Jeffery's Theory

[Kat]

Our Arborwood member Jeffery had given Stefani his *manuscript* a while ago and said he was done with the story and she could do what she wanted with it.
Harry and Stef spent time formatting it, as the document was in a form not easily readable by their computers.
I had worked with him for over a year with sources and ideas and pictures.
I haven't seen my input yet in the document but that was his choice.
I was reading it - a few pages at a time- the last 2 nights.
The story may ultimately unfold for me at the same time as for you.

The first few pages have some little errors which I can recognize, so you will probably be spared them from this end.

Jeffery was the reason I made that tree drawing of the Andrew Borden/ William Borden connection *for real*. He had claimed they were second cousins, and gave their descent. I suppose those of you who can read a chart can tell if this is so.
They descended from 2 brothers 6 generations back- so I don't know if that is called second cousins.

Anyway, I think Jeffery was mainly delving into that area of William Borden to show he was related to Andrew but not as an illegitimate son.

Next he states:
"Marshal Rufus Bartlett Hilliard of the Fall River police department officially closed the investigation into the Borden case during the preliminary hearing."

and:

" 'In 1941, Andrew Jennings’ legal assistant, Arthur Sherman Phillips elected to comment on Mr. Jennings' collected hoard of evidence and the continued sequestration of "the mass of documents" by saying, " Mr. Jennings considered their secrecy important to Miss Borden's defense should there be any NEW PHASES OF POLICE INVESTIGATION.' "
--This may be Brown?

Jeffery:

"Under the double jeopardy law, a client can not be retried for the same crime twice once acquitted. but, said client can be charged later as an accomplice or an accessory after the fact, in the same crime. as long as there is enough evidence to support the charge."

[Jeffery--]: "quote:

'punishment for two statutory offences arising out of the same criminal
act or transaction does not violate the double jeopardy clause, if, each provision requires proof of an additional fact which the other does not.' (ID at 304). Lizzie could have later been charged in these crimes as an accessory or as an assistant !"

[me]
I do know his ultimate villain is William Davis.
And it's odd to know that Morse went there to the Davis' to live either just before or just around the time Wm.Davis was born in 1851. That means that he could be John Vinnicum Morse's son! That could be where *the illigitimte* enters the frame! But, if that is far-fetched- it's still interesting to know that Morse was 18 years older than William, who supposedly was his best friend? And that William was of an age with Emma Borden.

Continuing comments will be very appreciated!

[Harry]

For those of you not familiar with Jeffery's theory here is the gist of it from his manuscript:

"The assassination of Andrew and Abby Borden was the result of a well plotted conspiracy on the part of the following individuals:

1) Lizzie Andrew Borden

2) John Vinnicum Morse (brother-in-law to Andrew Borden)

3) William Arthur Davis (close friend and partner of John Morse) and

4) George Edward Howe (cousin to John Morse)

Lizzie Andrew Borden physically murdered her stepmother Abby Durfee Gray Borden with a hatchet between 9:35 a.m. and 9:40 a.m., in the second floor guest bedroom, striking her no less than 19 times about the head and back area. Then approximately, one hour and a half later, between 11:00 a.m. and 11:05 a.m., downstairs in the sitting room of the first floor, William Arthur Davis brutally murdered Andrew Jackson Borden with a meat cleaver, striking him no less than ten times about the head area."

"The motive for John V. Morse and William A. Davis to assassinate
Andrew and Abby Borden was the reneged sale of the Borden farm in Swansea, Massachusetts by Mr. Borden to his brother-in-law, Mr. Morse."

"The motive for Lizzie Borden to kill her parents was the farm and
her father's incomplete will, in which, he was going to leave the bulk of his estate to his wife."

"George E. Howe did not have a motive to kill Mr. and Mrs. Borden.
He was paid to go along as informant and getaway driver."

[doug65oh]

Interesting theory, for sure. It sounds totally wacked at first, but....

[Audrey]

It certainly is an interesting new theory....

What did JVM gain? Revenge only?

[FairhavenGuy]

You know, I'm starting to wonder if all families in the 1890s had so many connections to people with butchering experience. I'm certainly not willing to completely write off the possibility that William Davis had a hand in this.

[Tina-Kate]

I really have a problem "buying" any theory with more than 1 actual killer. However, what I like best about theories is how they uncover additional info.

I esp like Kat's note re how Morse was around near the time Wm Davis was born. Maybe he might have been Godfather!

[Kat]

This is from page 8- Jeffery's argument about the Swansea farm. Note that he posits that the *man* Morse says he told Andrew he could get for the farm was himself- Morse. (I suppose that is why Morse hedged about Andrew putting that off and switched to "cattle" or some "oxen?")

"Edmund Pearson - " The Trial of Lizzie Borden " - page 16 :

" '[Mr. John V. Morse] The middle part of his life, twenty years, had been spent farming at Hastings, Iowa, but he had returned to his old home in South Dartmouth. Feeling confined on this meager Massachusetts farm after his career in Iowa's wider spaces, he indulged himself, and perhaps earned a few dollars, by inspecting Mr. Borden's farms at Somerset [sic] and Swansea. and advising him on their management.' "

[J]
"In May of 1892, Andrew Borden agreed to sell his Swansea farm to John V. Morse. But because of Mrs. Borden's persistant influence with her husband not to sell his farm to Mr. Morse. Mr. Borden went back on his word and decided to put the farm in his wife's name.

This astounding information got out through a leak in banking circles. of which Lincoln claims, her grandfather had heard through the grapevine.
-- source : Victoria Lincoln - A Private Disgrace."

[Me- Here is the Lincoln Quote:
"The fantastic element enters with Andrew's hitherto undisclosed decision to put the farm in Abby's name before Morse moved in. Small wonder it has remained undiscovered all these years. Why he would have done a thing like that twice, God only knows. But he did. It got out through a leak in banking circles."

and--

"It was known in some quarters two weeks before the murders that Morse expected to move over to Swansea; it was known at the National Union Bank shortly before the murders that the farm was about to be put in Abby's name." ]


[J resumed]:

"In May of 1892, while Mr. Borden and Mr. Morse were riding over by the Swansea farm. we get the first indication of Mr. Borden's decision to dispose of it.

John V. Morse, pretrial, page 264 :

Q : did he say anything about his farm, about giving that away?

A : we were going over----

Q : was that another talk?

A : yes, sir.

Q : I will ask you when that was too.

A : that was some time in MAY OF THIS YEAR.

Q : what was it he said about that?

A : we were riding by his place over there. we got to speaking about the old ladies home, you know. he says " I would give them some land here, if I thought they would accept it,"
something to that affect.

here, Mr.Morse changes the talk about the farm to an old ladies home to divert any further inquiry as to his proposed purchase of it or to whom Mr.Borden was going to give it to. Mr. Morse wanted that farm but, at the same time Mrs. Borden wanted it for herself.

On Thursday, August 25, 1892, Mrs. Nellie S. McHenry had a conversation with Bridget Sullivan, during which time Bridget told her, 'Mrs. Borden had been talking about Mr. Morse all week long saying, "now he is here, I suppose we will have him on our hands all summer, I don't see why he don't get married and go away." ' This talk took place around the time of Mr. Morse's June visit to the Borden house. The reason he was making frequent trips to the house on his follow up
visits in June, July and August, shortly before the murders was to convince Mr. Borden to sell him the farm. the dispute went back and forth, from May until finally on Wednesday, August 3rd, the day before the tragedy,during the discussion that the elder Borden's had with Mr. Morse for nearly two hours in the sitting room at the Borden house, between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., Mr. Borden told Mr. Morse that his final decision was to go ahead and put the property in his wife's name.


