If you would like to listen to the recorded broadcast of the visit Spooky Southcoast made just last weekend to the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast, click here. Hit the audioblog button for the show and listen to the Christopher Moon’s Ghost Hunter’s University as they investigated the murder house.
Spooky Southcoast airs Saturday nights at 10PM to midnight on WBSM, Fairhaven, Massachusetts. (RADIO)
Dr. Charles Frost is a professor of Social Work and the Director of the Social Works Program at Middle Tennessee State University. He has a website that offers up his research on various topics, such as International Social Work, Leadership Skills and Interviewing Skills.
A link on his site is labled “Mitigation’s Web Page” and one can only assume the work is his, although his name is not attached to the article presented.
Mitigation Defined
Mitigation is that which tends to soften, temper, or make less harsh or severe. Mitigating circumstances surrounding a criminal offense are those circumstances that tend to lessen the apparent badness of the particular crime in question or the apparent badness of the particular defendant.
Mitigating circumstances are not limited by the law; they may be unlimited in number, as long as they are based upon the evidence introduced by either the prosecution or the defense at trial or sentencing.
The existence of any mitigating circumstances does not require proof beyond a reasonable doubt. A mitigating circumstance exists if there is any evidence supporting it introduced by either the prosecution or the defense at either the guilt-innocence or sentencing stage of the trial, which is uncontradicted or which outweighs any contradictory evidence. . . .
If you click on the additional link labled “Murderers” there is another piece, apparently by Frost, in which he includes the following reference to Lizzie Borden:
Examples throughout history of serial murderers and other types of murderers are captured in the book: “Human Monsters: An illustrated Encyclopedia of the World’s Most Vicious Murderers” by David Everitt (Contemporary Books: Chicago, 1993). All quotes in this summary are drawn from his book. . . .
Lizzie Borden (1860-1927) is one of America’s most famous murderers….according to folklore, she took her axe and gave daddy 20 whacks and then gave mommy 9 more. Mommy was really her stepmother. And instead of being convicted, she was found not guilty by the court, but not by public opinion, which decided she was indeed the murderer. All evidence does point to her guilt; however, the jury just couldn’t see this nice young lady as being capable of two such dreadful murders. She was 32 when she killed her parents and lived on to age 67.
Lizzie Borden is an example of how important appearances are, often more important than facts or evidence. That is why the jury needs to see the accused dressed, shaved, looking as presentable as possible. That is why OJ was helped tremendously when he was allowed to try on the glove and address the court and jury stating his innocence without having to be cross examined—he knew how to play the role of OJ, the nice guy from the movies and commercials.
One of America’s most interesting murderers, far more interesting though not as famous as Lizzie, was H.H. Holmes (1860-1896). . . .
Here we find the commonly drawn connection of Lizzie to OJ Simpson. Nothing new there. But besides getting the number of whacks incorrect and reversed (it was 19 to Abby and 10 to Andrew), the author proffers the bold assertion that “all evidence does point to her guilt” and summizes that the reason why Lizzie was acquitted was solely because of her gender and the manner of her appearance. Quite an indictment of 19th Century jurisprudence!
All evidence did not point to Lizzie’s guilt. In fact, there was no evidence that pointed to Lizzie’s guilt! Only opportunity and motive.
Of note also is the source that the professor uses in his paper. Human Monsters is one of those mass marketed sensational murder books that has very little to offer in the way of scholarship. This book is like the National Inquirer’s version of history—certainly nothing to use as source material for a research study.
I guess even PhDs can get it wrong, but I hope that isn’t the sum total of his investigation into the Borden case. Nor the sum total of what his students hear of it either.
Thanks to Sherry Chapman for this link!
Samantha Castlebury portrayed Lizzie Borden — complete with ax and handkerchief stained with mock blood.
From the Nevada Daily Mail, 23 March 2007, by Steve Moyer.
The Social Studies department at Sheldon presented a Living History display on Tuesday in the school’s gym. Students in the seventh grade social studies, eighth grade early American history, high school modern American history, American government, and world history classes participated in the after-hours activity.
Students represented historic figures and answered questions about their characters. Krystin Hulsey as Dolly Madison knew Madison’s first husband was lawyer John Todd Jr. when asked. Ashley Danner was well-versed about Josephine Baker, whom she portrayed. . . .
Of course, Lizzie was presented in the “Villain” category! And just look at her company:
Villains included Jesse James, Kim Cheers; Jack the Ripper, Doug Saylor; Lizzie Borden, Samantha Castlebury; Frank James, Kelly Coy; Billy the Kid, Dustin Willis; Belle Star, Shanade Davis; Adolph Hitler, Shane Coquillette.
And this for an acquitted woman.
Thanks to newshound for this story!
James Starrs—the forensic pathologist who wanted to dig up the Bordens to reexamine their remains—is at it again. This time, he and Michael Baden are getting their chance at a posthumous investigation into the life and death of none other than Harry Houdini!
Experts to Test Harry Houdini’s Body
Thursday March 22, 2007 10:31 PM
AP Photo NYOL973
By LARRY McSHANE
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) – For all of his death-defying stunts, Harry Houdini couldn’t escape the Grim Reaper: the unparalleled performer, age 52, expired on Halloween 1926. Many of his trade secrets went with him to the grave – but rumors that Houdini was murdered soon took on a life of their own.
Eighty-one years later, Houdini’s great-nephew wants to exhume the escape artist’s body to determine if enemies poisoned his renowned relative for debunking their bogus claims of contact with the dead.
A team of top-level forensic investigators would conduct new tests once Houdini’s body was disinterred, the legendary star’s relative told The Associated Press.
