Where was George W Whitehead during the Borden Murders?

[Jewel]

I'm trying to find information that shows definitively where Abby Borden's brother-in-law was at the time of the murders. I'm also curious if he was ever looked into as a suspect, as he lived only 2 blocks from the Borden home (a 3 minute walk by sidewalk--much quicker & stealthier if cut through the two neighboring yards between them), Abby was vocal about her disappointment in him as he was a poor provider for his family, and he very well may have believed he had something to gain if both Abby and Andrew died (he might have believed Abby had a will that bequeathed the 4th street property to his wife, Sarah, upon her death---and indeed, George and Sarah mortgaged that property very soon after Emma & Lizzie transferred it to them). Sarah's mother, was very anxious to move out of the 4th street house she shared with Sarah & George, selling her interest in it to Andrew Borden, that he in turn gifted to Abby "so Sarah could always have a home"---because Abby couldn't feel that George could be counted on. Was there something about George that made Jane Gray no longer want to live with her daughter after years of doing so? George reportedly died 5 years after the murders of a liver infection, at the age of 38==is it possible that George was an alcoholic? Whoever killed Abby was not a stranger to her and someone she was comfortable enough with to be in the house with her, but whoever killed Abby and Andrew seemed to be impassioned enough to commit overkill---Lizzie claimed someone arrived with a note for Abby stating someone was ill---is it possible that George arrived with a "message" from Sarah stating he was checking on her, or that Sarah was ill, or some other excuse to let him in the door and attack her when her back was turned to him? Being her brother-in-law, it's likely that George had known the layout of his wife's sister's house. Lizzie also stated she heard her father arguing with someone days earlier about a property---could that have been George asking for a loan to make the very upgrades to the property that they mortgaged the house for soon after the trial acquitted Lizzie to upgrade AND build a new house? I had also read that George's father was a sergeant and his brother was a captain---not sure if that's military or police, but the day of the murders, George and Sarah were supposed to go to the police officer's ball at Rocky Point, but their babysitter (Abby Borden) got sick and had to cancel---I've been unclear if George made it to the ball (I've read conflicting reports that Sarah and Jane did, but I haven't read that George was there also). If George was confirmed to be there by reputable sources, then that's that, but I just wonder why it does not appear that the Whiteheads were questioned as suspects, when they financially gained from the Borden's deaths?

[camgarsky4]

Jewel -- good morning and welcome to the Forum!! Loved reading and thinking about your first post.
I have one item that might support your theory and a couple questions on the source of a couple of your comments.

First, a newspaper article that Attorney Jennings had collected in his case journal had George Whitehead stating that his wife, Bertha, was "on an excursion'" the day of the murders. That supports the possibility that the excursion was the ferry ride to Rocky Point. That said, it is impossible to determine if he was on the same outing.

Source: Jennings Journals page 328 & 329. Excerpt from the Boston Herald, August 9, 1892.
"Mrs. Holmes asked Mrs. Whitehead is she had sent a note to Mrs. Borden on the morning of the murder. Mrs. Holmes stated that Lizzie had said she thought the note might have come from bertha (Mrs. Whitehead's Christian name), as she (Lizzie) knew that Mrs. Whitehead was the only person who sent letters to Mrs. Borden.
Mr. Whitehead says that his wife was on an excursion that day and could not possibly have sent the note. He is at a loss to understand Lizzie's statement, as he assured the writer that his wife had written but one note to Mrs. Borden, and that was one penned and delivered three years ago.
Mrs. Holmes was over to see Mrs. Whitehead again on Saturday and pursued the same line of inquiry, only to receive the answers give above."

A bit odd that Whitehead thinks he knows how often and when his wife communicates with Abby. Unless of course, he and Bertha had discussed this very topic since the murders and his wife had told him about the frequency. I suppose that is very possible and likely.

Second, a question on your source for George Whitehead dying of a liver infection. Per the death register and a newspaper article, he died of either kidney disease or peritonitis. Per google, Peritonitis is a redness and swelling (inflammation) of the lining of your belly or abdomen. This lining is called the peritoneum. It is often caused by an infection from a hole in the bowel or a burst appendix.

