Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I was trying to think of something fresh to photograph of the house and rooms we know so well. I thought then of shooting the point of view of the characters in the tragedy as they may have seen things. This first sequence, based on reading the probable moments of Abby's attack and explaining the blood on the window and the contusions on her forehead and bridge of nose:

The attack from the rear

Abby is stunned and staggers near the window and dresser

Reeling towards the dresser before the fall

The carpet rushes up -then oblivion

Andrew contemplates lying down

Andrew's last view before closing eyes

This perspective idea is a great one Shelley ! I wonder if at the next reenactmet, it could be tried with 'player-cams' ? That would be interesting too. Maybe a bit expensive thouh huh ?





Tracy...

Andrew's eyelids flutter open at the last moment?

Thanks! Hard to think of something folks here don't already know! I have many more to post later. I always wanted to do a fast moving series of point of view shots set to music- no people, no actors- just images which would tell the story . I get more from a still shot than film footage.

Bridget tearing down the hall and stairs to the kitchen

Alice closes the shutters in the Borden's room and glances out at the barn before retiring to bed.

]

Lizzie, from her pillow, asks Alice to go in the cellar

The mantel behind the guestroom bed- if only walls could talk-this saw the murderer enter and exit.

The breathless murderer descend the front staircase after dispatching Abby and sees the spire of St. Mary's through the stairwell window

Lizzie watches Bridget at the door- you must descend the stairs at least one step to see the front door.

Mr. Kiernan spies the carpet sweeper and 2 diningroom table leaves in the front hall closet (well, at least we still have the carpet sweeper)

Mr. Bence standing on the side door entry, on the landing (minus screen door) having a look down the hall at the woman at the kitchen table (Thanks Dee).

Sorry folks- Andrew's last view before closing his ideas would have been a CLOSED kitchen door!!

Very cool pics, Shelley! Thats an interesting perspective, the last view of the victims. Have to wonder whose angry face would have filled the view also? Thanks for sharing with us.

Lizzie reaches into the cupboard by the stove and pulls a skirt and waist from the second shelf (no Jif peanut butter in 1892)

Dr. Dolan, at the preliminary hearing, made note that there was not, in fact, blood on the guestroom window, in his (expert) opinion.

Prelim
Dr. Dolan
105

Q. What other spots did you find, any on the window itself?
A. No Sir I did not. I found on the east wall, that is up against the head of the bed, where the head of the bed was, I found three or four spots there on the wall, and some on the moulding of the mop board.
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163

Q. You removed a piece of plastering in the guest chamber?
A. Wall paper; of course a little piece of plastering with it, so to keep it together.
Q. Was that on the wall between the window frame and the bureau?
A. Yes sir.
Q. And three or four feet from the floor?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Did you look on the screen of that window?
A. Yes sir.
Q. There was a screen in the window, was there not?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Did you see any blood spots on it?
A. Not that I could say were blood.
Q. Was the window open?
A. I could not tell you that.
Q. How did you get at the screen?
A. It was an inside screen.
Q. Did you look at the window?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Did you raise the screen before you looked at the window?
A. Yes sir.
Q. The window was shut was it not?
A. I mean afterwards, not at that particular time.
Q. Did you find any spots on the window?
A. No sir.
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178

Q. As a matter of fact, did you find any spots or drops of blood upon the frame of the sash of the window in this guest room chamber which was just beyond the bureau?
A. I saw what appeared to be blood at first, but careful examination showed they were on the outside of the window, and therefore could not very well be blood.
Q. When you say on the outside of the window, do you mean by that on the outside of the glass of the window, or the sash?
A. The outside of the window, of the glass.
Q. The question I put to you was whether you discovered any spots of blood upon the sash of that window?
A. I do not recollect that I did sir.
Q. Was not your attention called to it by some person or persons at the time when you were there searching and examining?
A. My attention was called to what appeared to be blood, what the person thought was blood, one day when I was there.
Q. Is that the blood you have already spoken of, as being outside of the glass of the window?
A. Yes sir, one also I think on the frame inside of the window.
Q. Do you mean the frame of the window, or the sash of the window?
A. The window frame.
Q. Where was the spot on the inside of the window?
A. I could not tell you, I did not pay much attention to it; I examined it at the time.
Q. You do not think it was blood?
A. No sir.
Q. Is it there now?
A. I could not tell you.