Mr. Morse's visit previous to August 3rd was on July 10th.

John V. Morse - inquest testimony

Q : you do not think you had written announcing your visit at this time ?

A : I don't think I did, let me see, let me tell it as I can think of
it. "Mr. Borden, when I was over here on July 10th, wanted to know if i knew of a man that he could get on his farm, to take charge of it. I told him I did not know. I would see. when I got home (South Dartmouth), i wrote him that I knew of a man who I thought would suit him. I would send him over. Andrew wrote back to me, saying, he would rather I wait until he saw me first. I have his letter in my pocket, if you want to see it."

Q: (Knowlton) " what was the date of that letter? you may refresh your memory. if you have no objections, I will see it." ( witness produced letter, dated Monday, July 25, 1892.) you did not write him that you were coming ?

A : no sir.

Q : you came partially in pursuance of that request ?

A : yes sir.

Q : so they were not expecting you that particular day. but were looking for you at anytime?

A : yes sir.

Here, Mr. Morse was trying to come up with an excuse as to why he showed up unnanounced at the Borden house on the day before the murders. That Mr. Borden had asked him to find a man to take over the farm. in reality, Mr. Morse was that man. he had fabricated this story to divert attention from himself and his connection to the farm as his motive in the murders. Mr. Morse had come on August 3rd, to try and pursuade Mr. Borden one last time to sell him the farm."

--It seems reasonable to me that these visits by Morse, which were downplayed so much by him and the girls in testimony- could have been a misdirection at that. And that possibly he was talking intimate business of some nature and was not pleased with the outcome.

[Tina-Kate]

You know, it dawned on me while reading your last post that Andrew changing his mind about an important decision (not to give the farm to Morse but to put it in Abby's name instead) would not be unusual nor out of character for a mercurial Virgo.

[Kat]

It's also interesting that Lincoln said you'd think he would have learned that lesson earlier but he didn't. That kind of sounds like our Andrew as well.

[Kat]

Jeffery wonders why Morse denied knowing or having recently seen his own niece, Anna who was visiting at the Emery's- prior to this visit:


"During officer Medley and Edwin Porter's interview with Mrs. Emery on Weybossett street concerning Morse's visit to her house on the morning of the murders. Morse's niece Annie [Anna] was asked if she had ever seen her uncle before, and she replied that she had. She had met him when she was five years old, and three weeks ago, he had taken her from the cars at Warren, Rhode Island, to the Borden farm in Swansea, Mass.

Mr. Morse's memory regarding his niece is somewhat defective. He had said that he went to call on her for the first time yesterday [Thursday]. He was interviewed again. ' I thought that you told me, Mr. Morse," said
the interviewer, " that you never saw your niece before today? '
' I never did, ' he replied. 'She says, ' said the reporter,
'that you met her in Warren and drove her to Swansea. ' ' Ah ! That
is so. I did, ' said Morse. ' I saw her for just a moment or so. '

Here, Mr. Morse contradicts himself, because he did not want anyone
knowing why he took his niece over to the farm. He was showing off his future home. So he hoped."
....

--I don't know how exactly accurate the quote is but I think it's close.
This is from the newspaper and might be in the Witness Statements?
Jeffery goes on to talk about the horses. When Morse came East this last time, (c. 1889.5) he supposedly had horses and sold them. Then the newspapers refer to the horsetraders hanging around Westport before the murders and there was a consignment of 80 horses in Morse's name very shortly before the murders. I think Jeffery is posing the theory that Morse thought he was getting one of the Swansea farms and was already making plans and moving horses over to Westport in readiness to take the farm. Those horses came from out west. He has shown the place to his niece. It seems plausible that he was counting on this place to live. Combine that with the earlier posting that *the man* Andrew wanted him to get to run the farm was himself- that seems like there might have been a big let-down and some expense incurred by Morse, if Andrew reneged.
If this at all seems a possibility?

[Tina-Kate]

It occured to me JVM handed over to the court the last letter Andrew wrote to him.

If JVM had been twisting the story, don't you think the contents of that letter would have revealed the falsehoods?

[Kat]

I was thinking about that letter and it's contents could have been innocuous, or not specific enough to warrant suspicion at the time?

[diana]

The problem I have with this theory so far is the sourcing.

You’re right, Kat when you suggest that the quote about Jennings protecting Lizzie from any “new phases of police investigation” is from Brown. It’s on page 79.

And I couldn't find anything about Anna and Morse going from "the cars at Warren, Rhode Island to the Borden farm in Swansea” in the witness statements -- but it is in the New Bedford Evening Standard August 5, 1892 (page 7).

But please note -- this is the same article that says Dr. Bowen arrived at Weybosset just as Morse was leaving and that Morse learned of the murders when he was telephoned at the Emerys. Morse denies here that he ever said he’d heard of the murders by telephone and he also says that he saw his niece “for just a moment or so” when they were in Rhode Island.

He reiterates this at the inquest. Morse is asked whether he’d seen his niece prior to the meeting at Weybosset and he answers:
A. “No, I saw [sic] was at her Grandmother's, they told me she was there, and had gone to Providence with one of her cousins. When I got off the cars, they got on. I just barely saw her …”

So we’ve found some stuff -- but do we know Jeffery’s sources for the following?

 “Marshal Rufus Bartlett Hilliard of the Fall River police department officially closed the investigation into the Borden case during the preliminary hearing.”

 The reneged sale of the Borden farm to Morse.

 The two weapon/two murderer idea (Lizzie with a hatchet on Abby/ William Davis with a meat cleaver on Andrew).

 The consignment of 80 horses in Morse’s name shortly before the murders.
-------------

Just as a side-note -- one thing I did come away with from this particular reading of Morse’s inquest testimony:

“Q. What relation is Mr. Davis to you?
A. None. Years before I went West, I worked for them in the meat business. I have always kept up correspondence since. It seems like home to me, and I like to stay there. Isaac C. Davis, his son, is in the meat business with him. The old man cannot see now, has a cancer. I stay there with them.”

It’s only this time around that I realized the “Isaac C. Davis, his son” could be the fourteen year old son of William. I’d always thought John had mixed up the elder Isaac C. and William here – but thanks to our recent exposure to the 1880 Dartmouth census we know there was a second Isaac C. So now the inference that the “old man” is blind and presumably not involved in the business any longer makes more sense to me.

[Kat]

I was hoping someone would come up with a question or answer concerning that part about Hilliard ceasing any investigation after the Preliminary Hearing.

I think I recall that Brown did not quote that phrase exactly as written by Phillips in his "History."

Harry wrote to me about the phone call. He showed me where, further into Jeffery's document, "J" gives a source for the Emery's having a phone!
We couldn't figure out why, but I assume Harry is going to check that source. That would be something!

The consignment of horses:

Jeffery's document, page 16:

"New Bedford Daily Murcury, Tuesday, August 9, 1892 :

State Officer, George F. Seaver, Fall River,

Westport promises something, and again comes to the front in the flat contradiction of John V. Morse's statement that he had no knowledge whatever of the horse traders at Westport. state detective Seaver said , 'before I knew anything about this case whatsoever, I heard that a large consignment of wild horses to John V. Morse had arrived at Westport, and I went down to see them. I wanted to see the mustangs, and see them lasso them. there were 80 horses, I should think together. I went down there with a gentleman from Westport factory and saw the horses in a field. they were consigned to John V. Morse of South Dartmouth. there are farmers about there and it is the best place to make a trade. there had been an auction, and about 12 horses had been sold by the auctioneer. that was a week ago today, exactly, and Morse was the man to whom they were consigned.the murders happened about 2 days later, and I knew nothing of the case until Thursday night.'