Source: Fall River Globe July 9, 1898.

Screenshot 2023-10-17 093459.png

Source: 1898 Fall River Death register. Page 156

Screenshot 2023-10-17 092652.png

Is the info below your source for the remodeling/mortgaging of 45 Fourth?
Posted by MBhenty in 2022, the excerpt below is from an article written by Len Rebello explaining what happened to the Whitehead House.
Reading and tracking the land transactions and the mortgaging of the property by the Whiteheads led Bill Pavao to suggest that I check city records to determine if any permits were obtained for the property. It appeared the Whiteheads were not only in the process of mortgaging the house, but planned to construct another large three-family home on the Fourth Street lot. Mr. Whitehead obtained a building permit on March 13, 1897, to build a new 27'x 45' structure and to "move and improve" the original house that Oliver Gray had purchased in 1857 to the rear of the
property. The mystery of the two houses on the same lot was finally solved by a simple written note that read, "old house moved in rear and improved." I was elated that I could verify the original house to Bill Pavao who had always insisted that the smaller house was the Whitehead house. The new oversized three family structure was renumbered as 165 Fourth Street and the original Whitehead house was renumbered as 171 Fourth Street. The Whitehead house, like the Bordens' house, was quite close to the street. Unlike the Borden house with its 13 rooms, the property at 45 Fourth Street, was a rather small two-family cottage duplex two blocks behind the Borden home on Second Street. Construction of the new house continued. However, Sarah's husband, George, never moved into his new home with his family. He died at the age of 38 on August 8, 1898, of a liver infection. Sarah, now a young widow, and her two young children; Abby, age 14, and George, age 11, were in the new house by 1900 and resided there until 1912. The two houses on Fourth Street were sold.

Kat -- I couldn't find this Rebello statement in "Past & Present". Do you know if this is an article from the Hatchet or LBQ? Curious where Rebello got the 'liver infection' info on Whitehead. As you saw above, the death register states otherwise.

I'll keep looking for more information about the Whiteheads and will post once I have something interesting to share.
Thanks!

[Kat]

Hello Jewel, good to get yr thoughtful post!
Personally, I was thinking along the lines of reasonable expectations of inheritance: meaning regular citizens of Massachusetts might not understand the laws might be more complicated due to it’s being a Commonwealth state.
There’s a long transcription on the Forum by moi from the newspaper titled : “To Whom The Property.”

Basically, tho, the straightforward question and answer might be-how could Whiteheads inherit from Abbie if she died first? Her “estate” if there was one would go to Andrew, period. I think having Abbie alive and Andrew dead would be more to their future benefit. They could probably manipulate Abbie with Andrew gone.
I’m not sure of her share tho…but I think she would have helped them out.

But this info about building a new home (for rental income?) sounds more like an investment than a case of possibly losing the home.

Mr Fish was also home instead of at the picnic.
He had a lot to say to the newspapers, if the reportage is real.

I had previously checked City Directory's to find George Whitehead’s occupation because of that comment that he wasn’t doing well by the family.

1884,85 and 87 list him as “Teamster” and living at 45 Fourth St.
In 1893, he is listed same address but working as a “salesman” at 61 Bedford. The JJ book clarified that as
“produce.” Maybe camgarsky can check if that was a grocer? (I used screen shot pages of Directory, not the whole book itself). (Also we keep in mind that a listing dated 1893 was probably acquired the previous year or less)

I certainly agree with yr assessment that someone could get easily to Second Street from Fourth and back even if was just jumping s few fences. The idea always reminds me of the noise at the fence the night of the 3rd of Aug. as the Chagnon ladies claim. Yes, it seems to point to someone could be coming from the direction of Third or Fourth Street.

[camgarsky4]

Source: Fall River Daily Herald July 11, 1898
Fall River 1898 City Directory. Page 997.

Screenshot 2023-10-19 070248.png

It seems that George was up and at it just days before his death. The article below is from just 20 days earlier. When its available, I like to add these 'real life' stories about these folks we talk about. Makes them become more real as we parse apart their words and actions.

