1893, pg.8. It is Mrs. Livermore speaking.
She says Lizzie had gone for a week to Newport, "a fortnight ago," "with the daughter of Mr. Holmes."

2 weeks prior to July 6th would be approx. June 23rd. Gee, Lizzie didn't waste any time! And gone a week, she'd be back in Fall River around June 30th or the 1st of July. So she was probably in Newport when Charles Holmes was making that statement on June 26th.

[stuartwsa]

I was just thumbing through my copy of Rebello today, and noticed several articles pertaining to a flap caused by Lizzie allegedly refusing to honor the lease of the WCTU in one of Andrew's buildings, forcing them to leave.
It is reported in a rather confusing way, so I'm not really sure what actually happened. But I wonder if the WCTU ladies connected with Central Congregational turned their backs on Lizzie en masse (no pun intended), and caused her to leave permanently.

[Kat]

I don't know what else it could be.
It's a reasonable assumption.
Or they wished to raise the rent and used *snubbing* as an excuse.
The WCTU ladies wouldn't exactly proclaim that they didn't shun her. Kind of a demmed if you do- and demmed if you don't...

[nbcatlover]

I read an online article on the FRHS site by Wells about Lizzie going to her Christian Endeavor meetings (before the murder) with Alice Russell and Elizabeth Johnstown or Johnston (it's spelled both ways in the article).

After the dress-burning incident, Elizabeth who was visiting Lizzie at the Taunton Jail, stopped seeing Lizzie at the same time Alice dropped her. The article implied that they did not hide their change of belief in Lizzie from innocent to guilty.

The dress incident to me, always seemed completely innocent. The police had been through her closets. They didn't put things back in the same order, and the paint-stained dress is visible and catches Lizzie's attention. She does what she should have done months earlier. After all, she's stuck in the house with nothing to do. (Sorry, I can't help thinking of Monica Lewinsky and the soiled dress she had in her closet for months!!!)

The article seemed to imply that Alice herself and not her trial testimony turned Elizabeth Johnston against Lizzie. Were they members of the WCTU?
If all Alice Russell did was follow her conscience, I don't think their friendship would have been permanently terminated. I suspect Alice of spreading the negative stories about Lizzie. I have also wondered if she wasn't in the employ of Harrington. There have been some strange references of why Alice stayed in the house with them. I think she was there to spy. With Emma and Uncle John in the house, Lizzie certainly didn't need her.

And like Lizzie, I question why Alice didn't advise her not to burn the dress when the topic was being discussed...why she waited until it was burned to say it was an ill-advised thing to do.

[Kat]

FRHS
3/6/2003-- Vol 14, Number 3- "Charles Henry Wells: An Insider Speaks Of Lizzie."

Here's the link:
http://lizzieborden.org/news_archive.asp

It's a quick download, and the item begins on page 1.
-------------
I think to what you refer, is the misnomer in the paper calling Alice "Mrs. Russell," and saying she was placed there in the house by the state. They got the name wrong, and I think Alice's function in the house is assumed wrongly as well, in the papers.
Alice stayed possibly because Bridget didn't, and also maybe as a chaperone. There were 3 grieving family members, and one friend to tend to them, at least in the public's eyes.

The dress burning was done by an adult woman who need ask no one what she can or can't doo. Lizzie is responsible. She was told by Alice: "I said to her, 'I wouldn't let anybody see me do that, Lizzie.' She didn't make any answer. I left the room."

Q. Did she do anything when you said that?
A. She stepped just one step farther back up towards the cupboard door. (T391)

I think that may have been as close to a hint or warning as Alice was prepared to give. Maybe she knew Lizzie better than we- maybe Lizzie was stubborn and you just didn't tell her what to do or not to do. It's possible.

If the dress-burning was innocent, it is just as Alice predicted to Lizzie, yes? She said "A. I said to them [the sisters]---I said, "I am afraid, Lizzie, the worst thing you could have done was to burn that dress. I have been asked about your dresses." (T393)
Alice told Emma and it was agreed that Alice should tell Hanscomb, in their employ. Alice had Emma's opinion first before she spoke to a detective.

