John Morse

[camgarsky4]

Kat - couple questions/thoughts.

1) Does the 1892 Fall River census confirm that a Ms. Kingsley lived in the same tenement as the Emery's?
2) With Daniel and son (Charles) Emery moving to Florida (~1920) after California, is the line of thinking that one of Charles children (Robert?) returned or didn't go to Florida at all? Robert could be Charles son/Daniel grandson?
3) Doesn't mean a lot, but Alameda County is near San Francisco, not LA. So if they returned to California, they chose a different metro.
4) If the 1934 Kingsley's and Emery's were the same lineage of the 1892 Fall River folks, they were a remarkably tight extended family if they kept living together even as generations passed.

[Kat]

I was hoping someone could do the research, if they were interested. I'll look around in my computer, but I can't do a new search, right now.
I remember back when I was intensely interested in the Morse genealogy, for a Hatchet article for Joe, Catherine Boodry and Pheobe Curry were searches Joe and I were into because Morse's inquest testimony names them. Since Joe was a director of The Carnegie Library in Michigan, he had a lot of expertise and I had a lot of help! I think Boodry tuned out to be an in-law of Shaw. A Shaw married a sister of JVM. These connections can take a month! And Diana would help, and gramma, and cat lover!
I tend to think these Kingsleys are in-laws, and if so, back then, yes, it would be normal for them to all live together. I think it was Mrs Brigham who said that when folks got married "back in the day," they were almost expected to move in with their in-laws. And not uncommon to continue those living arrangements. Has me thinking of Andrew and Sarah at Ferry St...even Hiram and Lurana moved in with old Abe.
We can ascribe these questions you asked to anyone who wants to start looking?

[Kat]

In the edited post above, a couple of attachments are referenced. Kat will be providing those attachments in subsequent posts.

Thanks!

The other attachment was going to be the cover picture of The Hatchet issue that has the William Bradford Morse children with the Gardners in Swansea that special summer.
Seated is Anna Morse (I think of her as a busybody) , and standing next to her is her brother and lounging in front of her is Orrin Gardner ( of "Lizzie-engagement" fame). These Morse kids look red-haired, maybe? Lizzie was used to be described as having red hair, tho we pretty much know she didn't. Maybe I'm creating a new myth that Anna was involved in the plans...
It's a great issue to read, for the relationships and pictures.

[camgarsky4]

I love and want that photo!!! It is so much better to have a real visual of the actors in this play vs. dreaming up our own ideas.

I'm still in the mountains with none of my Lizzie stuff. So I'll dig into the Emery's when I get back Florida in a week. I need to get better at this type of research anyway.

I'm way behind you guys on the HH, so that will be on my list of reading over Christmas!

[Kat]

Good to hear from you...hope you have a safe trip!
Here are links to more pics of relatives, from Hatchet articles.

"Meet the Emerys" by Len Rebello
https://lizzieandrewborden.com/HatchetO ... river.html

Gardner/Morse/Mason/Emery pics, I guess by Moi.
https://lizzieandrewborden.com/HatchetO ... emery.html

The Morse men were rather good looking, not so much the females...
When you look at the large group of men, at the very bottom when scrolling, do you see any actual "Masonic" hand signs? I thought I did ?...

[Kat]

Masonic hand signs? Anyone versed in this symbolism?
This is the grouping of men, some Morse, to which I referred. See previous post for link to article, if interested.
Plzcliconpic

[Kat]

I guess no one knows Mason signs...I'm really curious about that!
Anyway, here are some Morse snippets- notice the dates

[Kat]

Next, uh oh! Morse isn't having a very good year...

[camgarsky4]

Kat -- sorry I know no one or anything about the mason's, except what National Treasure taught us. :)

I did google and found zip on mason hand signals.

How positive are we that the Morse in the fire story was our dear Uncle John? Couldn't find a Tremont, Ma on googlemaps....

[Kat]

I'll check the city directory...probably should have first, already anyway...watch this space

[camgarsky4]

I did find a Tremont St. in Fall River. It is on the northeast side of downtown.

John left Fall River for Hastings, Iowa in December, '92 and returned for the trial and then left to go back to Hastings after the trial. Odd that he would purchase a business in Fall River while living in Dartmouth, pretty much ignore it for most of 1893 and then it burns down (w/ no insurance) immediately after the trial.

I'm guessing this is another example of so many 'repeat' names in Fall River. Perhaps this is a general New England phenomenon. Can't wait to see what you come up with in the city directory.