Screenshot 2023-10-19 065744.png

[Kat]

Thank you for the grocer link. There was also a Whiteheads store and I had wondered if there was any relation to our Whiteheads?

I think those are kids appearing in something like a talent show, maybe? If so, that would be little George Whitehead, possibly.
Here’s a “Gray” tree from moi and it does lead to young George and little Abbie Whitehead in yr news item.
Priscilla and Bertie were 1/2 sisters, having same father Oliver Gray.
It looks like both their husbands died young: 1894 and 1898. Hmmm
Abbie Borden, full sister of Priscilla also had her husband die 1892.
1892, 1894, 1898 not a good decade for these sisters and 1/2 sisters husbands!

[camgarsky4]

Kat -- good catch and silly 'take' by me. Not sure why my brain thought it made sense for 38 year old George to participate in a children's play.

[Kat]

Well, I like the item, it’s charming! At least you know I am paying attention.
Jewel, do you have anymore info yrself on George Whitehead? I admit I never researched him, don’t know much about him, and there’s not much on him in the reference works.

[CagneyBT]

Speaking of the Gray family, a while ago I posted about Caroline Gray. She was the servant living in the Borden household in 1860, before Lizzie was born. She may have been Abby's cousin.

https://lizzieandrewborden.com/LBForum/ ... f=1&t=6505

[Kat]

One more, to yr question camgarsky- previous post by moi:
Article by Len Rebello that you quoted from MB is LBQ, yes.

by Kat » Sat Feb 12, 2005 10:19 pm

In the article which Doug pointed out in LBQ, Jan. 2002, pg. 6, by Len Rebello [“The Whitehead House Discovered”] the place decided upon as the original Whitehead house is described as a "smaller cottage duplex." Meaning smaller than the other, newer house on the lot. Here is a sequence of events established in Len's article:

The house on Fourth Street was bought in 1857, by Oliver Gray. Priscilla, Abby's older sister might have already been married by then, according to the article, and not ever lived there. The residents would be Oliver, his wife Sarah, and Abby, their grown daughter (29). Sarah died in 1860. In 1862, Oliver married a widow, Jane Gray (Eldredge), who also had 2 children, a girl Lucy and a boy Henry. In 1864, Jane gave birth to Sarah (Whitehead). Abby left to marry Andrew Borden in 1865 [not 2 months after Lincoln was assassinated]. Oliver died in 1878. In 1882, Sarah Jr. married George W. Whitehead, and Jane's son Henry died of consumption. Jane's older daughter Lucy was probably married by then, being 28. In 1883, Jane moved out, and seems to have lived in several places nearby, though she owned 1/2 the house.
I don't know why Jane would move since it seems the only family left living in the house was George Sr. and Sarah Jr., his wife, no children yet born. Abby (Potter) was born in 1884.
With Jane living away, it's no wonder Jane wished to sell her share.

It's a good article.
.......

In March 1887, little George Whitehead was born, and it was in May 1887 that the 1/2 share of the house changed hands, and October 1887 that Andrew gave his daughters the Ferry Street property; it was in 1887 that Hiram and Lurana then moved from Ferry Street to Freetown, Mass., and it was also in 1887 that Lizzie stopped calling Abby "Mother."
———————————-
And:
Kat » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:44 pm
…. and we are left with George Whitehead. It doesn't say what he did for a living, but he did well enough in 1897 to start building the bigger house that is now on the lot, but died before it was finished. I thought "Drinker" too- but a liver "infection" might more likely be hepatitis? He was only 38. (d. 1898).

The article says Jane moved to "7 Park Street, a short distance away. She eventually moved next door to her daughter (Sarah) to 43 Fourth Street boarding at the Alexander Milne house from 1885-1888, and one year later she lived across the street from her daughter at 40 Fourth Street (1889-1890). At the time of the Borden murders she resided at 215 Second Street (1892- 1894), a short distance from the Borden house at 92 Second."

Thanks Len! That's his article.

