Lizzie Borden Society Forum

From the Lizzie Borden Sourcebook:

"BORDEN'S FATHERS MONEY

It being learned that the Fall River police are watching John Morse, the brother of the late A.J. Bordens first wife, an effort has been made to obtain information relative to the condition of the propertyleft by A.B Borden, the father of A.J. Borden. It appears that Morse has been at the Borden house for two days and that a settlemaent of the estate is in progress. It is thought that the will of Abraham Borden might have left the property in such mannner as to revert to Morse, in case of the death of Andrew Borden, but a search of the probate office shows that no will was left by Abraham, and that AJ was appointed administrator of the estate."

My question would be why would Andrews' father, Abraham leave anything to the brother of Andrews wife?
I guess I am just spittin in the wind. It just seems odd to me that the police would even think something like this.

I've actually always wondered about that.
Maybe the reporters, early on, had an incomplete idea of Morse's kinship to Lizzie and Emma, and to Andrew?

He was a surviving, living MAN, who could possibly handle an estate. But then so was Hiram Harrington.
Would Abraham put his daughter's husband in charge of his estate (Hiram) or his son's wife's brother (Morse-if something happened to Andrew, his son)?
It's odd, to say the least.

I recall the papers asking if Morse benefited under Abraham's will- and I even wondered if they were mixing up Abraham with Andrew.
It's a curious thing...anyone know anything about this?

I think my question would be: why would abraham even consider the husbands? After all, I am assuming, that lizzie and emma were alive for some of his life. He could have given his estate to them in the event Andrew didn't survive to inheirt his estate and make the husbands of the daughtersin thier charge until the 18th biirthday. I mean if he gave the estate to Morse, the estate would be out of the borden family. Most families want to keep things like that in the family.

This gets even more confusing for apparently Abraham never made a will, at least not one that was filed. Andrew, probably because he was the only son, was appointed adminstrator of the estate which was not large.

Abraham died in December 1882, almost 10 years before the murders so it seems odd to me as a possible reason for a Morse involvement. That's a long time to hold a murderous grudge if he felt he was beaten out of something.

Morse also apparently did not know Abraham didn't have or file a will. He is quoted in the August 6th Evening Standard as believing he did:

"I have never borrowed a dollar of Andrew Borden in my life," he said this morning, and no financial differences ever existed between us. Abraham Borden's will left me no property, and my father's will left none to Andrew Borden, the murdered man. ..."