[Kat]

I think he had land investments in Fall River area, not necessarily in the time frame you mention; and still had family there. However, I also found Tremont St, that's supposed to end at Pine? Thanks for looking.
In the 1892 City Directory, there were no ads for sawmills and no listings under businesses for saw mills.
I never found a duplicate John V. Morse in Fall River before.

[camgarsky4]

Kat - I don't forget the ideas you sprinkle out for us!!

Pg 170 in Jennings Journals has a little bio on Mrs. Kingsley. Her maiden name was Webb and she was born in Maine. I don't recall seeing the surname 'Webb' in the various Morse family trees.

For multiple generations of the Kingsley's and Emery's to keep living in close proximity across the country is proving hard to get my head around.

What do you think?

[Kat]

Shaw who married Selecta was from Maine. JVM and his sister Selecta, would have the same relationship to the Emerys. Cool thanks!
I'll check the Journal, thanks again!

BTW about the city directory..if you know anyone with Ancestry you might get the Directory from them. Apparently that site has those things as downloads, like 52 MB.

[camgarsky4]

I'm revisiting John Morse's supposed perfect alibi....hopefully putting a nail in the coffin of the myth that he provided 'too much' detail.

As we previously documented in this and other threads, the only known source for Morse recalling cap and badge #'s was Defense Attorney Phillips article/booklet written 40+ years after the crimes.

Nowhere in the witness statements, inquest, preliminary Hearing or trial transcripts or in any contemporary newspapers do you find this information.

Now we have the Jennings Journals, which were written and compiled by defense attorney's Jennings and Phillips himself.

John Morse, his activities and comments are extensively covered in the Journals...both with articles and interview notations by Phillips & Jennings.
Not once are the recollection of cap and badge #'s noted in the Journals.

Seems like this should close the door on this long debated issue.

[PossumPie]

Agreed. The Badge number myth was and always will be wild rumor made up after the fact.

[camgarsky4]

Next John Morse mystery to solve.....did Dr. Bowen arrive at the Emery's immediately after John left?

Providence Journal, August 5, 1892. Officer Medley interviewing Mrs. Emery, asking what time John left their home.
"Then you notice the time?" observed the officer. "Oh yes", was the reply, "I noticed the time". "How did you fit it?" was the next question.
After some little hesitation, Mrs. Emery said that one of her family was sick, and that Dr. Bowen was her physician. "Dr. Bowen came in just as Mr. Morse left." "Did they meet?" queried the officers. "No they did not." said Mrs. Emery.

In the Witness Statements, page 29. Medley reports this same interview, but doesn't mention anything about Bowen or any other doctor.

Now we have some new info. It is found on pg. 187 in the Jennings Journals.
Dr. Bowen's coachman, James Leonard, told Jennings, "We left Williams St. top of the street when we left street clock was striking 11. Got to house about 11:05 or 11:10 saw Allen policeman come out of house......."

If you Google-map "Williams St.", you will find it is southwest of the Borden home, while Weybosset St. is on the northeast side.

Leonard accounts for Bowen's location shortly before 11am up and until they arrived at the Borden's. At no point is Dr. Bowen anywhere near the Emery home during the 11am hour.

Kat could confirm, but I believe there was no other Dr. Bowen listed in the 1892 City Directory.

This appears to be a case of a reporting error. Pure speculation, but perhaps Ms. Emery or the reporter got it backwards and Dr. Bowen left the Emery's right before Morse showed up at the Emery's that morning. The niece was feeling poorly.

[mbhenty]

Just another broken bottle in the road of sleuthing to give Borden students a flat on the wheel of study.

In this case it would probably be the newspeople who got the story wrong as opposed to Jennings or the police.

There was only one Doc Bowen in Fall River.

William Street and Weybosset are nowhere near each other. William Street is in the South End, and not too far from the Borden place. It runs between South Main and Bay Street. The top of William where it meets Main is about six blocks away from the Borden House. While Weybosset Street was in the East End, better known as Flint Village. Jennings account makes more sense, but

As a little boy I use to play around all the yards and properties along Weybosset Street, since I lived just about a block away. Our apartment, an asbestos shingled three decker, overlooked the Hargrave Mill on Quarry Street, where I believe one of the Emerys worked.