Jane took the money and either that very day or the next day, she paid off her mortgage. Maybe she had some $ left over and so lived on that for a while. Her son-in-law, George, may not have been able to support her. She was Abby's step-mother and it seems like she was the one who benefitted from Andrew and Abby's largesse.

[Kat]

Speaking of the Gray family, a while ago I posted about Caroline Gray. She was the servant living in the Borden household in 1860, before Lizzie was born. She may have been Abby's cousin.

https://lizzieandrewborden.com/LBForum/ ... f=1&t=6505

Oh thank you- I didn’t see that. On my tree, upper right corner, there is Caroline Gray on her own, and I had hoped to find out more about her.

[Kat]

IMG_1860.jpeg

Found this in my computer- unverified by moi My tree did not use this family sheet.
Wow we just missed talking to George Jr 26 years ago!
Plz clic to make big

[Jewel]

All, thanks so very much for all your inputs, and apologies for my late response. I will try to lay out some reasons for why I think George W and/or Sarah B Whitehead (Abby Borden's brother-in-law & much younger half sister who she regarded as a daughter) should have at least been suspects in the Borden murders. Firstly, though, I want to potentially correct something that I feel has been misreported for a very long time regarding Lizzie's supposed motive for her falling-out with Abby--that led to her stopping addressing her as "mother". The following are excerpts from Lizzie's inquest. My interpretation of this is that Lizzie and Abby's falling out was more about Lizzie's opinion of Sarah Whitehead, and less about the fact that her father purchased real estate for his wife--indeed, a careful reading of the full inquest will show that Lizzie protested that the real estate deal was not for the benefit of Abby, who didn't care about the house, but for the benefit of Sarah Whitehead, who Lizzie clearly insinuated was of poor character, as well as her husband, and believed took advantage of her elderly father, and Abby took such great offense to this, that such hurtful words were exchanged between the two women, that Lizzie felt from that day forward that Abby never thought of Lizzie as a daughter.
Q: Did you ever have any trouble with your stepmother?
A: About five years ago.
Q: What about?
A: Her step-sister, half-sister.
Q: What name?
A: Her name now is Mrs George W Whitehead
Q: Nothing more than hard words?
A: No sir, they were not hard words; it was simply a difference of opinion.
Q: You have been on pleasant terms with your stepmother since then?
A: Yes sir.
Q: When did you begin to call her Mrs Borden?
A: I should think 5 or 6 years ago
Q: Before that time, you had called her mother?
A: Yes sir
Q: What led to the change?
A: The affair with her stepsister.
Q: So that affair was serious enough to have you change from calling her mother, do you mean?
A: I did not choose to call her mother.
Q: Have you ever called her mother since?
A: Yes, occasionally.
I encourage you all to read the full inquest, as it is quite lengthy, but to me, it makes clear that it was specifically the "difference of opinion about Sara Whitehead" and the resulting conversation that caused Lizzie to stop calling Abby mother, and not the real estate deal.

[Jewel]

