Lizzie Borden Podcast, Episode 9: A Lizzie Borden Primer Part Four 

I think Lizzie was a very sympathetic person and also an enigma.

People who knew Lizzie have said her eyes were blue-grey. In photographs her eyes appear startlingly ice blue and pale. Film in those days was "blue blind". We can see this in early films, for instance Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle appears to have white eyes. A film technician overcame this effect in filming popular actress, Mary Miles Minter who had blue eyes. I do not remember how the technique worked but it had something to do with the subject staring at black velvet while being filmed. Nance O'Neil was the first actress to portray in film, Tsarina Alexandra, the last empress of Russia. This was after the revolution, so I think 1920's. I have wondered if this would have appealed to Lizzie. Concerning sister Emma's belief in Lizzie's innocence, sensationalists have, I think, missed a number of points. When Lizzie famously burned the dress, she did so in the kitchen while Emma was washing dishes. No precautions were taken to exclude anyone, including police officers who were around outside the house. Obviously Alice Russell walked in and observed. Despite Alice's warning at the time to Lizzie, nothing much happened between the sisters. When Alice told Emma and Lizzie that her conscience was bothering her and she would have to tell what she had seen, Emma told her to do whatever she felt she had to do. There is enough information available that one has to believe either that Emma covered for her sister or that she believed Lizzie to be innocent. I believe it is the latter. From the first time I read about this case I wanted to know about the rest of Lizzie's life, believing that if she was a murderess, her life would have reflected that fact. Modern profiling shows killers to have varying degrees of mental disorders ranging from narcissism to psychopathy. Lizzie loved animals and the people around her who were her friends. She never wavered in her concern for others, a trait uncommon among brutal killers. While I could imagine anyone becoming enraged under certain circumstances, enough to physically attack another human being, it requires a lot more to commit two brutal homicides, spaced apart by over an hour. It is said even serial killers have strong emotional reactions after they kill. How would we expect Lizzie to act after an axe murder if she had done it, even if she had done it in a rage? It appears to me that Lizzie spent quite a bit of time that fatal morning, handling her laundry. In testimony, whether inquest or other, we can see that she had sprinkled and ironed a number of handkerchiefs before the stove became too cool to heat the irons. In that day that was a time consuming task, even if only hankies were being ironed. After Lizzie retired to her room, after the murders were known, there is testimony that damp (sprinkled) but un-ironed hankies were brought to her room and spread out to dry. Also mentioned was a stack that had been ironed. Additionally, Lizzie claimed to have taken laundry to her room that morning and to have stitched some tape onto a garment. As she herself said at the inquest, she never did anything in a hurry. A psychopath might have been able to accomplish all of this plus two axe murders in a couple hours but I sincerely doubt Lizzie fits that category.

Fab video! Thank you so interesting. X

We can't assume a romantic affair with Nance O'neil. Understand that Lizzie was making up for lost time, almost living out her childhood and young adulthood with not many close friends and no boyfriends. She was longing for fun and acceptance and went about it in an immature way.

The public could never make up its mind about whether Lizzie did the murders. She was shunned after the verdict and yet all during the trial their were protests to her arrest. Does anyone know the significance of her naming the new estate “Maplecroft?” It really is quite a beautiful Mansion with even an indoor bathroom! If her father killed her pet pigeons with a hatchet then she may have used a hatchet as a signature payback.

why is this lady so sympathetic to Lizzie? OMG - Lizzie did it!

At some point I recall reading a tongue-in-cheek article where the issue of the Coachman Tatro was discussed in a way that seems entirely reasonable as to why Emma left the house. As I recall, the story went like this: Tatro had done something bad and Emma found out about it and turned him in to Lizzie. Lizzie believed Tatro over Emma, and then Emma decided this was the last straw. This was fictional, and yet it would seem to be a very good Solution as to why Emma left. The story continurs that at some point later the truth comes out- what Emma said was manifest and Lizzie fired Tatro but it was too late to restore relationship with Emma. This to me seems like a reasonable explanation, although there is no proof that it happened like that.

It seems there's a story within the story with you two.

Enjoyed the podcasts! I'm going to add IMO...just maybe Andrew was talking with Uncle John about writing a Will to protect Abby whom the girls didn't like. That's why business had to be discussed with John, uncle to his girls...A Will that was unexceptable to the daughter's and their Uncle. Emma and uncle John were close. A plan was made that even included the angry, somewhat crazy illegitimate son. The town of hundreds of Borden's just pushed, buried, ignored facts right under the rug. Uncle John even told Lizzy you will be suspect, but only stay in jail very short time. The 10 months in jail where she wouldn't give an inch Emma. There was some hate, jealousy of Abby and what's rightfully the family money.?.That's how they saw it.? Like crazy justice in their heads? The coat rolled up may have been used by William the son who was helped by Lizzie.....This will probably forever be the gruesome crime never solved....

She is what she is

Is the host saying Andrew Borden was worth $60 million. It was $6 million.

Well you don't know the whole story her father and stepmom were extremely abusive to her just terribly .So i wouldn't blame her for just snapped one day and killed them both .I realise she shouldn't of went that far .But they were down right mean to her .Some now speculate that the sister did it .Bit I wouldn't hate her for doing it .treat your children with love and respect.and this ordeal wouldn't have happened .

the picture you have still shows those crazy eyes

after she had gone through what she went thru? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING! SHE GOT AWAY W/MURDER~!

Based on her before and after lifestyle, it surely doesn’t seem she would have done the murders. How could you out of the blue do this ‘perfect’ double murder…carry it off so successfully. There’s nothing else in her life to indicate the cunning and smarts, really, I just don’t see it. Maybe I’m wrong!

Her church ostracized her. They should have read the Bible. It teaches redemption and forgiveness. It amazes me how many Christians seem to forget that.