Thoughts on Dr Bowen’s visit

[Inspector]

Do y’all think Andrew was upset at Bowen’s Wednesday morning stop by, or was it fabricated by Lizzie?
If there was some truth to Andrew being upset, was it because Andrew was thinking ahead that someone might figure out more about the family dynamics?

[camgarsky4]

It's another one of those 'toss ups'.

If I was to speculate (which I will), maybe in 1892 speak, he uttered something like "now he's going to charge us for a house call". She took that comment and ran with it. What gives it some merit is that she incorporated Dr. Handy's apparent propensity to 'drop in'. That is a detail I don't think she made up out of thin air. The 1880 Fall River city map shows Dr. Handy living just a few houses away at the corner of Second and Borden Streets. Too lazy to check the city directories to see when Handy moved further away from the Borden's.

[Inspector]

I’d agree there is an element of truth to it.
The inference to Dr Handy in a negative light is peculiar to me as it appears to take the focus off Dr Bowen, whether purposefully or innocently.
Just juggling some thoughts, trying to peek into how Lizzie felt about Dr Handy.

[Lorcan]

I think I'm really close to what both of you think. Here are the relevant quotes:

The quote (Trial1, p. 379, Alice Russell, direct examination)

Lizzie said: “I think sometimes, I am afraid sometimes that somebody will do something to him; he is so discourteous to people.”

And then she said,

“Dr. Bowen came over. Mrs. Borden went over, and father didn’t like it because she was going; and she told him where she was going, and he says, ‘Well, my money shan’t pay for it.’

She went over to Dr. Bowen’s, and Dr. Bowen told her, she told him she was afraid they were poisoned, and Dr. Bowen laughed, and said, "No, there wasn’t any poison." And she came back, and Dr. Bowen came over.”

And she said, “I was so ashamed, the way father treated Dr. Bowen. I was so mortified.”

And she said after he had gone Mrs. Borden said she thought it was too bad for him to treat Dr. Bowen so, and [he] said he didn’t want him coming over there that way.


First of all, how did she get the blow by blow quotes that occurred at Dr. Bowen's office? I think she was just embellishing it a bit with what she had heard said about Dr. Handy showing up for a house call without prior approval.

Here's what Dr. Bowen said:

Q. You had not been called that week to the family?
A. No Sir, I had not been called. I went over to see them. The day before, Wednesday morning, about eight o’clock, or before eight, Mrs. Borden came to the door and said she was frightened, said that she was afraid she was poisened. I told her to come in. She sat down, and she said the night before about nine o’clock she and her husband commenced to vomit, and vomitted for two or three hours until twelve, I understood.

A. Wednesday morning. I asked her what she had eaten for supper, and she told me. She said she had eaten some baker’s white bread, and she had heard of baker’s cream cakes being poisonous, and was afraid there was something poisonous in the bread that made her vomit. She said she only ate cake and baker’s white bread. At that time she had a sort of an eructation of vomiting, slightly. I was afraid she was going to vomit there, I rather got ready for her. I told her to go home, and told her what to take; and she took it.

Q. Do you recollect what it was you prescribed for her?
A. I told her to take some castor oil, and take it in a little port wine to take the taste off, and probably that would be all she would want. I think immediately after breakfast, I thought they were neighbors, I would just go over. Before that, she said Lizzie came down, she heard them vomiting, I think she was in the next room, and she was up too, and she commenced to vomit at that time, about twelve. I thought if they did not call me I would go over and make a friendly call. I went over after breakfast. I think Bridget let me in, I am very sure it was the front door. I says “Mr. Borden, what is the matter?” He looked at me and wanted to know if anybody had sent for me. I told him no, Mrs. Borden was over, I thought I would just come over and see. He seemed well enough then. He said he felt a little heavy, and did not feel just right, but said he did not think he needed any medicine. I did not urge him at all, of course, and I went home. I did not think much about it. I saw Mr. Borden out two or three hours afterwards. When I went in, I saw Lizzie run up stairs. Mrs. Borden I did not see, because I had seen her before.

Q. Did you see Lizzie that morning?
A. She was just going up stairs as I went in the front door; I thought it was her, I am not quite sure.
Q. It was somebody you thought was Lizzie?
A. Yes Sir, somebody I supposed was Lizzie, I did not see her face.

