Fudge Head Abby

[Susan]

Sorry, I don't mean to sound disrespectful of Abby, but, we were having a discussion a few years ago on the Forum about Abby's autopsy photo that we really couldn't make heads or tails about it. Heres the link to the old discussion:
http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Archi ... estale.htm

And heres the photo in question:



Now I always thought that the photo was of Abby face down and we were viewing the back of her head and her upper back, still in her dress or covered with sheet. But, something about the position of her ear kept on throwing me off; I just couldn't figure it out. Today my brother had an epiphany of sorts and figured out what we are looking at in the photo!

He showed me how to view the photo, its Abby laying down on her side. What clued him in he said was the bloodstain on Abby's neck. All the other bloodstains that can be seen are on the sheet and they have saturated the material. Whereas, this particular stain ran down suggesting a verticle surface and it appeared to sit on top of the surface, it didn't penetrate whatever it was on, suggesting more of a solid material. Unfortunately, the photograph is cropped off just before Abby's right shoulder which might have put the whole picture in perspective. My brother even thinks that you can just make out Abby's eyelashes on her right eye in the photo!

Please forgive the crude attempt here, but, I tried to outline Abby's body in such a way as to give you an idea of what I'm talking about. And I'm including a pic of a artists' model to help illustrate the position.

[augusta]

That's a much-needed post, Susan. It's too bad it went undone before this (unless it didn't). There's so much hair on Abby, you can make out the ear, but like you said it's in a funny spot if you're visualizing her on her back. I don't know if your photo was extra clear, or my new computer screen is extra big, but I didn't have to look long at the photo this time to see the shape of her face turned to the side. And I thought I could see eyelashes, too. If this photo is used in someone's book in the future, it'd be great if they could explain how to view it as you did.

[Susan]

Kat explained what she saw in the photo in the old thread, but, I think she was seeing what I used to see? So, I don't know if anyone has ever caught it before? It definitely won't help solve the crime, but, every new little bit of info we can get is great. Its such a simple thing, but, it did give me such a thrill when I was able to see what we are looking at, my brother does amaze me at times.

[augusta]

Yes - it was something especially that he caught what look like her eyelashes! I don't know why I saw it correctly today - probably because you posted it and I was really trying. Your photo was very good; very clear.

Could that part that looks like blood running down the back of her neck be the blow that 'missed'? It looks like it may have a little depth to it. Ask your brother.

[nbcatlover]

Isn;t that the hatchet wound above her ear?

[augusta]

I thought so. It looks like part of her skull.

This was taken during her autopsy - probably the first exam. See the gizmo under her head? I think that was used to keep her head up. I didn't notice that before.

[Angel]

I've never seen this picture before. I've only seen one other of the back of her head. Are there others?

[augusta]

I don't think so, Angel.

[Susan]

Good eye, Sherry, I was wondering what that thing was at the back of Abby's head, I was thinking fancy hairpins or something. I did a search and can't find any pics of Victorian autopsy equipment, would be interesting to see exactly what kind of thing it is.

Ellen, as far as I know too, there are only the two autopsy photos of Abby, the one in this post and the one where Abby's head is shaved. I have to wonder if there weren't others taken though? Abby had contusions on the front of her face, that flap wound on the right side of her head, two hatchet wounds on the top of her skull and the wound between her shoulder blades all from the hatchet attack, I would think those would be of interest to the coroner besides the main wounds.

I can't quite figure what is going on over Abby's ear in that pic, it appears to be completely white, could be from the stark camera flash or is it bone fragments? I don't recall who it was and can't seem to find it now, but, someone had found a bone chunk or chunks in the box of stuff that was buried in the yard. When you look at the photo of Abby's skull you can see how far over the ear the hatchet wounds and crushing of bone extended. Looking at the skull pic, the ear would be in that upside down "V" shaped space just behind the jaw bone.

[augusta]

The first time I went to the FRHS, they had photos of Abby and Andrew's skulls. It shocked me. I had not realized just how horribly they were butchered.

