Breaks in the pattern

[PossumPie]

Jails and prisons were much different in the 1800s than they are today, they were sparse and punitive. Lizzie seems to be given allowances not given (or afforded) to the other women prisoners who were probably prostitutes and vagrants. I try not to read too much into what Emma, Morse, or the prison matron did to accommodate Lizzie while in jail, Family should stick by you even if they know you're guilty (or suspect it) and often they deny even to themselves the possibility of guilt.

Ran some filtering software over the news article with the blurry last line. Best I can clean it up it looks like: "Mr. Morse is one of the visitors privileged to visit the room where his niece is confined."

[Kat]

Thanks for the last line!

You remind me of an article I was just reading from the newspaper, that was trying to whip up some controversy over Lizzie's treatment in jail...
It's funny...I don't read a current newspaper but I will read the papers from 1892+
Plz clickonpic

[PossumPie]

Thanks for the last line!

You remind me of an article I was just reading from the newspaper, that was trying to whip up some controversy over Lizzie's treatment in jail...
It's funny...I don't read a current newspaper but I will read the papers from 1892+
Plz clickonpic

With current events being distorted to fit the agenda of both political extremes in the media today, you're better off NOT reading modern news.

[Kat]

I found the reference to Morse bringing the dinner to Lizzie, yet not seeing her and not seeming to care. Good ole Harry, I was searching the Forum for that lock on the front door, and he had a reference to the story...

Evening Standard
Aug 24, 1892, partial
.... 7 o'clock last night an old man with a lumbering tread, a basket in his hands and a dozen gamins at his heels walked into Court square from the direction of Borden street. He did not notice the boys; he is too much accustomed to notoriety to be annoyed at trifles now. He entered the guard-room weariedly and waited. It was John V. Morse. He had brought Lizzie's supper. He expected to visit his niece, the marshal having already allowed him to do so earlier in the day. The captain of the night watch took the basket without a word. The old man didn't care to argue the question. He simply sat down in the guard-room to await the return of the basket.
In the interval he talked horse with a friend, but was inclined to give murder topics a wide berth. He hoped---incidentally---that the perpetrator of the crime would eventually be brought to justice, and said---mechanically---that it was a lamentable affair. He wondered if the police had ever found the right key which Andrew Borden always carried, and added that he had changed the lock on the door of the Borden house, not caring to sleep in a house to which so many keys were afloat. He had been in New Bedford all day, and was tired---very tired.
He had begun to speculate on the effect of the advance in electrical science on horseflesh when Capt. Desmond arrived with the lunch basket. The old man took it, lumbered out of the guard-room and started on the back trail with the street arabs in his wake.
A citizen watched the old man disappear across the square with no small show of interest.
"Andrew Borden," he said, thoughtfully, "was a man who talked little, unless the subject was of deep interest to him. You did all the talking. He did the listening.” ...

[PossumPie]

This brings up a good question. IF Bridget, Morse, and Emma believed strongly that Lizzie was innocent, then they believed that the real killer was still afoot. Yet Morse and Emma still slept in the same house, and except for replacing one lock didn't seem that concerned about safety. Aside from hiring one Pinkerton man to poke around a bit and then being quickly fired, nothing seems done or said by the family about catching the REAL killer! Morse wearily strolls up the street with dinner, only Bridget is freaked out enough to not sleep in the house. I'm not saying this to imply that it points to Lizzie's guilt, but why was there no great indignation or attempt to find the real killer? If memory serves me, they offered a reward but that seems like "P.R." more than actual desperation to find the killer. There should be stories of Emma and Morse pestering Andrew's acquaintances for some tidbit about someone getting angry or threatening him. Bank presidents should have been contacted by them to help "get out the word" that a killer was roaming around.

[Reasonwhy]

“He wondered if the police had ever found the right key which Andrew Borden always carried….”

What does that mean, do you think?

Morse sounds as if he is just going through the motions of family duty, does not mind not seeing Lizzie, and is only expressing mild curiosity for form’s sake. Probably, he had quickly concluded Lizzie had done it, and now was just trying to keep up appearances (my speculation). For me, this answers some questions about his attitude.

Kat, thanks for finding and posting this.

[Reasonwhy]

“ Yet Morse and Emma still slept in the same house, and except for replacing one lock didn't seem that concerned about safety….”
—partial post by PossumPie

Excellent observation, Possum; I’d not thought of that. If they truly believed in Lizzie, I do think they would have kept that Pinkerton gent employed. I think the problem there was he was a mite too good at his job, getting Alice to so promptly ‘fess up about that burned dress.