When I lived there, durning the day in summer the neighborhood rang out with the grinding sound of sewing machines, reverberating from large open mill windows. It competed with the whirling hum of band saws from the Fall River Lumber Company just across the street, or the loud cursing and blighting four letter language emanating from shouting workers in the junk yard behind the house. Overlooking my bedroom window was an empty lot with a couple of derelict sheds, where Old Man Slim, and one of his buddies could be seen passed out in the tall grass, drunk. After they were gone we would run over and inspect the area for change that may have fallen from their pockets as they slept

Just about three houses down Weytbosset and across the street was the old Jewish synagogue which was no longer used as one. We hung around it and chased the girls around the back where we would steel a kiss. The neighborhood had a host of streets named after Indians. Weybosset Street, Wamsutta Street, Massasoit, Quequechan, etc. I was born on Canonicus Street, another Indian name, and two blocks away from were the Emerys once lived. But it was not until I was well into my twenties that I became familiar with the house on Weybosset and it's enigmatic connection to the Borden case.

In the photo below the old homestead on Weybosset is vinyl sided like every other three decker in the city. Off to the right you can see the old Hargraves Mill in the distance but just about a block away.

.

[mbhenty]

If anyone is interested.

Below is an aerial view of my old neighborhood.

I can't believe that much has not changed. The lumber company is long gone, and there's a Dunkin Donuts where the old Jewish Temple once stood. The field where Old Man Slim use to take his drunken naps is now paved. I lived in the house just to the left of it. You can see the old Hargraves Mill just off to the right. And behind the house is an empty field where the junk yard once did business. Yep, not much has changed in 58 years.

Now back to Lizzie.

[mbhenty]

That Bowen and Emery story never made much sense. But it did open up a door to conspiracy between Morse and Bowen, or perhaps that Bowen was hiding something, involved in a coverup, or having something to do with the actual murder. Perhaps Jennings puts that scenario to bed.

[camgarsky4]

MB -- glad you posted on this! I was going to specifically ask you what "top of the street' meant. Towards the river or towards Main St.?

Downtown it is!!

There are so many little nuggets in the Jennings Journals. Some clear up outstanding questions (for me anyway) and some open up new lines of thinking. I do think Mr. Jennings (via Doc Bowen's coachman) snuffed out the 'grand' Morse/Bowen conspiracy.

[PossumPie]

Next John Morse mystery to solve.....did Dr. Bowen arrive at the Emery's immediately after John left?

Providence Journal, August 5, 1892. Officer Medley interviewing Mrs. Emery, asking what time John left their home.
"Then you notice the time?" observed the officer. "Oh yes", was the reply, "I noticed the time". "How did you fit it?" was the next question.
After some little hesitation, Mrs. Emery said that one of her family was sick, and that Dr. Bowen was her physician. "Dr. Bowen came in just as Mr. Morse left." "Did they meet?" queried the officers. "No they did not." said Mrs. Emery.

In the Witness Statements, page 29. Medley reports this same interview, but doesn't mention anything about Bowen or any other doctor.

Now we have some new info. It is found on pg. 187 in the Jennings Journals.
Dr. Bowen's coachman, James Leonard, told Jennings, "We left Williams St. top of the street when we left street clock was striking 11. Got to house about 11:05 or 11:10 saw Allen policeman come out of house......."

If you Google-map "Williams St.", you will find it is southwest of the Borden home, while Weybosset St. is on the northeast side.

Leonard accounts for Bowen's location shortly before 11am up and until they arrived at the Borden's. At no point is Dr. Bowen anywhere near the Emery home during the 11am hour.

Kat could confirm, but I believe there was no other Dr. Bowen listed in the 1892 City Directory.

This appears to be a case of a reporting error. Pure speculation, but perhaps Ms. Emery or the reporter got it backwards and Dr. Bowen left the Emery's right before Morse showed up at the Emery's that morning. The niece was feeling poorly.

Then perhaps Mrs. Emery is wrong or mis-quoted. If Dr. Bowen is the same doctor who came to the Borden's house that is quite a coincidence never to be mentioned again. Morse leaves the Bordens, goes to the Emery's, Dr. Bowen goes to the Emery's, Morse goes to the Borden's, Dr. Bowen goes to the Borden's...sounds too coincidental. Maybe the doctor was not Dr. Bowen, maybe the time or even the day was different, or there was more than one Dr. Bowen in town.

[mbhenty]

Why didn't the Emerys use Doctor Sullivan? He lived fifty feet away, just across the street.

Oh Wait

That was over 70 years later.

On the corner of Weybosset Street and Pleasant Street lived a doctor, back in the late fifties and sixties. (Nineteen fifties, that is.) He was our family physician. (I believe his name was Sullivan.) I remember Doc Sullivan coming to our home when I was sick in bed, and carrying his little black bag, sitting by the side of the bed, and dong his doctor-thing, just like Doc Adams did on Gunsmoke. The image of him waving his hand in understanding when he left while Mom begged that she could not pay until payday is warmly tucked into my memory.

