Random Thoughts

Another look at Lizzie, part 2

 


Andrew and Abby Borden were murdered in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts, on August 4, 1892. The crimes obviously shocked the residents of that municipality, which is located near the Rhode Island border.

Fall River was an industrial town that had seen its population almost triple in the two decades preceding the murders. In the 1890 census, Fall River had 74,000 people – up from 26,000 in 1870.

The Bordens were one of the most affluent families in town. Andrew and his first wife, Sarah Morse, had amassed a fortune that was eventually worth the approximate equivalent of ten million of today’s dollars.

Andrew Borden was part-owner of several manufacturing and retail businesses and held extensive real estate and other financial interests. He was a bank president at the time of his death.

Sarah died in 1863 at the age of 39, leaving behind two daughters, Emma (who was 12 years old) and Lizzie (who was only 2). Sarah’s second-born child, Alice, had died shortly before her second birthday.

Andrew married Abby Gray three years after Sarah’s death. For whatever reason, Emma and Lizzie never liked their stepmother. As they grew older, they came to believe that she had married their father only for his money.

In the weeks prior to the murders, both Emma and Lizzie were upset because their father was giving away some of his real estate holdings to his second wife’s relatives.

Sarah Borden’s brother, John Morse, came to town on Aug. 3 presumably, in part, to discuss with Andrew these business dealings that were diminishing his nieces’ estates. He spent that night in the Borden house.

On the morning of Aug. 4, Andrew went for a walk, John Morse left to run an errand in town, and Abby was in an upstairs bedroom making the bed.

Also present in the house were Lizzie and a servant, Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan. Emma Borden was away, visiting friends in a town 15 miles from Fall River.

And then the murders occurred, as we will see next week!

 

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