(This interview between the reporter and detective Seaver was on August 8th, and Mr. Seaver's visit to Westport was on Tuesday Aug 2, two days prior to the Borden murders.)"

[diana]

So, as far as the horses go, we're again just looking at a newspaper item -- which includes a denial by Morse --and is basically denied by him again at the inquest :
"Q. Have you had any connection with the horse business?
A. Not recently. I brought some horses here when I came here two years and a half ago.
Q. All sold out now
A. Yes Sir.
Q. Have you had any dealings in horses since then?
A. A little along occasionally, not to amount to anything."


Brown does appear to condense Phillips's version of why Jennings protected the defense documents -- but the gist of the message is the same, I think.

This is what Phillips wrote: "The mass of documents and other evidence collected by the defence have never been disclosed or discussed, due to the fact that until the recent death of Miss Borden their secrecy was, in the opinion of Mr. Jennings, important to her defence. He considered that reservation of such facts as would meet any new phases of police investigation was necessary, and during her life it was improper to disclose or to discuss facts which were gathered in her interest, and which might by any possibility be important if [the] crime should be reconsidered by the District Attorney". (The Borden Murder Mystery, page 12)

That would be something if we were able to find a source for the Emery's having a phone!

And is there anything in Jeffery's document to back up his premise that Andrew reneged on a deal to turn over the Swansea farm to John?

[Haulover]

i have wondered if andrew "looking for someone to take over the farm" had something to do with the tragedy. IF there is not some huge feud going on about it. and i can't ignore these murders in connection with the butcher business. i just wonder if the plot isn't thicker in terms of how lizzie may have involved herself with a certain person in connection with it.

but two killers? my instincts are no. after all, why?

[Kat]

Yes, I was thinking of your own topic, Haulover when this manuscript bit me.
It was shoved down between the couch cushion and the couch arm in a red file folder. I reached for it and got bigbadpapercut.

Diana: You ask great questions- it is like you are anticipating the document!
I tried to explain about the horses rather than post all the info- but I will copy paste that section here for you.
But I won't fix the capitals and such like.
I will fix quote marks.
Otherwise, I will give you the real thing.
......

[J]:
"according to the following articles, a week or 2 before the murders, Mr. Morse had 2 carloads of horses brought over from his farm in Hastings, Iowa by train.

1 ) New Bedford Daily mercury, Tuesday, August 2, 1892 :

' two carloads of horses direct from Iowa, have been pastured on the
land of Stephen p. Kirby * during the past week. they have attracted many visitors and several of them have been sold.'

2) Friday, August 5, 1892 :

' little can be learned concerning Mr. Morse's career in the west.
it is generally understood that he was in the cattle business and that
he is well to do. a story in ciculation last night, was to the effect
that he had some 80 head of western horses which recently were delivered here.'


* Stephen p. Kirby, was born on April, 9, 1815 in Westport, ma. he was
the son of Abraham Kirby and eunice white, both of Westport, ma. Stephen was a " farmer." he was married twice. his first marriage was to Harriet n. Brownell of Westport, ma. on June, 30, 1839 in
Westport. Harriet n. Brownell was born on July, 31, 1843. his second
marriage was to diana macomber of Westport, ma. diana macomber was born
in 1840, and died on February 2, 1908 in Westport, Massachusetts. she
was the daughter of Charles macomber and desire grinnell, of
Providence, Rhode Island.

it was on the farm of Stephen p. Kirby, that John V. Morse and the horse traders kept camp and pastured their horses. which is located on drift rd. in Westport,ma. Mr. Morse was provided pasturage for his horses on Mr. Kirby's farm, thru the close association between himself, Mr.Davis and Mr. Kirby.


when Mr. Morse had moved back to Dartmouth in May 1891, he claimed that he didn't have any horses ! However, the following paper articles say differently :

article 1 ) - New Bedford Evening Standard, Saturday August 6,1892,

in Westport, at the head of the river, there is a camp of itinerant
horse traders, who have been operating in this vicinity for some weeks. they dress in course heavy garments, and live in tents in the woods. they go in and out of New Bedford continually, and Morse has been seen to associate with these people. these men came from the west, and are handling the horses reputed to be owned by John V. Morse. in Dartmouth, it is learned that Morse reported himself to be a wealthy horse trader.


article 2 ) - New Bedford Daily murcury, Tuesday, August 9, 1892 :

state officer, George f. Seaver, Fall River,

Westport promises something, and again comes to the front in the flat contradiction of John V. Morse's statement that he had no knowledge whatever of the horse traders at Westport. state detective Seaver said , 'before I knew anything about this case whatsoever, I heard that a large consignment of wild horses to John V. Morse had arrived at Westport, and I went down to see them. I wanted to see the mustangs, and see them lasso them. there were 80 horses, I should think together. I went down there with a gentleman from Westport factory and saw the horses in a field. they were consigned to John V. Morse of South Dartmouth. there are farmers about there and it is the best place to make a trade. there had been an auction, and about 12 horses had been sold by the auctioneer. that was a week ago today, exactly, and Morse was the man to whom they were consigned.the murders happened about 2 days later, and I knew nothing of the case until Thursday night.'

(this interview between the reporter and detective Seaver was on August 8th, and Mr. Seaver's visit to Westport was on Tuesday aug 2, two days prior to the Borden murders.)



Mr. Morse testified at the inquest, where he denied owning any horses.

John V. Morse, inquest, page 94 :

Q : have you had any connection with the horse business ?

A : not recently. I brought some horses here when I came here two years
and a half ago.

Q : all sold out now ?

A : yes sir.

Q ; have you had any dealings in horses since then ?

A : a little along occasionally, not to amount to anything.

here, Mr. Morse lied as to his association with the horse traders in
Westport for two reasons :

1 ) he claimed he had no horses ! he did not want anyone finding out his real motive for having them delivered to Westport. as it was his intention of moving his horses over to Swansea, as soon as he had signed the deed to the farm and sealed the deal with Mr. Borden.

2 ) in a previous article above, a report say's, ' in Dartmouth, it
is learned that Mr. Morse reported himself to be a wealthy horse trader.' William a. Davis was also a horse trader. he and Mr. Morse were partners in this. Mr. Davis had a major involvement with the band of traders at the head of Westport, and when the police went to the traders camp during the investigation, Mr. Morse tried to put them off the scent by flatly denying any involvement with them. just like Mr. Davis had done when he said the same about Mr. Morse to a reporter two days after the murders, when he and Mr. Howe went to the Borden house to see Mr. Morse."

[diana]

Articles in the New Bedford Evening Standard and the Mercury -- and in the Rochester papers -- suggest Morse was in cahoots with "gypsy" horse traders.... that a Frenchman refused to drive a suspicious man to Westport after the murders ... that this suspicious man looked like one of the horse traders and was reported to have visited Andrew Borden prior to the murders ... and that one of these horse traders bought a hatchet costing $1.12 from a Westport clerk.

I think it's only natural that suspicion fell on Morse immediately after the crime. And I think the newspapers were not above fuelling this suspicion with outright speculation that he possessed an unsavory character.

But so far Jeffery's theory appears to be based solely on newspaper rumors and in opposition to testimony presented in court. Isn't it probable that Knowlton knew about these rumors and posed these questions to Morse at the inquest to set the record straight?

Personally, I need a more substantial foundation before I can buy into this theory.