In modern autopsies, they have a thing to hold the head up, too. If you've seen any of JFK's autopsy photos, you can see it.

It looks like there's stuff in the skull you posted, Susan. But there isn't a photo of the skull with the innards still in there. The skull's been cleaned and nothing could have been inside it. They boiled it. Is that just the way it scanned?

I would think they took more photos than what's in circulation now. Yes, Abby had those other injuries, and they'd probably need to take photos of those. Maybe it would be too shocking to see her face with her head caved in like that.

That's a good thought, tho. How many other autopsy photos are there, and where are they now?

[1bigsteve]

Those are bone fragments above her right ear and she is laying on her back with her head leaning toward her left. That vertical blood stain is on her Trapezius muscle. If you take your left hand and put it between your neck and right shoulder joint, that is where the blood stain is. Abby was probably Endomorphic which would explain her short neck. That area of her skull is the right occipital, right parietal and right temporal.

Cool picture. I've never seen this one before.

-1bigsteve (o:

[Shelley]

I agree Steve. Once we accept that this is the ear


the rest falls into place. I like to isolate details and kick up the contrast on crime scene pix,- it is then sometimes easier to see things.

I believe this is the false hair braid (which is now at the FR Historical Society)


The wound near the base of the neck and right shoulder lines up with the blood stains on the sheet also


The curious bit is this odd-looking device which may have been either something to hold the head, calipers or something to measure, or who knows what?


Yes, that crescent of white above the ear is probably exposed skull.

[Susan]

Thanks, Steve. I actually remember some of those anatomical terms from art school. Our life drawing teacher felt that you couldn't draw human anatomy if you didn't know what the parts are under the surface and most importantly, what they are called. So, you feel sure that those are bone fragments over Abby's ear? I was kind of hoping that they weren't, but, thats what I was thinking too.

Yes, Sherry, thats how the pic of the skull came up, but, I didn't scan it, it was from the LBVM&L site, which I forgot to mention, all the Abby pics came from there. I would imagine if there were skull fragments rattling around inside the doctors would have taken them out. I picture them trying to piece them back together to get a better understanding of the wounds inflicted on Abby and Andrew's skulls.

Shelley, have you seen Abby's hair switch in person? I've always been curious as to its size, from the picture I always see of it, its hard to get a feel. Was it a thick or thin braid? I always picture it as being about 1 and a half inches wide. Then I wonder how Abby wore it in her hair? Since a hank of it got cut off, it must have gone over the back area of her head that was hacked over and over. Maybe it was wrapped around her bun and came down over her ears and looped over the front of her head? And lastly, you too feel that that is exposed bone over Abby's ear. I feel it is, but, having other people confirm it just gives me a chill right down my spine.

[1bigsteve]

Yes, those white areas above Abby's ear look like bone fragments or exposed portions of her skull. That mechanical looking thing is a head support that holds the head into position for examination and photographing. You see the same thing holding up President Kennedy's head in his autopsy photos. Those blood stains don't have to line up. They could have been made at different times as her body was moved around.

-1bigsteve (o:

[augusta]

I've seen Abby's false braid in person. I can't remember how long it is. It gives me the creeps to look at it. I do remember that I was surprised that it had a lot of brown in it, with wisps of gray. That must have been the color Abby's real hair was. She wouldn't have gotten a braid that didn't match.

It's hard to believe part of her braid is still on her head, after that brutal assault. They musta had some bobby pins back then.

Right, Big Steve. That thing on the back of Abby's head/neck is a piece of the undertaker's or doctor's equipment, used to hold the head while an exam/autopsy is taking place. If you look at JFK's autopsy photos, he has one too. It looks like Abby's is a little ornate, or showing is the part that you turned to attach it to the undertaker's board. The ones nowadays are silver stainless steel and shaped like the symbol for "pi". (See the movie Torn Curtain for example.) Today's are built right on to the autopsy tables.

