Mondo Lizzie Borden

I have been waiting for this. For a year or more, Google maps had one road on their street view of Fall River: President Avenue.

Well, now they have mapped out a lot of the city (leaving out a great deal too, I might add). You can travel down Fall River’s streets and see the “for rent” signs, look at the deepening potholes, and feel saddened that the new courthouse doesn’t fit in with the architecture of the surrounding neighborhood.

One thing that I think is really cool about this, however, is that it looks like they came by 92 Second Street on August 4th! When you see that street view you see the tent in the side yard that is erected to offer visitors cookies and lemonade and a place to sit while waiting for a tour.

You also see people waiting outside for their tour and if you look very closely, you see a reenactor at the side door. Cool huh?

Short piece on Fox Providence on the opening of the Lizzie Borden exhibit, A Tale of Two Cities, held at Gallery X in New Bedford, MA. This appeared on TV October 15, 2009.

A very interesting Flash Film by Pasarmiedo.com. The site is in Spanish, but the content and story are universal. (Japanese titles included!)

Quite worth the looksee!

Investigation Discovery has posted this Lizzie Borden quiz. Nine little questions. What did you score?

I lucked onto this site by Christopher Blake that features 360 degree views of cities all over the world.

Mr. Blake has created some fantastic images of Fall River places. I highly recommend them to you as they are truly incredible.

Here the links to his work on Fall River, Massachusetts. Click on the words below the photos and you will be amazed!

St. Marys of the Assumption

Fall River Library Hall

Santo Cristo Church

Fall River Library Entrance

Battleship Cove

Durfee High School

Braga Bridge from Shipwreck

St. Anne

Pirates Treasure Box Near the Braga Bridge

Narrows Gallery of Andrew Kusmin Exhibit

Narrows Exhibit Metalsmiths3

The Stage at the Narrows

Another View of Battleship Cove

Annie’s Artifax at the Narrows

Moonglow Expressions & Dream Weaver at the Narrows

Elin Noble Gallery at the Narrows

Once again, Lizzie Borden has been found innocent in the murders of her father and step-mother in 1892. The crowd who attended last night’s mock trial, presented in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, voted almost 2-1 to acquit her of all charges.

This trial was different than the one in New Bedford, held last week in the very courtroom where Ms. Borden was tried. The lawyers for this trial were from Fall River and Somerset. The actors and the judges were the same, but the questions posed to each witness were different. This is an unscripted event, with the actors playing Emma Borden, Bridget Sullivan, Dr. Dolan, and Lizzie Borden being forced to be on their toes to answer whatever the lawyers will throw at them. I have to say they are tremendously gifted in remembering facts and details of this case. They are quite believable as the characters they play.

The lawyers for both sides have taken this mock trial very seriously. They are prepared and ready to do battle. It is sometimes dramatic and exchanges can get testy. They have been admonished by the judges at times for making statements without asking questions, or asking a question that is soon objected to by the opposing counsel.

Everyone here really knows their stuff.

I must say, after seeing two of these mock events, the evidence is just not there to convict Lizzie. I can’t imagine what went though prosecutor Knowlton’s mind way back in 1893. He must have felt that he was going to lose before it even started.

If you missed last night’s event, you can read more about it in today’s Herald News.

One last version of this mock trial will be held November 19 in Taunton. Tickets are needed for admittance.

To obtain tickets, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to “Lizzie, Redux Request” in care of Clerk Magistrate Marc J. Santos, Bristol County Clerk of Courts, 9 Court St., Taunton, MA, 02780.

Last night I attended the fifth Lizzie Borden lecture, sponsored by the Fall River Historical Society, held at Bristol Community College.

It was a talk by Kim Dennis, Canadian clairvoyant/medium, who said that Lizzie Borden came to her during a session she had at her home in Calgary with a woman named Lizzie. After the woman left, a soul remained, and she identified herself as Lizzie Borden (the woman who Kim was doing the reading for had mentioned that she had been joshed about her name, and that the only Lizzie she knew of was Lizzie Borden).

