The Fall River Tragedy: A History of the Borden Murders [Hardcover]

Edwin H. Porter (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0961481102 | ISBN-13: 978-0961481100 | Publication Date: June 1985 | Edition: First Edition as such

Reprint of the sole edition. Originally published: Fall River: J.D. Munroe, 1893. 312 pp. Illustrated. Compiled nearly contemporaneously with Lizzie's sensational trial, the author aims to provide "a connected story of the whole case, commencing with the day of the tragedy and ending with the day that Miss Borden was set free." He touches on such topics as the discovery of the murders, the adjournment of the preliminary hearing and some the many theories that were advanced before any arrests were made. The book is handsomely illustrated with photos and line illustrations of the deceased, the accused the jury and others.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edwin H. Porter was the Police Reporter for the Fall River Globe. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: King Philip Publishing Company; First Edition as such edition (June 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0961481102
• ISBN-13: 978-0961481100
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,457,551 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Urban Legend, February 25, 2005

By 

Hedley Lamarr (kentucky, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fall River Tragedy: A History of the Borden Murders (Hardcover)

The story behind the book may be more interesting than the book itself. Porter who worked as a journalist for one of Fall River newspapers decided to cash in on the Borden trial. How many books were printed is unknown, but a good judgement would be 200 to 1,500. As the story goes, Lizzie on the instructions of her lawyers, was to buy up all the books and destroy them. 1. That doesn't make sense and 2. It's not true. If the book had been way out of line perhaps Lizzie would have filed for a law suit. However, during the trials the papers were a lot more harsh than this matter-of-fact somewhat bland book. While in jail, one of Lizzie's request was to not be given the newspaper. Did she buy up the books or threaten Porter.... No. If the book had been that popular at the time, Porter would have had more printings. Also, lets say Lizzie paid him off to not make anymore editions. This was before the 1923 copyright law. If the book was in that great of demand it would have been reprinted many times between 1893 and 1985. Even the 1985 edition was kept at 1,000 prints. No, the truth of the matter, not many books were printed and the ones that were, were of very cheap paper quality... Most of the copies ended up in library's, and when worn out.... trashed. If the quality of the pages had been better, then rebinding would have been considered. However, if the pages are cheap and 90% acid... little could be done. Some of the copies that were retained by the library's were stolen. You can find at least two dozen original copies under lock and key at the larger library's. In 1985 a reprint was made of 1,000 copies. This Aug (2005) another reprint is due out.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Can't Chop Your Poppa Up In Massachusetts, November 21, 2002

By 

Dean Glass (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fall River Tragedy: A History of the Borden Murders (Hardcover)

A reprint of the elusive first book ever written about Lizzie Borden, the Fall River spinster who was acquitted of murdering her father and stepmother with a hatchet in 1892. I have two of the 1893 first edition copies of this book. For decades writers about the Lizzie Borden murder trial have stated that only three or four copies were known to exist, but since I have two of them, I suspect that the book is not nearly as scarce as is believed. Many years before getting these copies, I acquired the facsimile reprint, and was pleased that I could finally read the book and add it to my Lizzie collection. I was not overly impressed with Mr. Porter's writing style; he was a newspaper reporter who used his news stories as the basis of this book. The prose is rather dry and slow-moving. (For more entertaining "Lizzie" reading, I would recommend books by Victoria Lincoln or Edmund Pearson). I gave this book 5 stars because of the quality of the facsimile. In the forward, Robert A. Flynn states that he made the facsimile from a copy he found after a forty-year search. Having compared it to my two copies, I must say that he did an exceptional job, considering the cheapness of the original edition. The only major differences I noticed were the endpapers (biege with a green floral pattern in the original and plain green here) and the lack of filigree at the top and bottom of the spine. I suspect that Mr. Flynn's copy was frayed and the filigree was missing, because otherwise the book cover is just the same (I could be wrong). Other than that, this is an extremely handsome volume, and belongs on any Lizzie buffs bookshelf.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The First Published Book, November 26, 2001

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fall River Tragedy: A History of the Borden Murders (Hardcover)

It was suppressed after its publication: all copies were bought up and destroyed, and never reprinted. The verdict of acquittal has never stopped interest in this case, or new solutions.