[Shelley]

The braid is rather fat, perhaps 9 inches long, and of a mousy- brown-gray color. The hair is somewhat coarse, and of course it is a bit wispy now and loose. I touched it once, and it really brought home the pitiful situation of Abby's demise. She may have worn the braid pinned around a bun of hair at the back of her head. The FRHS does also have the hairpins, which I have not seen on display. Her false braid was not cut off, it was her own hair in a graduated-length hank which was sliced off- which leads me to believe the killer grabbed Abby by the hair at some point (possibly on the floor) because the only way to get a clean slice through hair is to put tension on it. (Statistically, women in a physical brawl go for the hair- hmmm. . .)

Regarding the blood stain- IF you rolled the head back in place flat on her back, the blood stain on the sheet would line up with the wound very nicely.

[Susan]

Yes, Shelley, you are correct, after rereading through all the source documents, the hair found on the bed was Abby's real hair. It is interesting to note that on the photo of Abby's hair switch it is listed as being found near Abby. But, no one mentions finding a braid or switch on the floor. It appears that it was entered as evidence, though why I can't figure? No mention of how the switch was applied to Abby's head, just that Abby's hair was on the short side, parted in the middle, and worn in a knot at the back of her head.


From the LBVM&L site.

I did find some pertinent hair discussion during my search, heres what I found:

Preliminary, vol 2, Dr. Dolan on the stand, pg. 145:

Q. Did these blows, or any of them, cut the hair?
A. Yes Sir, all of them cut the hair.

Q. Cut it right through?
A. Yes Sir.

Q. Was it a clean incised cut of the hair?
A. Some of it was so matted you could not tell. There was one large one on the top that was cut as though you cut it with the shears; it was a wound that took out the piece of skull on the left side; it was not glancing, but was neat and clean.

Q. As though done with a razor?
A. Yes Sir.

I wonder if he means left side in that Abby was laying on her back and that he is actually referring to that bony mess over Abby's right ear? The only wound I've seen listed on the left of Abby's head is the scalp wound.

1. Was a glancing scalp wound two inches in length by one and 1/2 inches in width, situated 3 inches above left ear hole, cut from above downwards and did not penetrate the skull.

Then there is this:

Preliminary, vol 4, Patrick Doherty on the stand, pg. 330:

Q. In consequence of what he told you, you went up stairs?
A. He led the way, and we went up stairs, and we went into a sleeping room on the north side. We went out through the dining room, through the front hall up the stairs to a room on the north side of the house. He pointed to Mrs. Borden. I went to the foot of the bed; I looked at her. She was laying face downwards between the dressing case and the bed. I noticed three or four blood spots on the pillow sham, and a bunch of hair on the bed.

Q. How large a bunch?
A. Well, it was a small bunch.

Q. It was not a switch or false hair?
A. No, I think it was human hair that had been pulled out, or something, been cut out, or something.

The questioning goes on for a bit and then there is this:

Q. How were her arms?
A. This way, something like that. I just put one finger here, and raised this a little bit so I could see under the hair around the ear better. I called Dr. Bowen's attention to it. I told him that this woman---

Q. You had some talk with him?
A. Yes sir, I had some talk with him.

Isn't that maddening?! What was he going to say?

[Angel]

If that is Abby's real hair it would be interesting to take some from near the cut, since that was closest to the scalp, and have it tested for traces of arsenic.

[Shelley]

There are some samples of the Borden's hair at the historical society. Not much- small samples in a tube. Andrew's was white, somewhat yellowed with age now.

[augusta]

Angel - About five years ago I wrote to the FRHS about that very thing - testing any hair. When Professor Starrs wanted to exhume the bodies, the FRHS was quoted as saying that they were never asked about testing anything there. So I thought I'd ask about the hair.

To test hair for arsenic, you have to have it plucked by its roots. The FRHS verified that the hair they have was not.

I don't think any arsenic would have showed up in their hair anyway, even tho I think Lizzie gave them a small dose on Tuesday nite. They excreted almost all of it during their illness that followed. There probably would have been a teensy, minute trace of arsenic, but I don't think enough to show up even on tests today. And our bodies contain a certain amount naturally.

