Lizzie Borden Society Forum

In the Privy section we had a poll as to whether Lizzie should have left Fall River after her acquittal. So far 20 yes and 15 no votes.

This poll asks what YOU would have done in Lizzie's situation. Not quite the same thing.

I definitely would have left. I would have hired a private detective to do an ongoing pursuit of the real killer so that the town would see I didn't just go off to the golf course like OJ and forget the whole thing. Then I would have bought that pretty house I always wanted in a culturally enriched town and pursued my interests in a wholly new society who would not be so quick to judge. So I would be killing two birds with one stone (instead of two turkeys with one axe.) [from Lizzie's point of view, that is.]

Yes Harry: Very difficult for me to answer this one. Can have a couple of outcomes, that is to say, from the perspective of whether she was guilty or not.

If I was Lizzie and I was innocent, I would have flicked my thumb off the tip of my chin and move away.

On the other hand, if I did commit the crime I would probably stay, perhaps to prove that I have nothing to hide.

But again, if I were Lizzie and I was innocent I could have stayed, feeling no one was going to run me out.

On the other hand, if I did commit the crime, I could have left, being fortunate to have gotten away with it, leaving only sad memories of Fall River, etc etc.

So, need some time think on this one Harry, will vote later. Good question though.

I would have stayed. Leaving is akin to admitting guilt. Being from Fall River, I can understand why she didn't leave.

Yes, I would have most definitely moved away. Far enough away where people wouldn't readily know who I was, but, not so far that I couldn't travel back to Fall River by train to keep an eye on Andrew's real estate holdings and such. Probably somewhere closer to New York city.

I would have left Fall Rivers and moved to Southern California. Forget Maplecroft. Lizzie could have bought up some beautiful ocean front property at that time and had a much bigger home. She would have been much happier going to the "Pink Palace" and hanging out with the then growing silent movie crowd.

I would've moved away, no doubt about it. I think it was just pure stubborn will that made her stay. I think she inherited it from Andrew.

This is what I would have done, if I were Lizzie, upon leaving the trial:

1. Hold a press conference and explain my side of things,

2. Let the entire city know how much I appreciated their support,

3. Be seen in public and wave and smile a lot,

4. Settle my parents estate, loose ends, etc.,

5. Quitely leave town to a "friendlier" city, buy a big house and make lots of new friends and enjoy life to the fullest.

If I were guilty I would probably do the same.

-1bigsteve (o:

I would have left as well....

If Lizzie is really guilty of committing the crime, that would make her one dangerous bad lady.

And after receiving all that money she could just have moved to New York, made new "Bad Friends" and next time just have someone "Bumped Off".

But you know, DWILLY, that is the best thing she could have done at the time; to move out west. The west coast was full of very tolerant souls, (and still is today) who would have paid her no mind. She could have just blended in. But Lizzie was one of those "Subborn Old World Yankees," very proud. No one pushed them around. Especially with Fall River in their hip pocket.

I voted before I checked the results so I am the lone "No" vote so far, officially that is.

I would Not be run out of my town- no way.
I would continue to travel, but I would not run away.

Kat @ Thu Apr 06, 2006 3:50 am wrote:I voted before I checked the results so I am the lone "No" vote so far, officially that is.

I would Not be run out of my town- no way.
I would continue to travel, but I would not run away.

This from the woman who stares hurricanes down year after year!

I would not have left town either. Kat's words echo my sentiments as well.


Tracy...

I am a week away from Lizzie's birthday. I wonder if that has anything to do with it?
Stubborn maybe?
(I don't want to believe it's all stubborness...)

If we have 3 people (Mark, Tracy and Kat) who say no, they would not leave, how come we have only 2 no votes?

I demand a recount!

Sorry Harry...it was my fault. I hadn't actually clicked on the 'no'. SIlly me.


Tracy...

Though I commented earlier, I did not vote.

I just voted NO. I don't think I would have left after all, if I were Lizzie. Who do those people think they are anyway. No one is going to push me around. Harass me will you? Well, I'm not going anywhere, YOU HEAR ME? #@*/&#"*@

cough, cough, sorry got carried away..........

I voted "no" also. At least in Fall River I'd know how the land lies, what to expect or not to expect. Of course I do have somewhat of a fear of the unknown myself. I think Lizzie may have as well.

