New Delhi: Not all thrillers have a conclusive ending with the murderer getting caught and convicted. There are some tales of famous crimes (alleged since not proven) which have remained unsolved and continue to puzzle and fascinate the common people who invariably love thrilling stories. One such tale is that of Lizzie Borden, the famous murder suspect in the United States who got away with her crimes.
What did Lizzie Borden do?
The suspected crimes of Lizzie Borden are one of the most famous in the criminal history of the US with the barbarity of the murders captivating the imagination of the national press and the general public. She was accused of hacking down her father and stepmother with a hatchet, even though in popular narrative, the murder weapon is considered to be an axe. Whoever committed the crime delivered 19 blows on 64-year-old Abby Borden and 10 to 11 blows on her father Andrew Borden, simply butchering them to death.
When did the murders take place?
Andrew Borden was a wealthy person who lived on the Fall River in Massachusetts. It is a textile mill town 50 miles south of Boston. He invested in mills, banks and real estate but was known to keep up a humble appearance. Three years after his wife, Lizzie’s mother died, Andrew married for the second time in 1865. Lizzie was a popular person who indulged in extensive charity work. While her father was known to be dour, and Lizzie and her elder sister Emma were ever at odds with him and their stepmother, often over financial matters.
The murders took place on the morning of August 4, 1892. At around 11 am, Lizzie said that she came into the house from the barn and discovered her father’s body butchered to death. The dead body of Abby was found upstairs, even more brutally mutilated. According to medical examinations, her death took place an hour or so before the death of her husband.
The trial and acquittal
Lizzie Borden was a Sunday school teacher at her wealthy Central Congregational Church and those who belonged to her social class thought that a person like her would not slaughter her parents. However, the police, during the interrogation, found her answers to be vague and not factual. Moreover, she did not cry at the death of her parents, which increased their suspicion. It was also found during the investigation that Borden tried to buy deadly prussic acid from a nearby drugstore a day before the murders.
In June 1938, the police arrested Lizzie and tried her for both murders. The case garnered nationwide attention with every newspaper covering the case in detail, often with substantial exaggeration. The women’s groups staunchly supported her and many criticized the jury panel since women were not allowed to serve as juries, denying Lizzie the chance to be reviewed by her peers.
In the end, she was acquitted based on circumstantial evidence. The people at Fall River ostracized her but she continued to live there until she died in 1927. The grisly murders have inspired many creations in popular culture in subsequent years. Her sister Emma died nine days later, and both were buried in the same plot as their father and stepmother.
The suspected crimes of Lizzie Borden are one of the most famous in the criminal history of the US with the barbarity of the murders captivating the imagination of the national press and the general public. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
