Lizzie Borden Survey

[eleanor]

I'm doing a Social Studies Fair project, and I need some survey results, so I would greatly appreciate it if you answered the questions after you read the paragraph.

Please read the paragraph below.

It?s August 4, 1892, John Morse, the Bordens? uncle had slept at the Borden house the night before, but is now out. Emma has been staying with friends in Fair Haven. Bridget is taking a nap in her attic room. Abby has been dead for a couple of hours. Andrew has just been killed on the sitting room sofa.
People
Andrew Borden-Father of Lizzie and Emma Borden
Abbey Borden-Stepmother of Lizzie and Emma Borden
Lizzie Borden-Daughter of Andrew Borden; was the first suspect to be accused of the murdering of Andrew and Abbey Borden.
Emma Borden-Lizzie?s little sister, daughter or Andrew Borden
John Morse-Lizzie?s uncle; came over the day before Andrew and Abbey Borden were murdered.
Bridget Sullivan-The Bordens? maid
Evidence
On August 3rd, Lizzie had attempted to buy prussic acid (a dangerous toxin that spreads throughout bloodstreams) from Eli B., a clerk at a drug store. She told Eli she wanted to kill the insects in her sealskin cape. Eli refused. A customer and another clerk witnessed this. Lizzie, however, denied that this ever happened. Abbey Borden had gone to Dr.Bowen complaining of being violently ill later that day. Lizzie?s friend, Alice Russell, confirmed that Lizzie said she was concerned that something was going to happen. Lizzie returned that night to her house to hear her parents and her uncle, John Morse, talking loudly in the living room. Lizzie said she didn?t see them, however.
On August 4th, Bridget Sullivan, the maid, was up at 6:15 a.m. She confirmed that Uncle John Morse was also up at that time. Abbey (the stepmother) ordered Emma (Lizzie?s sister) to start washing windows just before 9:00 a.m. Some time between 9:00 am and 10:00 a.m., Abby was killed in the guestroom. Abbey had not gone out during this time, although Lizzie claimed that Abbey got a note from a sick friend asking Abbey to come over. The note was never found. Lizzie said she might have accidentally burned it. Andrew Borden (Lizzie?s father) came home at about 10:43 a.m. after going out to work earlier. Since the door was locked, Bridget had to open the locks, and she said she heard Lizzie laughing from upstairs. Bridget went to take a nap at 10:55 a.m. and she said she saw Andrew going to the sofa. Lizzie said she went out to the yard to get fishing sinkers. She said she returned at 11:00 a.m. and found her father dead. Police found a hatchet (similar to a small axe) that had no handle and was covered in ashes. It was collected for evidence. About this time, Uncle John returned. Police saw that the barn Lizzie had been in to get fishing sinkers was heavily coated with ashes and dust. No evidence was found there. Bridget saw Lizzie burning a dress in the stove. Lizzie said it had paint stains on it, and it was of no use anymore. The police arrested her and was held until her trial.

1.) Do you think Lizzie is guilty? ________
2.) Why? / Why not? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3.) If you don?t think Lizzie is guilty, whom do you think killed Andrew and Abbey Borden?
__________________________

[Manic Webb]

Not only do I think Lizzie did it, I think she makes OJ Simpson look like a professional serial killer. Tsk tsk. Sloppy.

Lizzie conveniently burned the piece of evidence that could easily prove her innocence (the note). Lizzie was seen burning a dress (a potential piece of evidence) so soon after the murder because of paint stains. When was anyone painting? Adding to this girl's little pyro pattern, an axe was found covered in ashes with no handle (gee, maybe it was burned off). Oh, and let's not forget the little pile of ashes found where Lizzie claimed to have been while the murder took place. And why was she laughing so loudly a mere five minutes before she "found" her father dead? Psychosis? Coincidence?

Either she did it or somebody framed her to look like a very sloppy murderer.

[Deedlit]

[color=009966][b]I agree with everything Endymion said. Plus, it seemed that Lizzie had an excuse for just about everything. Geez. I think that's kinda obvious in itself. And her behavior was absurd. *imitates Lizzie* "There's paint stains on the dress. That's why I'm burning it." *ends imitation* What's up with that?! I think there was really blood on it, and she was just destroying the evidence, as she did with the rest of the evidence.[/color][/b]

[eleanor]

Thanks for answering...*looks at the viewed list and looks at the answered list* ::cough cough::

Lizzie WAS the main suspect, but John Morse was another potential suspect...just telling you, not that I think he did it.