Lizzie Borden Society Forum

The day of the murders, Lizzie said the killer was not Bridget and was not anyone who worked for her father.

Later in life, she said that she stayed in Fall River because she was waiting for the killer to be found out, and she said it like she knew who it was.

Who could she have meant?

I don't think Lizzie ever named a specific suspect but she did refer to her uncle Hiram Harrington as one who had had trouble with her father. Whether that was payback for Harrington's comments he made on her and published in the papers is a possibility.

The police didn't think too highly of Harrington. Radin has this to say on page 189 (paperback):

"The story of family dissension told by Hiram C. Harrington, Borden's blacksmith brother-in-law, needs little explanation because it is just that---a wild and woolly story. One of the Fall River Globe reporters, who was local correspondent for the New York World, telegraphed Harrington's story to the New York paper but added an important qualifying sentence: "Mr. Harrington is embittered against the family and does not hesitate to make startling statements." Even Knowlton doesn't seem to have been very impressed with Harrington's story. After he questioned Harrington at the secret inquest, he never called him as a witness at the trial."

I assume that Lizzie said the things she did in order to redirect the blame from herself onto someone else.


I highly doubt she stayed in Fall River just to see the murderer captured. But, it's a nice thought!

Here's a list of suspects.
I know you've read it before Augusta- but maybe someone can find a possible on it:
http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Crime ... tsList.htm

Kat @ Wed Aug 16, 2006 12:07 am wrote:Here's a list of suspects.
I know you've read it before Augusta- but maybe someone can find a possible on it:
http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Crime ... tsList.htm

THAT is "raw data". Aside from the unknowns (no names given) there must be a ranking of most likely suspects.
Wasn't there a William Brayton who was questioned? He said he would get even with Andrew Borden if it was the last thing he did. Remember this from Brown's or someone else's book.

Harry - Interesting post on Harrington, especially the last half. I thought Harrington might be too obvious a suspect, when Lizzie talked about staying in FR to see the real killer caught. Everyone must have known she named Hiram in 1892.

E - No, that was not the only reason Lizzie chose to stay in Fall River. It was her home - her dream was to be up on The Hill. And, despite what we've been told for years she did have friends in FR. She also might have made it up, that she knew who it was, to take suspicion away from herself. Or maybe she didn't say it at all.

Kat, Kat, Kat. What a great piece of research you did on your Suspects List. Thanks! And thanks for posting the URL.

That Yankee Dan sounds interesting ...