Lizzie Borden Audio

Send us a text In this episode, we plunge into the murky waters of the Lizzie Borden murder case, dissecting the chaos and confusion that followed the brutal slayings of Andrew and Abby Borden on that fateful August day in 1892. With original witness statements from the time, we aim to sift through the historical noise and uncover the contradictions that have kept this case alive for over a century.  We scrutinize the accounts of key witnesses, from the first responders, Officer George W. Allen and Dr. Bowen, whose premature conclusions raise serious questions, to Lizzie’s own contradictory statements that leave us guessing. What was she really doing in the barn? And why did she resist a search of her room?  Bridget Sullivan, the maid, provides a crucial timeline that clashes with Lizzie’s narrative, while the mysterious club found under Alice Russell's bed and the suspicious behavior of those involved hint at deeper secrets. We delve into the ethical quagmire of the investigation, exploring allegations of bribery and witness tampering that cast a shadow over the entire legal process.  As we navigate through the testimonies, it becomes clear that the human element—fear, bias, and self-preservation—plays a pivotal role in this tragic saga. Join us as we unravel the threads of this infamous case, still shrouded in mystery and intrigue, leaving us to ponder: what really happened in that house on Second Street?

Send us a text A new experimental podcast where I try out a new format with no background music or host to educate you as two Lizzie Borden Trial experts analyze Moody's compelling two-hour opening statement in 56 minutes, commercial-free. This was Moody's first murder trial at the age of 40. Mrs. Churchill's Inquest is coming soon. Subscribe so you don't miss it!  TIMECODES: 00:00    INTRO - MOODYS DEMONSTRATES THE TIMELINE of AUGUST 4, 1892  00:56    The Horror of the Crime 01:26    Classic Opening 02:00    The Difficulty of Acquiring the Transcripts Going Back to Author Ed Pearson in the 1920s  02:21    A Roadmap of the Prosecution's theory 03:12    Their First Shot of Persuasion 04:37    Old Common Law Language of the Jury's Duty  05:10    Moody Describes the Crime as Unthinkable 06:45    Moody Tells the Jury to Focus on the Facts & Not Her Character 07:39    Moody Begins to Describe the Family starting with Andrew Borden 09:02     Describes the Layout of the House on a Busy Street in Broad Daylight 10:10     Describes the 3 Exterior Doors of the House 10:40     Moody Describes the Tension & Unkindly Feeling in The House 10:45     He Prepares the Jury for Circumstantial Evidence 11:10     Moody describes the benefaction of property given by Andrew to a relative of Mrs. Borden 11:30     This caused a giant shift in the house between the sisters and Mrs. Borden  17:55     Who Was In The House the Day Before the Murders? 18:30     Sudden violent illness in the house 18:59     Moody connects illness to Lizzie's attempt to buy Poison the Day Before the illness 20:00     Lizzie Visits Best Friend Alice Russell Evening Before the Murders predicting Doom 21:00     The Day of The Murders  22:00     Moody Emphasizes the Locked Doors of the House 22:50     Moody Walks Through the Timeline of the Murders  23:45     Bridget Vomits Breakfast in Back Yard    24:04     Mrs. Borden Tells Bridget to Wash the Windows While She Goes Upstairs and  tends to                 Pillowcases in the Spare Bedroom that Uncle John Morse Had Slept In during the night 26:56     Moody ascertains that Andrew Borden Arrived at 10:40 am in Contrast to Neighbor who swore she saw Andrew attempting to Unlock His Own Front Door with a Key at 10:32 am 28:55     Lizzie Begins Ironing Handkerchiefs according to herself 30:40     The General Alarm of the Murders Came at 11:15 am to the FRPD Station 34:30     Impossible to Believe Lizzie Eating Pears in the Upstairs Loft of the Barn looking for lead- No footprints in Dust - While Andrew Borden Was Being Murdered according to Officer Medley 35:19     Lizzie suddenly insists she heard Mrs. Borden Come In after asserting All Morning She Was Out to See a Sick Friend  - then Why Was She Sending Bridget Out on Errands To Look For Her? 36:40     Lizzie Changed Clothes While Upstairs into a Prink Wrapper while alone in her room 37:30     Establishing the Order of Deaths - Abby first -cold & clotted - Andrew warm & dripping blood 38:25     Moody Describes the Stomach Contents of Andrew Borden Indicative of Time of Death 39:00     Abby Borden's Stomach Contents Suggest Prior Death by 60+minutes  40:10     Lizzie disclosed that she turned her clothing over to the police several days after the murders 40:22     Professor Wood descr

