The Legend of Lizzie Borden Page #5

- Miss Borden took something.

- What?

I couldn't quite see,

but I'm sure she took something.

- Doesn't matter.

- Why didn't you stop her?

No need. All that Borden owes, he pays.

All the merchants up and down the street

tack a little something

onto the bill when it so happens.

Miss Borden asked to buy

ten cents' worth of Prussic acid.

Naturally, I informed her we did not sell

Prussic acid unless by a physician's prescription.

And what did she say to that?

She said she'd bought it

several times before.

So I says, "Well, my good lady,

not from me.

Prussic acid is a very

dangerous thing to handle."

Did she tell you why she wanted

such a lethal poison?

I understood her to say she

wanted to clean a sealskin cape.

Order in this court!

Your honors, I must protest

the use of such testimony.

It's part of the defendant's

inquest testimony.

It is perfectly admissible,

I am trying to prove prior intent.

Your honors, may we have a ruling

on the admissibility

of my client's testimony at the inquest?

It was taken at a time

when she was under arrest

and denied counsel.

Will you both please

approach the bench?

Inadmissible!

Every bit of her inquest testimony,

inadmissible

because that fool judge Blaisdell

denied her proper counsel.

Terrible! Terrible!

I built my entire case on her inquest

testimony, now I've got nothing!

What about Miss Russell's testimony?

That was most damaging!

Wasn't it odd that she should come forward

and around like that?

Conscience was troubling her, my dear.

Seems she neglected to mention

the dress burning incident

when the police first questioned her.

Great struck of luck!

Personally, I don't believe

it was that dress.

Lizzie Borden wouldn't

have been such a fool.

Which leaves me still wondering

what did she wear.

Nonetheless, I'm sure that the case

you've made so far

will stand on its own merits, Hosea.

Not if Robinson keeps

getting our witnesses

to discredit their own testimony.

He's a shrewd devil,

our ex-governor!

I trust you have more cards

up your sleeve, Hosea.

I needn't remind you

how much is at stake here.

Well, one perhaps, and it

had better be a trump card.

On August 10th last,

at the Harvard Medical School,

where I'm professor of chemistry,

I received the evidence there exhibited.

Briefly, Dr. Wood, can you tell us

the results of your examinations?

The hair on that hatchet, for example?

It did not match the samples of hair

from either victim.

It is animal hair, probably cow's hair.

Now, what about this dress?

Did you not find minute traces of blood

on the skirts?

Yes, but certainly not

from either of the victims.

Now, how do you explain that?

They are undoubtedly menstrual

blood from the defendant herself.

Let me ask you, doctor,

if this hatchet could have been used

and then cleansed so as

to remove any trace of blood.

No, not by a quick washing,

as you would suggest it.

And it would be nearly impossible

to wash blood off that broken end.

This is dreadful!

There was no time to go

over Dr. Wood's testimony.

He just got in from Boston an hour ago.

No more questions.

Your witness.

In other words, doctor Wood,

assuming the assailant wore the

same clothing during both murders,

he most probably would have been splattered

with blood from head to foot, is that right?

- In my opinion, yes.

- And yet every witness has testified

that the accused showed no signs

whatsoever of blood upon her clothing

just moments after the last murder.

Thank you, your honours,

no further questions.

Don't make me laugh.

Don't make me laugh.

Don't make me laugh.

Don't make me laugh.

You know as well as I they'd turn me

out in the cold if anything happened to you.

- What more can I do?

- You can draw up another will.

Put everything in my name.

Let me see to their needs.

It's little enough to protect

your poor defenceless widow.

Don't rush things, woman,

I'm not dead yet.

I'll not be turned out into the streets

to starve like a stray dog.

She'd live off our old fat for years!

- You owe me that much!

- All right! All right!

I'll see my lawyer next week.

Now, I had please get some rest!

I'll see her dead first!

Lizzie!

You can spend the rest of your life

begging crumbs off that old sow, not I.

Lizzie! Please!

You always frighten me when

you get like this.

He must never make a new will.

I'm going to visit the Braunagels

in Fairhaven.

I'll leave tomorrow.

Yes. Yes, you go to Fairhaven.

Call Dr. Draper to the stand, please.

Doctor Frank Draper to the stand.

Were you able to determine the size

of the cutting edge of the murder weapon

from any of the wounds, doctor Draper?

Not from Mrs. Borden's skull,

but I was able to effect a conclusion

from Mr. Borden's skull.

In that case, though I deeply regret it,

I shall have to ask your colleague,

Dr. Wood, to produce the skull in question.

Now, Doctor Draper, if you please,

try to fit that hatchet into the wound.

Order in the court!

Order in the court!

This court will be adjourned

till nine o'clock tomorrow morning.

My dear, I have told you repeatedly

I have no stomach for undercooked meat.

Let me get you something else.

Well, never mind.

Lost my appetite, anyway. Just some coffee.

I shall be glad when this trial is over.

It's beginning to tell on you.

It's not a trial, it's a sideshow.

That woman actually believes she can get

off scotfree by hiding behind her skirts.

What else has she?

I'm sorry, Hosea.

It's just that it seems to me

that you men have only

yourselves to blame if...

if women hide behind their

femininity as a last defence.

After all, you cast us in this role.

You look upon your womanhood

as a role, my dear?

It's not always a convenient part to play.

I've never heard you talk like this.

Next, you'll be asking for the vote.

I gather you sympathize with this murderess.

She has not as yet

been found guilty, Hosea.

But you do sympathise with her.

Certainly, not with her deeds,

but perhaps with her motives.

Her motives? Now, what

would you know about her motives?

I should think a great deal, Hosea.

You have no idea how unbearingly heavy

these skirts can be at times.

When did you next see the

Bedford Court dress?

Sunday morning.

I was washing dishes and...

I turned and saw my sister

Lizzie at the stove.

And she had the dress in her hands.

She said, "I think I'll burn

this old dress up."

And I said, "Yes, why don't you?"

or something like that.

Was Miss Russell present at the time?

Yes, sir, and she said afterwards

that it was the worst thing

Lizzie could have done.

And, of course, we knew

that she was right, but...

It just didn't occur to us

until that moment.

Did your father wear a ring,

miss Emma, upon his finger?

Yes, sir, he did.

Was or was not that the only

article of jewelry he wore?

The only article.

From whom did he receive the ring?

From my sister Lizzie, many years ago.

Previously to his wearing it,

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