[Harry]

I don't know about Alice being placed there by the state but there is a very curious paragraph in the August 12th Boston Globe in an article reporting on events of the 11th:

"... During the latter part of the afternoon a number having seen a closed hack drive up to the police station and Lizzie Borden, Emma Borden and Mrs. George S. Brigham, who was employed by the State to watch Lizzie, were on the outlook for something. ..."

The word "employed" could have a double meaning here. Employed also means "used" and that may be all the reporter meant to convey.

Still, its a very curious statement.

[Kat]

Thanks Har. I don't think I had read that.

Here is what I was referring to. It doesn't say "State."
But seems inferred. From The Sourcebook, pg 50:

The New York Times, Friday, August 12, 1892 - Page 2

"MISS BORDEN ARRESTED"
....

"Allen ran to the Central Station, was the first witness. He testified that he ran to the house when he saw Mrs. Russell, and that he was with Officer Doherty and a reporter when Dr. Bowen discovered that Mrs. Borden did not die of heart disease.

Officer George Allen was called, and he testified to having seen Mr. Borden lying on the sofa, stabbed, as he supposed.
Mrs. George Whitehead, a stepsister of Mrs. Borden; Mrs. Tripp, a neighbor, and Mrs. Russell, who was placed in charge of the household, were examined as to the relations of the members of the family. The deposition of Mrs. Hiram C. Harrington was also taken."

--It seems to be the same date as the Globe item, Aug. 12, 1892.

[Haulover]

well this is confusing, because two different time periods are referred to -- alice is there "looking after" lizzie right after the murders, of course; later on brigham and holmes are there (trial, vol2 -- i forget which officer talks about picking up the clothing).

i wondered if the mrs. russell who worked with mrs. reagan at the jail [trial, pg 1510] had anything to do with the error -- but in the context of which mrs. russell is mentioned, i guess it could not.

[DWilly]

I think that may have been as close to a hint or warning as Alice was prepared to give. Maybe she knew Lizzie better than we- maybe Lizzie was stubborn and you just didn't tell her what to do or not to do. It's possible.

If the dress-burning was innocent, it is just as Alice predicted to Lizzie, yes? She said "A. I said to them [the sisters]---I said, "I am afraid, Lizzie, the worst thing you could have done was to burn that dress. I have been asked about your dresses." (T393)
Alice told Emma and it was agreed that Alice should tell Hanscomb, in their employ. Alice had Emma's opinion first before she spoke to a detective.

Okay, I is confused now First off, did Alice actually see anything on the dress? Second, didn't Emma in her testimony say it was she who told or suggested to Lizzie that she should burn the dress or get rid of it since it had paint on it? If so, did she tell Alice that?

I'm thinking along the lines that if Alice went to Emma and asked if she should tell someone about the dress burning then Emma would have calmed her down and told her, "No, it's okay, I saw the dress and it only had paint on it and besides I told her to get rid of it." If that conversation did take place then why would Alice still be so suspicious? Weren't both these women two of her best friends?

[Kat]

Even Emma was finally frightened. I don't know why. Maybe it was her first doubt or realization as to what Lizzie had done- either because she now doubted Lizzie's innocence, or was afraid finally at how the act would be perceived. (They must have been dense).

Trial
Emma
Q. Now, what happened next, Miss Emma, that you recall in reference to this dress, ---anything being said about it?

MR. KNOWLTON. Do you mean after the burning?

MR. JENNINGS. After the burning.

Page 1545 / i567

MR. KNOWLTON. I think you ought to limit your question, and ask by whom. I think I ought to know what talk you have reference to.

MR. JENNINGS. I refer more particularly to Miss Russell.

MR. KNOWLTON. To that I don't object. Call attention to that fact.

Q. Was anything said by Miss Russell in the presence of Miss Lizzie, in regard to this dress?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. Was anything said Sunday?
A. Not that I know of.

Q. Now what was said Monday.
A. Miss Russell came to us in the dining room and said Mr. Hanscomb asked her if all the dresses were there that were there the day of the tragedy, and she told him "Yes," "and of course," she said, "it is a falsehood." No, I am ahead of my story. She came and said she told Mr. Hanscomb a falsehood, and I asked her what there was to tell a falsehood about, and then she said that Mr. Hanscomb had asked her if all the dresses were there that were there the day of the tragedy and she told him "Yes." There was other conversation, but I don't know what it was. That frightened me so thoroughly, I cannot recall it. I know the carriage was waiting for her to go on some errand, and when she came back we had some conversation and it was decided to have her go and tell Mr. Hanscomb that she had told a falsehood, and to tell him that we told her to do so. She went into the parlor and told him, and in a few minutes she returned from the parlor and said she had told him.

