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Nadzieja
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Post by Nadzieja »

I have two questions concerning things that were used in Lizzie day.
On pg 108 of the prelim:
Francis Wixon was testifies-- I got along on the fence. I think there was a stringer, you know what I mean?
Q: A stringer on the fence?
A: I think there was; I am not positive, but I got right over in that corner, and there was a space there from here to the barn.

What is a stringer??
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Nadzieja
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Post by Nadzieja »

The other question I had was in Bridget's testimony. On page 155
Q: Do you know whether Mr. Borden had anything to do about seeing that the back door was shut up?

A: Yes Sir. He always seen a Monday, or whatever day the clothes would be taken in, that it was locked; for he always took in the clothes line himself.

Why would you take in a clothesline?
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Harry
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Post by Harry »

A stringer is barbed wire.

We have speculated that Andrew took in the line to prevent it's theft. Boys would enter the yard to get the pears and he may have feared they would help themselves to the line. It accounts for the barbed wire as well.

Boys had also entered the barn.
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Angel
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Post by Angel »

Nadzieja @ Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:14 am wrote: Why would you take in a clothesline?
I remember when I was a child how my mother used to use a clothesline to dry clothes. But she would first run a wet cloth over the lines to clean them. It was surprising how dirty they would get by being exposed constantly to the open air. That's probably why Andrew would take them in.
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Nadzieja
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Post by Nadzieja »

Thanks Harry & Angel, I've never known anyone to take in a clothes line. When we lived in a third floor apartment there was no way I could have done it!!

It's hard to believe that someone would actually steal barbed wire. It would look kind of funny walking with it down the street.
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Kat
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Post by Kat »

I think Harry means the barbed wire was there to discourage boys from entering the yard to do mischief.
Also, IMO, with Crowe's Yard behind the Borden property (and to the south) there were laborers there and barbed wire might be there to guard the Borden yard from fence jumpers.
I never knew "stringer" meant that, so thanks for asking! :smile:

BTW: How do we pronounce your screen name? Thanks!
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Nadzieja
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Post by Nadzieja »

Hi Kat, My screen name is pronounced: Na Jay ya
It's a Polish word that means hope.
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Post by Harry »

I always thought they meant barbed wire but after reading the testimony apparently not. This is Kieran's testimony at the trial, p118:

"Q. Will you state with respect to the fences between the Borden lot and the adjoining lots anything that you observed of barbed wire, either on top or on the bottom of the fences?
A. All of the fences in the back part of the Borden yard have barbed wire on top. The fence between the Borden yard and the yard occupied by Mr. Crowe, has barbed wire on the side,---on the corner of the top stringer. That is all I have any note of.
Q. Did you notice whether or not there was barbed wire at the bottom of any of these fences?
A. I did not see any."

Also, Wixon testifies on p451:

"I went east and got on a pile of lumber that was near the fence dividing the Borden yard and the Dr. Chagnon's yard. I got on that fence from the lumber, stepped on the stringer of the fence, which was probably 18 inches below the top of the fence, and worked myself along, and got my hands considerably pricked from time to time with the barbed wire that was on the fence, and got on to the fence dividing the Crowe yard and the Borden yard, running on the south line of the Borden yard. I got on that fence, worked myself along a little to the west and got over on a pile of lumber in the Crowe yard."

So he was able to step on the stringer and work his way along the fence.

Then on p452 he says:

"Q. Where did you get over the fence?
A. Here is the lumber here. I should judge the south end of this lumber probably is four feet from the Kelly fence. There was a stringer on this fence and barbed wire on top, and I got on the lumber and on that fence and then worked my way step by step till I got here."

The word "stringer" seems to have various meanings but in this case it appears to be the horizontal boards connecting the vertical boards on the fence. You can see stringers being erected at this site:

http://tinyurl.com/cewx26

I love questions like this that make me dig. You learn a great deal that way.
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Nadzieja
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Post by Nadzieja »

Wow, I guess you all did some digging!!! Thank you so much, now I'll never forget it.
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Harry
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Post by Harry »

That was fun! It shows that I shouldn't make assumptions. :oops:

You can see a portion of the rear fence in this photo. You can see the two horizontal boards going across the vertical ones.

Image
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Post by william »

"My Moma done told me" - 'Willie, when you take in the clothes, also take in the clothes-line.- Otheriwse, someone might strangle themselves.'
One dark night, not too long after Mom's admonition - I almost strangled myself.'

Lessoon learned.
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Kat
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Post by Kat »

That's good stuff you guys, about the "stringer", thanks!

I once was running and looked over my shoulder at who was chasing me and hit a line and luckily my hands and wrists were up near my neck! I almost was spun upside down- the thing was practically invisible when I wasn't looking out for it.

Is that what you mean, William?
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Post by william »

That's what I meant, Kat.
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Post by Kat »

I guess we have that experience in common!

What, may I ask, were you doing, running at night into a clothes line? :batman:
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Post by william »

Probably chasing one of my kids for some serious broach of discipline they committed while I was at work.
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Post by Kat »

AHA! A case of "Wait 'til your Father gets home!"
:batman:
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Post by 1bigsteve »

Nadzieja @ Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:01 am wrote:Hi Kat, My screen name is pronounced: Na Jay ya
It's a Polish word that means hope.

I was wondering how your name was pronounced. Thanks.

You are so right Harry. "Stringers" are the horizontal 2x4's that are nailed to the 4x4 posts. The 1x8's are then nailed to the stringers. Of course fencing material can come in different sizes. Barbed wire is sometimes strung along to keep knot-heads from climbing over.

My grandmother always took in her clothes line but I never found out why. Probably to keep it from rotting in the weather.

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Nadzieja
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Post by Nadzieja »

I think the reason I didn't know about taking in a clothes line was becasue when I used one I lived in a third floor apartment. Now that would have been an interesting task. I remember my father in law kept giving me empty bleach bottles & I couldn't figure out why. One day it was so windy my sheets flew around the line & actually got tangled. We had to get a ladder & take the line down & the sheets. He finally asked---why do you think I gave you the bleach bottles? Then he told me you fill them partially with water to weigh down the line so it wouldn't twist up.

Guess I just can't figure, if you take down the line where do you tie it to put it back up?
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