One of the biggest reasons Lizzie has been the #1 suspect is simply because nobody else but she could have done it. The family kept all of the doors locked at all times due to a past robbery. Even if some madman did manage to enter the house, the house was set up in such an odd layout, they would never be able to navigate it and wait around to commit 2 murders and then flee through the city, covered in blood, in broad daylight, completely undetected by any witnesses. However, say for the sake of argument, George committed the murders. Abby would open the door to her brother-in-law, particularly if he was coming with a message that her beloved half-sister or niece were ill and needed her assistance (remember that Lizzie stated she thought someone came with a note for Abby stating as much). Whoever killed Abby was someone Abby was comfortable enough to turn her back to while she finished making the guest room bed. Would she not feel comfortable enough with her brother-in-law? Would he not know the layout of the Borden home? George's house was two blocks directly behind the Borden house---he could cut right through the Borden's back yard, the wooded lot between their houses, and into his own back yard covered in blood, and not be seen by anyone. As for motive? George believed with Abby and Andrew dead, ownership of the remaining 1/2 share of the house on 4th St, as well as a monetary inheritance from Abby, would go to his wife. The reason that Abby asked Andrew to buy her stepmother's interest in the house in the first place was because George and Sarah were always struggling financially, and she wanted to make sure her sister always had a home, but she did not give the house to them outright in the 5 years she held the deed before her death because they were too irresponsible with money. Upon Abby's death, Sarah inherited $1000+ plus some property from Abby's estate, and upon Lizzie's acquittal, the Borden sisters were strongly advised to give the Whiteheads the 4th street property for next to nothing. I also found it interesting that the claims that Lizzie hated Abby, all came from testimony from Sarah Whitehead---and not even Abby's stepmother testified ever hearing Abby say as much to her, or Bridget Sullivan the maid ever witnessed hostilities between Mrs Borden and her step-daughters in her trial testimony. Lizzie lived a comfortable life, with a comfortable allowance and a recent $2500 windfall from her father---even if she feared out of absolutely nowhere that she was about to be written out of an inheritance due to one real estate deal that took place five years earlier, she would not have been destitute. Indeed, once she did inherit her father's estate, she lived a life of anonymous philanthropy with his largess, but George & Sarah, who also significantly benefited from Andrew & Abby's deaths, were always struggling financially just 2 blocks away from their sister-in-law and the Bordens who wanted for nothing. Sarah bitterly testified on the record several times that she thought they felt they were better than her. Abby must have felt a certain way about George, and communicated as such, for Lizzie to be aware of their financial hardships---to remark that Sarah "had not married well. Had not married a man who was doing for his family as well as he could be", per her trial testimony.

[camgarsky4]

Jewel -- very intriguing theory!

How do you see the note delivery playing out? Lizzie testified at the inquest that Abby told her about the note around 9am as Lizzie was cutting thru the dining room on her way to the kitchen. Both Lizzie and Bridget mentioned that Abby was going to go back up to the guest room to put clean shams on the bed. Best guess, Abby went back up to the guest room to complete the tidying up around 9:15-9:30.

To 'round out' your theory, we'll want to determine where George Whitehead was during this 15ish minutes between 9 to 9:15? If waiting in the front entry or parlor, why didn't Abby take him in to wait with AJB in the sitting room or mention his presence/visit to AJB, Lizzie or Bridget?

Let's keep ideating this scenario!

[Reasonwhy]

What follows is a partial post by Jewel:

“….Firstly, though, I want to potentially correct something that I feel has been misreported for a very long time regarding Lizzie's supposed motive for her falling-out with Abby--that led to her stopping addressing her as "mother". The following are excerpts from Lizzie's inquest. My interpretation of this is that Lizzie and Abby's falling out was more about Lizzie's opinion of Sarah Whitehead, and less about the fact that her father purchased real estate for his wife--indeed, a careful reading of the full inquest will show that Lizzie protested that the real estate deal was not for the benefit of Abby, who didn't care about the house, but for the benefit of Sarah Whitehead, who Lizzie clearly insinuated was of poor character, as well as her husband, and believed took advantage of her elderly father, and Abby took such great offense to this, that such hurtful words were exchanged between the two women, that Lizzie felt from that day forward that Abby never thought of Lizzie as a daughter.
Q: Did you ever have any trouble with your stepmother?
A: About five years ago.
Q: What about?
A: Her step-sister, half-sister.
Q: What name?
A: Her name now is Mrs George W Whitehead
Q: Nothing more than hard words?
A: No sir, they were not hard words; it was simply a difference of opinion.
Q: You have been on pleasant terms with your stepmother since then?
A: Yes sir.
Q: When did you begin to call her Mrs Borden?
A: I should think 5 or 6 years ago
Q: Before that time, you had called her mother?
A: Yes sir
Q: What led to the change?
A: The affair with her stepsister.
Q: So that affair was serious enough to have you change from calling her mother, do you mean?
A: I did not choose to call her mother.
Q: Have you ever called her mother since?
A: Yes, occasionally.
I encourage you all to read the full inquest, as it is quite lengthy, but to me, it makes clear that it was specifically the "difference of opinion about Sara Whitehead" and the resulting conversation that caused Lizzie to stop calling Abby mother, and not the real estate deal.

