Mondo Lizzie Borden

The NYPL has very recently updated their digital image collection online and lo and behold added quite a few photographs of actress Nance O’Neil, famous friend of Lizbeth Borden.

There are 24 images and they were found by Kat Koorey as she searched for interesting images related tangentially to the case. She is posting half the collection on the Lizzie Borden Society Forum and I am posting the rest here.

I think they are lovely! As far as I can tell, the images have all been previously published and date to before 1923. They are part of the Billy Rose Theatre Collection. The list of personalities in these files and now online is significant. I suggest you all take a gander.

I have been a collector of Victorian trading cards for some time, with a focus on Fall River, MA (of course!). I use reproductions of them as art for The Hatchet: Journal of Lizzie Borden Studies and display them around my living space to remind me of times gone past.

There is a wonderful site that devotes itself to the Victorian trading card that you must see. It is called The Trade Card Place and it has links to trade card auctions, articles, events, books, and a Victorian Scrapbook. Yummy!

There is a way kewl search engine for Flickr photos. You enter a search term and it brings up in a visual paging all the images tagged with the word or phrase. If you click on an image it appears in a separate page. If you want to see it closer, click again and you are taken to the flickr site in a new browser window.

Of course I entered Lizzie Borden and found a ton of images, mostly from tours of 92 Second Street, but there are some odd images there too (dolls with hatchets and such).

Try it yourself.

Woweezoweee! From WooIsMe on Flickr.

Link.

Every once in a while someone posts the entire film of Legend of Lizzie Borden, starring Elizabeth Montgomery. This made for TV film is the only movie (non-documentary) made of the case and is considered a classic.

This one is on Google and is downloadable. So hurry, before it is removed, as all of them eventually are, and go grab it for yourself.

Legend of Lizzie Borden.

If you have a ton of money to spend on your Halloween party, here is the perfect addition to your yard display.

A buy it now item on eBay. Made of solid rigid foam, 36″h,18″w,2.5″d. Yours for only $69.95. Shipping $52.44.

Halloween is but a mere 47 days away. Which means that Lizzie Borden is once again on people’s minds as they start to prep their costumes for parties and trick or treating. Here is a unique homemade costume that you can make. Simplicity thy name is Lizzie.

“I felt I should add this picture only to have one of me posted - fair is fair! I made my floor length dress, but you could use one from a thrift store. I slattered it with red fabric paint everywhere to look like blood; I even made red handprints on the dress. I also tucked an ax into my belt. I had blood on my arms (red Halloween face paint) and I put band-aids on my hands here and there. I ratted up my hair a bit too and went a little overboard on the make-up to try to make myself look a little crazy.” ~ Sherri

Link.

A site that gives the top ten of about every topic you can imagine, has the Borden murders on the list of Top 10 Unsolved Crimes. For such a brief mention, there are multiple errors, not the least of which includes the name of one of the murdered (Ann) and the assumption (wrong) that Lizzie’s given name is Elizabeth.

Can you count the errors?

Oh, by the way, the Borden Murders came in 3rd, behind Jack the Ripper and Zodiac.

3. Andrew and Anne Borden

On a Thursday morning, August 4, 1892, Andrew Borden left home to conduct his business, leaving in the house, besides his wife, an Irish maid (Bridget Sullivan) and his daughter Elizabeth (Lizzie). On his return, he settled on a sofa for a nap. About 11:15 AM, Lizzie (according to her testimony) discovered her father dead, repeatedly struck in the head with a sharp instrument. Upstairs his wife’s body was found, even more brutally mutilated; examination proved that her death had preceded her husband’s by an hour or so. It was found that Lizzie had tried to purchase prussic acid (a poison) on August 3, and a few days later she was alleged to have burned a dress in a stove. Sullivan, who also has been suspected, later that evening reportedly left the house carrying an unexamined parcel. No weapon was found, though an axe found in the basement was suspected. Lizzie was arrested and tried for both murders in June 1893 but was acquitted, given the circumstantial evidence. She was nonetheless ostracized thereafter by the people of her native Fall River, Massachusetts, where she continued to live until her death in 1927.

Found this very cute tote bag for sale. The creator claims it is a “Lizzie Borden” tote because the chick carries and axe. Very original. $30 from Etsy.

Description
She’s a real killer!

This little chickie is made of cream and yellow felt. She has a black antique button for her eye and holds a grey felt axe. The exterior of the bag, interior pocket, and strap are made of a super cool green and black geometric upholstery. The interior is a multicolored heavy silk fabric.

All fabrics used are recycled upholstery which makes the bag both durable an sturdy

1′ wide
8″ high
3″ wide bottom

Fully Lined
Interior pocket
Velcro Closer
Matching Fabric 26″ long / 2″ wide strap

On October 31, 2006, Karen Elizabeth Chaney, author of True Crime in New England: Lizzie Borden gave a lecture on the Borden Murders at the Old South Meeting House in Boston, MA. It was filmed by WGBH and is available as an audio file, a video file, or an MP3 download.

Here is Karen’s 40+ minute talk. It is interesting to say the least! Enjoy!

PLAN AHEAD: Lizzie in a tizzy

If you’re like most people, you probably dread it when you get your juror notice statement in the mail. But here’s one jury you might not mind sitting on.

The Devena Theatre Company will be presenting ‘Lizzie Borden and the 40 Whacks.’ The show will feature Lynne Moulton in multiple roles depicting the story of the infamous Fall River native Lizzie Borden, who was acquitted of the ax murders of her parents in August of 1892. The audience will have the opportunity to participate in the production by way of a mock trial with the ability to question Lizzie, decide if she is innocent or guilty and agree on a sentence if necessary.

Will history repeats itself or will the audience feel differently in 2007? We smell a mistrial.

You can catch this production on Sunday, Sept. 30, at 3 p.m. at the Nahant Public Library, 15 Pleasant St., Nahant. The show is sponsored by the Friends of the Nahant Public Library and is offered free to the public. ‘Lizzie Borden and the 40 Whacks’ is recommended for ages 12 and older. For more information, call 781-581-0306.

It all started when DAN DUNN COLLECTIBLES of Buzzards Bay, MA (capecollector on eBay) labeled this person as Lizzie Borden. Since then, this person has appeared in YouTube movies, on eBay, websites, and goodness knows where else!

Please be aware that experts agree that this woman is not the accused hatchet murderess. The Fall River Historical Society also has added their nay to this image. So don’t be fooled. It ain’t her. It is so not her that this image has been nicknamed “man hands Lizzie”—the real Lizzie Borden is much more attractive (see below). Don’t you agree?

Link.