L I z z I e B o r d e n A little over a century ago a gruesome double murder was committed, in the 2- ½ story house at 92 Second Street, in Fall River, Massachusetts. This crime shocked the nation as Lizzie Borden, a 32-year-old Sunday school teacher, went on trial for the murder of her father and her stepmother. An all male jury eventually acquitted her on the accusations. To this day, the murderer of Andrew J. Borden and Abby Gray Borden is still unknown, but in the public mind everyone believes it was Lizzie Borden. Lizzie was born and grew up in Fall River, Mass. She was the youngest daughter of Andrew Jackson Borden, who was a very successful Banker and Sarah Morse Borden. Sarah died when Lizzie was very young and Andrew then married Abby Durfee Gray. Lizzie grew up with an elder sister, Emma. Neither of them has ever married. The sisters hated their stepmother, mainly because of the family's inferior social position. On the day of August 4, 1892, the bodies of Andrew Borden and his wife were found mutilated. As opposed to 40 whacks, in the popular rhyme, 19 blows struck Abby Borden by a hatchet or axe to the back of her head and neck. At the time she was cleaning the guestroom of the family home, at 9:30 am. Andrew Borden, who had returned home around 10:30 am, after his daily business had been attended to, was either napping or reading the newspaper on a couch in the parlor, when he was attacked. 11 blows were rained upon Mr. Borden's head and face, to the point that one eye hung from its socket upon his cheek, and his close friend and physician, Dr. Bowen, couldn't recognize him. There were only two people in or about the house at the time of the killings, Lizzie Andrew Borden and Bridget Sullivan, the Borden's maid. There is some speculation as to others that may have been responsible for these heinous acts. Among the other alleged killers are John Morse, the brother of Andrew's first wife, a secret lover Lizzie was said to have, though never named, Emma Borden, Lizzie's elder sister, and William Borden, who, while legally Andrew's second cousin, was rumored to really be his illegitimate son.
