Forty Whacks*
It was a warm day in June when Rachel, panting from exertion, burst into the Green Gables kitchen calling "Marilla! John! She got off! Lizzie Borden got away with it, have you ever heard the like? Those Yankees must be crazy, that's what."
All year Rachel had been sharing the latest explosive updates of the Borden case. It started in August when the Borden family was killed with an axe.
Marilla and Rachel had been sitting in Rachel's kitchen sharing a pot of coffee, as Rachel perused the American newspaper her daughter had sent her. Rachel liked to scandalize herself with the tales of events in America as if to prove to herself how terrible those Yankees really were.
"Oh, this is interesting." Marilla barely looked up from her coffee, Rachel had a habit of saying things like that about the most mundane matters. "A venerable citizen and his wife hacked to pieces in their home. Fancy that Marilla?"
Rachel continued to read out loud: "The community was terribly shocked this morning to hear that an aged man and his wife had fallen victims to the thirst of a murderer, and that an atrocious deed had been committed. The news spread like wildfire. The deed was committed at 62 Second Street, where for years Andrew J Borden and his wife had lived in happiness."
"Please don't read the whole grisly tale out to me Rachel. Just skim it and give me the details." Marilla admonished. Rachel always went too far with these stories.
There was a pause as Rachel read the story, occasionally she would blurt out salient facts. "It is supposed that an axe was the instrument used. Oh Marilla, fancy."
Marilla looked shocked, "that would have been messy."
"It was, listen, 'his face was hacked to pieces.'" Marilla winced. "Mrs Borden was struck on the temple."
"Oh dear Lord." Marilla felt a bit faint. "Who could commit such a terrible crime?"
"It says no weapon was found and there was nothing about the house to indicate who the murderer might have been. Though there was a Portuguese man working on the premises. Oh those foreigners, you can't trust them."
"Their daughter heard a heavy fall and rushed into the house, the servant didn't hear anything. Oh listen, the family had been ill for some time, perhaps as a result of poisoning, the authorities are checking the milk. Well I never, Marilla. Did you ever hear the like?"
"No I never have, thankfully."
Rachel read the story through again more carefully and declared, "Well those Yankees have outdone themselves this time, that's what. This is the most heathen story I've heard yet. I hope they catch the fellow who did it."
"It may be a woman, Rachel."
"Oh, surely not. A woman wouldn't be so depraved."
A couple of days later Rachel came to visit Green Gables, another newspaper in hand.
"I have more news about the Borden case, Marilla."
"I was telling John about it, Rachel."
"I don't doubt it. Well they still have no idea about who the perpetrator was."
"Fancy" murmured Marilla.
"Apparently Miss Borden has changed her statement slightly about the timing. I wonder if that's significant?"
"Hmm" Marilla mused. "Maybe so."
"Oh it says here that a Mr John Morse was visiting that day, he was Mr Borden's first wife's, brother. He says he visited and that Mr Borden was feeling ill. The medical examiner says that death must have been instantaneous."
"Oh that's a blessing." Marilla replied.
"The family has offered a reward of $5000 for the detection of the murderers."
"Goodness, they must be wealthy!"
The ladies drank their coffee, but found it hard to wrench their thoughts away from the grisly case. All conversations strayed back to that house on Second Street, Massachusetts.
A week later there was a surprising development.
"It's her, Lizzie did it! She's been arrested." Marilla opened the door for a shocked Rachel who was waving the latest newspaper around.
John walked into the parlour intrigued at the news. "What?"
"This is the New York Times, 'Miss Borden arrested. Charged with murdering her father and his wife.'"
"Oh goodness gracious me. And we thought there was no way a woman could have committed those heinous acts." Marilla exclaimed.
"Well she hasn't been to trial yet. Innocent until proven guilty, remember." John rebuked.
Marilla peeked out the window and saw Rachel coming up the road with newspaper in hand. She was hankering after the latest developments. "Here she comes, John. I think the hearing must have commenced." The court was determining whether Lizzie could be tried for murder.
"Is there any news?" John enquired curiously, once Rachel was sitting down. Normally he didn't get caught up in murder trials, no matter where they were conducted, but this one had everyone intrigued. Even up at the store, it was all anyone was talking about. Marilla had received a letter from Anne just that week in which it was discussed; apparently they were intrigued about it down at the Glen too. He wouldn't be surprised if it were the main topic of conversation up and down North America.
Rachel read, "The first week of the hearing is over. The District Attorney's efforts to encircle her with a web of circumstantial evidence – lack of definite evidence – her remarkable coolness. She pleads not guilty. Well she would, wouldn't she?"
"Her demeanor is unusual surely, do you think it an admission of guilt, John? I would be in pieces." Marilla stated.
"It's hard to say, but it does seem strange."
Rachel read, "The District Attorney says he is well satisfied with the development of the web of circumstantial evidence which he is endeavoring to weave about Lizzie Borden." She read the rest of the article, which outlined the prosecution's case. "Well I can't see how she could get off on the basis of that."
"Remember that's just the prosecution's side of the story, Rachel. She has the right of defense." John replied.
"Humph, seems pretty clear to me." Rachel determined.
"I would say the lack of motive is a problem for the prosecution. Why did she kill them?" Marilla mused.
The following June after a great deal of worldwide and local speculation the trial opened. Not surprisingly Rachel, Marilla and John were following the events along with everyone else. Rachel reading, exclaimed, "Lizzie Borden fainted! She was overcome by the prosecution's story."
"Oh the poor woman." Marilla was conciliatory, "What a terrible ordeal for her."
"Nothing compared to what she put her father and stepmother through, Marilla." Rachel countered.
As the trial continued Rachel, Marilla and John followed the newspaper articles through every twist and turn, their opinions on the matter changing with each new piece of evidence. When the jury was dismissed Rachel was sure Lizzie would be found guilty, John was sure she wouldn't be and Marilla was undecided.
So it was a surprise to some and less to others when the news came through. "Those Yankees must be crazy, that's what." Rachel declared, John smiled and Marilla was pleased for Lizzie.
"The question is, who did it then?" Marilla posited after they had settled down. John and Rachel had no answer to that and never would.
* Lizzie Borden had an axe
She gave her mother forty whacks
When she saw what she had done
She gave her father forty-one.
Anon
A/N Since not everyone may be aware of this story, it is real. Lizzie Borden was tried and acquitted of the murder of her father and step-mother in 1892. The case remains unsolved.
