Lizzie Quizzie

by Sherry Chapman

First published in June/July, 2004, Volume 1, Issue 3, The Hatchet: Journal of Lizzie Borden Studies.

Pop quiz!  Close your reference books and see how you do with our “Lizzie Borden Test”.  Answers and scoring are at the end of the quiz.

1. Lizzie Borden was buried by:

A) Hosea Knowlton with glee
B) An Episcopal minister
C) Her dogs in the Pet Cemetery in Dedham

2. Writer Paul Dennis Hoffman hails from the state of

A) Arizona
B) Massachusetts
C) Rhode Island

3. How many years was The Lizzie Borden Quarterly in print?

A) Five
B) Ten
C) Seven

4. Most of Lizzie’s dresses were

A) Blue
B) Stained with paint
C) Given to Bridget after the trial

5. How many pears did Lizzie say she ate up in the barn?

A) She had no idea
B) Three, I think
C) Two, then she vomited

6. The Kelly’s servant girl was named

A) Emmett
B) Mary O’Dolan
C) Mary Doolan

7. Dr. Bowen’s drug of choice for Lizzie was

A) Heroin
B) Morphine
C) Cocaine

8. Dr. Bowen’s father-in-law was

A) Frank Almy
B) Melvin O. Adams
C) Southard Miller

9. The “O” in “Melvin O. Adams” stands for

A) Ohio
B) Oregon
C) Oklahoma

10. Who was Southard Miller’s famous son?

A) Brewno Miller, the founder of Blatz beer
B) Frank Miller, an artist
C) Harold Miller, a playwright and the grandfather of playwright Arthur Miller

11. What year did Emma give her interview to the Boston Post?

A) 1920
B) 1922
C) 1913

12. Arthur Phillips was

A) On Lizzie’s defense team
B) A reporter
C) On the prosecuting team

13. To whom did Lizzie say, “I don’t even know what your name is”?

A) A beau who got fresh with her in the back of a carriage
B) Emma, when Lizzie was inebriated at a Maplecroft party, which precipitated Emma’s leave
C) Hosea Knowlton

14. What did Lizzie have carved on the top step of her house on The Hill?

A) Stay Away
B) No reporters
C) Maplecroft

15. Lizzie shoplifted at

A) The A & P
B) Sears & Roebuck
C) Tilden-Thurber

16. What was the name of the street in Fairhaven where Emma was staying with friends during the morning of August 4, 1892?

A) Green Street
B) Park Place
C) Olive Street

17. Lizzie once studied which musical instrument?

A) Flute
B) Piano
C) Harp

18. Lizzie’s real mother died when

A) Andrew killed her
B) She tried to have a third child
C) Lizzie was two years old

19. On the murder morning, Lizzie would not let Bridget see

A) Andrew’s body
B) Her bag from yesterday’s shopping trip
C) Her gin rummy hand.

20. How many cups of coffee did Lizzie have in the morning?

A) Three
B) Four, spiked with spirits
C) One

ANSWERS:

1)  B (from the Church of the Ascension, Fall River)

2)  A (Arizona)

3)  B  (Ten Years)

4)  Blue

5)  B  (In her inquest testimony, Lizzie said she had “Three, I think.”)

6)  C  (Mary Doolan)

7)  B  (Morphine)

8)  C  (Southard Miller.  Dr. Bowen married Mr. Miller’s daughter, Phoebe)

9)  A (Ohio.   Too bad you can’t get credit for guessing ‘Oregon’ or ‘Oklahoma,’ as those are equally strange.)

10)  B (Franklin Miller was a famous artist in Fall River and was the son of Southard Miller.  A recent painting on a website gallery was selling a floral still life of his for $1,800)

11)  C  (1913 was the year Emma blabbed to the press.  Although some have their doubts as to the interview’s authenticity – I do myself – it seems to be generally accepted as being authentic)

12)  A (Arthur Phillips was a young man on Lizzie’s defense team.  He was also the author of a book that is sought after today by collectors:  Phillips’ History of Fall River)

13)  C (Hosea Knowlton.  Considering how he treated her on the stand, she must have been quite a lady to have that be the worst thing she said to him)

14)  C  (Maplecroft!  Though today the carving is covered up by the current owner.  A true shame.)

15)  C  (Lizzie got caught shoplifting at Tilden-Thurber in Providence.  Too bad you don’t get credit for choosing either of the other two, because she probably did it there, too)

16)  A  (Green Street.  The house still stands today.)

17)  B  (Lizzie played the piano but gave it up.)

18)  C  (‘Baby Lizzie’ was only two years old when her mother died.  Had she lived into old age, would this crime have taken place with Lizzie’s real mother instead of Abby as victim?)

19)  A  (Was Bridget prevented from seeing Andrew’s body because the murderer was still in there?)

20)  C  (Miss Lizzie always drank one cup of coffee in the mornings; never two) 

SCORING:

0 – 5 correct:  You don’t spend a lot of time on the Borden case, which probably makes you the smartest of all. 

6-10 correct:  You are a potential Bordenite.   You need to realize you can go either way:  become a Bordenite or be sane like the rest of the world.

11-15 correct:  You are probably a lot of fun to talk “Lizzie” with.  It’s probably too late for you to turn back to the normal world now.

16-20 correct:   “The Hatchet” needs you!