Lizzie's Psychological Profile

[jcurrie]

I've just been reading yet another of the "Lizzie" books called "Inadmissible" by Kimbra Everly. She doesn't add too much to our knowledge about the case, but Chapter 25 is very interesting indeed. In it she quotes the experience of a Professor James Fallon, a notable neuroscientist and his work studying psychopaths. I won't go into detail about his work here, as board members can read the book for themselves, but what he found out about his own background is fascinating.

Apparently in 2005 he was doing research on Alzheimer's Disease. He needed some healthy brains in order to compare his findings and used his own family as subjects (including himself). When he got the results of the PET scans back, he was alarmed that he himself showed signs of psychopathy but his family's scans were clear. He then asked his mother whether she thought he ever acted strange. His mother told him to look at his father's side of the family. A genealogist cousin did just that and discovered that Professor Fallon was descended from one Rebecca Cornell, who in 1673 was murdered by her son Thomas, who first stabbed her then set fire to her body. He was subsequently executed. Thomas had a daughter called Innocent (what a lovely New England name!) who subsequently married one Richard Borden, Lizzie's fifth greatgrandfather. Rebecca was the fifth times greatgrandmother of Professor Fallon. Not only that, but it was discovered that several members of the Cornell family were convicted of murder. Ms Eberly doesn't list all of them except for Alvin Cornell, who in 1843 killed his wife Hannah. His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

So, does this make Lizzie a psychopath? She certainly shares some of the characteristics of a psychopath - the lack of empathy or remorse, deceitfulness. One thinks of the burglary at the Borden house in 1891 which it is believed Lizzie was responsible when only Abby's valuables were taken, especially the gold watch that Andrew had given his wife as a token of his love. Lizzie was insanely jealous of Abby as we know. Even at school her former Principal of her grade school, a Horace Borden, gave an interview to a Providence newspaper, when he said that he had boarded at a home next door to the Bordens and knew and liked Abby. He also said that even then Lizzie talked about her dislike of her stepmother.

It is Professor Fallon's belief that "we have very little control over what we do and who we are. To me, nature (genetics) determines about 80% of our personality and behaviour, and nurture (how and in what environment we are raised, only 20%".

So there's a thought.

[camgarsky4]

Extract from post above.....
"It is Professor Fallon's belief that "we have very little control over what we do and who we are. To me, nature (genetics) determines about 80% of our personality and behaviour, and nurture (how and in what environment we are raised, only 20%"."

Is it genetics or environment that most influences our behaviors and life experiences? In a sense, it is also the difference of being a psychopath or a sociopath.

This ongoing debate always reminds me of the Eddie Murphy movie, "Trading Places."

Introspectively, I imagine we all like to think we can overcome our own negative genetic predispositions, but not sure we really know if we are or aren't.

[Kat]

Sorry, but many of us have been trying to find a real, supported, verifiable link between the “Innocent” line of family. I think we hit a wall at the divergence of an “Innocent Wardell” and an “Innocent Cornell?” It’s been a long time, but if we search the Forum, we may see that question, and the debate. It’s easier for writers to just accept the connection, because it makes for a little more interesting story.
If anyone is interested enough, they could follow the lineage for themselves, but I don’t think even the best of us here from years past, could confirm a link down to Borden.
Terence Duniho spent quite a while in graveyards and searching death notices and genealogy but could not prove it before he passed away, and he was in constant contact with Stefani and myself- we also inherited his files, and I saw no proof. He was writing an historical fiction about the case and did the search because of that.

[Kat]

Actually, we don’t need a Cornell connection to “prove” a theory of “insanity” (that’s what it was called back then).
There is the “Sanity Survey” in The Knowlton Papers, that are more recent to the time, and illuminating.
I’m not discounting Narcissistic Personality Disorder, tho.

[Kat]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. Lizzie A. Borden, The Knowlton Papers, 1892-1893, Michael Martins & Dennis Binette, Editors.