I never knew that that was not Abby's braid found on the bed! Oh, yeah. I'm with Shelley on this one. Women go for the hair. Maybe Abby and her killer struggled.

How did that hair get on the bed? Did the killer have a handful and just tossed it on the bed?

Where was the braid found?

[Shelley]

I think the killer was a woman, (big surprise), and that once Abby fell to the floor on her face, the murderess SAT on Abby's back to keep her pinned to the floor and grabbed her by the hair while slashing at the head. Once the body stopped moving, it was easy then to let the head fall and even two-hand the position on the weapon- which gives more power and very good aim at the target.

At one point, the tension on the hair permitted the cutting of that small hank of hair which was caught in the blade of the weapon and was ejected from the weapon onto the bed as the weapon arched through the air repeatedly. I have had many guests at the house approach the problem of delivering numerous blows to a body prone on the floor. This scenario is the most anatomically logical from point of view of the killer. Bent over a body in a space that narrow and trying to hack at a skull (which tends to roll) simply does not work well nor does it feel natural as a position to accomplish the intended result. You also lose momentum and the angle is very awkward. I first noticed how women in confrontation positioned themselves watching Women's Wrestling, with one woman at a near-squat on the back of another pinning her down and grabbing her by the hair.
We plan to film several possible methods and angles of attack on May 24th at the house, reproducing as nearly as possible, the set of circumstances.

[Tina-Kate]

To me, grabbing onto the hair while hacking away seems even more vicious. That would also take a lot more strength & fury, esp if the victim struggled.

[augusta]

This is fascinating. Brilliant post, Shelley. Women's wrestling! That would be a good source to watch regarding Abby's attack.

The first whack made a flap on her back. The killer missed (her head). That's true - there's not much room in that space to commit that crime. Straddling her back must have been the killer's position. I always did believe that, thru the source documents. But I never even thought of the killer grabbing Abby's hair at the same time he/she butchered her. That leaves an even worse picture in my mind than what I had envisioned her murder to have been like.

Shelley, you are thinking outside the box. And that's what I think it will take to come closer to any solution. It's hard to do, because we all have the source document material in our minds, making it tough to think of something new - something beyond what was taken down by a court stenographer.

Tina-Kate - Well, if the killer was holding Abby's hair with one hand, he/she must have been swinging the hatchet with one hand. At least until Abby fell and could be straddled. It could have been a man doing it. I currently subscribe to the theory that John Morse's Davis friend (butcher by trade) did it. But if it were Lizzie, the hatchet wasn't that big to use. The first hit missed ... Why?

Yes, it does sound very viscious grabbing the hair. She must have been alive when that was done.

The hair flew off the hatchet head as it was being swung. Yes. I can see that.

That poor woman. Out of everyone, I feel the sorriest for Abby. She did nothing to deserve it. Yup: "Poor Mrs. Borden!"

[Shelley]

Well, I tend to approach things from a practical point of view, and like to reproduce the circumstances as nearly as possible. I find visitors on tour get a great deal of insight into the crime if I have them assume the roles of victim and killer, And after nine years of doing this almost once a week, certain patterns emerge. Men, who are not nearly as limber in the legs and are not "squatters", awkwardly try to bend over the body like a jack knife. This makes reaching down to the head on the floor and swinging the weapon very awkward and ineffective. The bed and side of the mattress gets in the way of swinging too, unless you swing in a straight up and down motion. Straddling the body helps the position somewhat, but still, the distance needed to reach the head is a long stretch.
When I give the hatchet to a woman, she instinctively wants to either put a knee in Abby's back or crouch closer to the body. When I suggest sitting on the back or squatting close over it and seizing the hair, a woman's face lights right up and they all agree THAT feels more natural and the hatchet can flash with deadly force and aim. Women are natural-born squatters. We have to be