Boy have times changed. I called my doctor last week for an appointment and he can't see me until April. I made it sound like I was dying but the receptionist didn't care. "Go to the hospital!" she exclaimed. It may indeed be time for the emergency ward at the hospital and the Soap Opera Doctor Intern. Reason why emergency wards have such full waiting rooms.

Yes, the top of William Street is at South Main. The reason they called it 'the top' is because William Street is on a steep hill. It runs roughly ten blocks down to Bay Street, which in turn runs parallel to the Taunton River and all the way to Rhode Island. In the seventies and eighties, when I worked there, it was exclusively a Portuguese neighborhood, as it still is today. Every other house had a grapevine in the backyard and a bathtub with a statue of the Blessed Mother standing in it, surrounded by flowers.

On the other hand, Weybosset Street is flat and short. Only One block long and a handful of homes. Someone leaving a home at the top of William Street by buggy would take about three minutes to make the Borden place. Where Weybosset Street, it could take much longer since it is somewhat across town. Reason why Morse didn't walk it.

[PossumPie]

I'm thinking that there was either another Dr. Bowen (the name isn't that unusual) or the paper completely misunderstood Mrs. Emery. Considering the number of Bordens, Sullivans, and Emerys that pop up just within the official documentation of the case, it wouldn't surprise me that there was another Dr. Bowden or maybe even a Dr. Borden that got mistranscribed as Bowden.

[mbhenty]

Newspaper reporters are notorious for getting it wrong.

When I lived on French Street, next door to Maplecorft, I had to fight the owner of Maplecroft who wanted to split the property in half and place a house between my building and Maplecorft. It would have been built a few feet from my windows, blocked out the sunlight, and on an undersized lot. Before having to take him to court, I fought him in the papers. So did one of my neighbors. When they interviewed me they got everything I said wrong. Some of what I said was attributed to my neighbor and some of what he said was attributed to me. It was laughable if not pathetic. Newspapers get it wrong all the time.

The owner of Maplecroft, Dude, had said at the time that he wanted to downsize and build a smaller place due to hardship. When in truth he wanted to sell Maplecroft and just divide the property so he could sell a separate lot and make an extra hundred grand or so. Some time later he did it again, this time he wanted to turn the garage into a residence. I had to fight him once again. It is common practice in Fall River. Selling a house and trying to sell the yard separately. Part of the reason I finally got out of there. Very little hometown pride in Fall River. It's who you know or who you want to pay. And when the lawyer for the city is allowed to represent you in Land Court, well your desires are as good as received. That's like going to court for larceny and the judge is your Uncle.

[mbhenty]

And, after all the rant in my last post.... I will add that it is more likely that the reporter got it wrong. Whether the day or doctor.

[CagneyBT]

Interesting article about Uncle John. If accurate, there are some startling similarities between him and Andrew. Little wonder they got along as well as they did.

The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Aug. 16,1892:

...Morse came here in 1869 from Illinois, where he had been a farmer with the exception of two or three years, during which, when a young man, he learned the butcher's trade. Morse has been a farmer ever since.

While in Illinois, Morse rented a farm. During this perlod, he saved up something less than $1,000 and then came here and bought land. He now owns two farms, 220 acres in all, of the finest land in Mills county. Both these farms lie directly south of Hastings, only a mile and a half from town. One of them has a fine house on it, a large barn, and is otherwise as well improved as any farm in the county.

Morse has never married, but it is the theory of those who know him best that he at one time contemplated marriage, and that he improved this farm with a view to marrying some day and occupying the place as his home. He was always regarded by his neighbors as a very eccentric and peculiar individual. He never, apparently, formed any close friendships, always maintaining an austere reserve that with most people checked the slightest approach to intimacy. In all his dealings he was close, almost to the point of penuriousness, but he was always strictly honest. There is probably not a man in Mills county who could accuse him of dishonesty, and certainly during the quarter of a century spent here, he was never guilty of a crime.

The years Morse spent here were years of the strictest frugality, of self-denial that amounted almost to greed, and no doubt all this made its impress on a character which was probably none too lovable at best.