[Kat]

I just noticed Miss Brownell was married before she was born:

"Stephen p. Kirby, was born on April, 9, 1815 in Westport, ma. he was
the son of Abraham Kirby and eunice white, both of Westport, ma. Stephen was a " farmer." he was married twice. his first marriage was to Harriet n. Brownell of Westport, ma. on June, 30, 1839 in
Westport. Harriet n. Brownell was born on July, 31, 1843."

--Actually this type of mistake happens all the time when there is a lot of material involved.

[lydiapinkham]

All the horse trading material is documented and worth noting, I think, but Morse may be guilty of nothing worse than shady horse trades--something he would want to keep from the law even if he had no connection with the murder. It looks as if Jeffery is making a leap from horse trade to deeding the farm. Does he have evidence, written or spoken, of such an offer from Andrew? Morse seems not to have benefited from the murders. Does Jeffery suggest that daughters like father reneged on their part of a deal? Also, why would Lizzie have involved herself so directly with at least two men to do the murder? Wouldn't she have established an alibi for herself? Morse certainly had one.

--Lyddie

[Audrey]

Lyddie is correct... I would think that if there was a conspiracy of any nature that Lizzie would insisted on more of an alibi-- and if not-- if the crimes were planned in advance she'd have a better story lined up versus the one she spewed out at the inquest!

[Haulover]

i'll post here what i thought about posting to the thread about the strong vibrations at the back door. that struck a chord with me even though i've never been to the house. that is important to us all -- that picture of that moment when lizzie stands behind the screened door and says, "mrs. churchill, do come over. someone has killed father."

i'm interested in the theory that lizzie did not know what had happened until she found andrew (though then she immediately put it together). and so that moment of shock and panic she indeed brought to the back door. the murders themselves look like executions carefully planned -- but lizzie's role, that's the question. back to my recent question: what was lizzie doing when abby was murdered? i've been comparing lizzie and bridget......it seems that when abby was prob. murdered is when lizzie claimed she started her ironing and when bridget claimed she ran out to vomit. to get at this is to get something intuitive which might then be a bridge. i don't have it yet, but is anyone else looking at this?

[Kat]

This doesn't exactly speak to your post, Haulover, but it does describe what Lizzie was doing while Andrew was gone:

I haven't verified the sourced material for exactness. I have only changed quotes and tried to place all the capitals.
_________

"THE WILL

Now, I will address motive number 2.

The inventory papers for Mr. Borden's impending will went missing,
because right after her father's murder, Lizzie burned them in the
kitchen stove.

Trial - page 567 - 568 - officer Phillip Harrington :

Q: Now then, did you observe anything as he lifted the lid from the
stove?

A: Yes, sir.

Q: Go on and state what you did and what you observed?

A: I noticed the firebox. The fire was very nearly extinguished. On the
south end there was a small fire which I judged, was a coal fire. The
embers were about dying. It was about as large as the palm of my hand.
There had been some paper burned in there before, which was rolled up
and still held a cylindrical form.

Q: Now will you describe that roll of burned paper by measuring it with
your hands, please?

A: Well, I should say it was about that long, ( indicating ) twelve
inches, I should say.

Q: And how large in diameter?

A: Well, not over two inches.


Lizzie stated in her inquest testimony that, right before her father came home, she placed a stick of wood in the stove to heat her flats. but, when officer Harrington looked in the stove, shortly after Mr. Borden's murder, what he saw was a burnt up roll of paper, measuring about a foot long and about two inches wide. It was not wood that Lizzie had put in that fire, it was her father's paperwork. After the murder of her father, Lizzie went into the sitting room, where she picked up the paperwork from the table in front of the sofa, on which his body lay, then she rolled them up, tossed them in the kitchen stove and then gave the alarm.

At the inquest, Lizzie said that she was reading an old Harper's
magasine in the kitchen, then after a while, went for the newspaper in the sitting room, and later she [brought down some mailing wrappers from her bedroom to oblige Mrs. Borden- sic]. In fact, Lizzie knew she might later have to account for what paper it was that she had burned in the stove.


Witness statements - page 3 :

John Fleet -

I had an interview with Bridget Sullivan on Thursday August 4th. She
said she saw Mr. Borden come in the house about 10:45 a.m. ' I saw him
go into the dining room, he went to the window and looked at some papers which he had in his hands.'

Shortly after that, when Mr. Borden came back downstairs from his
bedroom he went into the sitting room, where Bridget said he sat in a
chair by the window with some papers or a thin book in his hand, which
he began to read.

Lizzie said something similiar to assistant Marshal Fleet, "'father came in about 10:45 a.m., he went into the sitting room, sat down in a large chair, took out some papers and looked at them.' "
__________

--Jeffery's position is that Andrew may have been making an inventory of his assests in preparation of a will.
_______


"The motive for Lizzie Borden was a result of being an unmarried
spinster, fearing that her and Emma would be left with nothing and that
her stepmother would inherit everything their father owned. Had her
stepmother gotten everything, Lizzie feared that Abby would leave her
out in the cold.


The two following articles show strongly why Lizzie wanted her parents
assassinated.

1 ) Fall River Daily Globe, Wednesday August 17, 1892 :

'VERY IMPORTANT MOTIVE IN THE UNMADE WILL

DEVELOPMENTS OF A MOST STARTLING NATURE ARE PROMISED FOR THE

PRELIMINARY TRIAL

THE STATE WILL, THE GLOBE IS INFORMED ON VERY GOOD AUTHORITY

PROVE THAT ANDREW J. BORDEN DID AND WAS MAKING PREPARATIONS

FOR THE DRAWING OF HIS WILL !

It may be shown that he talked to several persons interested and also to some of his personal friends about the will which he intended to make. The making of that will could not possibly affect anyone except Lizzie and Emma Borden and other persons connected to them by blood relationship [John Morse-"J" inserted]. When all the evidence is in it will be seen that to some of those with whom he talked about the making of this will.

Mr. Borden said that his second wife Abby had been a faithful and
devoted wife and a loving and careful mother to Lizzie and Emma. A
better mother than they had had before and a woman who was as such
entitled to more recognition in the will than that of a widow's dower.
That Mr. Borden was devoted to his second wife there are none who will
deny.

When the trial is called and Miss Emma Borden takes the stand. she may be asked some pointed questions as to what she knows about the family talk previous to the arrangements for making the will. She will be required to tell about her prolonged visit to friends [William a. Davis-"J" inserted] in Dartmouth and Fairhaven and her conversation with John V. Morse relative to the matter of the will.

From reliable authority, it is stated that the state will prove that Mr. Borden expressed his desire to make a will favorable to his second wife and that the daughters did not approve of this method of disposing of the property. The evidence will show what has been taking place in this connection for a long period of time previous to the murders.'


2 ) Fall River Daily Globe, Thursday August 18, 1892 :

'THE WILL THEORY

DID EMMA AND LIZZIE KNOW OF THEIR FATHER'S INTENTION OF

MAKING ONE.

Public interest in the Borden murders now centers in the will which Andrew J. Borden proposed to make just before he was killed. That this subject occupied his mind is known. What he said to members of his
family regarding it can only be conjectured. Soon after the tragedy,
Marshal Hilliard learned that Mr. Borden had said to Charles C. Cook,
who had more or less to do with Mr. Borden's real estate transactions,
"I must make a will. I am getting to be an old man and I have put it
off too long already." '

'The government had to have a motive for the crime which had been
committed, and here was the most reasonable motive. It was money. If
dollars and cents were cast aside, hatred must figure in the killing. If it were neither dollars and cents, nor passion, then the deed was the work of a maniac.

