Lizzie Borden Society Forum

In his Inquest testimony (p. 104), Morse said that, when he returned to the Borden house, there was nothing to attract his attention at all (the question was: “You did not see any excitement in the yard or ot the street?”)

But in the Witness statements registered by John Fleet (p. 3) on August 4th, Morse said that “… and got to Mr. Borden’s house about or near twelve o’clock. Saw a number of persons around of house, and was told that Mr. and Mrs, Borden was killed.” Since Morse was told the murder news outside of the house, and he made his statement in chronological order (“Saw a number of persons…and was told…”), the most reasonable conclusion, in my opinion, should be that he saw a number of persons outside of the house.

Now let’s see how others testified. We begin with Mrs. Churchill (Inquest testimony, p. 131):

Q: Was there much of a crowd there when Mr. Morse got home?
A: Quite a number out in the yard, they had not got into the house, a great many of them.
Q: Where did Mr. Morse come from?
A: The back part of the yard, or from the street.
…
Q: As your memory is, there were some people in the yard at the time?
A: I think the crowd had come; it is my impression they had. I don’t know how much of I crowd there was until I went home.

Mr. Sawyer’s Inquest testimony (p. 139):

Q: Was there much of a crowd there at that time (when Mr. Morse got home)?
A: At that time there was quite a little crowd there.
Q: In the house, or out in the street?
A: They had been driven out of the yard by an officer there in attendance.
Q: The officers were there then?
A: Yes, when he came.
Q: Were the people in the street?
A: Yes Sir.
Q. Many?
A: Well, yes sir I should say there was. My view was limited, not more than the width of the yard, but the fences appeared to be pretty well filled up; and previous to that, there had been quite a crowd in the yard.

For me it’s difficult to believe that the officers (probably) in the yard and the crowd who filled up the fences (even though outside the yard) didn’t attract Morse’s “attention at all” when he returned.

My conclusion: Morse, most probably, lied in his Inquest testimony, making conflicting statement against the witness statement of himself.

You have to keep into account that back in the 1890's that life was different than today. The Borden house was on a busy street, and folks are going about their daily activities regularly. I don't think Morse thought that there were a great deal of people gathered around the house, and if people were on the street what does it matter? He saw no "Excitement" and was told that about the killings outside of the house, so what is your suspicion? If he was told about the killings inside of the house would it have made a difference?

Smudgeman wrote:You have to keep into account that back in the 1890's that life was different than today. The Borden house was on a busy street, and folks are going about their daily activities regularly. I don't think Morse thought that there were a great deal of people gathered around the house, and if people were on the street what does it matter? He saw no "Excitement" and was told that about the killings outside of the house, so what is your suspicion? If he was told about the killings inside of the house would it have made a difference?

For me that "people were on the street" and were "going about their daily activities regularly" is a matter, that a crowd filled up the fences is another matter, very different one.

If people were gathered around the fences, it would be because 2 people were dead, not because Morse came home. It would be more suspicious if he said he saw no one. I don't know how you think he should have acted? If he was in on it, I would think he would act surprised and make a big deal of it which he did not.

It seems the 'auspiciousness' occurs b/c apparently when Morse arrived back at the Borden home there were people milling about out front, hanging on the fences, and apparently discussing the murders. It seems Morse walked casually to the back yard, ate 'some pears' then casually went inside where he apparently found out the truth. This does seem very suspicious to me, but not knowing all the facts, I can't say it makes him culpable. It depends which route he arrived at the house, if he over-heard the murder talk, and if the throngs of people were blatantly in front of the Borden home. I agree that being on a busy street, it would have perhaps appeared a bit much, but not 'wildly out of the ordinary' to see groups of people. Not enough evidence to form conclusions...

Morse was told twice by Bridget and Mr. Sawyer, outside the house, that Mr. And Mrs. Borden were murdered. When he entered in the house and was told for the third time by Mrs. Churchill the same news, Morse said "what (?)"

Morse remained a few minutes outside to prepare himself before entering on the stage, but what a bad actor he was!