“HK102
Report, handwritten in ink.
November 24, 1892
H. A. Knowlton District Atty.
New Bedford, Mass.
Sir,
I have interviewed the following named persons in reference to the rela-
tives of Lizzie Borden who said as follows:

Capt. James C. Stafford North St. New Bedford.
I use to know quite well the mother of Lizzie Borden, her name was Sarah
Morse. She had a sister and brothers. John now in Fall River, another brother who is a Blacksmith and is now out West. Mrs. Morse the mother of Lizzie Bordon was a very peculiar woman. She had a Very bad temper. She was very strong in her likes and dislikes. I never knew or heard of any of the Morses or Bordons was ever Insane or anything like it. I use to live in Fall River and always knew the Bordens and the Morses. Mrs Gray who lives on this St. may tell you something aboute them, also a Mrs Almy who lives on Franklin St, Fall River.

Mrs. - Holland Daughter of Mrs. Gray Resides on North St. New Bedford. Same house with Mrs. Gray. I never heard my mother say that Lizzie Bordon her mother or any of the Morses is or ever was Insane or anything like it. I always have heard that they were somewhat peculiar and odd. I have heard my mother talk considerable about Bordens and the Morses but never heard her say that any of them were Insane.

Abraham G. Hart Cashier Savings bank Fall River. I have live here most all my life. I never knew much aboute Lizzie Borden or her mother. I never knew much about the brothers of Lizzie Bordens mother. Always known of them. I never heard that any of the Morses or Bordens was ever Insane.

S. H. Miller 93 Second St. Fall River opp. the Bordon House. I have lived in Fall River 64 years. Bordon use to work for me. I know the Bordons and all of the Morses. the father of Lizzies mother was Anthony Morse. I use to know his two brothers. Know the brothers of Mrs. Morse, Lizzies mother. One is now supposed to be out West. I never knew or never heard that any of the Morses is or was Insane. Know they were somewhat peculiar. Anthony Morse had two brothers George and Gardiner Morse. I was not a witness at the trial. I did not intend to be. I saw Mr. Borden a little while before the murder. Bridget, the Servant girl came running into my house and said both was dead just then a man was passing I called him and told Bridget to tell him what she told me. She did and that man was a witness. I did not want anything to do with it and I did not go near the house.

Rescom Case 199 Second St. Fall River. I have lived in Fall River 57 years and I know all the Bordens and the Morses well. A sister of Mrs. Morse (Lizzies mother, married his cousin, a man named Morse, they now live here in Fall River. I use to know Anthony, father of Lizzies mother. He has a brother now living in Warren Mass. the woman that was murdered use to visit my house often, but she use to keep her affairs to herself pretty well, but I assure you I have my opinion of Lizzie Borden and I hope they will get more evidence. My wife dont know any more than I do aboute the Bordons or Morses. We never heard that anyone of them is or ever was Insane but I think some of them worse than Insane.

Nov. 26.
John S. Brayton Fall River. I have lived here great meny years. I know the Morses Mother of Lizzie Borden was Sarah, her father was Anthony Morse. I think her sister is dead. Anthony Morse was a farmer, after he owned a milk route. I never heard of anyone of them as being Insane or having any streak of Insanity.

D. S. Brigam Ex. City Marshal of Fall River I use to know the Morses never heard of any of them as being Insane, but this girl Lizzie Borden is known by a number of people here to be a woman of a bad disposition if they tell what they know.

Geo. A. Patty [sic], Fall River I did not know much aboute the history of the Morses but never heard that any of them is or was ever Insane but Lizzie is known to be ugly.

Mrs. Geo. W. Whitehead 45 4th St. Fall River Sister of Mrs. Borden who was murdered never heard that any of the Morses was Insane but ugly. Since the murder people have said if she is guilty she must be Insane.

