Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I know this has probably been talked about before, but Andrew had no will that we know of, so who got what and how much. I know that Emma and Lizzie got the lion share of the estate, but who decided they would get it? Was it Lizzie and Emma that decided what everyone got? Is this written down as to who go what and how much.

I mean who determines what you get when there is now will. People could have came out of the wood works claiming to be relatives of Andrew, and they could have had this tied up in court for years.

Andrew Borden's lawyer, Andrew Jennings was on the scene fairly quickly. I believe Emma testified she "called for" him. The bodies were barely cold before Jennings petitioned the court on Emma & Lizzie's behalf with a statement that they were the "sole heirs" of Andrew J. Borden, whose wife had "predeceased him". In fact, I think it may have been the very day after the murders. Regardless, it appears that they had decided before even the medical evidence was fully in that Abby had died 1st. This worked out to their advantage, because if Andrew had left a widow, even for a minute, "the girls" probably would have had to share the estate with Abby's family.

Yes, the quickness in filing must have been because there was some concern that Abby's relatives might file as well. A pre-emptive strike?