You don't need to come to Fall River to try this. Just measure out 34 inches from the side of the bed, find a willing victim to lie face down, and place something to serve as the dresser on the other side. Try 1.bending over the body with both feet on Abby's left side, or then 2. standing while straddling the body, 3. try pressing the right knee into the back (that is a little awkward as it throws one's balance off)-or 4.sit right on your victim's back. Your "Abby" will not be able to move and struggle or get up and the head is only a short distance away. Then, with your left hand you can grab the hair to steady and control the head while chopping with great force and frenzy with the right hand. Make sure you use a GOOD friend who will go along with all of this!
Yes, I agree that Abby was probably not dead when she first hit the floor-and the killer had to make good and sure she could not get up, get away, or make much noise. Horrible.

[Shelley]

The first hit I believe must have come from the front as Abby, sensing something coming up behind her either turned her head or twisted around, thus resulting in a glancing blow over that left ear which opened up the skin flap with the wound hinge in the BACK. That blow may have dazed her, not to mention her seeing WHO was attacking her must have rendered her nearly senseless. Head wounds bleed like crazy and that ear wound was probably already pouring bright red. I see her stumbling against the bed frame, perhaps falling to her knees as a forceful killer followed up that initial blow which had gone awry with a volley of rapid -fire blows-not planning to miss this time-and giving Abby no opportunity to squirm away. This was no sissy half-hearted crime-and the result had to be sure, swift death.

[augusta]

Shelley, no wonder it sounds like you've done this before. Nine years. That's quite a stretch.

Thanks for posting the murdering instructions. I'll try it with my daughter. I'm sure you're right, but it'd be interesting to actually try it.[/i]

[william]

Have we completely discarded the possibility that Abby could have been kneeling next to the bed when she was attacked?

If Abby was kneeling she would only be about three to three and a half feet high.

If this condition existed, I believe her assailant would have been in an ideal possition to rain blows on any portion ot poor Abby's head, front side or back, that he so desired!

[Shelley]

For many years I thought this was a possibility since that tape measure was fond near the body-but I think maybe the cut flap over the left ear from the front indicates she must have been standing either facing her assailant, or turning around at the last moment to face her killer.

[william]

Shelley:

If she was facing her killer when struck with the hatchet, don't you think there is a strong possibility she would have suffered defensive wounds of some nature?

[Shelley]

No, I do not think there was time to react. I am sure the action was fast and unexpected. I have found myself in a surprise attack situation with muggers, The whole thing came out of nowhere and was over before I could open my mouth or move. When the assailant has the advantage of surprise, youth and vigor, and raging adrenelin- a defenseless old lady is at their mercy. And I don't think the killer came into the room waving the weapon- it was concealed.

[1bigsteve]

I imagine the first blow was totally unexpected or at least happened so fast that Abby had no time to react within the split second she saw the weapon coming.

It was probably just KABRAAANNNNGGG and it was lights out.

-1bigsteve (o:

[Shelley]

Here is the patent for that metallic item with the turn screw which seems to be in the photo if Abby's head.

"EMBALMER'S HEADREST Document Type and Number:United States Patent 3748705 Link to this page:http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3748705.html Abstract:A head rest is made up of an outer casting having a head-receiving trough and opposed bosses formed at each end of the trough. A rod having a turning knob at one end has bearing in both said bosses. A sleeve surrounds the rod and is keyed thereto. The sleeve has threads of opposite pitch at each of its ends. A nut is threaded on each end of said sleeve. Each nut is pivoted at each of its ends to a link of a lazy-tongs linkage. A second, inner casting provides support for the foregoing structure and has horizontal guides for the free ends of the links at the opposite end of said lazy-tongs unit. "

[Susan]

Thanks, Shelley. Thats odd, usually there is some sort of illustration to go along with certain design patents. Especially something that sounds as complicated as this. I've searched and can't come up with anything, no pics, no illustrations, nada.

[augusta]

A medical expert at the trial (I'm thinking Dr. Dolan) testified that he thought Abby was, at first facing her assailant and that most of the blows were given to her as the murderer was straddling her, while she was face down.

