Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Does anybody know the age of Alice Russell at the time of the murders and/or her testimony to the Grand Jury ?

And was there any interveiw with Alice about how She may have felt, after being dropped like a Hot brick by Lizzie & Emma after the trial?

The grand jury proceedings were secret and still are. Word leaked out of course but there's no way to really know what went on in the jury room.
I just read a news item on it, supposedly by a jury member.
I can't put any stock in it.

According to Hoffman's book, Yesterday In Old Fall River, Alice was born in 1852 and died in 1941, so you can figure her age in 1892.

The FRHS published a "Quarterly Report" for a few years and one issue had an interesting story about Alice Russell with a picture of her as an old woman, in her "rest home." She was called "Lizzie's Turn-Coat Friend" by Alice's own relative- a cousin's in-law or someone like that I think?

NYTimes 12-6-1892 pt. 1

NYTimes, 12-6-1892-- after the Indictment of Lizzie Andrew Borden- pt.2

Grand Jury minutes are secret because they can damage and defame an individual even if they vote a 'no bill'. If they vote a 'true bill', the testimony will be used in the trial by the prosecution.
It is to protect the innocent. If they failed to indict Lizzie, then we would never have heard of Alice Russell's statments. (As I remember it.)

RayS @ Wed Jun 21, 2006 3:03 pm wrote:Grand Jury minutes are secret because they can damage and defame an individual even if they vote a 'no bill'. If they vote a 'true bill', the testimony will be used in the trial by the prosecution.
It is to protect the innocent. If they failed to indict Lizzie, then we would never have heard of Alice Russell's statments. (As I remember it.)

Protect the who?

Yooper @ Wed Jun 21, 2006 3:32 pm wrote: Protect the who?

You must learn a little more about the justice system. Not every one investigated is indicted; ever hear of politics?
F. Lee Bailey's "The Defense Never Rests" has some interesting stories.