Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I just published the April 2005 issue of The Hatchet: Journal of Lizzie Borden Studies. We have some truly great articles that I know you will enjoy!

**Eugene Hosey offers a brilliant critical analysis of The Legend of Lizzie Borden.
**Denise Noe explores the theme of pears in the case.
**Mary Elizabeth Naugle discusses Lizzie's relationship to the Christian Endeavor Movement.
**Sherry Chapman penned two pieces for us this go-around---another issue of her world-famous "Dear Abby" and an essay about Marion, MA.
**Newcomer Claire Somers lets us in on some VERY interesting information she learned on her last trip to Fall River.
**We have two new cartoons by artist/author TK Rouse!
**Fall River Lad Mark Amarantes presents an informative and intriguing glimpse at growing up in Lizzie's hometown.
**I am also pleased to present a candid interview with Lee-ann Wilber, new owner of 92 Second Street. I am sure you will find this interview interesting.
**In addition to all these fine pieces, I have included a four page reproduction of the American Illustrated article on the case from June 1893.

To those with subscriptions, please visit The Hatchet's site at:

http://www.hatchetonline.com/HatchetOnline/index.htm

To those who don't yet have a subscription, I have added a free issue download so you can sample the journal before you buy.

Enjoy!!

Ms. Claire Somers:

Please find that old woman again, as i (and i'm sure, others) are bursting with enthusiasm and curiosity about these spellbinding revelations. See if she will at least answer letters. (in fact, forward this.) i would very much like a copy of the Lizzie nude. if that's not possible, please return detailed descriptions of anything you've seen in the secret letters. no detail is too minor.

Thank you,
Haulover

I am half-way through, and you'll not get a word out of me about the shocking relevations Ms. Somers was privy (ha! ha!) to.

However, the chat with the new owner, Ms. Wilber (how funny that she's a Wilber, hmm?) was welcome. I hope all her dreams can be realized. I had the pleasure of meeting her last year (now that the weather's getting nicer, it's time for me to break out my LB B&B black polo shirt, no?).

Now, let me say how knocked out I was by Eugene's thoughtful and dreamy look at THE LEGEND OF LIZZIE BORDEN. I wish I had written this piece; I know now that he and I could sit and talk about the fine details of the film for hours and hours (case in point: Lizzie's use of her hand when Abby is discovered, a detail I've savored for years). He's sized up Mongomery's performance with a dazzlingly clear eye as to the psychology of the portrayal. I think he's outdone Gabriela Adler, and I say, bravo!

Wow, that's cool, Bob!
Very sincere sentiment from "The Prince of Bordenania" and The Prince of Broadway!

I love the issue! I just have one question. On page 3 concerning the man in the picture. If you blow it up, it looks quite possible it's nothing more than a shadow on the wall cast by some object in front of the camera. When I blew it up to and then zoomed into the picture, the man's face and body became just a mass of black and gray shadow. While Andrew's face and body was still discernable as a human form. If it is a man, why can you see the wall through his legs?

It's a good question about the man in the photo.
It's been studied and agreed that this is an example of a double-exposure. We've had a contest about who the guy is in a past issue of The Hatchet.:

Quote-In a crime scene photograph, taken just hours after the murder of Andrew Borden in the sitting room of his home at #92 Second Street, Fall River photographer James A. Walsh not only captured the horrible visage of the victim, but an eerie shadow of a man, apparently standing off to the right, looking at the camera...looking at us, down through the years.

There has always been discussion as to who this man might be, as there were quite a few doctors and officers of the law present in the house at the time.
It seems a good way to reach a consensus is to ask our readers their opinion as they attempt to compare the major characters in the case to this 'invisible man'.
Please give us your view- who do you think you see?

--More info on the characters, for your interest, is located at the LizzieAndrewBorden Virtual Museum & Libray
http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Crime ... acters.htm
End Quote


Here's an example:

(EDIT HERE):Also try:
http://lizzieborden.org/bordenphotos.htm
The picture you have seen so far is not as clear as at the FRHS website.
Click on the pic there to make it larger. It's amazing!

Yes Allen, that is an interesting picture. Isn't THE HATCHET a great thing ?!! I am not sure it is a shadow...but maybe someone with more of an expertise in photography could answer...Mark ...?


Tracy...

Yes Kat, that picture is much clearer, and you can indeed see a man in the corner. In the picture I was looking at it just looks like a black shadow against the wallpaper. But in this one you can clearly see it's a man. BUT WHO? Now I'm hooked on trying to figure it out. Could his clothes be a clue?

Did anybody identify the man off to the right side in the picture of Abby? I noticed it when I clicked on the link Kat posted for the FRHS website. The picture featured there of Abby shows a man off to the right side of the picture. Who is this man? Is it known?

http://lizzieborden.org/bordenphotos.htm

(edit thought I'd repost the link so you dont have to scroll up.)

thank you, Bob. i'm glad you enjoyed it. i appreciate your encouragement.

Eugene

______________________________


i love tina's cartoon of abby's shocked reaction to lizzie's nudity. i got to see it develop, and was very impressed.

The more I look at this picture, the more I agree that it is Harrington. I haven't been able to find another picture to match this mysterious "man in the photo" up with other than Harrington. I have looked in Rebello, and Yesterday in Old Fall River.