I used to wonder about that, too, Bill U - that if she was facing the killer, she probably had defensive wounds. But the doctors said there weren't any.

She did have "contusions" on the face (bruising/ a little scraping), that is figured to be when her face hit the floor. Maybe her head banged up and down during the attack, too (that last one is just my thought).

I cannot imagine her horror to see who it was (unless the person's face were covered) and what they were going to do. I think that's so terrible, her knowing, if she did and I think she most likely did.

Learning on here recently that Abby's real hair was found on the bed (some of it), it had to have fallen onto the bed. Shelley's thought of it landing there off of the hatchet as it was being swung by the perp is a good theory. I happened to think, tho ... the hair might have gotten on the bed from above it, if Abby were standing up.

Was the weapon concealed? I would think so. But if time was of the essence and they hoped for little struggling, maybe the person had the hatchet in his/her hands when Abby first saw him/her.

I feel that Abby re-acted automatically, and she thought of struggling and maybe did a little. But she had to know that she was not gonna win against a hatchet. If she went to put up her arms to shield her face or something, the killer would have just hit her with the axe. That first blow that "missed" seems that she was not a sitting target when that happened.

Bill U - The "Kneeling Theory" is brought up a lot. Could be. But when you think that Abby had already made that bed, and she went back up there just to put pillow shams on I wouldn't think she would be kneeling to do that.

Shelley, thank you for posting the patent info. I don't know what most of it means, but it is interesting. I don't know if an "Embalmer's Headrest" would be exactly the same as one a doctor would use to do an autopsy, but it must be very close. I'm very sorry to hear you got mugged!

Yew are funnee, Big Steve. That last post of yours was a good 'un.

[SallyG]

Abby may not have been kneeling when she was first hit, but she may very well have reached out initially for the bed, dresser, etc...and that broke or slowed her fall.

[Allen]

There may not have been time for Abby to attempt to defend herself in such a manner that would leave wounds. The first blow ( the flap wound) may have come so unexpectedly she didn't see it to maybe instinctively throw up an arm to ward it off. As for those contusions on her face I've often wondered if they weren't made by the handle of the hatchet. More specifically the "butt" end being driven into Abby's face, which may have dazed her and knocked her down.

[Harry]

Dr. Draper at the trial (p 1081) was questioned about the contusions on Mrs. Borden:

"Q. I did omit to call to your attention---I crave my friends pardon---to the three contusions. Were they of such a nature that you could tell anything about what they were when you saw the bodies?
A. Yes, sir, they were discolorations without swelling.

MR. ADAMS. I did not understand.
THE WITNESS. They were discolorations of the skin, without swelling.

Q. How caused?
A. I think either by the forehead receiving a blow in falling, or by the forehead resting upon some resisting substance as the body lay down.
Q. Assuming that the contusions were at the point of contact of the face with the floor, would that, in your opinion, account for the existence of the contusions?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And how?
A. Because it was in a situation corresponding with the resting of the most prominent parts upon the floor, and exposing or developing the right side of the head.
Q. And that would indicate it was caused by falling, as I understand?
A. Falling, or the resting of the head there.
Q. The mere resting would cause it?
A. Yes, sir, I think so.
Q. Would you be able to form any better opinion about that if you had seen them immediately, or wouldn't you?
A. I think I should be better able.
Q. You did not see them immediately?
A. No, sir."

From this testimony it appears that the contusions were relatively minor and primarily discoloration and in his opinion made by the contact of the skin with the floor.

Dr. Draper said there was the possibility that Abby did not die immediately and may have lasted one or more minutes after the last blow had been struck. He said the outside limit was 10 minutes. For her sake I hope not.

[Kat]

Thanks for the rendition, Susan.
Members please see topic in Privy:

viewtopic.php?p=60278#60278

[Curryong]

Some very intriguing points and photos came up here so I resurrected this early thread, if that's OK.

[irina]

Good work, Curryong!

Sounds like the "contusions" were a bit of livormortis from the head resting on the floor. But if they were not, how about her face striking the "dressing case" on the way down?