[Kat]

I was rather intrigued by the statement: "He had begun to speculate on the effect of the advance in electrical science on horseflesh." ???

And this is an example of "fun with newspapers"

[Reasonwhy]

What a character. Was an electric shock to replace spurs?

[Kat]

My first thought was (sorry ) some use to separate the hide from the flesh on a dead horse, and that Morse had been hanging around Davis too long

[Kat]

“He wondered if the police had ever found the right key which Andrew Borden always carried….”

What does that mean, do you think?

I figured you'd notice that. The keys are a big deal, I think. There's a previous thread on this, starting with why, at trial, was there such an emphasis put on the order of keys on Andrew's key ring, when found; Abbie not having her key anymore; the common key to the master bedroom being kept on the mantle; and Morse seemingly (at least in the papers) implying there were other house keys floating around...
Maybe you can find it; I think it was part of the thread from which I gathered the Evening Standard article. You are good at searching the Forum!

[Reasonwhy]

Okay, doing some digging…

[PossumPie]

I was rather intrigued by the statement: "He had begun to speculate on the effect of the advance in electrical science on horseflesh." ???

And this is an example of "fun with newspapers"

I believe it means electric cars may replace horses if they become popular. Not quite accurate but very close--gasoline cars replaced "horseflesh" within a few decades!

[PossumPie]

“He wondered if the police had ever found the right key which Andrew Borden always carried….”

What does that mean, do you think?

I figured you'd notice that. The keys are a big deal, I think. There's a previous thread on this, starting with why, at trial, was there such an emphasis put on the order of keys on Andrew's key ring, when found; Abbie not having her key anymore; the common key to the master bedroom being kept on the mantle; and Morse seemingly (at least in the papers) implying there were other house keys floating around...
Maybe you can find it; I think it was part of the thread from which I gathered the Evening Standard article. You are good at searching the Forum!

With the inside and outside of the house locked up like Fort Knox, there must have been many keys floating around. Of course, the bedroom key placed ceremoniously on the mantle was genius by Andrew. "Anything else disappears from my room we KNOW who did it since Lizzie is well aware of the key's location but a burglar would not know. Pure logic.

Don't forget in the discussion of keys, the one lock on the front door sometimes didn't catch so it may or may not have needed a key. They replaced it soon after Morse discovered that it didn't always catch.

[Reasonwhy]

Okay, found two subforums/topics where Kat and Harry, particularly, cite Dr. Dolan’s and Winward’s testimonies and have insightful questions about Andrew’s keys:

—“KEYS,” from 2005, with over 100 posts
—“Keys,” from 2009, with 18 posts

[camgarsky4]

Excerpt from Possum post above:
"With the inside and outside of the house locked up like Fort Knox, there must have been many keys floating around. Of course, the bedroom key placed ceremoniously on the mantle was genius by Andrew. "Anything else disappears from my room we KNOW who did it since Lizzie is well aware of the key's location but a burglar would not know. Pure logic.


His ploy would only be useful if Bridget or Emma didn't use the key to get in his bedroom or a burglar (including Lizzie) didn't gain access using other means than the actual key to the door lock. So if catching Lizzie was his logic based tactic, it had a good number of flaws in it potential effectiveness.

[PossumPie]

Excerpt from Possum post above:
"With the inside and outside of the house locked up like Fort Knox, there must have been many keys floating around. Of course, the bedroom key placed ceremoniously on the mantle was genius by Andrew. "Anything else disappears from my room we KNOW who did it since Lizzie is well aware of the key's location but a burglar would not know. Pure logic.


His ploy would only be useful if Bridget or Emma didn't use the key to get in his bedroom or a burglar (including Lizzie) didn't gain access using other means than the actual key to the door lock. So if catching Lizzie was his logic based tactic, it had a good number of flaws in it potential effectiveness.

Rebello, page 36:

“Chief Hilliard [allegedly] told the members of the grand jury why it was the mysterious burglar who stole Mrs. Borden’s watch …The chief said he was satisfied that Lizzie committed the theft, and went on to say how he convinced Mr. Borden that such was the case. All the articles stolen at that time were Mrs. Borden and included, beside the watch and money, a quantity of free horse tickets. A number of persons were found presenting free tickets who were not entitled to them. The police asked them where they secured these little pasteboards. They said Lizzie Borden gave them to them. Lizzie had never had any of these tickets until after the theft from Mrs. Borden, so Mr. Borden requested that there be no further investigation."… The New Bedford Evening Standard, Tuesday November 22, 1892: 4

From the circumstantial evidence available to us, it is apparent that Andrew knew Lizzie was shoplifting from stores, and he DID suddenly tell the horsecart company NOT to worry about the stolen VIP tickets anymore after finding out that friends of Lizzie's had the stolen tickets. Apparently, Lizzie didn't know that the tickets were easily traced since her father was on the board of the company. I believe that Andrew knew that Lizzie stole the stuff from his room and he wanted her to know that he was watching her.