Even after Morse became comparatively well off, there was no laxation in his frugal practices. He would drive to town In an old rattletrap lumber wagon, using a pine board for a seat, when he could just as well have afforded a buggy. He would wear the same suit of clothes everywhere, and on all occasions, and one suit usually lasted him two or three years. Indeed, it is pretty certain that the suit that he is now wearing at Fall River is the same one he wore when he left here two years ago. Only once during the long period of his residence here did he show any inclination to take any comfort in life as he went along. One winter he electrified everybody who knew him by purchasing a nice new buggy and a new suit of clothes. He suddenly showed a disposition to go into society, and all that winter, he attended parties and such other social gatherings as country and village life afforded.

It was evident that he was looking for a wife, but no girl seemed to take kindly to the long, lanky, awkward, hard-featured fellow, who dressed like a scarecrow and ate like a cormorant. This was. no doubt, the reason why, when the winter was over, he sold his buggy, laid aside his store clothes and gave up his dream of connubial joy.

Among Morse's neighbors there were, of course, several who were devout church members, and these held the opinion that Morse's morals were decidedly below par. Not that they thought him guilty of breaking the commandments oftener than is common with the average man, but he occasionally expressed in very forcible language his contempt for preachers and church members, all of whom he classed together as canting hypocrites. He had a way of making little sarcastic remarks in which there was always just enough dry humor to enrage and humiliate the person to whom it applied.

It became a habit with him to say cynical things when he condescended to speak at all, but generally he was silent, morose and gloomy. A year or so before be went east, some little talk was occasioned by him engaging an old woman from Council Bluffs to keep house for him. Some of the people professed to be considerably scandalized by this, but on the whole the prevailing opinion seems to be that as he needed a housekeeper, and as this woman was well qualified for the position, his employing her was after all the business of no one but himself.

Those who know him best, however, agree that he was never anything more than eccentric. He was selfish, close, hard-fisted, almost avaricious, but scrupulously honest. On one occasion, in making a settlement with a brother of L. G. Gerung, who lives here, Morse recalled and paid for items and services which Gerung had entirely forgotten, and it is only fair to add that most of those who heard of it thought this something of an eccentricity, too. It is somewhat singular that in the discussion of the probability of Morse's connection with the Borden murder, Morse's brother-in-law, John Davidson, whose farm adjoins that of Morse and who has known Morse since 1857, manifested almost no feeling. In fact, his extreme reticence and the little he does say might cause one to think that Davidson suspects Morse of complicity in the murder.

Some years ago, however, Morse lived with the Davidsons, and the result of this was a coolness amounting almost to an estrangement, which has continued up to the present. And yet Davidson says he thinks Morse perfectly honest, although rather close in business transactions. Mrs. Davidson, who is Morse's half sister, seems to hold an opinion of Morse which is hardly as favorable as that of her husband. She says Morse was a man who, when crossed, would never forgive, and in fact she describes this as a characteristic of him and one in which she herself shares. In speaking of the arrest of Lizzie Borden, she became very indignant and exclaimed that it is most preposterous to suppose that Lizzie could have murdered her parents.

Some effort has been made to connect Morse with the horse traders who are at present hanging about Fall River. Morse was never a horse trader, but he raised a good many horses on the farm, and when he had a surplus he sold them. Two years ago, when he went east, he took with him a carload of horses. None of the animals were blooded, and there are people here who wondered at him taking such ordinary stock east. But however peculiar, eccentric and disagreeable he may have been, he prospered, and today he is considered quite well off for a farmer. Besides his farms, he owns stock in the Botna Valley State Bank of Hastings. He has not been in need of money recently, for a short time ago, he quite willingly gave one of his tenants who pays cash rent an extension of time.

Summing it all up, it appears that for about twenty-five years, John V. Morse has been a very hard working farmer. He has prospered and now seems to be taking life easily.

[camgarsky4]

Excellent John Morse article in the Boston Globe August 9th, 1892 edition. I would paste the article, but after 2+ years on this forum, still haven't figured out how.

Farmer Davis talks in great depth about John and everything he says matches up with other information.

[CagneyBT]

Don't feel badly, Camgarsky...I haven't figured out how to paste articles either!

The Aug. 9 Globe article you refer to is rather lengthy, but here are the main excerpts:

Isaac Davis is one of the most respected citizens of Dartmouth, living there from his boyhood and accumulating a competency by careful speculation in live stock, and so intimate have been his relations with Morse that, as he said last night, he felt almost like a brother to him, and that the troubles in the Borden household were almost as affecting to him as though he was interested by ties of relationship rather than friendship alone.

Davis, who is over 55 years of age, is almost blind at present, from a severe sickness. and propped up in a chair, he told the story of the life of Morse and the circumstances that caused the latter to be in Fall River at such an inauspicious time to a Globe reporter.