“It needs to be looked at,” said George Hardeen, whose grandfather was Houdini’s brother, Theodore. “His death shocked the entire nation, if not the world. Now, maybe it’s time to take a second look.”
The circumstances surrounding Houdini’s sudden death were as murky as the rivers where his act often found the virtuoso emerging unscathed from chains, locks and wooden boxes. The generally accepted version was that Houdini suffered a ruptured appendix from a punch in the stomach, leading to a fatal case of peritonitis.
But no autopsy was performed. When the death certificate was filed on Nov. 20, 1926, Houdini’s body – brought by train from Detroit to Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal – was already buried in Queens, along with any evidence of a possible death plot.
I just found this magnificently acted and conceived play on YouTube, titled “Lizzie Borden’s Tempest.” The play is divided into segments of around 10 minutes each. I highly recommend this to you!
The Opening scene of the play “Lizzie Borden’s Tempest” written by Brendan Byrnes and performed in New York City, July of 1997 by the Sideway Theatre Company.
From the Herald News, May 2, 2001:
Borden ghosts attract attention of TV program
DEBORAH ALLARD-BERNARDI, Herald News Staff ReporterFALL RIVER — Things that go bump in the night, and even in the day, at the infamous Li zie Borden House on Second Street are the ocus of an upcoming episode of “Unsolved Mysteries.”
For the past three days, actors, camera crews, producers and directors have taken up residence at the sight of the 1892 double murder at the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum.
They’re not in search of a new lead, or speculating on a murder suspect. They’re investigating ghostly happenings.
The television network Lifetime is making a series of 57 new “Unsolved Mysteries” segments and got wind of some spooky happenings at the Borden house that peaked their interest.
Emily Berry, a Cape Cod resident, is producing the program. The first two days were consumed with various interviews of those involved with the Borden house, or Borden family. On Tuesday, the actual taping began with the actors and taping will conclude today.
Katherine Ramslan of New Jersey, author of non-fiction paranormal activity books and biographer of Anne Rice and Dean Koontz, was among those interviewed. Berry chose Ramslan and flew her to Fall River because of her extensive research on ghosts and expertise in criminal psychology.
Berry said Ramslan visited the Borden house and went into the basement not long ago doing research on paranormal activity.
Equipped with an EVP recorder — a small device that can pick up sounds the human ear cannot and then play them back — she ventured to see what she might find.
When Ramslan and another woman said, “Hello. Is anyone there?” several times, the little red light on the device lit up, signaling something had been taped. Something they did not hear. When played back, a voice sounding strained and eerie responded to them.
Martha McGinn, co-owner of the house with Simone Evans, inherited the property from her grandmother, and was there to witness the paranormal event. McGinn said the voice was male, very loud, and was clearly trying to answer Ramslan, although they couldn’t make out the words.
“That sent some goose pimples up my spine,” McGinn said.
“The voices sound so odd when they come back,” Berry said. She explained that Ramslan told her it is because it takes great strength to break through to this world for an entity.
Berry also used the device and recorded some strange sounds as well.
In other bizarre findings, Berry said one of her cameramen shot an “orb” — a glowing bit of energy — and sent the tape back to the network to have it analyzed.
“There’s an energy here,” Berry said.
McGinn was also interviewed. She said there has been ghostly activity in the house as far back as she can remember.
McGinn visited her grandparents there when she was a child, and moved into the house when she was 14.
“Activity” is what McGinn calls the occurrences, because she said she doesn’t believe the events are of malicious intent. She doesn’t call the house haunted because that means “Amityville Horror” to people, she said — and that is not the case in the Borden house. There has never been any violence involved, McGinn concluded.
McGinn said she’s seen a lot: lights going on and off, doors opening and closing, a knock on the door, an occasional sighting of glowing energy, or an older woman in Victorian period dress.
It’s your usual paranormal activity, what some would say is a presence that wants to make itself known.
“I could be reading a book in my bedroom and go to the bathroom. When I’d get back the book would be gone. I’d find it downstairs on the kitchen table or something,” McGinn said. “It’s mostly prankster stuff.”
A maid who used to work for the Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum told Berry she was making the bed in the room Lizzie’s stepmother was found dead. She turned away for a few seconds to reach for clean sheets and saw a very distinct indentation of a person on the mattress and pillow.
Berry said she described it as a short, heavy person. Even the head and feet were outlined in the old, very high-styled mattress. She also said she felt strangely chilled. The maid quit that very day.
“Strange things happen to everyone who works here,” Berry said.
But who are these alleged ghosts?
McGinn believes they are probably the ghosts of Lizzie’s father, Andrew Borden, and her stepmother, Abby Durfee Borden.
But McGinn said that all of the activity cannot be blamed on only them. Other sounds have been heard through the years, as well.
“It sounds like kids playing in the house,” McGinn said. She and a couple of guests have heard children laughing, and the sound of them playing marbles.
McGinn said she is researching that now. She has found that a murder occurred next door to the Borden house sometime in the Victorian era, and she is trying to find out when exactly it was.
She said there is a story that dates back about a mother killing her two children by drowning them.
Two guests saw apparitions of children in the Borden House.
One woman saw two little Victorian boys. They told her their names are Timmy and Jimmy. Another guest said a little girl in period-dress asked her to read a story to her.
McGinn also said that there was another Borden child who died in infancy — Alice Borden, Lizzie and Emma’s sister.
“Maybe the kids are happy now,” she said.
Lifetime is expected to air the Lizzie Borden “Unsolved Mysteries” segment sometime in the fall.
Thanks to “newsscout” for this great find!