Ms. Dennis said the spirit told her answers to questions and volunteered some info as well. Here is “Lizzie’s Story”:

Lizzie freely admitted that killed both her parents but she had reasons.

Lizzie had tried to kill Abby a few weeks before with poison but nothing came of it.

That morning she was eating oatmeal with Abby and found out that her father was planning to leave all his money to Abby’s family, and she had it with her.

Lizzie had issues of abandonment because of her mother’s death.

Lizzie had a lazy eye.

Lizzie had a brother named William and a sister named Alice.

Lizzie was a kleptomaniac and thought that if she could get away with murder she could get away with stealing too.

Lizzie was a sociopath who had no conscious. She had no feelings and exhibited none to the police. She was calm and collected. No emotion.

Lizzie was not sorry for what she did, but she only planned on killing Abby. She went out to the barn to clean up after killing Abby, and had plans to go to the library so someone else could discover the body, but Andrew came home early and she had to kill him or she would be accused of killing Abby.

Lizzie had two dresses, blue ones, that looked similar, and she burned one.

Lizzie had chloroformed a cat for mange but also chopped off its head, which was unnecessary—it showed her sociopathic tendencies.

Lizzie stayed in Fall River because she liked the notoriety. But she only went out at night.

Emma left in 1905 because she read something Lizzie wrote and realized that Lizzie had killed their parents, so they never spoke again.

There are cats that haunt the B&B. She has seen Andrew there too, but he walks around outside the house, circling the property.

Lizzie hid the hatchet in a drawstring purse and got rid of it at a later date, it will never be found.

when someone asked if a woman could hit someone with a hatchet so many times, she said yes, it was an emotional hate-filled event (this to me didn’t jibe with the sociopath description).

Lizzie is kept around because everyone is constantly calling her here. If people could just accept that she killed them both, she could move on.

Ms. Dennis and her traveling companion, a woman who introduced her, are writing a book about Lizzie (or it will be part of a book). The woman is a Canadian journalist.

Ms. Dennis confirmed all this information with the folks that work at the Lizzie Borden B&B.

You can read the story in today’s Herald News here.

Yesterday, during the debate over the Baucus health care bill in the Senate Finance Committee, Lizzie Borden was mentioned!

Wielding an Ax | 1:30 p.m. Senator Roberts, a Kansas Republican, drills into the cost projections with Mr. Elmendorf and seems annoyed. He says the plan appears to take a “Lizzie Borden ax” to lop off various Medicare payments, amounting to a “big shell game.”

I tell you, she is everywhere!

Read about the whole debate here.

Every day, it seems, we hear of even more events that revolve around Lizzie Borden. Something is definitely in the air!

Here is a recap of what’s ahead for the month of October. Check back soon for all the events for November!

October 14, Wednesday, Lynn Public Library, Lynn, MA, 7-8:30 pm.
The Delvena Theatre Company will once again present their play “The Trial of Lizzie Borden,” where the audience serves as the jury.
The Lynn Public Library is located at 5 North Common Street | Lynn, Massachusetts 01902 | Phone: 781-595-0567.
For further information.

October 16, Friday, Fairhaven Town Hall, Fairhaven, MA, 7 pm.
Donations accepted and light refreshments will be served.
Jules Ryckebusch will present a lecture titled “Lizzie Borden: Myths and Legends”
Info on the Town Hall.
Story about the lecture.

October 19, Monday, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA, 6:30 pm.
Free. Building C, Room 111.
Part of the Fall River Historical Society’s Lizzie A. Borden Lecture Series
Kim Dennis, psychic medium, lecture titled “Lizzie Borden – Her Side of the Story”

If Lizzie Borden could tell her story, what would it be? Canadian clairvoyant and medium Kim Dennis believes she was contacted by Lizzie who is ready to reveal the truth behind the Borden murders. Find out how Kim first became aquainted with Lizzie in her living room, and how she paired up with a journalist to document and accurately verify her “insider” information with a trip to Fall River in 2008 and a stay at the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast. The revelation will astound you and the details may put to rest the theories and finally bring peace to the 117 year old mystery.
For further information.