It seems that early in the week, the police of Fall River received information that certain horse traders from Westport knew something about the crime, and the fact was ascertained that two Idaho farmers named John Lincoln and J. W. Cooper were in Fall River on the day the bodies were found. The officers immediately looked the matter up, but became sure that the two men knew nothing about the affair. Deputy Sheriff Kirby of Westport at the present time is conducting business with the two men. and he was able to furnish a complete alibi for them so far as their movements were concerned at the time the murders were supposed to have been committed.

Their investigations did not end here, however, and it is said that certain suspicious parties in this vicinity are being watched with a view of possible future developments.

Farmer Davis occupies a neat two-story house and in response to a knock by the writer, the door was opened by his son, who is also an intimate friend of Morse. The reporter was invited to enter and was escorted to the parlor, where the family gathered around. They appeared to be deeply grieved over the tragedy, but expressed the utmost confidence in Mr. Morse.

It appears, according to the story told by Farmer Davis, that they became acquainted with Morse over 20 years ago, when he was a poor boy in Fall River, where he was born, and where he vainly struggled to advance himself. Morse, at that time, was of a very ambitious turn of mind, but lack of education and means prevented him from advancing much.

One day he approached the farm house of Davis and asked for a job, and Farmer Davis was much impressed by his honest and frank-appearing face and immediately put him to work on the farm, which was mainly devoted to the raising of cattle.

Young Morse remained at the place for a few months and was then stricken with the Western fever, and expressed a great longing to go West and seek his fortune. They tried to persuade him to remain where he was. but without avail. After going West, he went to work on a farm in Illinois, and by hard work and economy he managed to accumulate sufficient money to purchase a small farm. From this nucleus, he accumulated a moderate fortune and finally located in Hastings, Mills county; O. The next the Davis family heard of him was about two years ago, when he showed up in Dartmouth with 40 horses which he had brought East to sell.

He disposed of the animals at that time for good prices, and then made arrangements with the Davis family to settle down here and secured board with them. He stated that he had plenty of money to support himself for the rest of his life, and told Davis that he owned two farms in Ohio, which he had leased and would enjoy a fair income from them. He lived there ever since, and has assisted Davis in the conducting of the farm, notably in negotiating the purchase of cattle from dealers in the neighborhood

Coming down to the events of the days preceding the tragedy. Farmer Davis expressed a great willingness to talk.

“In the first place,” he said, “I want to say that a more kind, Christian gentleman than Mr. Morse never lived.

He was a whole-souled man and tenderhearted to a high degree. Why. he was so chicken-hearted, as I would call it. that when we were killing cattle in the barn, he could not bear to see it, but would always go away, saying that the sight of blood turned his stomach. We often used to remark this, but we could never get him accustomed to it.

He was a great favorite with the neighbors and children, and never passed an old man or child on the road that he didn’t stop and give them a ride in the team. Often he would pass the little children of the neighborhood and throw them pennies.

Now, on the day the crime was committed. Morse left here on an errand for me. I wanted to purchase some cows in Fall River, and as I knew him to be well posted on cattle, I entrusted him with the job. The day he was to go was not set, and after he had started, he missed the train and was on the point of turning back. In fact, he came back part of the way, but changed his mind, and waited for a later train. The next I heard from him was the news of the murder and the suspicion that was attached, possibly, to his presence in the house.”

Mr. Davis was then questioned regarding Morses’ relations with Borden and whether he had ever expressed any sentiment regarding the family which could be regarded as significant at the present time.

In reply he said, "I know positively that Morse was on terms of intimate friendship with his brother-in-law, and I have often accompanied him to the latter’s house. The greeting between the two was of a most cordial nature, and I knew they were bosom friends. They have had some business transactions together, and Borden has frequently sold me cows through Morse, who acted as my agent. He always spoke of Borden in the highest terms and congratulated him on his shrewd business tact. He scarcely ever mentioned Mrs. Borden, and never in a disparaging manner."

Morse received a visit from the son of Farmer Davis and a neighbor named Howe yesterday and accorded them a long interview.

He expressed much sorrow at the awful crime and described the scene he witnessed when called into the room where the two bodies lay.

Sheriff Kirby of Westport, which is seven miles from New Bedford, was interviewed tonight in regard to the investigations being made in his town, with a view of connecting some well-known shady characters of the place with ttie crime.

