Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts

Visitors and guests who visit the Borden house are intrigued by all of the pears they find inside.  For those in the know about the case, they smile and understand the reference to Lizzie’s alibi about being in the hayloft munching the fruit when her father was murdered, and sometimes humorous testimony about all of the pear-eating by the occupants of #92 on August 4th.  August 4th is also the one day of the year when the house re-enactment troupe, The Pear Essential Players, are in residence recreating the fateful day for visitors.  Did the police check Lizzie’s alibi and look for pear cores in the hayloft? Or would Lizzie smoothly have admitted to eating those pears cores and all?

It’s been quite a month for Lizzie Borden doings!  August 4th brought the usual re-enactments at the Borden house on Second Street with the Pear Essential Players.  With a record attendance and largest cast ever, the little troupe was treated afterward to a tour of Maplecroft .  August 21-22 saw the return of Jill Dalton’s Lizzie Borden Live at the renovated Eagle on North Main Street with the Mutton Eaters in attendance.  Lizzie has been much in the news and on television this month as word of the patent on Lizzie Borden merchandise was acclaimed in newspapers yesterday.  Donald Woods, owner of  the bed and breakfast has obtained a national patent protection for all items other than books and publications to use the words “Lizzie Borden” on mugs, tee shirts, key chains, and other gift shop items.

A new fiction book is out and available for sale at the historical society in Fall River.  Written by a local author, it has the confession of Emma Borden as the doer of the foul deeds who comes to the writer in a dream.  The Fall River Historical Society has revamped their website to include some preview tidbits of the long-awaited book Parallel Lives which will be coming out in several months.  All in all it was quite a month for Lizzie. 

September brings a re-enactment of the New Bedford trial of June, 1893 at the courthouse on County Street as part of the Bristol County Superior Court anniversary year events.  Fans and scholars of the Borden case have had a good summer with much to look forward to!

Introducing Lorraine Gregoire as Lizzie 2009

John V. Morse, Lizzie’s mother’s brother, had spent the night before the murders at the Borden’s house in the guestroom where Abby Borden would be hacked to bits the following day.  Although John had a good alibi for the times of both killings, he was an early and favorite suspect.  John had some training as a butcher, and was a jack of all trades around a farm.  Some think he knew about, or was an accomplice to the deeds, although no motive seems clearly apparent.  He also received no money or property after Lizzie was acquitted in June 1893.

Joe Radza, an eighth grade teacher from Warren, Ohio will be playing the role of Uncle John Morse this year on August 4th at the Borden house for the annual re-enactments. Uncle John’s behavior when he returned for lunch has always seemed peculiar to students of the case. John bypassed the growing crowds by the Borden’s gate and went into the back yard by the barn and picked up and consumed several pears before ambling slowly up the side steps and going inside to see what was going on.  He had a reputation as a peculiar old guy in his boater and old gray suit and string tie.  Did he know more than he confided to the police?

The Pear Essential Players present the annual re-enactment of the famous Borden murders on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at the scene of the crime on Second Street in Fall River.  For more information on times and tickets, please visit http://www.lizzie-borden.com/

Preparations go into full swing this week as the house performing troupe, The Pear Essential Players, dons their fake beards and leg ‘ o mutton sleeves to bring history alive once more.  Performing only once a year, on the anniversary of the murders of Andrew and Abby Borden, the players come from many states and cities to re-enact the details of the day in 1892.  Performances will take place on the hour and tickets may be purchased for each timed performance in the gift barn behind the house at 92 Second Street.  This year’s cast featured 13 key characters from the well-known story. To learn more about the cast, visit their web blog at http://pearessentialproductions.wordpress.com/

July 1st is getting mighty close to the big week in Fall River when Jill Dalton reprises her smash hit from June 20th- Lizzie Borden Live.  Also making a “comeback” will be the irrepressible Mutton Eaters on hand to add a bit of period dash to the streets of Fall River, the Borden’s house on Second St. and the trolleys.  The Mutton Eaters are an armchair sleuth group devoted to Borden research and interpreting the roles of key historical characters in the case.   It will be a big week for the little troupe as Tuesday August 4th will be the re-enactments at the house where it all began as the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast Museum marks the anniversary of the famous crime.  Lizzie Borden Live will once again sparkle at the new -old Eagle on Friday and Saturday, August 7&8. Get your tickets early!

Andrew Borden knew a thing or two about home improvements and value.  The cast iron radiators he put in when the family moved into 92 Second Street in 1872 are still going strong today. Here is a photo taken on the day of the crimes in 1892 of the radiator in the front hallway.

Today, the same radiators heat #92 .  The current boiler is also located in the same place in the cellar that was the location in 1892. Oh, to get a metal detector under that boiler!

The bedroom furniture in the guest room today is such a very good replication of what was actually in the room on the day of the murders that guests to the house think it is the actual furniture.  Abby’s head is seen in the old sepia photographs lining up at the middle knob on the dresser as she lay on the floor between the dresser and the bed.  There was a small folding canvas camp chair in front of her head and the sewing machine was in the northwest corner where the large armoire is today.  The green dress in the corner was worn by Elizabeth Montgomery in the 1975 film The Legend of Lizzie Borden and was designed by Guy Verhille for the Paramount Studios production.