October 22, Thursday, Fall River Superior Court, Fall River, MA, 7 pm.
Free.
Lizzie Borden Redux, a mock retrial of the Lizzie Borden trial of 1893.
To obtain free tickets, mail a self-addressed stamped envelope to “Lizzie, Redux Request”, care of Clerk Magistrate Marc J. Santos, Bristol County Clerk of Courts, 441 N. Main St., Fall River, MA 02720. There will be two tickets issued per request. Tickets will be honored until 20 minutes before the performance, after which there will be a general admission until capacity is reached.
For further information.

October 23, Friday, Providence, RI, 7 pm.
Providence Ghost Tour, featuring some “haunts” of the Borden sisters.
Check out the web site here.

October 26, Monday, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA, 6:30 pm.
Free. Building C, Room 111
Jill Dalton, award-winning actress, lecture titled “Lizzie Borden Live: From the Page to the Stage”

Jill Dalton’s Lizzie Borden Live combines historical facts with theatrical license as she portrays one of the most famous women from the annals of America’s Victorian past. This is a fascinating look at how the actress took a historic character and adapted her for the stage. Who knows? Lizzie may just make an appearance.
For further information.

October 31, Saturday, Eagle Performing Arts Center, Fall River, MA. 8 pm.
Tickets $25. At www.lizziebordenlive.com Click on ‘Schedule’ page or call (508) 989-9207.

$5 off for students, seniors and current union members (available at the door only)
If you like come dressed as your favorite character from the story or any costume you wish. Prizes for best costume
Grand prize: One night stay at the Lizzie Borden B&B (If you dare!)
Second prize: One-year subscription to The Hatchet
Third prize: Two tickets for the Providence Ghost Tour
For further information.

Many years ago, Channel 10 in Providence, RI, had a series of biographies that they produced. Here is their film about Lizzie Borden. I bought it on eBay a while back and converted it for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Inventive thoughts from Nan Hawthorne’s Booking the Middle Ages:

Who was Jack the Ripper?

No, not the Prince of Wales. In fact, not even a man. Lizzie Borden, in Europe for her Grand Tour, killed the prostitutes when they rebuffed her lesbian advances with scornful accusations of “Unnatural!” She killed her parents because they found out.

Link.

PearTree Press is in production for a podcast related to all things Lizzie Borden. We have several episodes ready to go, but . . . .

we need a name.

We offer a few suggestions, but would rather you think of a new one in the last spot on the poll. Be creative, but the words Lizzie Borden should be in the title, so folks can find it!

Would you help us?

The Fall River Herald News ran a story today about the recent lecture by Cara Robertson on the legal aspects of the Lizzie Borden trial.

You can read all about it here!

The images are from the Herald News. The story is by Deb Allard.

The FRIENDS OF OAK GROVE CEMETERY
Is pleased to announce the publication of our
2010 Calendar

These high quality, full-color calendars are spiral bound and printed on heavy cardstock. Our calendars feature photographic contributions by Mary Beth Rigby and William Moniz as well as historic images donated from private collections. Layout by Ann Keane. Additionally, the birth dates of notable historical figures are observed throughout.

Limited quantities of our calendars are available for $15 and make a wonderful holiday gift.

Shipping is an additional $1 per calendar. Those in the Fall River area may arrange for pickup. Please call or email to reserve your copy or to arrange for pickup.

Payment may be mailed to:
The friends of oak grove cemetery
96 colfax street
Fall river, MA 02720
Ph: 508-642-9636

I got mine at the Oak Grove Cemetery Tour on Sunday. They are lovely! Buy yours today!

Here is the link to the Friends of Oak Grove Cemetery website.