Newzletter - February, 2003

Happy Chinese New Year, Happy Groundhog Day, Happy Valentine's Day, and Happy President's Day!!

For the shortest month of the year, we sure pack in the celebrations, don't we? Whatever your pleasure, may this month be warmer than the last, safer than ever, and bountiful to one and all.

I was planning on this issue of the Newzletter to be published yesterday on the last day of January, but time has a way of getting away from me. If I were queen of the universe I would definitely add an eighth day to the week and sandwich it right between Thursday and Friday. I would call it Stefday. This would not be an ordinary work day where I have to report to my regular job, but a day to catch up on all my own interests! All phones would be on the fritz, all pressures would subside, and I could work in the peace and quiet of a wilderness retreat. Ah, well. I can dream, can't I?

As you read this issue you will find some changes being announced. Do not fear, I am not going out of business! And I am not adding banner ads to the newzletter or web site — just a few minor adjustments to things in the hopes of pulling more of you to the Lizzie Borden Society Forum where we can get to know you! There are 102 subscribers to the Lizzie Borden Newzletter and 132 members of the Lizzie Borden Society Forum — and not all of you are taking advantage of being members/subscribers to both avenues of Lizzie information and scholarship. Since membership in both is totally free I want to invite you to cross over and join us in our discussions of the most fascinating crime of the 19th or any century. And since Patricia Cornwell claims to have discovered the identity of Jack the Ripper, that leaves the Borden Murders one of the last great unsolved murder mysteries.

I invite all members to share a bit of information about yourself under the "Stay To Tea" section of the forum. For first time posters, this might make you feel more confident to join in the other discussion areas once you have that first post under your belt.

2. CONTEST RESULTZ— JANUARY

Every month we have conducted a contest, the winner of which has received a Lizzie-related gift item. Last month we again offered a caption contest.

First place won Lizzie Borden -- The Murders and Their Aftermath, as reported by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. 28 articles in PDF format for viewing on any computer system. Created by Borden scholar Harry Widdows. Second place won a "Lizzie Borden: Did She or Didn't She" bumper sticker. Third place won a set of small pear candles.

The rules were simple: just click on the image and take a gander at the fake photo (courtesy of Harry Widdows). What is Lizzie saying? Your job was to come up with a great caption to this picture and win! Winners were determined by a committee of three Borden buffs.

FIRST PLACE: Kelly Bancroft with her caption, "Axe me no questions, I'll tell you no lies."

SECOND PLACE: Jenean Hall with her caption, "Double or nothing, Mrs. Reagan; I'll show you how to crack that egg."

THIRD PLACE: Bob Cook with his caption, "Oh Father...why did Bridget give my this darned old hatchet?...Father? Father?"

In January we offered our final newzletter contest. Don't despair, I have just moved the contest to the Privy section of the Lizzie Borden Society Forum. You must sign up for membership to play, but the prizes make it all so worthwhile! You can sign up by visiting the Lizzie Borden Society Forum at this address.

These are the events related to the Lizzie Borden case that occurred in the month of February:

The Shaw Festival announces their production of "Blood Relations" by Sharon Pollock, written 1980, May 1 to November 30.

In Fall River, Massachusetts, the spinster Lizzie Borden is drawn into re-enacting the events that led to the axe-murders of her father and stepmother ten years earlier. Written by one of Canada’s finest playwrights, this production puts a new twist on The Shaw’s tradition of psychological thrillers performed at the Royal George.

The Shaw Festival is one of the largest repertory companies in North America, and the only theatre that specializes in plays written by Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries — "plays about the beginning of the modern world." Productions run April to November in three different theatres, in a beautiful village 20 minutes down-river from Niagara Falls, and two hours from Toronto.

This from Lizzie Borden Society Forum member Carol Pedersen: I am offering a one-night evening adult special interest education class called The Lizzie Borden Case at Portland Community College, Capital Center location, Beaverton, Oregon on February 5th, 2003, 6:30 - 9:30 pm, room WCWTC 1569, tuition $12.