[camgarsky4]

I 100% believe that Lizzie was the 'burglar', so no argument from me on that.

Do we know that Andrew started putting his bedroom key on the mantel after and because of the burglary? Could that not have been a convenient and standard place to put the key so that Abby could access the room when she needed...same as Andrew? Remember this is the crazy security house.

Also, if Andrew was using the key location for psychology reasons, then any debate over a 'deep love'' between those two seems silly. That would match up with my opinion that the two of them didn't share much, of any, warmth post-Europe.

[wall59]

"From the circumstantial evidence available to us, it is apparent that Andrew knew Lizzie was shoplifting from stores"
----partial post PossumPie

What evidence do we have, please?

[PossumPie]

"From the circumstantial evidence available to us, it is apparent that Andrew knew Lizzie was shoplifting from stores"
----partial post PossumPie

What evidence do we have, please?

It was alleged that Lizzie stole two paintings from the Tilden-Thurber store in 1897.
Robello:
"Lizzie was a chronic shoplifter. Several years ago after the trial, she was caught shoplifting in Providence. My grandfather (Andrew J. Jennings) got her off, then came home and said "I will have nothing to do with that woman." Mr. Edward Jennings, grandson of Andrew J. Jennings,
Brockton Sunday Advertiser, September 13, 1992.
"Lizzie Borden Again, A Warrant for Her Arrest Issued from a Local Court, Two Paintings Missed from Tilden-Thurber Co.'s Store," Providence Journal February 16, 1897: 1.
"Charged With Stealing/Warrant Issued for the Arrest of Lizzie A. Borden," Fall River Daily Globe, Lebruary 16, 1897: 1.
"Talk of the Town/Was The Story of Lizzie Borden's Case and the Lact That a Warrant Was Issued/ Eove's Echo Has Probably Been Settled Por/Dectective Barker Meets with a Priendly Coon," Fall River Daily Globe, Lebruary 17, 1897: 8.
The Borden Affair/Officials and Others Interested Still Uncommunicative/Publication of the Pacts Has Caused a Sensation," Providence Journal February 17, 1897: 2.

"Lizzie's Gift To a Friend Exposed the Picture Business/How the Tilden-Thurber Co. Learned That Their Goods Were Being Sold Cheap/What Detective Parker Learned in This City," Fall River Daily Globe, February 19, 1897: 8.
"Lizzie Borden's Confession," Boston Herald, May 30, 1971: 12-18.
s.
This is Edward Rowe Snow's account of the Tilden-Thurber theft in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1897, in which Lizzie was alleged to have signed a confession of the murders.
"Tilden-Thurber and a Providence Renaissance," Providence Journal-Bulletin, June 22, 1993: Dl.
This article reports the restoration of the Tilden-Thurber Building built in 1895, where Lizzie was alleged to have stolen a painting from the store.
Williams, Joyce, "The World Owed Her: Lizzie Borden's Shoplifting," Proceedings, Jules R.
Ryckebusch, ed., Portland, ME: King Philip Publishing Co., 1993, 73-80.
Fletcher, Paul, "Lizzie Borden Again/Lizzie's Tilden-Thurber Confession," Lizzie Borden Quarterly, vol. 2, no. 4/5, Fall/Winter, 1995: 8.

[camgarsky4]

Were you able to find any documentation of shoplifting pre-trial (1892)?

On a jealous note, do you have Rebello on a word document so you can cut and paste easily? I hate referencing Rebello, Knowlton or the trial for that matter because I have to type it all out.

[wall59]

Thank you for the info! The Tilden-Thurber incident is allegedly resolved with Lizzie signing a confession to the murders, if my memory serves me correctly. Although I believe this "confession" has been debunked. Does Lizzie's alleged kleptomania go back to the time when her father was still alive? Thanks again for the help.

