Lizzie Borden Society Forum

No new revelation, but more odd behavior by our Borden cast of characters.

Andrew was very likely killed within 5 minutes of when Lizzie found him.
Why did Lizzie first ask Bridget to seek a doctor, but even more oddly, second choice was Alice Russell. How and why didn't she suspect the killer was near her somewhere and demand the police be secured for safety?

Ok, that question has been asked ad nauseum.

But along the exact same line and equally, or possibly more perplexing...why did Officer Allen come into the house, check out AJB's body, confirm the front door was locked, peeked in the front foyer closet and then go back to the police station to report in? How alarmingly cavalier about the safety of those in the house. He had zero reason to know that the killer had fled the scene.

Panic is one thing, but complete dereliction of duty to secure citizens safety at the scene is another. Even Sawyer, not a trained police officer was smart enough to lock the inside 1st floor cellar door just in case the killer was lurking in the cellar.

This case was bumbled from the beginning - Marshall Hilliard gets a phone call about the borden house. Instead of sending a patrolman or detective - he sends in the Commiting officer - Allen. After he was aware of what happened via John Cunningham's message about a stabbing affair at the Borden house.

That may not sound like to big of a deal but my understanding about these prisoner intake officers is that they do not carry weapons. Maybe they did.

Personally ? - I dont think he had one. Because the nature of his job does not require one. I am guessing - That's why jailers or prison guards don't carry weapons - that is just a disaster waiting to happen in case an inmate decides he wants one of his own.

Nevertheless, Allen was not the right person to send initially - or at all for that matter. We all know how short staffed they were on that day because of the event - but Mullally was available and went when Allen went to the house the 2nd time.

As for Allen and common sense. when you see a hacked body in a room he should have evacuated the house - Lizzie , Maid , Churchill , Russell and Bowen. The only thing he should have done was to secure the doors / freshly washed windows and the property. And have someone get help from the station - he should not have left.

The only reason I make a point of him not being a regular officer -and maybe not being armed is because of the potential danger that might have been inside of that house - still. If he did have a gun then fine. But if not then hanging around unarmed, after seeing what can happen is just dumb.

Good points. I had forgotten he was not a street officer.