Lizzie Borden Society Forum

From what I have been reading in the newspapers from the NYTimes archives there was some serious embezzling and doctoring of books going on in the Fall River Mills around 1878-79 which involved the Borden and Durfee families. Waltery Paine admitted to taking money from the company in an "amount greater than his salary" starting around 1860. I'm still looking for more articles and trying to verify this through other sources, but I find this all very interesting. Does anyone else possibly have information concerning all this?


May - June 1878 - S. Agier Chace arraigned in superior court on the charge of embezzlement. George T. Hathaway,cousin of S. Agier Chace, indicted on 6 counts of embezzlement. George Hathaway made incriminating statements about Holder Borden as well.

July - August 1879. George B. Durfee and his mother Fidelia Durfee - property attached by Merchants and Mechanics Bank of Fall River in the amount of $75,000. George B. Durfee was charged with making investments in wool with company money but not putting these investments on the books, therefore embezzling funds.

August 1879- Walter Paine embezzled funds from American Linen Company. He was indicted and supposedly fled.

September 1879 -Jefferson Borden property attached by Fall River Savings Bank in the amount of at least $13,500 in consequence of actions by his son's in law Walter Paine 3d, and George B. Durfee which left him in debt to creditors.

September 1879- Spencer Borden and Jefferson Borden Jr. had attachments made to their property by the Fall River Savings Bank due to the fact they were "involved in their father's failure".

Now that is news to me, I'll have to look it up. Thanks, Allen

Terence Duniho wrote an LBQ article about "Friends Since Boyhood" where he exposes Mr. Carpenter's embezzlement of Andrew J. Borden and his partner Wm Almy!
Carpenter was investigated as the possible murderer of the Bordens because of this felonious past.

http://lizzieandrewborden.com/Resources ... Auth.htm#d
Duniho, Terence. "Friends From Boyhood: A Police Officer and an Embezzler." Lizzie Borden Quarterly VIII.3 (July 2001): 7, 17-20.
Duniho follows the trail of Joseph W. Carpenter, Jr., an employee of Andrew J. Borden who had embezzled $6,700 from Borden & Almy as a possible suspect in the murder of Andrew and Abby Borden.

Also, check out "Suspect Carpenter" from my list, pg. 2:
http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Crime ... tPart2.htm

Joseph W. Carpenter, Jr. — William L. Masterton. Lizzie Didn't Do It!, 2000, pg. 229-31. Also Ashton, " Hip-bath Collection," pg. 218, Jennings notes, "P. Clarkson Alfred -- exam (?) told me about Joe Carpenter." Also, Rebello, pg. 56: " . . . employed as a bookkeeper for Borden and Almy from 1874-1878 . . . dismissed . . . became an early suspect." Pg. 132-3: An unnamed informant to a local paper in Rochester, N.Y., claimed Carpenter had "embezzled the funds of the firm." Also, Knowlton Papers, pg. 99- 100, letter #HK098 and #HK099: “Jennings tells me a story about one Joe Carpenter, who had a grudge against Borden, who he says ought to have been looked up,” pg. 153-4, letter #HK143: Joseph Carpenter swore before a Notary Public his whereabouts the day of the murders. Victoria Foreman " . . . occupies the premises Nos. 33 and 35 Maiden Lane, in said City [Albany, N.Y.], and rents furnished rooms in said premises . . . " swears to same Notary Public Mr. William F. Beers, as to truthfulness of Carpenter's statement as far as she knows, dated Jan. 24, 1893.