Mrs. William Almy Franklin St. Fall River Always known the Bordens and the Morses, but for several years I have not known much aboute any of them. Some 30 years ago my husband who is now dead was in company with Mr Bordon. I use to know the brother of Mrs. Morse (Lizzies Mother) also her sister. I think there was 4 brothers. I have never heard that there was ever any Insanity or anything like it among any of the Morses.

Chester W. Green 80 years old lives in Fall River and have for 40 years. I know the Bordens and the Morses but I dont know much aboute. Never heard as any of them was ever Insane or anything like it.

William Carr lived in Fall River for 40 years I know the Bordons better then I know the Morses. The Bordons are peculiar people but I never heard that any of the Bordons or the Morses is or was ever Insane.
Respectfully,
Moulton Batchelder . Dist. Police”

[Kat]

Pardon, but the school official who supposedly talked about “Lizzie in school”’s name was Benson, not Borden. Here is what Rebello has in his book, LIZZIE BORDEN - PAST & PRESENT, Leonard Rebello, 1999, Al-Zach Press. Pgs. 8+

"Says She is Innocent / A Former Teacher of Lizzie Borden Speaks About Her Case," Woonsocket Call, Woonsocket, RI. See Kent, David, The Lizzie Borden Sourcebook, Boston: Branden Publishing Company, Inc., 1992, 271.”

Mr. Horace Benson, who knew the Borden family and had Lizzie as a student said, " ... as a pupil she was an average scholar, neither being exceptionally smart nor noticeably dull. She was subject to varying moods, and was never fond of her stepmother. She had no hesitation in talking about her, and in many ways, showed her dislike of her father's second wife.

While living next door to the Bordens, he became acquainted with Abby Borden and "knew her as a kindly hearted, lovable woman, who tried, but ineffectually to win the love of the stepdaughters. Still, the household was far from being an unhappy one."

“Note: Mr. Benson was first listed in the Fall River City Directories in 1874 as a principal of the Morgan Street Grammar School. He resided (boarded) at 84 Second Street, later renumbered to 194 Second Street from 1891 to 1903. He later moved from Second Street to 44 Morgan Street and resided there until 1909. Mr. Benson moved to Blackstone, Massachusetts.”
…………..
"Lizzie Borden: Her School, and Later Life, Noble Woman Though Retiring," Boston Herald, August 7, 1892: 6.

[I could not find the article in the Sourcebook on the page listed here,271, but it appears that this second citation after the Benson quote is for the next quote which is by Mrs. Charles J. Holmes in the Herald.]
The Sourcebook rarely gives paper names or dates, and often only shows a partial article.

[Kat]

Rebello has some numbering on Second Street, and it looks like #84 is the Burt house, on the other side of Churchill, same side of the street.
Benson would only have been living on that street about a year* before the murders, so it doesn’t seem like he was “next door” during Lizzie’s adolescence. It’s also not much time to get to know Abbie…
*Didn’t camgarsky figure the City Directories would take time to compile and then publish? So it might have been somewhat over a year?

[jcurrie]

Sorry, Kat, I meant to type Benson. I must have been tired after all that typing!

I don't suppose any of the people interviewed by DA Knowlton knew the Bordens or Morses well enough to judge whether any of them were insane. Odd, maybe, which is not the same thing. What I did find disturbing was the fact that Lizzie was so vocal in her dislike of Abby to people outside the home. I wonder if Andrew was aware of this? And then there was the robbery where only Abby's things were taken. One of the items taken was a watch that Andrew had given his wife. I've always wondered what happened to them.

[Kat]

I did figure it was a typo. It can easily happen.
The daylight robbery is a very interesting occurrence and is somewhat described in the Jennings Journals. Do you have that?
It’s amazing to know that Andrew was actually home, in the dining room, shelling peas with Lizzie and Emma during the time of the “robbery.” And that book was published probably after these others you are reading, so those authors would not have gotten the benefit of his disclosures.
I’ll be glad to look it up for you later…