Proceeding on the theory that the property had inspired some member of the family to butcher Mr. Borden and his wife, Inspectors John Parker and Frank Hathaway of New Bedford, were engaged to collect information bearing on this point. They have been working on the case for nearly two weeks and are still busy. Parker and Hathaway have been able to give the government considerable valuable information. An out of town official had this to say regarding their movements yesterday : "there had been considerable travel between the cottage of William A. Davis [where John Morse lived- "J" inserted] on Bedford street, and the Borden house on Second Street, just before Mr. and Mrs. Borden were butchered." '

' I have not talked with Parker and Hathaway for three or four days, but I know what their line of work has been and the suspicions of the government. They have proceeded far enough to make it possible for me to talk a little without embarrassing them.

It was natural of course for the government to attempt to find out what took Miss Emma to Dartmouth and what business John Morse had in Fall River. The latter was not in the habit of running over to Fall River every few days and anything out of the usual course that anybody
connected with the murder does, is important. I hear that Miss Lizzie
also visited the home of William a. Davis, but I am not positive whether that is true or not.

The government has cause to believe that Mr. Borden's family knew
that he was going to make a will and that his intentions did not make
the relations between his daughters and their stepmother any more
friendly.

Mr. Borden meant to give his wife cosiderably more than the law would have given her had there been no will. He was not blind to the situation in his household. He was very fond of his wife and appreciated all that she had done for him and his daughters. He knew she had worked hard and been economical and, like a good many other men, felt that his fortune was as much hers as his, though he meant to hold on to it as long as he lived.

It is believed that the girls resented their father's views in this matter. They were loyal to their own mother and knew that when they were in comparatively humble circumstances, she had worked hard to save money and assist her husband. they felt that her interest in the estate should be preserved fo them and not go to their stepmother and the latter's relatives...' "

[Haulover]

thank you. very good. (you're keeping me up too late.)

***An out of town official had this to say regarding their movements yesterday : "there had been considerable travel between the cottage of William A. Davis [where John Morse lived- "J" inserted] on Bedford street, and the Borden house on Second Street, just before Mr. and Mrs. Borden were butchered." ' ***

obviously, lizzie had motive -- but if the killer was not lizzie -- then what was the killer's motive? the butcher's motive. why would a butcher do lizzie and emma this "favor?" what i'm thinking (or imagining) is in lizzie's relationship with someone from the farm. the killer must have had a selfish motive.

i know i'm repeating myself.........that moment i refer to is when i imagine that "they" came into the house.

[Audrey]

While I like the idea that Andrew was fond of Abbie--why leave her a fortune and refuse to pay for her to see Doc Bowen?

[Kat]

That was a story told to Alice by Lizzie who supposedly ran upstairs when Dr. Bowen came to call.
Consider the source and the purpose behind Lizzie telling this tale. There is no corroboration.
It may have happened- that's all I personally think about that episode. My opinion.

[diana]

There is, of course, the other side of the coin which rebuts that Globe report that Charles C. Cook claimed Andrew told him he planned to make a will.

The New Bedford Evening Standard of the same date (Aug. 18) wrote: "Charles C. Cook denies all knowlege of a will or of Mr. Borden having spoken of making one, or of Borden's having ever hinted at making an inventory of his property."

And pitting court testimony against newspaper reportage -- at the Preliminary Hearing, Cook was questioned about this. (I still believe some questions were put to witnesses to dispel rumors.) He said that 2 or 3 weeks prior to the murders, Andrew was in Cook's office when another client came in with a query about a will that Cook had recently drawn up for him. This elicited the comment from Andrew that he did not have a will. Cook testified Andrew said nothing more to him about making a will -- denied he told anyone Andrew said he intended to make a will -- and further stated that he "did not say anything of the kind" to Medley. (Prelim. 104+)

[Kat]

The inventory for a will is like another legend or at worst a bad rumor. It's possible that Andrew was making an inventory prior to even telling Cook he was now ready to make a will. This *inventory* has come out in several ways- I can't recall all the sources for it. (There was found, written in Abby's handwriting some kind of list that might have been the beginnings of an inventory? From where does this come, does anyone know?)

Your idea that some questions were asked in open court merely to dispel a rumor is a good one. That sounds and seems probable.

Andrew had had a will, however, and the timing of his destruction of it seems to correspond with the dissolution of Andrew's business partnership with Amly.
The fact that there had once been a will, implies that a man will again have a will. Maybe that is what this theory is depending upon?

[Audrey]

Andrew was a shrewd businessman. It would seem to me he had an inventory somewhere of his assets and would not need a list to refer to in the making of a will-- even if that list existed in his head.

[Harry]

(There was found, written in Abby's handwriting some kind of list that might have been the beginnings of an inventory? From where does this come, does anyone know?)

This is in Rebello, page 135:

"The [Fall River Daily] Globe reported on the existence of a list of financial holdings supposedly written by Abby or possibly dictated by Andrew Borden. The list reportedly contained some $80,000 worth of stock in the Troy Mill, the Merchants Mfg., and other local ventures. The [Fall River Daily]Globe implied that money was at some point discussed in the Borden home. The Fall River Evening News quickly responded the next day to the [Fall River Daily] Globe report. The 'memorandum was not of Mrs. Borden's holdings, but some of Mr. Borden's personal property, and Mrs. Borden died possessing none of the stocks referred to.' The [Fall River] Evening News reported that the list was written in 1891 and "That it is not improbable that Mr. Borden dictated this memorandum, that he intended to leave these stocks to his wife, that it certainly suggests that the money in question was discussed occasionally in the household is purest assumption. There is nothing to show, if we are rightfully informed, that Mr. Borden or his daughters had any knowledge that such a list was kept by Mrs. Borden ..."

This is from a February 1893 article.

[Kat]

Thanks Har!

Audrey, I am only referring to a list one is required to make for probate purposes. It would be a written inventory and become part of the legal estate papers. One's attorney could make it out, but of course, that costs. If Andrew had such a list he may have lost it, or had it stolen (in 1891 robbery?), or was adding to it as it might have fallen into arrears.

The girls waived an inventory of their father's assets at probate.
My family members had to officially waive an inventory at the proving of our mother's will. (Well, they didn't have, to but they did).
As long as the creditors are satisfied, family members can figure out an inventory amongst themselves.

[Kat]

We have left off with the questions raised about an inventory prepatory to making a will. Tina Kate has an interesting article in the new issue of The Hatchet about Charles Cook's connection with the Borden money and where his loyalties might lie.
__________

Jeffery believes that Emma was innocent in the plan to murder her father, yet brings up more news that Emma visited the Davis cottage "during her stay in Fairhaven to gain information from her uncle as to her father's intentions in his future will, nothing more."

He claims that the Matron Reagan incident and the dress-burning incident were the 2 things Emma lied about and it was out of loyalty to Lizzie and to their dead mother Sarah, whom Emma supposedly made a promise to that she would care for Lizzie.

The conspiracy to kill the Borden's was apparently in place already before Wednesday, in case Andrew did not acceed to Morse's wishes:
.........

"THE PLAN

The plot to kill Andrew and Abby Borden started a few days after Mr. Morse's visit to the Borden house on July 10th, as a backup plan, just in case Mr. Borden didn't keep his word to Mr. Morse.

Several weeks before the murders, Lizzie had two or more meetings with her uncle and William A. Davis to go over the plan. One meeting was at the home of Mr. Davis in South Dartmouth and the other was on Saturday, July 23rd, when Lizzie went shopping for an hour and a half, while she was visiting Mrs. Poole in New Bedford.

