Lizzie Borden Society Forum

From the Preliminary Hearing transcript, Fleet being interviewed:

Q. Did she say anything to you about when she last saw Mrs. Borden?
A. Yes. I asked her when she saw Mrs. Borden last. She said the last time that she saw her was about nine o’clock that morning, when she was going down stairs. “Where did you see her then?” “I saw her in the room where she was found murdered.”

From the Inquest, Lizzie being interviewed:
Hosea Knowlton Where was your father when you came down Thursday morning?
Lizzie Borden Sitting in the sitting room in his large chair, reading the Providence Journal.
Hosea Knowlton Where was your mother? Do you prefer me to call her Mrs. Borden?
Lizzie Borden I had as soon you called her mother. She was in the dining room with a feather duster dusting.
Hosea Knowlton When she dusted did she wear something over her head?
Lizzie Borden Sometimes when she swept, but not when dusting.
Hosea Knowlton Where was Maggie?
Lizzie Borden Just come in the back door with the long pole, brush, and put the brush on the handle, and getting her pail of water; she was going to wash the windows around the house. She said Mrs. Borden wanted her to.

I couldn't find the exact quote from Bridget and I don't trust AI for an exact reading of testimony. Does anyone know what Bridget said about when and where Lizzie and Abby were last seen together?

I need to take more time and line up Lizzie and other testimony, but I think I found another issue:

I think this is true, but correct me if I'm wrong:

1. Lizzie says she goes downstairs and sees her father in the sitting room and Abby in the dining room.

2. She says the only time she goes back upstairs that morning is to baste (quickly put a few sewing loops by hand, not a sewing machine) and she sees the door to the guest room is closed.

3. WHEN and HOW did she see Abby making the bed in the guest room that morning?

This does seem to be totally irreconcilable to me at the moment, but I need the exact testimony to be sure of it.

You are correct, Fleet's claim that Lizzie told him he saw Abby in the guest room was never a statement never repeated by Lizzie at the Inquest or during other police interrogations. If Fleet was not lying, then it is a pretty strong indictment against Lizzie's innocence. That said, there are enough flaws in the police techniques, including some contradictory testimony, to have a bit of doubt about Fleet's statement.

I can tell you are having fun studying and comparing various testimonies. That is the joy of this case. So many strings to pull on.

I don't believe Bridget testified seeing Abby and Lizzie together that morning. She did mention that she heard them speaking civilly to each other....I've presumed she over heard the same conversation that Lizzie details in the Inquest. Since I'm a 'Lizzie did it' advocate, I think Lizzie and Abby spoke very briefly and did not cover the multitude of topics Lizzie claimed.

Sadly for me being "I lean toward Lizzie is innocent," it does seem that if Lizzie did indeed say that to Fleet, it was a Freudian-slip style accidental confession of Lizzie, being her literal self, blurting out the truth about where she last Abby.... just before she killed her. But you have given me hope Camgarsky, reminding us about the "flaws" in police information gathering, because I have also stumbled into many conflicting statements in police reports compared to what they said on the stand, and what other witnesses said they remembered saying....

Camgarsky and TeenaBee (or any forum members who haven't posted recently) - I'll be visiting Fall River for the first time and staying at the Borden house in the Lizzie and Emma suite for one night next week. Do you have any photo requests from inside the house or around town? I'll try to get some of the more obscure parts of the house (closets, etc.) but I'm not sure how much freedom to take photos I'll have and what is locked from the public.

You will be in 7th heaven at the house. So surreal to actually be there.
I didn't spend the night, so I'm thinking you'll have good opportunities to take photos without rushing.

My tour group was about 5 people, but I straggled at the back and just 'took in' each room.

My tour guide had apparently read some of the 'novels' and shared some inaccurate information, so by the time we left the parlor (1st room to walk thru), I was only partially listening and mostly just absorbing each room. Best $30 I've ever spent!!

I wouldn't mind some pics showing the various views back in the kitchen and entry area. A photo from the former sink room door looking back into the kitchen would be priceless!!