On Andrew’s temper (p. 124):

Q. Was Mr. Borden a man of quick temper?
A. Well, no, I should not hardly think he was a man of quick temper.

Preliminary Hearing (Preliminary.pdf, pp. 405–408 and 412)

Q. Did you have any talk with Mr. or Mrs. Borden that morning?
A. I talked with Mrs. Borden in the office, and with Mr. Borden at his house Wednesday morning.

A. She came to my door and rang the bell, and said she was frightened. She said she was afraid that she had been poisoned. I asked her into my office, and she sat down. I questioned her on what she had been eating, and what her sickness consisted of, in what way; and told her what to do. I told her I guessed it would not be anything serious. At the time, during the time, she very nearly vomited, so much so, that I was getting something ready for her. Whether she did in her handkerchief, or not, I could not say; but she seemed to be sick all at once.

Q. You went over to the house after breakfast?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. You were not called?
A. I went of my own accord.
Q. From the symptoms she had described, you felt somewhat alarmed?
A. Yes Sir, so many of them; not because they sent for me.
Q. When you got there, who did you see?
A. I think that Bridget Sullivan let me in at the front door; I am not certain, I think so. I am very sure that Miss Sullivan let me in.
Q. Who did you see?
A. I saw Mr. Borden.
Q. You talked with him?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. How did he appear to be?
A. He was lying down then. As I went in, of course he sat up on the sofa.
Q. Did you see Lizzie then?
A. I did not. I saw someone going up stairs, I do not know whether it was Bridget or Lizzie or Mrs. Borden, I did not see the face, I saw the form.

Q. That call was voluntary?
A. Yes Sir.

From the re-direct (p. 412):

Q. You said to her you did not think it was anything serious?
A. Yes Sir.
Q. What did you think the matter was at that time?
A. At that time the weather was very warm, and it was not unusual for people to be unwell that way.

Q. You did not prescribe for her on the theory that she had been poisoned?
A. No.

[camgarsky4]

Bowen mentioning that Andrew asked if he had been summoned matches with Lizzie's take that Andrew wasn't thrilled with him showing up unannounced.

[Inspector]

It does match, good catch.
It seems that Andrew may of had some strong words either before or after Bowen’s visit, but there’s no evidence that he directed them in the Doctors presence.
At least Dr Bowen doesn’t sound as though he did, even testifying Andrew wasn’t of a quick temper.

If anything, Lizzie’s comments come across a possible slight towards Andrew’s character.

[Lorcan]

This sounds to me like Andrew was caught laying down and he wanted to know if Abby (most likely) called Dr. Bowen over after (most likely) Andrew told her he didn't need a doctor. I think from Andrew's perspective it was more a question of did Abby ignore me and disobey my wishes and call Dr. Bowen over rather than being concerned about the cost of a house call from a friend of the family. He was much more than just their doctor, especially for Abby (friends with Mrs. Bowen) and Lizzie (friends with Dr. Bowen).

Q. When you got there, who did you see?
A. I think that Bridget Sullivan let me in at the front door; I am not certain, I think so. I am very sure that Miss Sullivan let me in.

Q. Who did you see?
A. I saw Mr. Borden.

Q. You talked with him?
A. Yes Sir.

Q. How did he appear to be?
A. He was lying down then. As I went in, of course he sat up on the sofa.

I says “Mr. Borden, what is the matter?” He looked at me and wanted to know if anybody had sent for me. I told him no, Mrs. Borden was over, I thought I would just come over and see. He seemed well enough then. He said he felt a little heavy, and did not feel just right, but said he did not think he needed any medicine. I did not urge him at all, of course, and I went home. I did not think much about it.

I don't think there is anything mortifying is Andrew's behavior toward Dr. Bowen. I don't hear Andrew making any hint about money. That all comes from the story Lizzie told Alice, I believe. If the whole point of telling Alice about all the enemies that were going to burn the house down and attack Andrew, to set the stage for what she was likely planning, then that explains the discrepancy between what Dr. Bowen described and what Alice said Lizzie described.

I think Andrew was stubborn and played down how bad he really felt. I think he pushed himself hard and that would explain needing a nap after going out on business for just a couple of hours when he was murdered.

[Lorcan]

Was Dr. Bowen politely rebuking Hosea Knowlton & John Morse for repeatedly referring to Bridget as "the servant" and "servant girl"?

A. I think that Bridget Sullivan let me in at the front door; I am not certain, I think so. I am very sure that Miss Sullivan let me in.

[camgarsky4]

If so, he should have also belatedly rebuked the Borden sisters for calling her 'Maggie'.

[Inspector]

Bump