[PossumPie]

I don't have time right now to "cite my sources" as they are newspaper/book citations but yes, there are allegations and discussions that Lizzie stole items from local merchants. Apparently, Andrew had "agreements" with the shops that he should be discretely charged for anything she stole and he would pay for it. The biggest smoking gun in my opinion is the "directors tickets" for the horse cart. The ONLY way Lizzie's friends could have gotten them is from her and the only way she could have gotten them was taking them from Andrew without permission. Apparently, she didn't know they could be traced. Andrew was a wealthy, proud man and he would do anything to prevent Lizzie's AND HIS good name to be smudged. He had enough influence to keep the incidents out of the legal system. Of course, if you ask me to prove it, there was never an arrest so it is unprovable but it seems to have been common whispering knowledge.

[Kat]

That's my handwriting giving source on that news item you've got there!
And the little arrow is pointing to Mrs. Preston Gardner.
Tilden-Thurber is no more, but Len Rebello took me and Stef there one evening during a "tour." He had us park the car, wanting us to walk around to get the feel of the place. The shop window was lit with beautiful crystal pieces- some of the most gorgeous I'd ever seen. And we all put our noses to the window, our hands shielding our eyes, peering inside to see the balcony area and the lay-out, in the semi-darkness, just barely lit inside...it was a moment I won't forget and thank goodness we went because they closed not too long after. And we left nose-prints on the glass of Tilden-Thurber! Thanks Len!

[PossumPie]

That's my handwriting giving source on that news item you've got there!
And the little arrow is pointing to Mrs. Preston Gardner.
Tilden-Thurber is no more, but Len Rebello took me and Stef there one evening during a "tour." He had us park the car, wanting us to walk around to get the feel of the place. The shop window was lit with beautiful crystal pieces- some of the most gorgeous I'd ever seen. And we all put our noses to the window, our hands shielding our eyes, peering inside to see the balcony area and the lay-out, in the semi-darkness, just barely lit inside...it was a moment I won't forget and thank goodness we went because they closed not too long after. And we left nose-prints on the glass of Tilden-Thurber! Thanks Len!

I think many of the photocopies of news articles floating around the forum over the years have your/Stef's handwriting on them!!!

I want to make it clear that there is NO legal proof anywhere (conviction or caught in the act) that Lizzie ever stole. It's one of those speculations that floated around Fall River but was never proven. I think it would point to a deeper pathology if we knew she would steal as well.

[Kat]

Well, it wouldn't be Stef, but If there's a news item without my writing on it, it would then be Terence Duniho or Len Rebello or Bill Pavao or Ed Thibault.

[Kat]

The biggest smoking gun in my opinion is the "directors tickets" for the horse cart. The ONLY way Lizzie's friends could have gotten them is from her and the only way she could have gotten them was taking them from Andrew without permission. Apparently, she didn't know they could be traced.

--partial

I could hear Lizzie in my head saying "just as anybody would be foolish enough..." So I found Alice's letter in Knowlton Papers that tells what Lizzie said to her Wednesday evening. It's a partial, and if anyone wants the full transcription tell me please and I will post it.

Letter in Knowlton Papers from Alice Russell
Pg 228
Bold is me

HK212
Letter, handwritten in ink.

June 2, 1893

--Partial
..."Mrs. Borden's things in her dressing room were ransacked, and her
gold watch & chain, money & cartickets were taken." I think she told me
there was something else taken but I can't remember just what. 1 think a
pin or a charm. They also found a nail in the key hole. She told me her
father reported it to the police but they didn't find anybody. She said
"father thought they might catch them by the tickets. Lizzie remarked
"just as if anybody would be foolish enough to use those tickets." She also
told me about seeing a man run around the house one night. I asked her
if she didn't think it was Maggie's company, but she hardly thought so. ...

[PossumPie]

The biggest smoking gun in my opinion is the "directors tickets" for the horse cart. The ONLY way Lizzie's friends could have gotten them is from her and the only way she could have gotten them was taking them from Andrew without permission. Apparently, she didn't know they could be traced.

--partial

I could hear Lizzie in my head saying "just as anybody would be foolish enough..." So I found Alice's letter in Knowlton Papers that tells what Lizzie said to her Wednesday evening. It's a partial, and if anyone wants the full transcription tell me please and I will post it.

Letter in Knowlton Papers from Alice Russell
Pg 228
Bold is me

HK212
Letter, handwritten in ink.

