Lizzie Borden Society Forum

If you're asking me, I'd say anything is possible with Morse.
He could have come to town early.
He didn't accomplish the reason he gave for coming: Was it cattle for Davis or a man to run the farm for Andrew? He didn't get to the Borden's until 1:30 Wednesday? He arises at 6:30 or whatever farmers hours he keeps? What was he doing between 6:30 a.m. and 1:30? Why didn't he ride or bring his own team? A horse trader rents someone else's equippage?
There was hay in the barn. There was a water fawcet. He could have ridden over and stalled his horse.
He also could have met Lizzie before or after his Swansea trip.
But what does this have to do with suicide? I don't know.

Sourcebook
Page 106

The Boston Advertiser, August 13 (?), 1892
BEHIND THE BARS.
MISS LIZZIE BORDEN IN TAUNTON JAIL.

“Now that action has been taken by the police Medical Examiner Dolan will not object to being named as the author of the hypothetical poisoning case given in Wednesday's second edition of the News. This case was widely circulated and very generally accepted as strong proof that Lizzie Borden did not use prussic acid. No one doubted that she would have committed suicide, had she been in possession of such a poison, as soon as she learned that she was suspected.”


Lincoln, 71+:
"She paid a call on Emma's friend Alice Russell. The call has been laughingly compared to Cassandra's foretelling of the fall of the House of Atreus. Well, Fall River was once called Troy, we learned in school, but to me the words that Alice Russell would eventually quote in court sound almost like the suicide's veiled call for help. Or, more accurately, they sounded not like Cassandra, but Clytemnestra compulsively talking. Murder, like suicide, must be frightening in the prospect; and Lizzie was determined to poison Abby. One feels that she is not only providing herself with an alibi; she is also saying, 'See through me; stop me.'

Lizzie's first words as she burst in on Alice were, 'I am afraid someone will do something. I don't know but what someone will do something.' And then, abruptly, 'I have taken your advice and written to Marion that I will come.'"
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I just think Uncle John set up his alibi for some reason, that for some reason he thought something would happen. Other than his train ride details he seems very lame, not noticing anyone in the yard, etc.
Horse traders would probably be fairly cagey though, and the best witnesses set up a story and stick to it and are vague about everything else.
The problem is no evidence for much of anything, and only mild supposition. For example if Andrew and Abby were to sign a new will that morning it would take only Andrew to do it, and as far as we know he didn't do it. So the plotline having Lizzie overhear Andrew and Uncle John discussing his plans is thin. Also that Uncle John had a reason for coming, that is to diswade Andrew from something, there is just no evidence. It is just as valid to say that Uncle John believed Lizzie might commit suicide as anything else, because it's all just an unknown. I don't see any evidence other than the mysterious room she rented which was supposedly two miles from Uncle John's house that she had any contact with him at all. If there had been witnesses seeing Uncle John visit her at that room, or her walking to his house it would be another story.
Sooner or later everyone seems to admit that it's just an interesting, but perfect crime.

Someone's bound to ask you- what room do you think Lizzie rented?

Ya I'm sure they will, and I'll have to say ask Kat because it's in a couple of the books.
ssh

SSMILEAKAT