For the murder of Abby Borden to take place, the following criteria had to be met :

1 - Bridget had to either be out, washing the windows, or up in her room.

2 - Emma had to be absent, ( which took care of itself, as it was Emma's intention to make an extended visit to the Brownells in Fairhaven that summer.)

3 - Mr. Borden had to be downstreet, going about his daily routine.

In order for the murder of Mr. Borden to take place, two criteria had to be met,

1 - Mr. Eddy must not come to the Borden house between 10:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. to bring the eggs and other produce from the Borden farm in Swansea. ( Mr. Morse had taken care of that on the day before the murders.)

2 - Bridget must be out of the way.

As it happens, Bridget was sent by Mrs. Borden to wash the windows that morning. The question was raised as to how often she generally washed them.

Bridget, pretrial, page 10:

Q: how often did you used to wash them?

A: sometimes once a month and probably twice a month.

But in Mrs. Churchill's inquest testimony, she says differently.

do you remember how long before that time she had been out washing the windows, whether that same week or the week before?

A: I dont think she washed windows but once a week, and Thursday was generally the day.

Q: it was the habit to wash the windows once a week?

A: she generally did.

It is to be believed that the conspirators knew well in advance that Bridget was to wash the windows on this Thursday and that fact was part of their plan.

.......

I can think of one more requirement needed for the successful killing of Andrew:
3. That Abby be dead by then.

[Audrey]

Would Lizzie be happy to see the Swansea property go to JVM-- OR could she have been playing both sides?

Pretending to go along with the "plan" and then letting Andrew know she knew of his plans to transfer the property and letting him know she would not be happy if it took place?

[Kat]

If there was a conspiracy, I could see Lizzie playing both sides.
It might be why there were rumors that she was scared later at Maplecroft and had bars on the cellar windows. (? I don't know from where this comes- Gramma might know).
Also, her co-conspirator cannot actually complain to anyone if they didn't get what they had bargained for.
Hmmm...interesting thought.

[Robert Harry]

Though I tend to be suspicious of conspiracy theories, the kind of advance planning (to my mind) almost necessitates the involvement of someone besides Lizzie. For example, preventing the guy with the eggs from coming was taken care of by Morse. Lizzie, of course, would know intimately the routines of the inmates, but it would greatly help her to have someone see to it that others (from the outside) would not barge in that day. Also, the fact that the front door was kept locked that day almost screams of Lizzie's guilt. Locking the door would take care of unforeseen "guests"--they would simply knock and go away. Bridget did not normally answer the door (unless she had to, in the case of Andrew coming home). I don't think we ever figured out if the front doorbell was working. THis could be a problem--if an unforeseen visitor came and rang, would Bridget hear it and if the ringing was persistent, would she go and answer?

[Kat]

The next part of Jeffery's theory includes one of the reasons why the front door was not unlocked that morning!
You have antcipated it! :

"...Mr. Morse would walk about 1 1/4 miles to the Emery house on
Weybossett street, to visit his relatives for two reasons :

1 - So he could setup his alibi for the murders.

2 - So that he would be some place nearby where he could recieve the
signal by telephone and make a quick trip back to the Borden house.


The plan left the timing entirely up to Lizzie that morning.

When Lizzie came downstairs from her room that morning after the
departure of Mr. Morse, she was to leave the front door triple locked,
which was her responsibility to unlock every morning. Lizzie did this to
prevent either victim from escaping thru the front door when attacked.
Then Lizzie was to go to Mrs. Borden and ask her if she would be willing to make the guest bed for her, as an excuse, she would tell Abby that she was not feeling well from the day before. ( Mr. Morse had
deliberately spent the night before in the guest room in order for this
to occur. )

Then Lizzie was to go down into the cellar and unlock the cellar door but, in order for her to do this, she had to wait until Bridget was elsewhere without any knowledge of Lizzie’s trip.

Then Lizzie would stay there until Bridget had gone outside to wash the windows, ( This explains why she had suddenly appeared to Bridget at the screen door at the side entry once Bridget was outside the house.) Here, Lizzie would ask her to close the parlor blinds when she got through because the sun was so hot. [1]

Then Lizzie would go back down into the cellar and retrieve the
hatchet that she had bought two days before. Then she would come back
upstairs and go into the dining room and pick up her stack of clothes off the dining room lounge[sic] and hide the weapon in between the clothes.
[me- the clothes were folded on the kitchen table]

Then Lizzie would go upstairs to the guestroom, where Mrs. Borden was making the bed and putting on the pillowslips on the two pillows at the foot of the bed and kill her.

Then she would clean herself up and change dresses, from the cotton blue Bedford cord to the similiar looking blue india silk. Then she would take the hatchet and come back downstairs and hide the hatchet in the kitchen.

Then in order for Mr. Davis to assassinate Mr. Borden, the plan was to have Mr. Howe leave his room ( and Mr. Davis ) at the boarding house and walk over to the livery stable of Charles T. Kirby at 13 Rock st., retrieve the horse and buggy fron the night before.

Then he was to drive over to the Borden house and wait outside the front gate for Lizzie to come to the side entry and give him the signal that Mrs. Borden was dead.

Then he was to drive back to the boarding house to inform Mr. Davis of the situation. Then the two of them were to drive back over to the Borden house shortly before Mr. Borden had returned from his morning route, where Lizzie would admit Mr. Davis into the house via the front door, and he would wait in the parlor[2] for Mr. Borden to start taking his business callers between the hours of 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mr. Borden always answered the door during this time.

The linchpin in this is that Mr. Davis would already be in the house well before Mr. Borden came home so that there would be less of a chance of anyone spotting him hanging about in front of the house
waiting for Mr. Borden to return. ( Also, to make it appear as if it were to be a routine business call.)

Lizzie was to be upstairs when her father came home, so that after Bridget had let him in the front door, Lizzie could soon follow suit and triple lock the door again.

Then she would join her father in the dining room and tell him that her mother had recieved a note to go see someone who was sick, to
acccount for Abby's absence from the house.

Then Lizzie was to try and lure Bridget out of the house, so that the murder of her father could take place either before or after dinner. As it was Bridget's habit to spend a little time in her room after she had finished her chores each day before preparing the noon meal, and on Thursday's she always had the rest of the day off after dinner.

Then Lizzie would inform her father that he had a business caller
waiting in the parlor.

Then she would go into the kitchen and retrieve the hatchet she had hidden there earlier, and leave the house by the side entry and go into the back yard while Mr. Davis killed her father. Lizzie would take the hatchet and walk to the back fence, to the wood pile located in the
south east corner of the property, climb the wood pile and toss the
hatchet onto the Crow barn.

After killing Mr. Borden, Mr. Davis would leave the Borden house by the side entry with the cleaver on his person, and would give Lizzie the signal by opening the screen door wide open to cause the spring on the door to make some noise. This explains Lizzie's statement to Bridget, " I was out in the back yard and heard a groan and came in and found the screen door wide open."

Mr. Davis would then jump into the horse team with Mr. Howe in front of the house and make a fast getaway.

Then Lizzie would return to the house, go into the sitting room and pick up the inventory papers to her father's will, from the table in front of the lounge, roll up the document and throw it in the kitchen stove.

During this time, Mr. Davis would stop at the first drugstore on
Pleasant street and send a signal to Mr. Morse by telephone at the Emery house to let him know that the deed was done. Then Davis and Howe would proceed to South Dartmouth. if the deed was done before dinner, and Mr. Morse got his signal, he would return to the Borden house but, if the deed was not done until after dinner and Mr. Morse did not get the signal before he left the Emery house shortly before dinner, he would then proceed to South Dartmouth to await intelligence there.