Tracy...

theebmonique @ Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:09 pm wrote:The more I look at this picture, the more I agree that it is Harrington. I haven't been able to find another picture to match this mysterious "man in the photo" up with other than Harrington. I have looked in Rebello, and Yesterday in Old Fall River.


Tracy...

To which picture do you refer to? The one of Andrew or the one of Abby?
I'm still comparing pictures for both of them.

I thought I would be posting on the Forum and reading the new issue of The Hatchet, guess who won? What a wonderful read, from start to finish! My only problem was that I wanted more. A round of applause for all the contributors and my two guardian angels who brought The Hatchet to me!

Yes...Eugene...your analysis of Legend is exquisite. I already loved the movie...and now I love it more. Although I am of the belief (presently anyway), that Lizzie didn't wield the axe, Montgomery's portrayal of the accused is riveting. She most certainly "had the look".

To "clarify:" the man to the right of Andrew - well, not a double exposure so much as an incomplete exposure. He didn't stay in frame long enough for his entire form to be captured by the very slow open shutter. Unfortunately, Andrew had no problem remaining still...

In the Abby photo taken from her feet, the complete print shows someone - the photographer's assistant? - cheekily sitting on the other side of the bed. And in the Abby in profile (bed removed) picture you can make out the actual camera and a bit of the photographer in the bureau mirror.

Thanks Bob! I used the wrong term- appreciate it!

I just finished the Hatchet, so enjoyable, I took notes: loved the pictures of the courtroom, very clever Sherry C, the print was too small on the "Illustrated American" to read on-line, I really loved Mark A's writing very good, interesting research on Christian Endeavorers and PEARS!, i enjoyed that. Eugene is a wonderful writer and what
a great review of the movie, loved the interview with LeeAnn, the cartoons and the new format with
slideshow feature is great. Great Job!

Stefani @ Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:50 am wrote:http://www.hatchetonline.com/HatchetOnline/index.htm

Please note the above URL currently is giving a HTTP 405 error. Most likely due to the server not allowing posting from that page.

I just check it and it works for me. Try this: hit the refresh button on your browser and see if the new page reloads. Sometimes the problem is as simple as this. If you still have trouble, please email me or post here with some info: your computer's operating system and the browser you are using.

Thanks!!

Allen Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 8:13 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

theebmonique @ Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:09 pm wrote:
The more I look at this picture, the more I agree that it is Harrington. I haven't been able to find another picture to match this mysterious "man in the photo" up with other than Harrington. I have looked in Rebello, and Yesterday in Old Fall River.


Tracy...


To which picture do you refer to? The one of Andrew or the one of Abby?
I'm still comparing pictures for both of them.

The picture of Andrew.


Tracy...

Adminlizzieborden @ Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:14 pm wrote:I just check it and it works for me. Try this: hit the refresh button on your browser and see if the new page reloads. Sometimes the problem is as simple as this. If you still have trouble, please email me or post here with some info: your computer's operating system and the browser you are using.

Thanks!!

I am running Windows ME here. I just rebooted, and even reset my DSL modem. In IE6, Opera and Firefox it returns a HTTP 405 server error:

"Method Not Allowed

"The requested method POST is not allowed for the URL /HatchetOnline/FreeIssue.htm."

I've yet to see this error caused other than server side problems. And given I used 3 different browsers, this does make client side issues seem unlikely.

This was another great issue!

I loved it all. I always do!

I always print it and take it about with me in my work satchel... I can re-read some of the articles over and over...

Magnifique!

How about:

Fleet
Doherty?
These pics are from Porter.
If you have that, you can compare more easily with the great quality photo at the FRHS site.

Could the person in Abby's picture be the same person that is in the picture of Andrew? If so, the face is a little clearer in the picture of Abby.

Oh, now I understand what you are doing----yes, there was an error in the HTML code for the free download. All is well now. I had someone else point this out and I was able to fix the problem.

You shouldn't have any difficulty now. Thanks for letting me know!

Thanks, Nancie and Bob G. Glad you enjoyed!

Haulover -
Believe it or not, I know Claire Somers. Wonderful lady - and easy on the eyes, too. She doesn't live too far from me. I'll let her know about your posted message. She said she talked to Elise yesterday and told her the article came out, and said Elise was real pleased. They are anxious to see if the leakage of Elise's news will prompt others to come out of the woodwork with their Lizzie treasures, too. Or if they're gonna be mad and chase her down some dark FR alley. (Actually they are all pretty old and the "chase" would be more of a "crawl".)

- Augusta

i will be glad to take protective custody of Elise if necessary.

__________

enjoyed the well-written "lizzie's fall river" as only a native can write. favorite sentence: "Children run crazily around the schoolyard without a care in their pre-pubescent lives, unaware that the footprints they are making in the dirt could be the same Ms. Lizzie made so many years ago."

Thank you . I'm glad that you enjoyed my little rambling about my hometown.
__________

"enjoyed the well-written "lizzie's fall river" as only a native can write. favorite sentence: "Children run crazily around the schoolyard without a care in their pre-pubescent lives, unaware that the footprints they are making in the dirt could be the same Ms. Lizzie made so many years ago."[/quote]