Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I found this information on a website. What is the source of this, and is it true, and if so, why?

"In the week before the murders, following an apparent family argument, Lizzie and her sister Emma left Fall River by coach for New Bedford. When Lizzie returned, she chose to stay in a rooming house for four days, rather than in her own room in the family residence."

Hi, Brian--

Lizzie stayed with the Poole (or Pool) family in New Bedford. It was a "boarding house" in the sense that Mrs. Poole's daughter, Carrie, and Mrs. Poole's brother paid the widow money to live there, as they were the two people who worked outside the home. The house was on the easterly (or lower) end of Madison Street. It is no longer standing.

Lizzie then took a trip with Mrs. Poole and sick daughter, Carrie, out of the hot city in the summer to cool rural Westport to visit Lizzie's old school friend, Augusta (Poole) Tripp. wife of Cyrus Tripp. This was an act of kindness as Carrie was ill with phthisis (another word for tuberculosis). Carrie would be dead within a year. (I'm tryling to look up an old post from several years ago--I want to say that Carrie had died by the time of Lizzie's trial, but I can't quite remember the details--I have a copy of her death certificate buried in my research somewhere).

I imagine Lizzie paid "board" to Mrs. Poole to cover washing bed linens and breakfast/dinner (though I cannot prove this). The Poole family was not at the financial level of the Bordens. So, yes definitely, Lizzie did board in a boarding house days prior to the murders.

Found it, Brian.

Carrie M. Pool died on June 18, 1893 of pulmonary phthisis. Lizzie was brought to New Bedford for trial on June 3, 1893, with the actual trial running June 5 to June 20, 1893.

According to Rebello, p. 62, Emma & Lizzie went to New Bedford on Thursday, July 21, 1892. Emma continued on to Fairhaven to visit the Brownells. Lizzie remained with the Pooles at 20 Madison Street. Lizzie went downtown New Bedford (a few short blocks) on June 23 to purchase some dress goods (unclear if for herself or for the Pooles). On Tuesday, July 26, they went to Westport.

From Rebello,

"They remained there for the day and returned to New Bedford so Lizzie could take the train back to Fall River."

Rebello also reminds me that Lizzie made a day trip to Dr. Handy's in Marion to visit 'the girls.' The exact date is unclear to me. Rebello quotes a New Bedford Evening Standard item from July 26 which mentions Lizzie "stopping at Blake's Point" on July 26 and from the Fall River Evening News of July 27, Lizzie is mentioned with the girls when the sloop, Mabel F. Swift, called at Blake's Point, Marion.

It would make more sense based on the newspaper dates that Lizzie took the train from New Bedford to Marion on July 26 (east from New Bedford) , and not back to Fall River (west of New Bedford).

I believe Augusta Tripp testified at Lizzie's inquest.

Harry, Kat...I need one of you to keep me honest at the end here!

Yes, Augusta Tripp, Lizzie's schoolmate, testified at the Inquest (pages 141-145). She was mainly questioned about the relationship between Lizzie and Abby.

As for Lizzie's side trip to Marion I could find no other sources than what you cited in Rebello. Drat!