He said, “I know that the officers have been working here, but so far as I know, have not made any progress towards a solution of the mystery. They first started to follow up Lincoln and Cooper, the two Western dealers who are here at present, but they soon gave up that scent. I can say this much, that not the slightest suspicion attaches to any member of the Borden family so far as any dealings in Westport may he concerned.”

Throughout New Bedford there is a strong feeling that either the guilty party or parties or someone with a guilty knowledge are located in this section, and increased efforts will be made in this direction. It is stated on excellent authority that a certain party in Fairhaven, just across the river from New Bedford, is now being watched, and that evidence has been obtained which may show his connection with the affair, but the nature of the evidence could not be learned.

What struck me is how Morse's general character was depicted by his Hastings acquaintances in the Gazette article and how he is depicted by Davis in this article.

[camgarsky4]

Morse was probably one of those guys that when he bonded with you, he really bonded. But no bond, he was standoffish.
Think about it, no one else (that we are aware of) had any sort of 'friendship' with AJB.....except, it appears, Mr. Morse.

He probably had a small handful of these friendships w/ strong chemistry in his entire life. AJB, Farmer Davis, Emma (in my opinion) and a couple others that we may never identify. Everyone else was on the outside looking in.

[camgarsky4]

There is applicable information on this thread related to the recent threads discussing Jeffries theories and John Morse in general.

Two articles a couple posts earlier in this thread that provide good insights into forming an opinion on John's personality and his relationship with the Davis clan. Everyone has probably read them before, but a reread always helps with some of these key articles.

The two articles posted above are the Boston Globe August 9th, 1892 and The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Aug. 16,1892.

Enjoy!

p.s. I still have no idea how to paste an image on these posts.

[isn'tthat special1]

Not just John Morse, but all the theories outside of an insider, meaning Lizzie, don't add up with what we know. Uncle John had no motive. He wasn't in the will. No evidence if he cared whether LIzzie and Emma got the money or not. Plus he was there to discuss a business venture with Andrew and has an alibi. The illegitimate son theory. I am sorry this is laughable. First, I have read evidence he was not Andrew's son. Secondly, what is his motive. He wasn't in the will anyway. He kills Abby, then waits for Andrew without being seen or heard? Not seen leaving the residence. Why would Lizzie and/or maid protect him? Lizzie and the maid were lovers. Sorry, can't see this. No evidence. Why would maid return to Ireland instead of staying with here lover, and then marry a man? As well as, why would Lizzie refer to her as Maggie and not her real name if involved? Even if Abby found them out and threatened to expose them, why kill the father? Abby would have been only target. A stranger? again, doesn't make sense. No one seen going into residence or leaving after killings. Lizzie heard and saw nothing. Maid heard, saw nothing. It doesn't make sense, especially when you add in that Andrew arrived earlier than his usual schedule home that day. Lizzie remains only plausible suspect. She was in the house. Claims to have heard nothing. Abby didn't scream, though facing her killer, the problem with her testimony about a so-called note, that she said Abby not at home, though she came from upstairs after a muffled laugh (maid changed testimony on this by the way), Lizzie claims put slippers on father, though photo shows his regular shoes. Changes her statements on where she was at given times, burning dress, doesn't flee the house when finding father dead. Calls to Maggie (how you know Maggie isn't dead? answer: You are the Killer) if not, killer would be in the house, why would you stay??? Lizzie stays because she knows there is no threat people. Plain and simple

[camgarsky4]

Adding John Morse relevant post from another thread to this John Morse titled thread.

Swansea farm sale - April 1893
Post by camgarsky4 » Fri Sep 08, 2023 2:01 am

As I was reading Rebello's listing of transactions, one caught my eye that I was unaware of.

Lizzie Borden: Past and Present pg. 556.
On April 3, 1893, Emma and Lizzie Borden sold 74 acres located from the "highway" to Warren, 33' lane by road to Cole's Station & Highway in Swansea, to Leander E. Gardner(Book 12 pg. 364).

I just read the 2 page transaction noted above, and a cool little factoid is that Sheriff Wright's wife, Mary, witnessed Emma and Lizzie's signatures. That would make sense, since Lizzie was being held in the Taunton jail in April, '93. The signed agreement only states the property was sold for $1. As seems to be the case in many of the real estate transactions during that era, the terms of sale were kept private between the parties.

All that said, this is likely one of Andrew's much talked about Swansea farms. The very farms that many conspiracy theorists think was the cause of John Morse participating in the murders. Or one of the farms that Andrew had decided to leave to Abby causing Lizzie to murder.