I was about to resurrect my idea about not thinking the weapon was a hatchet because of the way the hair was cut "with every blow". Grabbing, pulling, holding onto the hair makes a lot of sense.

Think I will say once again I'm not convinced a hatchet was the weapon. Every time I read about how "sharp" and "like a razor" was the weapon I reject a hatchet. But like an earlier discussion, if not a hatchet, then what? I don't have an answer but maybe there is one. Perhaps some specialized tool used in the factories in Fall River? Perhaps a tool used by a horse shoer? (Spell-check really hates that word "shoer" but that's what we call them out west. Maybe it isn't a word. Guy who puts shoes on horses.)

Maybe the piece of hair on the bed got hacked off before it was bloody since no one noted blood on or around it. Did the killer then toss it onto the bed? With which hand? In some ways it is sounding like the killer may have been left handed. And if the blows were all "left to right", how come that piece of furniture didn't get dented at some point?

[Curryong]

We call them farriers in England and Australia. In my ignorance I once asked a question about why the furniture didn't get nicked and was told that once the killer got down to it, so to speak, there weren't any wild blows.

At the trial the so-called forensic experts seemed to feel the contusions were caused by Abby's head hitting the carpet without the benefit of an arm to break the fall.

[NancyDrew]

Hi guys...I'm back. I think the question of the furniture is very valid. And a hatchet sliced through hair? I also find THAT a bit odd. Then again, I don't have much experience with hatchets. Could a new one have really been sharp enough to "slice" through hair?

[Curryong]

Welcome back, NancyDrew! I also don't know much about hatchets. However they did in 1892, so I suppose a new axe or hatchet could be so extremely sharp as to slice hair.

[debbiediablo]

Good work, Curryong!

Sounds like the "contusions" were a bit of livormortis from the head resting on the floor. But if they were not, how about her face striking the "dressing case" on the way down?

I was about to resurrect my idea about not thinking the weapon was a hatchet because of the way the hair was cut "with every blow". Grabbing, pulling, holding onto the hair makes a lot of sense.

Think I will say once again I'm not convinced a hatchet was the weapon. Every time I read about how "sharp" and "like a razor" was the weapon I reject a hatchet. But like an earlier discussion, if not a hatchet, then what? I don't have an answer but maybe there is one. Perhaps some specialized tool used in the factories in Fall River? Perhaps a tool used by a horse shoer? (Spell-check really hates that word "shoer" but that's what we call them out west. Maybe it isn't a word. Guy who puts shoes on horses.)

Maybe the piece of hair on the bed got hacked off before it was bloody since no one noted blood on or around it. Did the killer then toss it onto the bed? With which hand? In some ways it is sounding like the killer may have been left handed. And if the blows were all "left to right", how come that piece of furniture didn't get dented at some point?

That's an interesting point regarding the razor sharpness of the hatchet. To me, this points to the crime being premeditated which means either the purchase of a new, very sharp hatchet or sharpening an old one. They can be pretty much as sharp as the user desires. Given the presence of gilt in Abby's head boil, I opt for the purchase of a new one.

[debbiediablo]

Curryong, looks like a psych eval didn't help Oscar's defense. He appears to have lied about almost everything where a little bit of the truth here and there might have helped. I'm thinking that shortly he'll be spending some time as a guest of the Australian penal system.

[irina]

I have heard that many tools in those days were sold without an "edge" because the purchaser might prefer one edge or another. Therefore the buyer of say an axe, would grind it to his specifications. I'm sure this was true sometimes. I don't know if it was all times. I never found the source for the gilt that was found but think I get the picture from what you just posted. Wonder if they could tell "gilt" from gold plate, from gold paint falling off a picture frame? A consideration that comes to my mind is that Abby fixed her hair someway. They did have pins in those days. (I have seen some question this. Don't think they had spring steel bobby pins then though. We hardly have those available for purchase now. Time will come soon when I can't pin my hair up.) Were any of those pins gold plated or covered with gilt? Something like that could have been driven into Abby's head.

