Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I just bought a handleless hatchet head almost identical to Lizzies and thought I would pass on it's physical qualities to those of you who may be interested.

I held mine up to the image of Lizzie's on my monitor and here is what I fould:

1. The "hammer end" on Lizzie's is slightly longer than the hammer end on mine,

2. The height of the hatchet eye, from the top of the eye to the bottom of the eye, is taller on mine than it is on Lizzie's. In other words, more of the handle would be hidden within my hatchet head then in Lizzie's.

3. The blade of Lizzie's hatchet, from the front of the eye to the cutting edge, is slightly longer on Lizzie's than on mine,

4. The cutting edge of Lizzie's is curved while mine is straight although I have the feeling that mine was curved at one time,

5. My edge is beveled on the right side only which doesn't make sense because the eye is centered in the head instead of being off-set. Mine should be beveled on both sides. However, I have the feeling that the blade could have been shortened and then beveled on one side. This would explain why the blade edge is now straight instead of curved Like Lizzie's,

6. The nail groove in mine run's straight up and down while Lizzie's points slightly toward the blade edge,

7. The length of mine from the cutting edge to the end of the hammer end surface is 6 3/8". The length of the cutting edge is 3 13/16". The heigth of the eye on mine is 2 3/8" and the length of the hammer end is 1 9/16".

This little monkey is surprisingly heavy. It feels like it's made of lead. It has got to be over 2 pounds and probably about 36 ounces. It is all pitted and covered in old rust. There is no visible name on it but it has got to be well over a hundred years old.

I have handled two hatchets the same type as this one (both were being sold by antique dealers) but both were noticeably smaller and lighter. There was no doubt many Companies who made this type of hatchet (Carpenter's? Roofer's?) with slight variations in sizes.

-1bigsteve (o:

Thanks!
Can you check this page and maybe find the name/type of hatchet head you have from the catalogue pages?
http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Crime ... eapons.htm

In Lizzie Borden and the Mysterious Axe, by Robert Flynn, he identifies the HH as a "shingling hatchet."
For some reason I thought the maker of the implement was mentioned in there- as it was asked about before, but I don't see it. Anyone know the maker?

As to the manufacturer of the handleless hatchet, Robinson, in his closing argument at the trial had this to say, (p1712):

".... This is an Underhill hatchet --- one of the kind that you and I remember well when we were young: there have been thousands of them in use all around in the New England towns. When you get your magnifying glass and examine it you will see the words upon the blade "Underhill Edge Tool Co." ..."

Thank you, Kat and Harry! I have something to chew on now.

Mine is so pitted I can't see any markings. It look's identical to Lizzie's except for very minor differences (you can't tell one head from the other at first glance) as I've noted. Not only did someone grind the edge straight but they also used it as a wedge and bent the head at the eye. It is not useable as is but makes a great paper weight. It's a heavy little monkey. According to the above link, this type of hatchet was made in different sizes.

Does anyone know of any photos or physical discription of the Crowe hatchet? I'll have to track down Flynn's book.

Does anyone know if Lizzie asked for the return of the handleless hatchet when the trial was over (or her dress)??

-1bigsteve (o:

That's great stuff, Harry- thank you!

Apparently A trunk of Lizzie's or from her house held some of her items and the last I read it was awaiting delivery to her house after the trial. It sounded like if she wanted it she would have to send for it- that was what was implied in the newspaper, IMO.

So I don't know if she claimed those things.

But there is the list as to what ended up stored at Jennings house and that included the HH.
See:
viewtopic.php?t=37

For you, bigsteve

Thank you, Kat.

It sounds like a duplicate of Lizzie's HH. They said it was an "ordinary" shingling hatchet, which is what Lizzie's HH is. I can't make out whether it say's the blade was 3 1/4" or 3 3/4" wide. I'll zoom in on it later. They didn't call it a "half" shingling hatchet, which look's like Lizzie's but with the top of the head flat, as if someone cut-off the top of the blade. They have pictures of both types in the link you provided above. From what I have found so far only the "half" hatchet is still being made. Lizzie's type appears to be long gone.

It sounds to me like it may have been up there too long to have been the murder weapon, but...?

-1bigsteve (o:

I'm pretty sure accounts state that it had gilt on it.
But Andrew's wounds didn't show gilt.
Abby's does, but the second victim's wounds didn't.
So:
How can a hatchet still have some gilt and yet kill Andrew and leave none behind?

(I don't think meat cleavers were gilded, but I don't know for sure.)