It was a great night for murder on Nat Geo!

[Bob Gutowski]

Last night on National Geographic they ran, back to back to back, programs on the search for John Wilkes Booth, the career of serial killer H. H. Holmes during the Chicago Exposition (which our Lizzie attended), and the Boston Strangler controversy.

I only watched the last half of the Lincoln show, and the recreations were very well done. I DVD's the whole kit'n'kaboodle last night late when they were all rerun.

[kfactor]

I saw the program about H.H. Holmes and the Chicago World's Columbian Exhibition... I had read the book "Devil in the White City" and found the story to be just horrific. However, it is fascinating as well. I kept wondering about "our Lizzie" at the Chicago Exhibition, and whether she would have caught the lurking Holmes' eye, would she have fallen for his persuasive charm, what she thought of the "White City".... Great Documentary.

[Bob Gutowski]

Oh, I'm glad to hear it. I enjoyed that book as well, and I also have Rick Geary's graphic novel on the case.

[Kat]

Jeesh! I watched a dumb football game! This line-up sounds loads better!
Was that a repeat show on HHHolmes does anyone know?

I too have the Geary. I now have all the "Murder" series he has done, all the way up to The Bloody Benders.

[JoAnne]

I , too, have read the book , "Devil in the White City". I found the story to be gruesome and yet compelling. It just goes to show how someone can be so evil and at the same time so charming and unassuming to those around him. Perhaps our Lizzie had some of these same characteristics.

I have just recently heard about lizzie going to the Worlds Fair. Could someone please tell me more information about this?

[Shelley]

Lizzie would have been just the kind of gal for Holmes- orphan, wealthy, etc. But she always seemed to travel in a "hen friend flock" -and was outspoken. Emma would REALLY have been Holmes' cuppa tea-and quiet too! There are two excellent and reasonably priced DVDs on Holmes and the Columbian Expo via Amazon. Gene Wilder narrates the Expo DVD.

Both are worth the price.

[Barbara]

Isn't it amazing how we all read the same books. The story of H.H.Holmes is really horrible but the juxtaposition with the story of the world's fair made it that much worse. If Lizzie did attend the fair I don 't know when she had time. Between the end of her trial,the stay in Newport,then the purchasing of her new home this girl was certainly busy. I have never read an account of her trip to the fair,where did you see that reference?

[Harry]

Oops, it posted twice. See below.

[Harry]

Yes, "Devil in the White City" is a great read. There's another book on Holmes called "The Torture Doctor" by David Franke.

What we know about Lizzie at the World's Fair is very little. Other than these lines that appear in Rebello (p187) I've never seen anything else:

"'Unbeknown' to Chicago: Miss Lizzie Borden has been doing the World's Fair with Miss Caroline Borden, formerly of this city, and Miss Alice Buck as traveling companions." Fall River Daily Globe, Tuesday, October 3, 1893: 8

There is also this on the same page in Rebello. Lizzie's trial was in full swing at the time:

"Anticipating Miss Borden's Acquittal"

"Several women at Fall River and a few at New Bedford have figured out [to] their own entire satisfaction that the prisoner is to be acquitted and propose to celebrate the event. They have decided that she shall go to the World's Fair, but at this point a prudent economy has had its weight in their deliberations.
Accordingly they have decided that instead of raising a purse to cover her expenses she shall be sent at the cost of a newspaper, and so they long since began harvesting vacation coupons. It is an actual fact that several thousand coupons are now awaiting with Lizzie Borden's name written upon them, and every day sees a big increase in the pile." Fall River Weekly News, Wednesday, June 14, 1893: 1.

Apparently the person who collected the most coupons would win a vacation trip to the Fair. She finished second in the contest but declined the second place prize.