Q. Is that all as far as Miss Russell is concerned?
A. All that I

Page 1546 / i568

recall.

Q. Now at the time when Miss Russell said "It was the worst thing that could be done ---"
A. Oh, yes, sir, she said that Monday morning. When she came into the dining room and said she had told Mr. Hanscomb that she had told him a falsehood, we asked what she told it for, and said "The burning of the dress was the worst thing Lizzie could have done," and my sister said to her "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you let me do it?"

--I think that club under the bed Saturday, is what first really frightened Alice. She also had read the newspaper, but I don't know if the Borden girls had. I don't know why that stick frightened her. She said she thought it implicated her somehow.

Inquest
Alice
152
A. Well, I am in a much better condition to tell it than I have been.
Q. That is one reason why I postponed it as long as I could. Is there any other fact that you can tell me that you have not told me?
A. The morning of the funeral I went out to do some errands; and when I came back my hair was tumbled, and I took my dress waist off, and combed my hair. When I had gotten through I put my waist on again, and had nearly finished it, and I turned, and I saw something in under the bed that frightened me almost to pieces.
Q. You were sleeping in the house?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. That big stick?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. It is the one you gave to the marshal, the round whittled stick?
.....
153
Q. So it may have been under the bed all the time?
A. Yes. I think in my frightened condition, as I look at it now, it might have been there. Then I was terribly alarmed, because I felt as if in some way it implicated me.
Q. About as much as it implicates me, just about.
A. Yes, as I look at it now.

____

Alice goes down cellar with Lizzie Friday night. She is scared because Hyde says he could see her shaking as she held the light. Saturday is the funeral and she finds the club under the bed. Sunday Lizzie burns a dress, which no one actually witnessed. Then Monday Alice is concerned and tells Emma and is advised to tell Hanscomb. Notice Emma says to tell Hanscomb that they told Alice to tell him. (They get credit).
Alice is asked at the inquest a few times if there are any other facts- anything else she can tell them- Alice never tells about the burning of the dress.

So there is the thing which so frightened Emma and the thing which so frightened Alice and these were different things according to their relationships with each other, to the household, and the extremely unusual circumstances these girls found themselves in.

What frightened Lizzie, should be the next question.

[nbcatlover]

P.S. I am starting to read the earlier editions of this year's THE HATCHET. I really enjoyed the T. K. Rouse article on Nance in Feb/Mar 2005 ed.

I had searched for background on her in the past but had found nowhere near the info on her background than I did in that article.

Excellent job!

[Kat]

Agreed! It was excellent and she is a professional!
(She has a novel published and is working on another).

[nbcatlover]

I just don't understand what made Alice believe Lizzie was so guilty. They understood her need to talk to Hanscom about the dress burning. They didn't blame her.

She (Alice) is the one who began to believe in Lizzie's guilt, and I interpreted the Wells' article as implying that Miss Johnston was somehow influenced by Alice.

According to Rebello (pp. 62-63) Miss Johnston was at Marion at the time the Mabel F. Swift sloop visited. And (p. 64) she destroyed the letter from Lizzie (that it was so cold there that Lizzie would bring an ax to build a fire) and showed no early belief in Lizzie's guilt. Wells talks about her visits to the Taunton jail. It seems like Alice's influence to me. I believe Alice got her friend Miss Johnston to reflect her own views of Lizzie's guilt.

If Alice was in service to the State, the State was the master she had to serve.

Remember that Bridget got a job at the Bristol County House of Correction in New Bedford.

The police seemed to be paying people to view things from their point of view.

If Alice was spreading bias, she was probably doing it at Christian Endeavor and possibly WCTU. I don't think she was really a good friend.

[Nancie]

catlover, could you please give references to all these people working for the "state"

[DWilly]

I just don't understand what made Alice believe Lizzie was so guilty. They understood her need to talk to Hanscom about the dress burning. They didn't blame her.