Hi, Jewel!

I’ve never read or heard of George Whitehead as a suspect before, so have been intrigued to consider this theory of yours.
But especially interesting to me is your inference that the core of Lizzie’s resentment of her father’s purchase of 1/2 the Fourth St. house was due to Lizzie’s opinion of Sarah Whitehead. I had an Aha! moment when I read your words. For I’ve always thought the key to Lizzie’s motivation to murder (I still believe her guilty) was indeed resentment born of insecurity and ENVY. Of course her desire for control of half of all Andrew’s wealth entered in, but I think those who treat that as the main reason why Lizzie murdered, and indeed butchered Abby and Andrew, are missing the core emotions driving her acts.

Lizzie was insecure due to the loss of her mother, before Lizzie turned three years of age, and her father’s rigid, controlling nature. From all I have read, Andrew did not express warm affection, which both sisters would have desperately needed, with only one parent living.This lack of reassurance led, especially in Lizzie, who had only had three years of a sickly mother’s divided attention, to an inadequate sense of self-worth.

Motherless (in her view) Lizzie could have been most envious — of Sarah! For, I would argue, Abby treated her half-sister, young enough to be her own child, as a daughter (Abby was 64 in 1892; Lizzie 32, and Sarah Whitehead, 28). Sarah’s children were of an age to be treated almost as grandchildren of Abby’s. And indeed, Sarah named her daughter “Abby” after Abby Borden. When Abby married Andrew, Emma was 14, Lizzie almost 5, and Sarah was 1. Sarah could have been an object of sibling rivalry to Lizzie (and Emma) starting as early as that marriage ceremony. For they had been deprived by death of their real mother, and Abby, who was supposed to fill their deceased mother’s role, entered their lives already having a close blood-related “daughter.” How could they, and why should they (they might have felt), have to compete with that?

Forget for a moment that some have speculated the sisters hated Abby for not protecting them against incest by Andrew. If Abby treated Sarah as her own daughter and preferred her to the sisters right from the start, Lizzie and Emma may have felt primally betrayed, even if there never was any incest.

Abby visited Sarah at her house often, at least occasionally babysat young Abby and George, and told Andrew that Sarah might lose her home. In other words, she “interested” herself in their lives and advocated for them with Andrew, in the form of telling him about the potential loss of the Fourth St. house. This is precisely what Emma says her stepmother did NOT do for her and Lizzie.

Consider these portions of the inquest testimony (I took your good advice, Jewel, and re-read it):

Inquest, Part II, p. 156+
SARAH B. WHITEHEAD
…
“Q. (Mr.Knowlton) Were you not on good terms with your half sister?
A. Very good, more so, than anybody in the world.
…
Q. Did she come to your house?
A. Yes Sir, she came very often.
…
Q. Were you well acquainted with the daughters, Lizzie and Emma?
A. Well, yes I was well acquainted with them.
Q. Were you on congenial terms with them?
A. Well, I don’t know as I was. I never thought they liked me.
Q. Not on particularly friendly terms, then?
A. No. I always thought they felt above me.
Q. Did you know anything about the relations between Miss Lizzie and your half sister, Mrs. Borden?
A. I dont, for I never went there, on account of those girls.
…
Q. Did she seem to be on good terms with her daughters?
A. She never used to say but very little about them; she was a woman that kept everything to herself.”

And further, consider this portion of Emma’s inquest responses:
Inquest, Part II, p. 112
EMMA L. BORDEN
…
“…Q. (Mr. Knowlton) Can you tell me the cause of the lack of cordiality between you and your mother, or was it not any specific thing?
A. Well, we felt that she was not interested in us, and at one time father gave her some property, and we felt that we ought to have some too; and he afterwards gave us some.
Q. That, however, did not heal the breach, whatever breach there was? The giving the property to you did not entirely heal the feeling?
A. No Sir.”