I would have left... Life is too short to live in a town where you are ostracized the rest of your life. The town's people had no proof that she was guilty, yet they treated her as if she was. Perhaps she stayed because Emma wanted to stay - Emma was most likely the only person who was kind to Lizzie until Nance O. entered the picture.

twinsrwe @ Sat Jun 03, 2006 7:01 pm wrote:I would have left... Life is too short to live in a town where you are ostracized the rest of your life. The town's people had no proof that she was guilty, yet they treated her as if she was. Perhaphs she stayed because Emma wanted to stay - Emma was most likely the only person who was kind to Lizzie until Nance O. entered the picture.

Bingo! My sentiments exactly!

The Fall River people were going to think what they wanted to think anyway so why hang around and let them throw dirt in my face? Why make myself suffer just to "show them they can't push me around?"

The best revenge for me would be to make a better life for myself somewhere else.

-1bigsteve (o:

I would have remained in Fall River. No matter where I would have gone, sooner or later I would have been identified. Even if I had to lie about my name I might have been found out. It would have been a lifetime of looking over my shoulder and waiting for the other shoe to drop. Not worth it.

People in bigger cities, like New York, were not as close to Lizzie or the killings so to them Lizzie's arrival would probably have been, "Yea, well so what." Bigger cities are normally more open-armed with nuts, odd balls, etc. People in smaller towns always have time on their hands to dream up reasons for hating someone's guts. I think of Peyton Place.

One of my late friends was a movie actress and she told me the best way of keeping the public's nose out of your business when moving to a new area is to go out in public and let yourself be seen all over the town as a normal person. That takes away everyone's curiosity. But if you sneek in behind sunglasses and a long limo and hide in a mansion behind 15 foot walls, people will start dreaming up all kinds of gossip. I think of Barbra Streisand and Greta Garbo.

So because of that line of reasoning I would personally move to a new area, let people know I'm there, then make new friends and start breathing again.

That is what I would have done.

-1bigsteve (o:

1bigsteve @ Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:26 pm wrote:People in bigger cities, like New York, were not as close to Lizzie or the killings so to them Lizzie's arrival would probably have been, "Yea, well so what." Bigger cities are normally more open-armed with nuts, odd balls, etc. People in smaller towns always have time on their hands to dream up reasons for hating someone's guts. I think of Peyton Place.

Thank you 1bigsteve - You are so right! The majority of people who live in small towns tend to stick their noses into everyone else's business. They have nothing better to do than "talk" about other people - they never "talk" about the good things a person does, it is always the bad things... as if they themselves are saints, who do no wrong.

I know this is true because I grew up on a farm outside of a small town in Wisconsin - I moved to a large city when I was 20 years old because I had become the "talk of the town" and wanted a life of privacy. Living in a large city has provided me with the privacy I sought - my neighbors don't care about my past - it is not a big deal to them.

My home town is a nice place to visit, but I have no desire to live there.

I know what you mean, Judy. The ones shoveling the dirt in your face are often times guilty of the dirt they are shoveling.

People don't want to remember the good you do and they never forget the bad! Those who look down their noses at others do so because it makes them feel "superior." As the saying goes, "He who is without sin may cast the first stone."

I'm glad you found happiness away from the small town gap flappers. I've had plenty of experience with those types. It's not fun.

-1bigsteve (o:

I have no connection w/ either F Lee Bailey or O. J. Simpson, both of whom moved to Florida. Florida, like Texas, has a Homestead Law that prevents your homestead (house or farm) from being taken in a civil suit.
That makes them "judgment proof" from shyster lawyers who want to profit from their notoriety.

Florida, with its larger Hispanic population, would be more tolerant of a black man who was formerly married to a white woman, or racists in general. This may not be true of the whole state.

People who are involved in "frauds" also move to Florida to safeguard their loot. "60 Minutes" did a story on this quite a few years back. I was told that California also has a homestead law, but don't know the details. Can anyone from the Golden State speak out?

A good experienced lawyer would be best to tell you what to do.
Making a public speech (free food & drink to attract people other than reporters) would probably be best today. Lizzie's public support evaporated after the Providence Journal editorialized against her "if she knows who did it why doesn't she speak out?'.

True, but Arnold Brown said her lawyers may have strayed over the line by doing things that were questionable. Like that letter from an unknown "Samuel Robinsky". The early stories of Erle Stanley Gardner (from the 1930s) often shows "Perry Mason" acting like a private detective rather than a lawyer. Planting evidence? Oh no, it was just a way to test the witnesses' recollection, etc.

I can't vote that I would probably recommend staying; this is in fact what she did. She knew people there, she could be taken by a con artist in a new location where she knew nobody. Always a danger when you move to a strange location; the friends you meet have have a hidden agenda.