I have thought of extremely sharp kitchen utensils that could have been used. Mezza luna knife keeps popping through my mind but whatever got Andrew had a handle. Before food processors large wooden bowls plus different sizes and weights of mezza luna knives were used. I have my mother-in-law's set of bowls and a couple of these knives. If a kitchen utensil was used you can bet the police wouldn't have figured it out. On the other hand there probably wasn't a cleaver in the house since the police looked for anything that was like a hatchet. Or maybe the cleaver went the way of the hatchet. (No sharp instruments=Lizzie's innocence? Don't worry, I won't push that one. )

I think Oscar would end up in a South African jail unless that country rents space in Australia. Like I said before, even I don't believe his story, so he must be guilty. I believe most anything but I don't believe you shoot through a closed bathroom door and hope to hit a burglar you don't know is there. I believe Lizzie is some shade of innocent but I can't go that far with Oscar.

[debbiediablo]

My error...I should have said South African....:-)

The hatchet fits the head wounds so well that it's difficult to find another possible weapon common to households of that era. What pops into my head is a pole-axe...the blade is somewhat similar to the hatchet and I will forever think Abby went down from the initial blows just like she was pole-axed. However, a person carrying a pole-ax would attract some degree of attention in 1890s Fall River.

[Curryong]

Perhaps Andrew was into medieval re enactments! Seriously though, weren't there similar weapons that were used in the 19th century to stun cattle? Have to look it up! As you say, debbie, whatever it was had gilt on it, and a brand new hatchet, nicely sharpened and ready to chop wood for a picnic, would fit the bill nicely. Even better, if it was shop-lifted and therefore free!

[irina]

It makes more sense that a sharp hatchet could cut hair if the killer was holding the hair like we suggested. I still have trouble with hatchet blows being compared to razor cuts. I have heard of old timers bragging about sharpening axes so good they could shave with them though.

If I didn't have a nasty google system that makes it impossible to share photos I'd cut some of my own hair and experiment with a hatchet. It's still my opinion that a lot of the hair would be pounded into a wounds, not sheared off in clumps. I also have trouble with the bone (Abby's skull) being cut as it was. Hatchets partially bludgeon as well as cut and I wouldn't expect such sharply cut bone fragments. IF a hatchet wasn't used and it was something else entirely that could tell us more about the crime. A pole axe without the pole might work. I have wondered if Morse could have left a decorative tomahawk thing (from out west) in the room by accident and it was a weapon of convenience. That goes to too many assumptions though. Something just doesn't fit for me. I'll try to read more of the forensic details for what they are worth.

[irina]

Another way to look at it has to do with how blows are struck. Hard to explain but I'll use my best technical writing skills.

If you bring the hatchet straight down, like if you were pounding a nail but the sharp edge makes contact, I'd expect some cutting but also denting. Hair driven into a partly cut, partly indented wound.

If you were kind of slashing with the hatchet~testimony said left to right blows~I'd envision the blade making contact then being drawn across the flesh/skull and thus partly cutting like a knife. I think I could make that motion because I have real long arms. Could a smaller person, say Lizzie who is shorter and likely has shorter arms, do this efficiently? Was Abby struck pounding blows like a hammer driving a nail or was it glancing blows, almost like the hatchet was swung by/across her head? How the tool was used can tell us about the person using the tool. If Lizzie's experience with a hatchet was chopping a bit of wood for a campfire, she would be accustomed to bringing it straight down. If she worked in the woods (yeah, right ) and she was used to bumping limbs on downed trees, she would have experience in making glancing blows which seems more like what happened to Abby although in a confined space. When bark is removed from logs or wood glancing blows can also be used. Wasn't there a lumber yard near 92 Second? Hatchets can be used in various types of building and even cabinetry. Those uses are glancing blows usually, not chops.

Don't most of us think about bringing an axe straight down on a piece of wood? Is it ever natural to swing a hatchet in another way? Hope I explained this clear enough.