BIG NEWZ that bears repeating!! Maplecroft is for sale!
I recently spoke to Maplecroft's owner Robert Dube (pronounced Doo-bee) and he told me that he is selling Lizzie's house on the hill. Asking price $725,000. 14 rooms, 6 bedrooms, library, den, 6 fireplaces, porches, 3 full baths, 2 half baths. He has it listed on this web site.

"Maplecroft: Home of Lizzie Borden 1893 through 1927, in the Historic Highlands. Retains the splendor of the late 1800's. Sprawling 3-story Queen Anne; this sensational historical home is a rare find. 14 rooms include: 6 BDRM, library, den, LR, DR, billiard room, 3 full baths and 2 half baths. Impressive woodwork, including finely detailed mantles, mahogany cornice trim, beamed ceilings, wainscoting, 6 fireplaces, Italian arches, stained glass windows and much more. Exceptional sun porch on front of home and an impressive shade porch on the rear side, overlooking garden. Conveniently located steps from hospital. Easy access to I-195 and Route 24. It's a phenomenal buy priced at only $725000."

Here is a current photo of the place. Looks like the old house got a new coat of paint!

Last month I mentioned here that Trina Robbins has a new book out called TENDER MURDERERS: Women Who Kill, a rogue's gallery of 20 fascinating but fatal women, including Belle Gunness, the Indiana Ogress; gun moll Bonnie Parker; Beulah May Annan, who inspired the musical, Chicago, and the immortal Lizzie Borden. ISBN 1-57324-821-5 $15.95 Buy it at your local bookstore or Amazon.com, or order it autographed from the author (add $3 for postage).

Well Trina was mentioned in a Liz Smith column on the movie "Chicago" recently! Here is an excerpt: "A more immediate result of "Chicago" is the fresh interest in real-life women killers. There is a new book out by Trina Robbins, "Tender Murderers: Famous Women Who Kill," examining the murky motivation of Lizzie Borden, Ruth Snyder, Bonnie Parker, Amy Fisher, Valerie Solanas (although the latter two only wounded their victims, Mary Jo Buttafucco and Andy Warhol, respectively) and others. This book also includes a chapter on Beulah May Annan and Belva Gaertner, two gin-guzzling molls who finally brought to paper "Chicago's" Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly. (And, hey, if you want a treat after "Chicago," find the black- and-white Ginger Rogers film "Roxie Hart." Made in 1942; it's still a winner, and Ginger is terrific.)"

William Woods University, in Fulton, Mo.is presenting "Blood Relations" on February 21, 22, 28 and March 1 at 8:00 PM with a matinee on February 23 at 2:30 PM. Cutlip Auditorium, with a special added preview performance on Thursday, February 20 at 8:00 PM.

“ Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother forty whacks....” The play takes place several years after the trial of Lizzie Borden, when an actress comes to town to interview the infamous Lizzie and asks the question, “Are you guilty?” A psychological thriller sure to leave you on the edge of your seat.

Due to the unique staging and very limited seating for this production, we encourage you to get your tickets in advance for the show. Seating for this production is not reserved. We recommend that you come early! Audience members will be seated on stage with the actors instead of out in the large auditorium, thus intensifying the dramatic effect of the story. As a service to our theatre patrons, we have added a special final dress rehearsal preview performance on Thursday, February 20th at 8:00 PM. The box office will open on February 10th. Call the box office at 573-592-4267 for tickets!

Due to the dramatic intensity and adult themes, the production is not suitable for children under the age of ten. Visit their site here

Electronic Books Have a Supporting Role in a Play at Ball State U. Read this amazing article on line at this site.

An excerpt: "Theater has always had an interactive element, but at Ball State University, a faculty director and student performers are carrying that interaction into the digital age. The theater department there has made e-books an integral part of its latest production.

