Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Hello, everyone. I've enjoyed so much reading your emails.

Was the original maid named Maggie ever interviewed? Was she still alive at the time of the murders?

Hi!
That's an interesting question.
In the census I've not yet seen a "Maggie" at the Borden house listed, but those are every 10 years, so it's still possible it's true there was one once.
I don't know of one though.
Maybe we should look harder for "Maggie".

How lovely of you to reply so quickly! Happy New Year!

Oh I am happy to meet you!
Happy New Year to you too!

Here is a census of 1880.
Since the Borden's moved in the house in 1872, there was no point in checking the previous census of 1870.
Here is Mary Green, so far.

Well, I checked 1870 after all. Even if they were living elsewhere, maybe they had a maid named Maggie.

Here is the Borden Family but not at Second Street- probably Ferry Street.
Notice no maid, and the next numbered address is Hiram Harrington and Lurana, with no maid, but they had Boarders, it seems- or it was a 2 family home.

The excruciating thing is that the census of 1890 was mostly destroyed in a fire in Washington! EEEK!

Wow! you're on the trail already! It would be great to know why the original "Maggie" left. I can only assume that she got on well with Emma and Lizzie thinking that possibly calling Brigette "Maggie" was a type of homage to the original "Maggie." Possibly she could have shed some light on the dynamics of the household during her employment with the Bordens.

What do you think? :0

I think it is a good idea you had to interview a former maid, one named "Maggie", OR Mary!

Hi Millicent,


In the "Ruby" version, the name Maggie was a slip of the tongue referring to Maggie Cameron, Ruby's mother, who was there with Bridget helping clean up. The slip was covered by a false statement that they had had another maid named Maggie in the past. They never would have gotten a statement from Ruby's mother. I think she would have committed suicide a great deal sooner if they had connected the dots and tried to get one.

Gramma

Hi Gramma! I was just thinking about you yesterday!
I was looking over the previous years Hatchets and reading Ruby!

Millicent- there might be more about Borden maids in Len Rebello's book. Do you have that? If not, we can check it for servant info.

I bought the Rebello book about 2 weeks ago. I'll see if I can find anything else about "Maggie."

Good.
You can check in his Index, under "domestics."
That is where the servants are listed.
Good luck.

thought they olnly had that one named rachel

May I ask to whom you refer?
Do you have any more info?