,,

I'll be out on the prowl for more painted ladies Sunday morning MB. It's good to have a hobby- I might have been a fallen woman draped over the bar stool otherwise!

Shelley, what an interesting and unique series of photos! It's a novel and clever idea and I'm glad you took the time to take them. It's a whole new perspective.

The hatchet in a few of them appears ominous indeed!

There's nothing to top the imagination. Hitchcock is my favorite director- nobody could beat his subtlety and camera angles. You can always put yourself in the scene with only the backdrop and props in place. I find film often goes by too fast to feel and see the action. This series of "in the moment" shots through various eyes, will be, I hope, productive and maybe thought-provoking. We tend to think of the action and outcome- not the sequence leading up to it so much in moving pictures. Mostly, these are scenes I used to imagine while standing across the street at the bus station looking across the street at the house. Those were the days when there was never a hope of visiting it

Thank you, Shelley! I love the concept and the product in your series of pictures. Using your imagination, carefully staged camera angles, and the house itself, you provide us with the next best thing to being there. I almost expect to see a familiar face in the corner of one of them. But which face? Wonderful stuff!

--Lyddie

Thanks! While the guests are out to dinner I usually have 2 or 3 hours to wait and read before the 8 pm house tour. It was while I was alone, this idea came to me in the red chair in the sitting room. I imagine if anyone had peeped in a window (not that you can from the ground floor mind you)- they would have been amused or horrified to see a person on the black sofa holding a hatchet over their own head! I will get some more up this week. It has been a thinking exercise for me!

Great idea Shelley. Maybe you or someone could put a book together of photos of the house, rooms, history, etc. That would be really interesting and may help brinig more people to visit the house or stay overnight.

I probably have over 500 images of the house and Maplecroft since 1991, but never thought of that idea! Will you be my agent Oscar?

Shelley, Of course I'll be your agent! I'd love to see your photos of Maplecroft, have you posted any here before?

Shelley, I have tried to add photos here, but my photos are apparently too large for the site to handle, how do you do it?

I use Photoshop to reduce the image to about 8 x 5 inches. Most computers have some image editing options which come with My Pictures, shareware, the Hewlett Packard 3 in one printer has image editing, and many others do. You can even download a free trial of a simple Photoshop here http://www.adobe.com/downloads/#downloads_top_tabs

What resolution do you use most often Shelley?

Shelley, I was wondering how many pixels you use for your photos?

If I scan a photo myself, I scan at 200 dpi. All the pix I have posted so far on this site came off a CD made for me when I take my film in to be developed. I believe those may be at 72- which is usually sufficient. I will have to hunt up the pixel ratio- I tend to think in inches-not pixels!

I have monster files of all the pix posted here if anyone needs a bigger image, just send me an email.

Pools of August summer morning light wash across the steep staircase as the murderer descends.

With Emma back in the sink room and Alice gone from the kitchen, Lizzie approaches the closet. The stove has a good fire still burning after breakfast. . .

Lizzie walks the 20 steps from the sofa head to the back staircase to call Maggie.

She calls up the back stairs

Bridget's view from the 7th step "up front".

Bridget shows the police the cellar door and lock.

Andrew's Arrival

"Miss Borden, I am afraid you are suspected."

Mr. Winward prepares to lay out the coffins, ivy and white roses.

All very nice pictures, Shelley

Hey Shelley, Those look just like MY pictures!

Well, if you have been to the house- they would be similar. The intent is to seek new angles.

Shelley, I hope you realize I was kidding...

I do I do

A possible sequence for August 3, 1892
Uncle John from his seat in the sitting room hears an arrival in the front hall about 9 p.m.