Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I took the liberty of absconding this newspaper illustration from Shelley's blog --- http://sanctaflora.wordpress.com/

Lizzie appears to be carrying flowers. These seem to blend into the hat of a woman in the crowd. Doesn't it look as tho Lizzie could be axe-ing this woman's head?

I've always wanted to point that out!

I think it would have been very effective for Lizzie to have adopted the habit of chopping the edge of her right hand into the palm of her left hand while stressing a point!

I could be off, but, I've always thought that thing in Lizzie's hand was her fan? I recall reading the newspaper accounts on how Lizzie had a Bombazine (I think) fan with her throughout the trial. Something about how she held it like a baton and at other times rested her chin on the top of the fan.

Yes- it was her fan. She was always fiddling with it. After we saw how small the courtroom was I understood how important it was to have a fan to veil an expression. She had NO privacy in that place with a million eyes staring at every movement. You could see every twitch and hear every sigh.

Oh! It is her fan and the top of the woman's hat makes it look like a bouquet of flowers! I could never tell that! Good eye! I actually put a hatchet in her hand in a fake foto I made from this picture years ago!

That courtroom didn't seem that small to me- my County courtrooms are not much bigger- maybe smaller, even. And newer of course.
How does one know that every sigh could be heard in the New Bedford courtroom during Lizzie's trial?

[quote="
That courtroom didn't seem that small to me- my County courtrooms are not much bigger- maybe smaller, even. And newer of course.
How does one know that every sigh could be heard in the New Bedford courtroom during Lizzie's trial?[/quote]

Compared to many other court rooms then and especially now- that is comparatively SMALL. The way the seats are arranged, when we all sat in the seats, jury box, judge's bench this month, it was very easy to see that Lizzie was truly on display on all sides. It was easy to see body language, slumped shoulders, facial expressions etc. from almost everywhere except the very back of her of course. The acoustics were also such that sounds are quite audible in that room as well. I have no doubt that Lizzie or her counsel directed her to be circumspect about her visible reactions and I think she used that fan so often to shield her mouth and face for the very reason that she could be seen and she needed to keep a guarded expression. It's amazing how the jury, newspaper people and onlookers will read much meaning into the slightest twitch, smile, sigh, hand gesture. It's unfair, but a fact of life. The newspapers, as it was, wrote volumes on her every motion, what she had on, movements, etc. Like sitting in a fishbowl. Newpaper artists who were really unsympathetic drew her in th emost unflattering way as manly, heavy jowled, unattractive and ruthless-looking. A few gave her a more feminine, dainty look. I would hate to have been under that much scrutiny in a small space.

Gosh that seems like a mighty long fan. It looks like what she's carrying is more akin to the mysterious club Alice found under the bed.

I've always wondered if the artist wasn't playing subliminal tricks in that illustration.

Its possible, whether conciously or unconciously, that the artist may have added their two cents to the drawing. Yes, the fan does appear to be long, but, when you look at the size of fan in Lizzie's lap in the illustration below, its huge. I wonder if there was any standard size to a lady's fan or not? Perhaps Shelley might know?


Image from the LBVM&L site.

Are you sure that isn't a turkey leg she's carrying?

...or a leg of mutton...

Well the courtroom was packed most days. I still can't imagine hearing a sigh of Lizzie over and above everything else going on during her trial. Yes, agreed she was watched, studied, put in the spotlight.

Has anyone here been in multiple courtrooms to compare their size? I've only been in the New Bedford one twice, but those in Orlando several times (new, as I mentioned).

I imagine a large fan would represent a place to hide for someone under scrutiny in a relatively small room. Perhaps a form of privacy?

Most older structures featured rooms made of "hard" materials, wood, glass, plaster, etc, materials which reflect sounds. The surfaces tend to be flat rather than contoured or uneven. They are acoustically "live" rooms because of this, and sound is transferred or reflected readily. The opposite would be a room with carpeting, upholstered furniture, and drapes or wall coverings. Sound doesn't reflect in those conditions. The photos of the courtroom seem to show a live room, but by the time the room is filled with people, the sound would not carry quite as well. The reference might have been made with respect to an empty courtroom which would have reflected sounds.

THanks.

I want to be sure to qualify my earlier remark about being in courtrooms, plural- it's as a potential jury member in voir dire, locally here!

I do notice tho no one has yet come forward who admits to having been in multiple courtrooms in order to compare their size.
Maybe this is a "Privy" question?

While I can't lay claim to multiple courtrooms, I did sit on a jury in the "Anatomy of a Murder" courtroom a few years back.

Was the courtroom in an older building- and was it large or small?
(I know the movie but can't recall the courtroom specifically.)

Old courtroom, fairly large room, reflective surfaces. I had no trouble hearing when people spoke, but I couldn't hear every sigh, whimper, and wheeze.