Lizzie stated that before she went out to the barn, she had helped her father secure a comfortable position on the lounge in order for him to take a nap before dinner. She did this to make it appear that her father was not expecting any business calls that morning, when in fact William A. Davis was in the parlor waiting for Mr. Borden to start taking calls between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

After his murder, Mr. Borden's Prince Albert coat was found wedged between the afghan and pillow where his head rested as he lay on the sofa. The reason for this was to give the impression that Mr. Borden himself had done so to use the three items as a prop for his head while he took his nap--when in reality, after killing Mr. Borden, Mr. Davis went into the dining room and took the coat off the back of one of the chairs at the table, and put the coat in the position where it was later found."
____

I don't yet know if it is explained why Davis would move the coat.
[1] & [2] = Why would Lizzie make sure to give Bridget specific instructions as to the parlour blinds, if in fact, there was going to be someone in there?
Bridget does say she never went in the parlour. I always thought it a bit suspicious that she gave this information.

[Haulover]

kat:

to your question about the blinds (not necessarily anything else in regard to the theory you outlined):

the other day i was watching developments in the lacy peterson case. the first two things they seemed focused on were what she was wearing and the closed blinds when they were normally opened.

that made me think of the way in which lizzie voluntarily brings that subject up as something she said to bridget. you can't help but notice that otherwise lizzie would have it she never saw bridget, basically. i wondered if lizzie was trying to interject an explanation for why the parlor blinds were closed (it appears she didn't really need to but might have thought so) -- meaning someone was hidden in the parlor?

i know we've touched on this before, but it was odd to be making connections between lizzie and this peterson case.

[Kat]

Jeffery's Theory, more:

There is info here that Mr. Borden's farm, which Morse visited to get the eggs was on PEARCE ROAD, in Swansea where Mr. Eddy worked. It is referred to as the lower farm.
I looked at a current Yahoo map, but no Pearce Road. The Library of Congress Panoramic maps of the 19th century do not include Swansea.
Can anyone verify PEARCE ROAD?

......

Here is an interesting comment from the newspapers, which you all may not have not read:

New Bedford Evening Standard, Wednesday, August 24,1892 :

"A citizen watched the old man (Morse) disappear across the square with no small show of interest.

'Andrew Borden,' he said,thoughtfully, ' was a man who talked little, unless the subject was of deep interest to him. You did all the talking. He did the listening. '

'Let's see now! Mr. Morse went over to the farm that day after the eggs, didnt he? The day of the murder, I mean. Did you ever know that when Andrew Borden wanted eggs or anything else from the farm he used to tie a note to the empty milk can which the Swede used to call for? No? Well, that's the case. It's odd that he should have asked Mr. Morse to get the eggs on that particular day, isn't it? Rather lucky for that Swede and the foreman at the farm that they didn't happen to be at the house that particular morning, too; don't you think? They'd have been strung up to the nearest lampost.

'Did you know that the man used to come to the Borden house in the morning about 11 o'clock? No? Well, that's the case. Didn't come that morning. Lucky for him. Wasn't it?' "

--This is a patrial amount of that news story, and there is surrounding circumstances upon which it aired, not included here, and I have compared it to the Evening Standard itself (that I have here from Harry) and have fixed the transcription errors which appeared in "J"'s document..

[Susan]

Thanks for the newspaper article, Kat, interesting reading. This actually sounds valid for once.


I did a search for Swansea and came up with a Pearse Road.

[FairhavenGuy]

Yes, that's Pearce Rd. For a short while in the '80s I lived on Maple Ave., which is across Route 6. I never much explored the neighborhood, though.

[Kat]

Thanks. It is a bit out of context for me. I only know where Rte. 6 is and Gardner's Neck Road.
Does this look more like an upper farm?

[Kat]

I was making maps of my own tonight!~
In Morse's Inquest testimony he deposes that he left the Borden house and went to the Post Office. Then he went from there to Beford Street and thence to 3rd, on to Pleasant and up Pleasant to Weybosset.
I can't figure out a way for him to get to Bedford, or from Bedford to 3rd. The Post Office was basically toward the end of 2nd street.
If anyone can fill me in on this, please do!

Here are 2 maps.
One is current Yahoo, the other 1877 Panoramic.
I can take Morse from the PO to 3rd and over to Pleasant very easily.
(Skipping Bedford). Turns out Weybosset is farther than I thought, tho technically it is a mile and a quarter according to Morse.

[Kat]

OK. I see Jeffery says Morse went to the Post Office located at the corner of Bedford and Second Street. (I didn't know that Second Street went thru to Bedford.- Bedford is that next big street parallel to Pleasant on my map).

"Then Mr. Morse left by the north door, turned and walked south down Rock St. to Third St. then he proceeded east on Pleasant St."

Is this a way to get to Webosset?

[Harry]

In 1892 Second Street didn't stop where it does today. It ran far north as Granite St.

See the map on page 566 of Rebello, Andrew's last walk.

I don't know why he would involve Rock St. though. If he went east when he left the P.O. the first street he would have encountered would have been Third St. He could then go from Third to Pleasant to Weybosset.

Rock Street is in the opposite direction from where he wanted to go.

[Kat]

OK. Thanks! Then Jeffery threw in Rock Street for some reason, because Morse stated himself, PO- Bedford-3rd-Pleasant-Weybosset.
I wonder why Rock Street got thown into the mix?

So the Post Office was at Second and Bedford?
Oh I see, in Rebello. Thanks Har!

Morse could have taken Bedford all the way up and then cut over. He didn't need to take 3rd to Pleasant- except Pleasant had the trolleycars, right?

[Harry]

From the postcard photos I have both Bedford and Pleasant had trolley cars. Bedford runs parallel to Pleasant until you get to about 12th St and then Pleasant begins to turn southerly while Bedford continues east.

He could have gotten from Bedford to Pleasant by any of the connectiing streets between the P.O. and 12th St.

At some point in time he would have to get from Bedford to Pleasant so I just chose Third St. as that would be the first street to Pleasant after he left the north entrance of the P.O. on Bedford.

[Kat]

Okay Doke. Thanks, Har!
Here's the new (old, original) route, then, of Morse to Weybosset:

[Kat]

Jeffery's Theory brings up all the accounts Morse gave as to why he came to Fall River. It was about a man for the farm, it was about some cattle- Isaac Davis in the newspapers says Morse went to Swansea to purchase additional cattle and to see his uncle in Warren. Jeffery makes the point that Morse went to Fall River with no luggage, goes to Swansea on Wednesday, and all he accomplishes is to get the eggs.
Morse also does not visit his uncle in Warren, nor does he make any arrangements for cattle, nor additional cattle, nor does he negotiate for a man to come to work on the farm.
Therefore, Jeffery opines that Morse had other motives for visiting Fall River and Swansea that Wednesday.

Inquest
]Morse
98

A. I dont think I did. Let me see, let me tell it as I can think of it. Mr. Borden, when I was over here sometime in July, that I speak of, wanted to know if I knew of a man he could get on his farm, to take charge of it, I told him I did not know, I would see. When I got back I wrote him I knew of a man I thought would suit him, I would send him over. He wrote back to me he had rather I would wait until I saw him. I have his letter in my pocket, if you want to see it.
(Witness produces the letter dated July 25, 1892.)
Q. Have you any objection to me keeping this?
A. No Sir, I would not like it lost, because it was the last one I ever had from him.
Q. That, then, was the last correspondence before you came over?
A. That is the last.
Q. You did not write him you were coming?
A. No Sir.
Q. You came partially in pursuance of that request?
A. Yes Sir.