More than half of the audience members get the e-books when they file through the door to see Blood Relations, a play about Lizzie Borden, who was famously acquitted of the ax murders of her father and stepmother more than a century ago. During the show, audience members can tap around on the e-books to see digitized historical photos of the Bordens and the crime scene, and to read commentary especially written for this production. (Not all audience members receive e-books because there are not enough to go around.)

The play recounts Lizzie Borden's life, but with a feminist twist, leaving some ambiguity about her culpability in the 1892 slayings. At the end, the audience members use the e-books to submit a verdict on her guilt. As they leave, they get a business card with the address of a Web site where they can find all of the information that was on the e-books, a list of hyperlinks related to the Borden murders, and a tally of their verdicts."

I have recently added several new pages to the Lizzie Borden Virtual Museum and Library. They include:

Considered the preeminent journal for Borden scholars, buffs, and armchair detectives, the Lizzie Borden Quarterly has been in publication since January 1993. Publisher: Gabriela Adler, Editor: Maynard F. Bertolet, published by Bristol Community College in Fall River.

Here is the table of contents from the latest (January 2003) issue:

"Nance O'Neil -- Revisited" by Judith Paula Curry
"Charles Henry Wells -- An Insider Speaks of Lizzie" by Michael Martins and Dennis Binette
"Joseph Carpenter -- Was He the One?" by Leonard Rebello and Neilson Caplan
"Joe Carpenter Probably Didn't Do It" by William Masterton
"The Lubin Film Company" by Tim Lussier
"The Trial Testimony of Alice M. Russell"
"The Known Films of Nance O'Neil"
"Bibliographic Borden" by Lisa Zawadzki
"Lizbits" by Neilson Caplain
"Lizzie On Line" by Stefani Koorey
"Princess Maplecroft" by Mary T. Cusack
"Letters to the Editor" by Carol Pedersen

To Subscribe to the Lizzie Borden Quarterly, send your name
and address and your check or money order for
U.S.A.: 1 Year $18.00, 2 Years $30.00,
Non U.S.A.: 1 Year $24.00, 2 Years $40.00

Mail To:
Lizzie Borden Quarterly
Dr. Gabriela Schalow Adler - Publisher
Bristol Community College
777 Elsbree Street
Fall River, MA. 02720-7391

10. LIZZIE GIFTS

Here is a list of the newest additions to the Lizzie Borden Gift Shop. Please visit the store at this address for contact information regarding purchasing these items.

Lizzie Borden Mouse Pads. Now for the first time you can own a Lizzie Borden Mouse Pad! The perfect holiday gift for anyone interested in the Borden murders of 1892, the history of Fall River, or Victorian America. These high quality mouse pads are 3/16th of an inch thick and measure 9.25 X 7.75 inches.This stunning mouse pad depicts Lizzie in front of the 92 Second Street house in Fall River, Mass. in which both her father and stepmother were murdered (see image). While Lizzie was tried and acquitted of the crimes, not everyone believes her to be innocent. Did she or didn't she? Shipping is $1.50 to continental US. $16.95 each or 2 for $32.00

Complete Primary Source Documents PLUS important books on the case on CD-ROM: Police Witness Statements (46 pages + full index); Inquest (2 vols.); Preliminary Hearing (5 vols., 460+ pages); Trial Transcript (2 vols., 1,900 + pages). PLUS The Fall River Tragedy (1893) by Edwin H. Porter and The Trial of Lizzie Borden (1937) by Edmund Pearson --- both books are in PDF format and contain all photographs from the original editions. All documents and books are in PDF format for easy viewing on ANY computer or operating system (Mac, PC, Linux). Now you can own all of the important primary sources on one disk! If purchased separately in hard paper format, your total would be at least $250. This copy of the Preliminary Hearing is in CORRECT ORDER. The original is not. Includes an original introductory essay that provides much needed information on the preliminary hearing process and Lizzie's process specifically. The disk includes all four documents, two important books on the case (Porter and Pearson), plus a free bonus of a large collection of photographs related to the case in jpg and gif formats, including images of the primary participants in the murder mystery and photographs of the inside and outside of the murder house, 92 Second St. in Fall River, Mass. $49.95.