Send us a text Enigmatic Nellie McHenry arrived in Fall River alongside her husband, Detective Edwin McHenry, shortly after the brutal murders of Andrew and Abby Borden. Dubbed the "mysterious lady in black" by local newspapers, Nellie would provide important clues about the household by disguising herself as a relative of the late Mrs. Borden and skillfully gained the trust of Bridget Sullivan, the Borden family’s maid to extract confidential details about the household. Bridget spoke candidly, revealing key insights that she never disclosed during her preliminary or superior court testimony. However, the world remained unaware of Nellie McHenry’s undercover work until 1989, when the grandson of Prosecutor Hosea Knowlton donated his grandfather's legal files to the Fall River Historical Society—documents that were later published in 1994. Among Bridget’s revelations was the denial of Lizzie’s claim that a messenger boy delivered a note summoning Mrs. Borden to visit a sick friend. For one, the front door was still double-locked, forcing Mr. Borden to be let in by Bridget upon his return. Additionally, Mrs. Borden never left the house without informing Bridget, even for something as simple as a yeast cake. Bridget had attempted to leave her position three times, but each time, Mrs. Borden persuaded her to stay by increasing her wages. Though reluctant to share specifics, Bridget admitted that living and working in a household devoid of love was too difficult for her.  Nellie McHenry is played by Tanya Montoya. VoiceOver Narrator: Mike Paine Interview by Borden Experts created with Google Notebook LLM. Trial testimony provided by the website of LizzieAndrewBorden.com with permission from Stefani Koorey.  Royalty-free music: Unstoppable and Adrenaline by Jon Wright  Other sources: The Knowlton Papers by FRHS  The Case Against Lizzie Borden by William Spencer. Directed & Produced by Kate Lavender Visit Lizzie Borden Audio on my YouTube channel and leave a comment!  https://www.youtube.com/@lizziebordenaudio

Send us a text This episode contains new information of Lizzie refusing a search and barring the officers from looking inside her room or bureau. Later this information would be disputed as tho it never happened. Read it for yourself in the book "The Jennings Journals, 1892" by the Fall River Historical Society. What was she hiding? Please leave a comment if you know. Alice said she knew "it was cold blooded murder" implying it was Lizzie by the way that her Uncle, John V. Morse, looked directly into Lizzie's eyes and cried out, "How in the name of God does something like this happen, Lizzie?" when he became emotionally distraught upon hearing that the Bordens had been brutally slain in the few hours since they had all dined together at breakfast. On further reflection I believe that John Morse was the one person that truly grieved over the loss of Andrew and Abby Borden as he found in Andrew a brotherly, best friend that he could confide in financially and share a sense of belonging as brother-in-laws, his Fall River family for over 42 years when his sister Sarah married Andrew. They were very much alike and shared many secrets which Emma would pry out of him by her letter writing. The information of John Morse is known to me bc I have recorded the inquest of Charles Sawyer which also goes into more detail about the anguish that John Morse exhibited that day. Unlike Lizzie who was busy swooning. Included is the expert testimony of Dr. Ed Wood, Professor of Chemistry at Harvard Medical School and his autopsy results of the stomach contents of Andrew and Abby Borden for prussic acid. Unfortunately, he says he would need at least a full two weeks to test for other poisons. The Flat Iron Theory as a murder weapon is discussed in a letter written to the District Attorney in a letter. Alice hints that she changed after she found a big ugly stick that scared her under the bed she slept in suggesting that Lizzie may have planted it there. But the FRPD did another thorough search during the funeral and they are the ones that put it back under the bed that made her take notice. I think she changed because of something else she saw or heard regarding Lizzie's behavior - was it because of the dress burning? Was it because she never saw Lizzie cry but only swoon? Alice Russell played by Shaily Rae Smith D.A. Hosea Knowlton played by Tim Dennis HK006 - What Became of the Piece of Lead? by Brenda McGinnis Irish Cop and Narration by DJ/Radio Star Jack Cone Lizzie Barrs the Officers: Tanya Montoya as Lizzie Borden Tim Dennis as Officer Harrington Dr. Ed Wood played by David Loftus John V. Morse & Flat Iron Theory by Jack Dabdoub Lizzie's Axe by David Loftus FATAL CHOICE opening music by eBunny CANDY FACTORY by Roman Cano (Alice's theme) SPOOKY WALTZ by Elena Naumova (Lizzie's new Axe) SHIMMERING WATERS by Jon Wright (Flat Iron Theory) HAPPY HALLOWEEN by Ahoami (Closing theme) Trial transcripts provided with permission by Stefani Koorey and the website LizzieAndrewBorden.com Produced by Kate Lavender Please leave a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! Podcast Superstar and mentor Courtney Kocak has a new podcast called "THE BLEEDERS" for writers that want to get published. Courtney interviews the top people in the industry, authors, agents and marketers on how to write and sell your book! She’s got you covered with a podcast, a Substack AND a Youtube video!!  We can’t get enough of Courtney and NEITHER WILL YOU! That’s “The Bleeeeeeeders” a show for writers that want to learn all the secret hacks that attract eyeballs to your writing… follow Courtney Kocak on X for the deals and steals that helped her get her show to Number 1 on Apple Podcasts! And thanks for