_______________

Preliminary Hearing
Morse
237
Q. Whose farm did you go over to?
A. Mr. Vinnecum’s and Mr. Borden’s both.

Q. Mr. Borden has a place over there?
A. Yes Sir.

Q. Did you have some business of Mr. Borden’s over there?
A. Yes Sir.

Q. I do not care to go into the particulars of it. You had some business relating to Mr. Borden at the farm?
A. Yes Sir.

Q. Something about hiring a man, was it not?
A. I went more particularly over there that day to see about some cattle I bought of him. I thought I would make arrangements to take them.

.........

246
Q. Did you see Mr. Eddy when you were over at the farm the night before?
A. I did.

Q. Did you give him any message from Mr. Borden?
A. No Sir.

Q. Or tell him Mr. Borden sent you over there?
A. No Sir. There was one thing I forgot. I got some eggs from there for Mr. Borden; that is all.

Q. For him?
A. Yes Sir.
.........

248
Q. Then you went over to Swansea and did an errand for Mr. Borden, got some eggs for him?
A. Yes Sir.

Q. Did he request you to get them?
A. Yes Sir.

Q. And you saw Mr. Borden’s farmer about some cattle which you had bargained for from Mr. Borden, I understood?
A. Yes Sir.
______

Witness Statements
36
"Frederick Eddy made the following statement. 'John V. Morse came over to this house Wednesday evening Aug. 3, between seven and eight o’clock. He drove a horse and top buggy; said it was a stable team. He came in the house and brought a rattan basket, took out three pears and laid on the table, said he brought them over from the Borden house. He said Mr. Borden sent him over to see how I was, and get the eggs. Said Mr. Borden was coming with him, but he, his wife and Lizzie were taken sick last night, and he couldn’t come. He said he stopped to supper at Mr. Vinnecum’s, who lives a short distance from here. I said to him, after he got his eggs,"how about the oxen Mr. Davis of South Dartmouth was to have to use?” “I am going back and see Mr. Borden, and think we will make arrangements to get them back over Saturday morning”, was the reply. Mr. Morse stayed here perhaps ten or fifteen minutes.' "

Evening Standard, Aug. 5, 1892, pg. 4:
"...Upon being questioned, Mr. Davis said that for several weeks he had talked of purchasing a pair of cattle of Mr. Borden, and on Thursday, after shaving Mr. Davis, he (Morse) started on foot to take the electric car for the city, intending to take the train for Fall River.
A daughter of Mr. Davis, who was present during this conversation, stated that Morse wore a light gray suit and that it was his intention of returning home last night.
Continuing, Mr. Davis said Morse was to have purchased additional cattle while away, and that he also expected to run over to Warren to see his uncle. His purchases were to have been brought home with him."...
________________

As an aside- Jeffery's document does not have all these complete specific notations and testimony so I have taken the time to gather it up from the source documents and put it in some order. He provided bits of testimony out of context and he did provide the Witness Statements info and the Evening Standard blurb on the senior Davis.

[Kat]

Now, Jeffery says that George E. Howe was supposed to be the get-away driver on Thursday, for Wm. Davis after the murders. But that he fled the scene in fear. This nessitated Davis having to phone Morse at the Emery's to find out what to do about getting out of town.

This Howe, tho he had a business of some kind in Fall River (?) had to rent a room in a boarding house? Or possibly he lived there already, and that is where Davis went to lie low overnight.

Note, Jeffery's information from the Witness Statements, which is interesting:
pg. 9
..."There was no noise until about 6.20 A. M. About 6.30 A. M. Mr. John Morse came to the side door, said “good morning”, and spoke about the weather. At 8.30 he came out, and going over to S. H. Miller’s, he called Bridget, who stayed there that night. He then went to the P. O., stopped about a minute, went out and crossed to Geo. E. Howe’s where he purchased a two cent stamp. He then returned to the P. O. and at 8.32 A.M. dropped a letter addressed to Wm. A. Davis So. Dartmouth. It bore the words “In haste”. On his way home he tried the Daily News door, and it was not open."--August 5th- by Doherty/Harrington.

Jeffery asks (as we all have) "Why didn't Morse buy his stamp at the post office?" "J" posits the possibility that Morse wanted to write to Davis but needed updated information and so went to Howe's to get a stamp which was just an excuse to talk to Howe in order for him then to compose his letter and send it from the Post Office.
On this day Friday, Davis would have arrived home finally, later in the day received the letter which told him when to come back to Fall River.
(I have not corrected the following, but I verified the news item out of the Standard Times. My copy/paste is here followed by Jeffery's transcription. The other news items have not been verified.):

Jeffery--
"...Mr. Davis could not find anyone who would rent him a horse, and he knew that the police were guarding the New Bedford train station. so, he stayed in Fall River that evening at the boarding room of Mr. Howe. then the next day, he had a conversation with Mr. Cuttle on rodman street, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. making it impossible for him to reach his home in Dartmouth until later that day to retrieve the letter. at which time, Mr. Davis read the letter from Mr. Morse informing him as to what time to take the train back to Fall River the next day ( Saturday ) and that Mr. Howe would meet him at the depot and the two of them were to drive over to the Borden house for the meeting.

[actual news item paste]
Evening Standard, Monday, August 8, 1892
"Friends From South Dartmouth.

It was expected that morbid curiosity would fill Oak Grove Cemetery with crowds of pedestrians yesterday, but for some reason or other there were fewer visitors than usual. A friend of the Borden family called during the day, and two of John Morse's acquaintances from South Dartmouth, Messrs. Davis and Howe, paid him a visit."

[From Jeffery]:
1 ) New Bedford Evening Standard, Monday, August 8,1892

FRIENDS FROM SOUTH DARTMOUTH

it was expected that morbid curiosity would fill Oak Grove cemetery with crowds of pedestrians yesterday, but for some reason or other there were more [sic] visitors than usual. a friend of the Borden family called during the day, and two of John Morse's acquaintances from South Dartmouth, messrs. Davis and Howe, paid him a visit."


2 ) Fall River Herald News, Monday, August 8, 1892:

( Saturday )

at this juncture, the officer outside rapped on the fly screen with his baton and asked for Mr. Morse. the door was unlocked and Mr. Morse, with somewhat annoyed look, went to answer the summons. he returned a moment later looking somewhat more pleased. " it is my friend Davis," he said. " he's run over to see me."


3 ) New Bedford Daily murcury, Monday August 8,1892 :

the most surprising event of the day ( Saturday ) was the visit of messrs. Davis and *HOWE of South Dartmouth. who drove to this city to visit Mr. Morse. they went at once to the house. but were not admitted for some time. they said Mr. Morse was not connected with any extensive horse trading business that would connect him with Mr. Borden in financial affairs. It was true that he brought some young colts of his own raising and sold them as western horses, but he was not in any way affiliated with the gang of traders who were selling montana horses in the southern section of the state."




Next I will add the family background of Mr. Howe researched by Jeffery, which I have not attempted to verify.

[Kat]

"George Edward Howe, was born on February 22, 1873 in Waltham, Massachusetts. His parents were George Howe and Hariet E. Tosier of Braintree,Massachusetts. George had two younger brothers :

1) Arthur Bryant. Howe

2) William Stowell Howe

George's grandmother on his mothers side is Prudence Morse making John.V. Morse and George E. Howe cousins.

also, Davis and Howe had lied to the reporter as to the connection between John Morse and the horse traders in Westport, because Mr. Davis was a principal trader and wanted to throw the authorities off the scent that would eventually lead directly to himself."