The Borden Murders and Their Aftermath, as reported in the New Bedford Evening Standard. One of the foremost and complete newspapers that covered the Borden tragedy of Fall River, Massachusetts, was the New Bedford Evening Standard. Almost all books on the Borden case draw heavily from its pages. Rich in detail, these news reports capture the flavor and atmosphere from the day of the crime to Lizzie’s ultimate acquittal. Now for the first time you can have a digitized transcription of the pages of this vital resource. Arranged by date, these articles if printed out would be over 460 pages in length. This collection does not include the trial coverage itself and is intended as a complement to the primary source documents found at this website. These articles cover the daily side happenings during the period of the trial and the events leading up to it and its decision. Reading these pages is like being transported back in time to 1892-93 Fall River and New Bedford, Mass. Every attempt was made to make an exact duplicate of each daily article. This is a must for any Lizzie Borden buff who wants to read first hand about the excitement and drama surrounding the daily happenings of this extraordinary case. This important document is brought to you in PDF format for easy viewing on ANY computer or operating system (Mac, PC, Linux). The disk includes the extensive transcripts of the New Bedford Evening Standard plus a free bonus of a large collection of photographs related to the case in jpg and gif formats, including images of the primary participants in the murder mystery and photographs of the inside and outside of the murder house, 92 Second St. in Fall River, Mass. $19.95.

Lizzie Borden -- The Murders and Their Aftermath, as reported by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. A little known upstate New York newspaper, the Democrat & Chronicle in Rochester, NY, devoted extensive coverage to the Borden murders in Fall River, Massachusetts and their aftermath in the years 1892 and 1893. In a series of 28 articles they present the daily happenings and events that were so captivating to the reading audience. The articles were transcribed and digitized using the exact spelling and factual errors to reflect the sense of the reporting of this real life drama and are made available for the very first time in this format. This well written and interesting series of articles is a welcome addition to any collector of material on one of the most horrific unsolved murder cases of all time. This collection is in PDF format for viewing on any computer system. The collection can be read with a free Adobe Acrobat Reader, available for download at Adobe.com. This unique and original collection has never before been offered for sale. Transcribed by Harry Widdows, famed originator of the Lizzie Borden Trial Transcript in Word format. $9.95

Lizzie Borden Screensaver! This specially created screensaver is for the Lizzie Borden buff, true crime reader, armchair detective, or historian. The screensaver contains over forty photographs covering the span of the 1892 Borden tragedy. Photos of Lizzie, the Bordens, the Morses, 92 Second Street, the victims, Fall River, Maplecroft, and the Oak Grove Cemetery graves are included. This unique and brand new item has never before been offered for sale. Created by Harry Widdows, famed originator of the Lizzie Borden Trial Transcript in Word format. This CD makes a great gift and installs in seconds on any PC running Windows. $11.95 includes FREE SHIPPING!

Lizzie Borden Bumper Sticker! Now for the first time you can own a "Lizzie Borden -- Did She or Didn't She?" bumper sticker. These high quality bumper stickers are made from the finest synthetic (polypropylene or polyester) materials. The color pigments are heat-fused onto the material. This makes the image resistant to weather, carwashes, etc. The stickers are flexible and easy to apply. Our bumper stickers are the standard 3" by 10" in size. The sticker is black and white (see image). Please note that the word "COPY" does not appear on the finished bumper sticker, it is used for advertisement purposes only. $4.95 each or 2 for $9.00, shipping is only 45 cents! .