Here is Lizzie, the second time Knowlton questions her about the Fourth St. house, during the inquest:
Inquest, Part I, p. 86
LIZZIE A. BORDEN
…
“…Q. (Mr. Knowlton) Now, tell me once more, if you please, the particulars of that trouble that you had with your mother four or five years ago.
…A. …She did not tell me, and he did not tell me, but some outsiders said that he gave it to her. Put it in her name. I said if he gave that to her, he ought to give us something. Told Mrs. Borden so. She did not care anything about the house herself. She wanted it so this half sister could have a home, because she had married a man that was not doing the best he could, and she thought her sister was having a very hard time and wanted her to have a home. And we always thought she persuaded father to buy it. At any rate, he did buy it, and I am quite sure she did persuade him. I said what he did for her people he ought to do for his own children.”
…

So, Jewel, to your point that Lizzie believed Sarah and George were of poor character, Sarah herself says Lizzie and Emma did not like her because they felt they were above her. I think Sarah was right. Perhaps the sisters felt this way: They were Bordens, and by blood! Who was lower-born Abby to carry (also lower-born) Sarah’s tales of woe to Andrew? And after Sarah had married a worthless husband who could not even support his own family. Why, Abby must have worked hard to persuade him, because he had never so gifted them, his own blood! Of course, she never told them, and Andrew must have been ashamed he had given in to Abby, because he never told them, either. They had to find out about it from outsiders; how humiliating! When had “mother” Abby ever worked hard to persuade Andrew to do anything comparable for them? She had never; she was not “interested” in advocating for them, but only for her own blood “daughter.” This proved Abby was not acting as a mother to Lizzie and Emma, so Lizzie revoked her title — permanently.

I can well believe what the sisters saw as Abby’s traitorous abandonment provoked unequivocal rage enough in Lizzie to slaughter Abby.

Thanks for your insight, Jewel!

[CagneyBT]

What a great summary of the animosity between the Borden sisters, Abby and the Whiteheads, Reasonwhy! I especially love how your narrative mimics the contempt the sisters must have felt toward them...it's wonderfully written!

[Reasonwhy]

To add more testimony on the issue of how Lizzie felt about Abby’s “persuasion” of Andrew, please review the following testimony by Lizzie’s school friend, Mrs.Tripp (bolding is mine):

