Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I caught something today I don't exactly understand in Phebe Bowen's testimony at the Preliminary Hearing (Koorey, Koorey & Widdows, Pear Tree Press, Orlando, FL, 2006, pages 409-411).

She testifies that Bridget came back to her house a second time, this time asking her to come over per Lizzie's request. She went but stayed only a short time. I tend to forget that, being so wrapped up in Bridget going for Dr. Bowen, then running for Alice Russell on that busy morning.

Interesting to read that Alice Russell told Mrs. Bowen to rub Lizzie's hands, and Lizzie shook her head no. But the following courtroom exchange is interesting as well.

Q: Did you go away before Lizzie went into the dining room?

A: I came out just, I think, as she was going in. Miss Russell asked Lizzie if she would go into the dining room, if she would take the chair in, as she thought it was cooler in that room. Somebody asked for a fan, and Lizzie told Bridget to go into the dining room closet and get the fan...

What kind of fan would that be? As I understand in 1892, people did have available to them an electric socket that you could plug in one of the new electric inventions, such as an electric mixer and stuff you see advertised in old catalogs.

Is it possible that this was an electric fan? They did have them back then - those smallish round fans with like three big blades.

I don't think you had to have your whole house equipped with electricity to have one of those plugs. I think gaslight was as advanced as they were then in home lighting, but this electric socket came before electricity on a large scale.

I can't imagine what other kind of fan would be kept in the closet. I don't think any kind of paper, hand fan fits here.

If you go here..

http://www.officemuseum.com/photo_gallery_1890s.htm

And scroll down to the 11th entry-- they show an office photo from the 1890's with a fan atop the desk.

Thanks for the great link, Audrey! I bookmarked it.

I didn't see a fan in the 11th entry. But I saw one in another photo on there.

I think there's a photo in Judith Boss's "Pictorial History of Fall River" that shows one.

From Alice Russell's testimony:

Q. Where was she when you saw her during any time that morning when you were there? A. I asked her to go into the dining room and said, "It is warm here; don't you want to go into the dining room and lie down?" And she went there.

Q. What was done with reference to Miss Lizzie?

A. I think I fanned her.

Source: http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/project ... imony.html

This sounds like a manual hand fan to me, not an electric model.

Oh my gosh. I hate to say it, but it's a bit dangerous to go outside the web site for testimony. Unless it has been proofread by a pro, I wouldn't count on it being correct.
So I can only caution.

There are PDF downloads at:
http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/CrimeLibrary.htm

Was that a standard closet with a rod and (probably) a plank across the top to act as a shelf or was it all shelves?

Anyone know?

According to Kent, page 19:

"Adelaide Churchill and Alice Russell hovered over the ashen faced Lizzie, alternately wiping her forehead with a cool cloth and fanning her with a straw fan imprinted with the advertisement of the Fall River Ice and Cold Storage Company. They were gathered in the kitchen, out of the way of the policemen who milled around in the entryway, the dining room, and the sitting room."

How Kent can be so specific as to the fan is the question.

Police Officer Doherty testified at the Trial, page 604:

"Q. Did you see while you were there Miss Russell or Mrs. Churchill fanning Miss Lizzie?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When was that?
A. When I spoke to Miss Lizzie.
Q. That was during that conversation?
A. Miss Russell was standing there with a paper or fan, I won't be positive which."

Also, Smith's Drugstore where Lizzie allegedly attempted to buy Prussic Acid had an electric fan.

According to Kent, page 19:

"Adelaide Churchill and Alice Russell hovered over the ashen faced Lizzie, alternately wiping her forehead with a cool cloth and fanning her with a straw fan imprinted with the advertisement of the Fall River Ice and Cold Storage Company. They were gathered in the kitchen, out of the way of the policemen who milled around in the entryway, the dining room, and the sitting room."

That's kinda funny when you think Lizzie probably had just "Iced" her dad.

StevenB

In 1892, the Fall River Ice Co. was at #41 & 43 Third Street.
Their ad is on the back cover of the City Directory.

Hurray! We were talking about this on the thread about Third and Fourth Sts awhile back. Still no news on what that funny brick building is next to Cook Borden's place.