Arthur Potter's Playmates
Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 8:05 pm
The hatchet found on the Crowe barn roof has been dismissed by many as too coincidental...since it was found during Lizzie's trial. I do find the exact timing (it was found almost the same day that the prosecution rested and the defense was initiating its case at trial) to be a bit unsettling. That said, if a hoax can be dismissed as an option, that would certainly increase the likelihood of the Crowe roof hatchet having true merit. I think all agree that the more people involved, the less likely it was a hoax. Complex hoaxes probably don't remain unrevealed, particularly when the cast of characters are so young. In this case, most of the individuals involved with the find were younger than 15 years old.
When 14-year-old, Arthur Potter, found the hatchet on the roof of Mr. Crowe's barn, he was playing a ball game (called bound) with some of the Third Street neighborhood lads. To my knowledge, these young men have not previously been identified. Using a June 15, 1893 Fall River Globe article (full article below) as the 'starting point', I believe I have identified the young men who were with Arthur when the hatchet was found. The key paragraph...."Young Potter is a bright little fellow. He was seen this morning by a GLOBE reporter and said he was playing “bound” with three Williston boys, and one named King."
After studying city maps, city directories, death and birth registers and U.S. Census data, I suggest the four young friends, 1892 ages in parenthesis, were Clarence (13), Arthur (11) and Lester Williston (8) and Clinton King (13). As the 1895 Fall River city map below shows, the Potters, Williston's and Kings were neighbors on Third St. in 1892.
1892 Fall River City Directory listings for the Potter, Williston and King families in 1892.
The 1900 U.S. Census provided the boys names and ages. Images of the U.S. Census info is not included in the spirit of managing post length. If anyone is curious, I can add the census screenshots.
Courtesy of "Find-A-Grave", here are some photos of the three Williston boys. Even though the photos are not from the time of the hatchet find, it is still pretty neat to put a face to a name.
Source: Fall River Globe June 15, 1893
ANOTHER HATCHET
This Time It Is Found On Top Of John Crowe’s Barn.
There is another hatchet in the Borden case. Last night about 7:30, Arthur Potter, the 14-year-old son of Caleb Potter, went upon the roof of John Crowe’s barn, which stands back of the Borden yard, and found a hatchet. He carried it straight to his father.
Young Potter and other boys had been playing ball in the lot nearby and it was while on the hunt for the ball that he found the hatchet. The instrument is described as being covered with rust. It has a handle which is discolored from exposure.
The blade is new, and when the rust is scraped off, it shows the gilt paint which adorns all new hatchets. The police say that Mr. Potter refused to give the hatchet into their hands, and Mr. Potter refuses to talk about it.
It is likely that this find will make a big stir in New Bedford, but then it is of no consequence, as three men were at work within 20 feet of this barn on the day of the assassination of the Borden’s.
Young Potter is a bright little fellow. He was seen this morning by a GLOBE reporter and said he was playing “bound” with three Williston boys, and one named King. The play was to catch the ball and throw it against the barn before the other boys could wrest it from him.
Another caught the ball and threw it over the front part of the Third Street barn, and the bail lodged on the northwest corner of the main building. Potter says he went around and climbed up to the “high part” and found the axe. It is described as having a 3 ¾ inch blade, and apparently new. It has a handle a foot long, and an ordinary driving head.
Potter said that he had climbed in the barn once before but saw nothing then. That was “before the long vacation last summer.”
One of the Williston boys, who is a cripple, and who was in the party with Potter, said practically the same thing as Arthur.
Joseph Either, a Frenchman, who works for Crowe, said he had made repairs on the roof three years ago, but does not remember leaving any implements up there.
Caleb Potter showed the hatchet to Inspectors Medley and Mahoney this noon, in City Hall. Inspector Feeney is looking up the find.
The place where the hatchet was found was on the Chagnon yard side, and the head was lying toward the southeast.
Next to the Borden house, going east, is a flat roof building about nine feet high, a carriage shed some 12 feet high adjoins the main building or Crowe barn, which fronts on Third Street. End of article.
When 14-year-old, Arthur Potter, found the hatchet on the roof of Mr. Crowe's barn, he was playing a ball game (called bound) with some of the Third Street neighborhood lads. To my knowledge, these young men have not previously been identified. Using a June 15, 1893 Fall River Globe article (full article below) as the 'starting point', I believe I have identified the young men who were with Arthur when the hatchet was found. The key paragraph...."Young Potter is a bright little fellow. He was seen this morning by a GLOBE reporter and said he was playing “bound” with three Williston boys, and one named King."
After studying city maps, city directories, death and birth registers and U.S. Census data, I suggest the four young friends, 1892 ages in parenthesis, were Clarence (13), Arthur (11) and Lester Williston (8) and Clinton King (13). As the 1895 Fall River city map below shows, the Potters, Williston's and Kings were neighbors on Third St. in 1892.
1892 Fall River City Directory listings for the Potter, Williston and King families in 1892.
The 1900 U.S. Census provided the boys names and ages. Images of the U.S. Census info is not included in the spirit of managing post length. If anyone is curious, I can add the census screenshots.
Courtesy of "Find-A-Grave", here are some photos of the three Williston boys. Even though the photos are not from the time of the hatchet find, it is still pretty neat to put a face to a name.
Source: Fall River Globe June 15, 1893
ANOTHER HATCHET
This Time It Is Found On Top Of John Crowe’s Barn.
There is another hatchet in the Borden case. Last night about 7:30, Arthur Potter, the 14-year-old son of Caleb Potter, went upon the roof of John Crowe’s barn, which stands back of the Borden yard, and found a hatchet. He carried it straight to his father.
Young Potter and other boys had been playing ball in the lot nearby and it was while on the hunt for the ball that he found the hatchet. The instrument is described as being covered with rust. It has a handle which is discolored from exposure.
The blade is new, and when the rust is scraped off, it shows the gilt paint which adorns all new hatchets. The police say that Mr. Potter refused to give the hatchet into their hands, and Mr. Potter refuses to talk about it.
It is likely that this find will make a big stir in New Bedford, but then it is of no consequence, as three men were at work within 20 feet of this barn on the day of the assassination of the Borden’s.
Young Potter is a bright little fellow. He was seen this morning by a GLOBE reporter and said he was playing “bound” with three Williston boys, and one named King. The play was to catch the ball and throw it against the barn before the other boys could wrest it from him.
Another caught the ball and threw it over the front part of the Third Street barn, and the bail lodged on the northwest corner of the main building. Potter says he went around and climbed up to the “high part” and found the axe. It is described as having a 3 ¾ inch blade, and apparently new. It has a handle a foot long, and an ordinary driving head.
Potter said that he had climbed in the barn once before but saw nothing then. That was “before the long vacation last summer.”
One of the Williston boys, who is a cripple, and who was in the party with Potter, said practically the same thing as Arthur.
Joseph Either, a Frenchman, who works for Crowe, said he had made repairs on the roof three years ago, but does not remember leaving any implements up there.
Caleb Potter showed the hatchet to Inspectors Medley and Mahoney this noon, in City Hall. Inspector Feeney is looking up the find.
The place where the hatchet was found was on the Chagnon yard side, and the head was lying toward the southeast.
Next to the Borden house, going east, is a flat roof building about nine feet high, a carriage shed some 12 feet high adjoins the main building or Crowe barn, which fronts on Third Street. End of article.