The Legend of Lizzie Borden Page #2

Then I went upstairs to my room and

lay down without taking off any of my clothing.

I heard the City Hall clock

start to strike eleven.

I must have been there

three or four minutes,

I never went to sleep at all.

The next thing I heard was miss Lizzie

hollering:
"Maggie, Maggie!"

Up to the time miss Lizzie Borden

told her father

about the note which reportedly

came for her stepmother,

had you heard anything about it from anyone?

- No, sir, I never had.

- Thank you.

No further questions, your honor.

The witness is released

unconditionally, without bail.

She's leaving us, Lizzie.

Lizzie Borden to the stand, please.

Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

Please be seated.

You may begin, Mr. District Attorney.

Will you please give the

court your full name?

- Lizzie Andrew Borden.

- Is it Lizzie or Elizabeth?

- Lizzie. - You were so christened?

- I was so christened.

- What is your age, please?

- 32.

- Your mother is not living. - No, sir, she died

when I was two and half years old.

- What was your father's age?

- He would be 70 next month.

He was a successful businessman.

He's very successful, yes, sir.

Started as a mortician, I understand,

and branched out into real estate banking.

That is correct.

Do you have an idea

how much your father was worth?

- No, sir. - Do you ever know

of your father making a will?

No, sir.

Did he ever mention

the subject of wills to you?

He did not.

Had you been on pleasant terms

with your stepmother?

- Oh, yes, sir.

- Cordial?

That depends on one's idea of cordiality.

According to your idea of cordiality?

We were friendly, very friendly.

Why did you leave off calling her mother?

Because I wanted to.

That's the best reason you can give?

I have no other anwswer.

In what other respect was your relationship

with her not that of mother and daughter

aside from your not calling her mother?

She had never been a mother

to me in many ways.

I always went to my sister, because she was older

and had to care of me

after my mother died.

Now, tell me Miss Borden,

on the morning of the murders,

did you get your own breakfast?

I... Did not have any breakfast.

I did not feel as though I wanted any.

Sick of the same mutton broth?

It was the heat.

Oh... Would you repeat the question?

We are trying to establish if you are certain

you were upstairs

when your father came to the house

on his return.

I think I was.

Now, you remember, miss Borden,

you told me you were downstairs,

not upstairs,

when your father came home.

You've forgotten, perhaps?

I don't know what I said.

I've answered so many questions

and I'm so confused.

I don't know one thing from another.

I'm telling you as best I know.

I have no one to counsel me.

There's no need for counsel.

This is only a coroner's inquest,

not a trial.

You may continue, Mr. Knowlton.

Which is your recollection now?

Were you downstairs or upstairs when

the bell rang and your father came home?

I think I was downstairs in the kitchen.

You think.

Miss Borden, we have been over this

a dozen times and each time a new version.

Now how will you have it?

I don't know!

I don't even know what your name is.

I... I think as nearly as I know

I think I was downstairs.

When did you last see your stepmother?

When she went up to change

the bed in the spare room.

And you never saw or heard her afterwards

until you discovered your father's body?

A period of approximately

one and a half hours.

- No, sir. - Did you have any knowledge

of her leaving the house?

She said she had a note. Someone was sick.

Did she tell you where she was going?

No, sir.

- Did she tell you where the note was from?

- No, sir.

- Did you ever see the note?

- No, sir.

- Do you know where the note is now?

- No, sir.

How long was your father in the house

before you found him killed?

I don't know exactly,

because I had to go out to the barn.

I don't think he could have been home

more than 15 or 20 minutes.

And what were you doing in the barn

all this time?

I needed some lead for a sinker.

Did you say a sinker?

Yes, sir. I...

I was going to Maryland on Monday,

to fish.

I needed a sinker.

And that's all you did?

- Look for sinkers?

- Yes, sir, in the loft.

You think that would take you

15 or 20 minutes?

I ate some pears up there.

I asked you to tell me all you did.

I told you all I did.

I ate my pears.

You stood there, eating your pears,

doing nothing.

I was looking out of the window.

Stood there, looking out of the

window, eating your pears.

- I should think so.

- How many pears did you eat?

Three, I think.

Now, can you tell us, Miss Borden, why

it took you 10 minutes to eat 3 pears?

I do not do things in a hurry.

No further question, your honor.

It would be a pleasure for this magistrate

and it would doubtless bring

much sympathy, if he could say,

Lizzie, I adjudge you probably not guilty,

you may go home.

But let us suppose for just...

a single moment

that this is a man before me.

Suppose it was a man who was found

in the vicinity of the murders

and it was he who'd discovered

Mr. Borden's body?

Suppose the only account

he could give of himself here

was unreasonable, contradictory?

Would there be any question

what would be done with such a man?

So...

Painful as it may be, there is

but one thing to be done.

It is the judgement of this court

that you are found

probably guilty and your ordeal committed

to a weighty action of the superior court.

- Better?

- Yes, thank you.

Please, forgive me. But I now must ask you

a very disturbing question

and I want you to give me

a simple yes or no answer.

Did you kill your father and Abby?

As your family lawyer, I must hear

it from your own lips, I'm sorry.

I am innocent.

That's all I need to know.

Now, Mr. Jennings, you

must tell me what can I expect.

I'm doing everything in my power.

The truth!

You have an obligation to tell me.

All right.

The worst:

death by hanging.

But it needn't come to that.

Miss Lizzie, Lizzie...

What is it, Lizzie?

What is it?

Lizzie!

Matron! Send for Dr. Bowen!

Matron, matron...

Papa...

Papa...

Papa...

Mister Jennings has given me

his solemn assurance

that everything humanly possible

is being done for your defense.

He's finally retained

Mr. George Robinson to assist.

Must have been all of the

newspaper publicity that attracted him.

Imagine...

A former governor is going to defend you.

Must have cost a pretty penny!

I've decided to pay for

half of everything myself.

I can't let you do that, Em,

because it would ruin us.

Even if it takes every last cent

of my inheritance.

Mr. Jennings said that it might

take months to bring me to trial.

I don't know if I stand it

in this place that long.

I'll be with you, Lizzie.

Em, we're alone now.

We have no one.

We still have each other.

Seems we've always been alone.

Poor Lizzie...

Somehow I...

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