The Preliminary Hearing. 481 pages, 5 volumes. August 25 - September 1, 1892. Available for the first time in .pdf format on a CD-ROM. Searchable and complete. With introductory essay by Harry Widdows and Stefani Koorey. This copy does not require a word processing program to view as this disk's contents are in PDF format. In addition, this copy of the Preliminary Hearing is in CORRECT ORDER. The original is not. And finally, this copy of the

Preliminary Hearing includes an original introductory essay that provides much needed information on the preliminary hearing process and Lizzie's process specifically. The disk includes the Preliminary Hearing plus a free bonus of a large collection of photographs related to the case in jpg and gif formats, including images of the primary participants in the murder mystery and photographs of the inside and outside of the murder house, 92 Second St. in Fall River, Mass. $19.95

The Murder of Bertha Manchester, 1893, articles of the crime from the Evening Standard, New Bedford, Mass., May 31 to June 13, 1893, on CD-ROM. Says Lizzie Borden scholar, K. Koorey, "The pitiful saga of the Bertha Manchester murder was an important addendum to the legend of the Borden Case. The murder was committed in similar style, with similar weapon, in daylight, upon an innocent woman. It’s splash upon the headlines May 31, 1893, just days before the beginning of the trial of Lizzie Borden for the hatchet murder of her father and step –mother, may have influenced a jury pool that was about to be chosen to serve in the 'Trial of the Century.'" Volume contains thirteen articles and several newspaper images. Also includes an original Introduction and Epilogue by K. Koorey. This collection is in PDF format for viewing on any computer system. The collection can be read with a free Adobe Acrobat Reader, available for download at Adobe.com. This unique and original collection has never before been offered for sale. Transcribed by Harry Widdows, famed originator of the Lizzie Borden Trial Transcript in Word format. $7.95.

Edmund Pearson The Trial of Lizzie Borden and Edwin Porter The Fall River Tragedy, on CD-ROM. Pearson, Edmund. The Trial of Lizzie Borden. New York: Doubleday, 1937. Important work that includes great quantities of trial testimony, not generally found elsewhere, but criticized for his one-sided approach which favored Lizzie as the killer. Porter, Edwin H. The Fall River Tragedy. Fall River, MA: George R. H. Buffinton, Press of J. D. Munroe, 1893. Porter's book is the first major work in the field of Borden studies. Includes many rare photographs. Both books are complete and are in PDF format for easy viewing on ANY computer (Mac, PC, Linux). The disk includes both books (and all photos from the original editions) plus a free bonus of a large collection of photographs related to the case in jpg and gif formats, including images of the primary participants in the murder mystery, and photographs of the inside and outside of the murder house, 92 Second St. in Fall River, Mass. $19.95

Lost Lesbian Lives contains three one-woman plays written by actress and playwright Marjorie Conn. It includes The Honeymoon Years of Eleanor Roosevelt & Lorena Hickok, Miss Lizzie A. Borden Invites You to Tea, Thar She Blows! Disguised as a Boy She Went A'whaling. These works and others represent Marj's unwavering commitment to recording and restoring the lives of lesbians, lives which have been all too often erased from history. The plays in this book focus on three very different women: Lorena Hickok, an early female reporter and the lover of Eleanor Roosevelt. Lizzie Borden, the subject of the 19th Century Trial of the Century, who was also the lover of a famous actress. Isabella Chase, a fictional character patterned after the real women who disguised themselves as men and served on whaling and other ships in the mid-19th Century. Each of them encompasses a part of the North American lesbian experience, and thus is a part of our history. All 3 plays are one-woman plays and have enjoyed productions in Provincetown, MA and New York City. Excellent monologue material for women (and men in drag) of all ages.

Excellent reading material. All 3 characters have in common their love for animals. 10% of the proceeds for this book is being donated to Greyhound Rescue Organizations. Lost Lesbian Lives is a captivating read by itself, and the perfect companion for those fortunate enough to see Marj perform one or all of these great plays. Happy Reading! $17, includes shipping. $17.00

— Some web sites you might find interesting (quite a potpourri of topics):