Inquest, Part II, p. 143+
AUGUSTA D. TRIPP

“Q. What can you tell us about the relations between Lizzie and her mother, so far as you observed it, and heard it from Lizzie?
A. All I can tell you is that I dont think that they were agreeable to each other.
Q. What made you think so?
A. I have seen them together very little. What should make me think so, would be--- if I were there, why, they did not sit down, perhaps, and talk with each other as a mother and daughter might. They were very quiet.
Q. That is, they were together so little that you observed the fact?
A. No, I dont think I should, they were around in the same room together, the dining room.
Q. They associated together so little you noticed the fact they did not associate together?
A. I noticed it; not that they kept away from each other, not that at all, but that they did not enter into conversation, perhaps, with each other, perhaps.
Q. Was that so with Lizzie as well as Emma, or with one daughter more than the other?
A. I think Lizzie talked with her mother more than Emma.
Q. Emma had less to say to her?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. What else did you notice that led you to think that Lizzie and the mother did not get along well together, or were not agreeable to each other, as you expressed it?
A. I dont know of anything, I cant recollect anything.
Q. What you noticed was their manner towards each other?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. That is all, not from any words?
A. Their manner to each other was not that of those persons that are agreeable to each other, or it did not seem to be.
Q. When was it that you have seen them together?
A. I could not tell you surely; it is as much as five years since I have seen Mrs. Borden at all.
Q. So all this was based on what was quite a while ago?
A. O, yes sir.
Q. The officer reports that you told him that Lizzie told you at some time, that she thought her step mother was deceitful, one thing to her face and another behind her back.
A. Did he say I said Lizzie told me so?
Q. Yes.
A. I did not think I told him so. It seemed to me so; it seemed to me that she did not like one way appearing to her face, you know deceitful, she could not bear deceitfulness, and she could not bear one thing to her face, and find out another thing to her back; she could not bear deceitfulness.
Q. Was that what Lizzie told you?
A. I could not say she told me that, that was the idea I got from what--- well, I dont know as I could say from being there, or from being with Lizzie perhaps, for I have been there very little.
Q. You also told the officer that Lizzie told you that her step mother claimed not to have any influence with the father, but Lizzie thought she did have an influence with him.
A. Yes, I think Lizzie thought she did.
Q. Did Lizzie tell you that her step mother claimed not to have any influence with him?
A. I dont remember any such talk.
Q. With relation to giving some property to the step mother?
A. Lizzie, from what I have heard her say, but I could not tell you the words, Lizzie said, but I gathered from what I heard her say, it was a long time before I heard her say it, that she thought her mother must have had an influence over her father, or he would not have made a present to her half sister. It was a long time ago, not expecting this to come up, I could not swear to one word Lizzie said.
Q. This was all prior to the last visit, nothing was said about this at the last visit?
A. No Sir.
Q. Did Lizzie say to you she did not know that either Emma or she would get anything in the event of her father’s death?
A. I did not hear her say so.
Q. Who told you she said so?
A. I think my invalid sister told me so.
Q. What is her name?
A. Miss Carrie M. Poole, she is very feeble, she lives on Madison street New Bedford, she is very feeble indeed.
Q. You never heard Lizzie say that?
A. No Sir, I never heard Lizzie say that.
Q. The officer says you said explicitly, Mrs. Tripp, that Lizzie told you that she thought her step mother was deceitful, one thing to her face, and another thing behind her back, not in so many words, but that was the substance of what she said.
A. I dont remember of her saying that.
Q. Do you remember of telling that to the officer?
A. I remember very well talking to him that I thought Lizzie thought her mother was deceitful, one thing to her face, and another to her back. I could not say Lizzie told me that, I cant say so. I was taken very much by surprise at seeing Officer Medley come in, and I tried to tell; but those things were years back, and thinking they never would come up, I cant recollect word for word things that occurred years ago. I cant say that Lizzie told me she thought so; but it would be from little things I might have heard her say that would cause me to think she could not bear deceitfulness, being such an honorable person as she was, square person.
Q. Did she appear to be fond of her step mother in her talk with you?
A. No, I dont think she was fond of her.
Q. Did she appear to be unfriendly towards her?
A. No Sir.”

[Reasonwhy]

What a great summary of the animosity between the Borden sisters, Abby and the Whiteheads, Reasonwhy! I especially love how your narrative mimics the contempt the sisters must have felt toward them...it's wonderfully written!

That is very kind, Cagney! Thank you. So, what do you think of Jewel’s theory that Lizzie’s animosity re the Fourth St. property was more about Sarah than about the money?

[CagneyBT]

You're most welcome, Reasonwhy :)

I think Jewel's theory has some merit. Lizzie was especially status-conscience. I speculated that the servant, Caroline Gray, who lived with the Bordens in 1860, was Abby's first cousin. I think Emma resented Andrew for marrying a woman whose relative was once their servant. From Emma's viewpoint, Andrew married beneath them, and Emma instilled that resentment into Lizzie.

[Reasonwhy]

Yes, marrying “beneath” would have added insult to the injury of a weak or indifferent stepmother not strong enough to stand up for their interests with Andrew, or unwilling to do so because she loved her own blood and not them.

This is fun posting back and forth in real time, Cagney! What on earth are we both still doing up, worrying about Lizzie Borden?

[CagneyBT]

I've enjoyed it too, Reasonwhy. But, unfortunately, this oldster has to toddle off to bed. Hope you have w wonderful evening!

[Reasonwhy]

Yet more testimony about how Lizzie felt re Abby’s powers of persuasion:

Inquest, Part II, p. 150
ALICE M. RUSSELL

…”Q. (Mr.Knowlton) Did she ever allude particularly to any trouble she ever had with her mother?
A. No Sir.
Q. Did she ever tell you what the trouble was?
A. Nothing further than she was a step mother. The whole thing was as far as I could see, that an own mother might have had more influence over the father; it was the father more than the mother.”

[Reasonwhy]

Good night, Cagney!