June 2, 1893

--Partial
..."Mrs. Borden's things in her dressing room were ransacked, and her
gold watch & chain, money & cartickets were taken." I think she told me
there was something else taken but I can't remember just what. 1 think a
pin or a charm. They also found a nail in the key hole. She told me her
father reported it to the police but they didn't find anybody. She said
"father thought they might catch them by the tickets. Lizzie remarked
"just as if anybody would be foolish enough to use those tickets." She also
told me about seeing a man run around the house one night. I asked her
if she didn't think it was Maggie's company, but she hardly thought so. ...

Do you take that to mean she knew ahead of time the tickets were traceable thus was innocent of the theft, or that as her mouth said "As if anybody..." her brain was saying "OH CRAP!" ???

[Kat]

I don't know..its just more information, from a very good source, to make things more confusing...

[wall59]

From https://www.criminalelement.com/11-fact ... ty-whacks/

7. Lizzie was a lifelong kleptomaniac.

False.

Although a Rhode Island newspaper published a story accusing her of shoplifting in 1897, the store in question retains no record of the incident. The story cast enough suspicion that Lizzie was carefully watched whenever she entered Gifford’s jewelry store in Fall River, yet no evidence of theft from Gifford’s—or anywhere else—has ever come to light.

[PossumPie]

We've already established that while there are no formal charges ever brought on Lizzie for stealing, the circumstantial evidence from incidents occurring before the murders and the 1897 incident likely happened. " the store in question retains no record of the incident. " simply means that they did not press charges or keep a record of the incident, but witnesses including store employees recognized the stolen painting when it was brought in to be framed, and when the person was confronted, stated that Lizzie had given it to her.

It was alleged that Lizzie stole two paintings from the Tilden-Thurber store in 1897.
Robello:
"Lizzie was a chronic shoplifter. Several years ago after the trial, she was caught shoplifting in Providence. My grandfather (Andrew J. Jennings) got her off, then came home and said "I will have nothing to do with that woman." Mr. Edward Jennings, grandson of Andrew J. Jennings,
Brockton Sunday Advertiser, September 13, 1992.
"Lizzie Borden Again, A Warrant for Her Arrest Issued from a Local Court, Two Paintings Missed from Tilden-Thurber Co.'s Store," Providence Journal February 16, 1897: 1.
"Charged With Stealing/Warrant Issued for the Arrest of Lizzie A. Borden," Fall River Daily Globe, Lebruary 16, 1897: 1.
"Talk of the Town/Was The Story of Lizzie Borden's Case and the Lact That a Warrant Was Issued/ Eove's Echo Has Probably Been Settled Por/Dectective Barker Meets with a Priendly Coon," Fall River Daily Globe, Lebruary 17, 1897: 8.
The Borden Affair/Officials and Others Interested Still Uncommunicative/Publication of the Pacts Has Caused a Sensation," Providence Journal February 17, 1897: 2.

"Lizzie's Gift To a Friend Exposed the Picture Business/How the Tilden-Thurber Co. Learned That Their Goods Were Being Sold Cheap/What Detective Parker Learned in This City," Fall River Daily Globe, February 19, 1897: 8.
"Lizzie Borden's Confession," Boston Herald, May 30, 1971: 12-18.
s.
This is Edward Rowe Snow's account of the Tilden-Thurber theft in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1897, in which Lizzie was alleged to have signed a confession of the murders.
"Tilden-Thurber and a Providence Renaissance," Providence Journal-Bulletin, June 22, 1993: Dl.
This article reports the restoration of the Tilden-Thurber Building built in 1895, where Lizzie was alleged to have stolen a painting from the store.
Williams, Joyce, "The World Owed Her: Lizzie Borden's Shoplifting," Proceedings, Jules R.
Ryckebusch, ed., Portland, ME: King Philip Publishing Co., 1993, 73-80.
Fletcher, Paul, "Lizzie Borden Again/Lizzie's Tilden-Thurber Confession," Lizzie Borden Quarterly, vol. 2, no. 4/5, Fall/Winter, 1995: 8.

[wall59]

Many things have been "established" and yet continue to be discussed ad nauseam.

[PossumPie]

Many things have been "established" and yet continue to be discussed ad nauseam.

I know that sometimes I come across as condescending or always right. I'm not 100% sure of my answers. We must remember that what we each accept as personal "truth" is generally what one ends up believing given (or despite) evidence. At some point, people accept or reject what is known.

Look at the COVID-19 vaccination controversy. One side swears it is ineffective and will harm you. They have "evidence" to the point where many fine people are quitting their long-held jobs rather than get the vaccine. The other side swears it is safe and effective and had many clinical trials and studies to prove it. How can both sides believe they have the truth? Simply because they are filtering through their own biases to accept/reject new facts to support their preconceived belief.