I can only speculate that the sisters sold the property to raise cash for Lizzie's defense. I was surprised that the selling party wasn't Andrew's estate since the estate had not been settled (occurred Feb, '94). Andrew Jennings was the Justice of the Peace for the agreement and basically served as, what we call today, the notary of public. So I imagine the transaction was appropriate and legal.

Since the sisters sold the 74 acres even before the trial, and not to John Morse who could have bought it instead of Leander Gardner, sure seems like the Swansea farms (or at least this particular one) had no part in anyone's motive to kill the Borden's

[camgarsky4]

I was reading thru some of the newspaper articles covering the trial itself....I really haven't spent much time reading the newspaper coverage of the trial, leaning instead into the actual transcripts. What I've missed out on is a goodly amount of personality insights and some 1890's humor.

The context for the snippet below is the final day for the prosecution making its case and John Morse trying to sneak into the courtroom to hear the testimony 'live'. Massachusetts apparently enforced a law that a witness could not attend the trial even if they had already testified. As you'll read, John thought it was a silly rule and takes a shot at the state of Massachusetts!

Source: Fall River Daily Evening News June 14, 1893
click on image to enlarge

Screenshot 2023-11-15 203854.png

[Reasonwhy]

John of the “keen and ready wit” is amusing to read about. Would be fun to hear more of this type of color. Thanks, Camgarsky!

[camgarsky4]

I've been working to construct all the details answering when Morse got back, when Bowen got back, who let Morse in the house, did Sawyer really greet him coming from the gate, etc. But there is so much information that I was spinning. So decided to post pieces at a time. I hope folks read and react. Push back on my interpretations of the information. Or agree. Either works wonderfully!

When did John Morse arrive back at the Borden home the morning of the murders?

Back to the initial topic....there is solid anecdotal evidence that Morse arrived at the Borden home by 11:35 a.m. This would have been just minutes after Dr. Bowen had returned from sending the telegram to Emma in Fairhaven. This time is contrary to most published time estimates that have Morse arriving at the Borden home at 10:40 or slightly later. For example, an author I respect, William Spencer, places the time of Morse's return "around 11:50". I think that time estimate is at least 10-15 minutes off.

Timeline:
Left Emery house close to 11:20 (Morse checked his watch).
Streetcar seen near intersection of Second & Pleasant at 11:22 (Conductor Kennedy checked his watch).
Morse deboarded street car at the intersection of Second & Pleasant 11:25 (guesstimate).
After getting off the street car, Morse walked the 6 minutes to 92 Second St., arriving between 11:31-11:35 (walk time per google maps).

Screenshot 2023-12-08 183744.png

Source: Morse preliminary hearing testimony. Page 244
Q. You think you left (the Emery home) about 20 minutes past eleven?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. How do you fix that time?
A. I looked at my watch about going back to dinner.

Q. How did you come back?
A. From Mr. Emery’s? On the car.
Q. The car that comes down Pleasant street?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. That would take you where?
A. I got off the corner of Pleasant and Second streets.
Q. You went right up home?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. Did you see any crowds upon the street when you came up?
A. Nothing that attracted my attention.

Source: Fall River Daily Evening News. August 5, 1892. Page 8.
“…...Mr. Morse’s story has, however, been confirmed, so far as the priests being on a car is concerned, by Conductor Kennedy of the car going east, who says he passed the car with the priests on the hill by the Pocasset engine house, about where Mr. Morse took the car, and that he took its time, and it was just 22 minutes after 11 o’clock.”

My comments: If there is anyone who's time I trust the most, it is the streetcar conductors. Just like with modern public transportation, credibility and success are all about timeliness. My guess is that the conductors were constantly 'clocking' each other and themselves to ensure hitting their route schedules. Kennedy's car passed the 'priests' car ON THE HILL BY THE POCASSET ENGINE HOUSE. As you can see from the map, the engine house is one block north of the intersection which Morse deboarded his streetcar. So 11:22 was darn near when Morse started his walk. I've added 3 minutes (11:25) to account for the car getting to the intersection, stopping and Morse getting behind some folks to get off the car.

Related sidenote: William Spencer in his book "Case Against Lizzie Borden", page 62 misidentifies the streetcar conductor who saw Morse's streetcar the morning of August 4. The following is from Spencer's book...."A few days later, Conductor Timothy Sullivan told police he recalled seeing Morse on the car." Timothy Sullivan was the streetcar conductor who saw Andrew around 10a.m. on Main Street. He had no known connection to Morse's return from the Emery's home.