She (Alice) is the one who began to believe in Lizzie's guilt, and I interpreted the Wells' article as implying that Miss Johnston was somehow influenced by Alice.

According to Rebello (pp. 62-63) Miss Johnston was at Marion at the time the Mabel F. Swift sloop visited. And (p. 64) she destroyed the letter from Lizzie (that it was so cold there that Lizzie would bring an ax to build a fire) and showed no early belief in Lizzie's guilt. Wells talks about her visits to the Taunton jail. It seems like Alice's influence to me. I believe Alice got her friend Miss Johnston to reflect her own views of Lizzie's guilt.

If Alice was in service to the State, the State was the master she had to serve.

Remember that Bridget got a job at the Bristol County House of Correction in New Bedford.

The police seemed to be paying people to view things from their point of view.

If Alice was spreading bias, she was probably doing it at Christian Endeavor and possibly WCTU. I don't think she was really a good friend.

I notice you mention the part about Lizzie saying she'd bring an ax to Marion to build the fire. My understanding being that she made the offer after the other women couldn't find a man to do it. I always thought that story was a bit funny. Here were all these women and only Lizzie hit upon the idea of simply chopping the wood themselves.

Anyway, is that all Johnston was worried about? After I read that section in Rebello, or at least on that page, I didn't see it mentioned about the ax only this:

"Johnston said she destroyed the letter because it, "contained references to something which in the opinion of the young woman [Miss Johnstone]...that might, in the light of subsequent events, be misconstrued" Rebello pg 64

I always thought maybe there was more in the letter. Like Lizzie saying she hated her stepmother and wished she were dead or something along those lines.

I agree that Alice is pretty quick to turn on Lizzie. Maybe she just never told everyone all of the things Lizzie said about her stepmother or maybe during the night she head Lizzie rummaging around or going down stairs or something.

[Susan]

What frightened Lizzie, should be the next question.

That is a great question, what made Lizzie quake in her boots?

Lizzie says she was frightened by the condition she found her father in:

Inquest, page 78:

Q. Describe anything else that you noticed at the time.
A. I did not notice anything else, I was so frightened and horrified. I ran to the foot of the stairs and called Maggie.

And on page 91:

Q. Was you going to tell the occurence of the man that called at the house?
A. No, sir. It was after my sister went away. I came home from Miss Russell's one night, and as I came up, I glanced towards the side door as I came along by the carriage way, I saw a shadow on the side steps. I did not stop walking, but I walked slower. I thought it was a man, as I saw no skirts, and I was frightened, and of course I did not go around to see. I hurried in the front door as fast as I could and locked it.

But, she didn't seem to be afraid at all that she was suspected, that whole bit about that she was ready to go now because of what the mayor told her. I would think that would be one of her worst fears, guilty or innocent, to be suspected of the crime.

[Kat]

That's interesting, Susan. I hadn't thought of that. Lizzie did say the things which frightened her. She was frightened of a prowler and frightened at seeing her father's blood. Hmmm...

The thing about Alice is that she was there. She arrived so soon after the deaths, thought it was an illness until Morse came- and only then she says she realized there was murder done. Then she stayed over in the elder Borden's bedroom, was shocked at the stick because I think she felt someone had planted it there while she was not in the room Saturday, which she might have found creepy; she knows Saturday- (after reading the papers and probably hearing)- that the MAYOR suspects Lizzie; she finds Lizzie about to burn a dress, when she knows Lizzie's dresses have to be accounted for- and by Monday she tells the Borden's detective and leaves.
She was probably an honest working woman, and who knows what stress or strains she went through and yes as suggested- what she heard or saw in that house over the weekend. I think most of Lizzie's friends, at least after a year, dropped her, so any influence Alice may have had would probably be minimal.
Alice kept quiet about that dress at least for a week, saw Lizzie arrested anyway, without that evidence against her- and living in the times she did, I think it might be natural for Alice to think the men were correct- the mayor, the policemen, the lawyers..that's a lot of men that think Lizzie did it. Those were the times. She may not have been thinking for herself, but rather her opinion dominated by public opinion in the papers and by men in authority.
I certainly don't hold that against her.
The other thing is the Wells guy got the timing wrong so what else is wrong in his statement?