I admit Lizzie was never convicted, so perhaps all of the anecdotes, rumors, articles, and second-hand information about her being a thief are wrong...but it is a very strange accusation to make up about someone who was convicted of being a murderer...Next to chopping up your father with a hatchet, stealing some cart tickets or a painting don't detract much from her reputation. I tend to need stronger evidence than some people before believing something about the case (hence my skepticism about the hatchet on the barn) but in reading the information about the horse cart tickets being used by friends of Lizzies, and Andrew dropping the case, that is enough for me. How sure am I that I'm right? only 75%.

[camgarsky4]

Possum you have an interesting way of describing other peoples thought process....almost comes across as judging, which I'm sure its not intended.

Using your Hatchet on the roof example, I believe >50% that is the murder weapon. But just a hair over 50% due to the timing of the discovery. I also think Lizzie attempted to buy prussic acid with 99% confidence. I think 99% that Abby did not receive a note on August 4th. In both of those instances, I really can't be more sure with my POV. I have a possible answer for every 'mystery' of this case, but my confidence in being correct ranges all over the place.

Are all your opinions on this case are felt with 100% confidence? You feel 100% sure that Lizzie was a kleptomaniac before the murders? By the way, no where does it SAY that Lizzie's friends reported the horse cart tickets. You may be completely correct with that assumption, but it is your assumption and never stated by Hillard or any newspaper article.

[PossumPie]

Possum you have an interesting way of describing other peoples thought process....almost comes across as judging, which I'm sure its not intended.

Using your Hatchet on the roof example, I believe >50% that is the murder weapon. But just a hair over 50% due to the timing of the discovery. I also think Lizzie attempted to buy prussic acid with 99% confidence. I think 99% that Abby did not receive a note on August 4th. In both of those instances, I really can't be more sure with my POV. I have a possible answer for every 'mystery' of this case, but my confidence in being correct ranges all over the place.

Are all your opinions on this case are felt with 100% confidence? You feel 100% sure that Lizzie was a kleptomaniac before the murders? By the way, no where does it SAY that Lizzie's friends reported the horse cart tickets. You may be completely correct with that assumption, but it is your assumption and never stated by Hillard or any newspaper article.

I know camgarsky4...usually after the second Whiskey Sour. I edited my post to reflect your observation. I like to have a polite scholarly debate. Sometimes if everyone is on the same opinion, it can turn into a bunch of people all agreeing on each hypothesis. If someone can bring up a viable alternative, everyone digs a bit deeper to find the truth. If you look back to 2014, I was a major advocate of the Crowe-barn theory. I've since become skeptical. I also fail to cite my sources when that Whiskey Sour is in me so I'll try to find the source which stated that Lizzies friends had the tickets...

[Kat]

I was actually looking up "robbery" in The Boston Globe, The Evening Standard, The Fall River Globe and The Sourcebook tonight.
Maybe that is the first source, or inkling, or the inception of the idea of Lizzie as thief, robbing her own home? If that became accepted, then possibly folks would tend to believe other stories of theft by her, going forward, truth or not.
I think this should be a new topic. I will start one with the newspaper info I collected so far.

[Kat]

Does Lizzie's alleged kleptomania go back to the time when her father was still alive? Thanks again for the help.

Thanks for asking this question...maybe we can figure this out.

[Kat]

...I'm not saying this to imply that it points to Lizzie's guilt, but why was there no great indignation or attempt to find the real killer? If memory serves me, they offered a reward but that seems like "P.R." more than actual desperation to find the killer. There should be stories of Emma and Morse pestering Andrew's acquaintances for some tidbit about someone getting angry or threatening him. Bank presidents should have been contacted by them to help "get out the word" that a killer was roaming around.

---partial quote

It took me a while to find something on this in response,and corroboration, so here is a news opinion rendered around the third anniversary of the crime:

[PossumPie]

I would have thought that if just for appearance sake they would have kicked up some media attention about finding the killer...

[camgarsky4]

Agree Possum.

Just speculation, but Emma had 50% of the wealth. She acted along with Lizzie in not pursuing the culprit post-murders. Without any confirming information, this would sure seem to suggest that Emma viewed pursuing the murderers as a waste of time or created the risk of something coming to light that they preferred not.

They spend zero resources trying to avenge Andrew, but leave money in their wills to care for his cemetery site in perpetuity. Strange couple of ladies.