The rooms where the bodies lay were in perfect order; doors locked, windows closed. The victims showed no signs of struggle, their blood had not bespattered the rooms and furniture as it generally does under these circumstances. The assassin had left absolutely no trace of himself (p.13). A sudden unforeseen attack that killed with the first blow. The house had not been robbed, nor was any enemy known of with such hatred as to commit these assassinations.

Special officer Philip Harrington questioned Lizzie; suspicions were raised in the minds of the police that she knew more than she cared to tell. The police and the mayor searched the house from cellar to attic, delved into every nook and corner; every particle of hay in the barn loft and every blade of grass was turned over. Nothing was found.

The autopsy found 13 blows on the head of Mr. Borden, 18 on the skull of Mrs. Borden. The cuts were deep and long and any one would have produced instant death. Could any but a madman have struck so ruthlessly and unerringly, time and time again?

The Government side presumed that Lizzie would desire to bring the butcher to the gallows (p.76). It was either him or Lizzie. It was supposed she would answer every question, and volunteer every particle of information in her possession. She had everything to gain, and nothing to lose. But the Government must have known that this charge would leave a blotch on her name, and if acquitted, would forever blight her life. After Lizzie's arrest the Woman's Auxiliary of the YMCA held a prayer for her, the WCTU and religious societies all over the country did the same (p.80).

Mr. Jennings describes the murder on page 126. "There is an unnecessary brutality about this that suggests nothing but insanity or brutal hatred." "Every blow showed that the person who wielded that hatchet was a person of experience with the instrument." "... no hand could strike these blows that had not a powerful wrist and experience in handling a hatchet."

Regarding the claimed attempt to purchase poison, Jennings says "If there is one thing which is weakest in criminal cases it is the matter of mistaken identity. The books are full of such references" (p. 130). Page 195 gives the testimony of Prof. Edward S. Wood; he tested the Bordens' stomachs and found no prussic acid, or other poisonous substances. He calculated the difference in time of death at about one and a half hours.

Page 137 Knowlton discusses Lizzie's changed stories about what she was doing that morning. He then asks why the sender of the note to Mrs. Borden never came forward, and concludes it never was sent. Knowlton also claimed the absence of bloodstained clothing is proof of her guilty concealment! Lizzie was indicted and held for the Grand Jury. Hilliard and Seaver posted bond for Bridget, ex-Congressman Davis for Mr. Morse (as material witnesses).

Chapter XXI tells of the Trickey-McHenry affair that resulted in one of the most famous hoaxes of the time. False information was given to a reporter, who rushed this scoop into print. The reporter was then indicted as a result of this plot; he fled the country, and died accidentally. McHenry had been hired to watch the Pinkerton men, who had been hired by Jennings to watch the police. McHenry had previous trouble with Trickey's reporting on a trial in Denver, and another case. McHenry claimed Trickey was reporting to the Pinkertons in Boston.

Pages 212-213 quote George D. Robinson as to the killer "a maniac or fiend", "not a man in his senses ... but a lunatic or a devil". "They were well-directed blows.... They were aimed steadily and constantly for a purpose, each one finding its place where it was aimed, and none going amiss on the one side of the other." "The perpetrator of that act knew how to handle the instrument, was experienced in its control, had directed it before or others like it, and it was not the sudden, untrained doing of somebody who had been unfamiliar with such implements."

Pages 266-267 tell how Lizzie shielded Bridget and Andrew's workmen from suspicion (they were checked out anyway). This left her as the remaining suspect; but she never told! Page 280 says "there is a skeleton in the household of every man, but the Borden skeleton - if there was one - was fairly well locked up from view. They were a close-mouthed family."

Pages 304-311 contain part of Justice Dewey's charge to the jury. Robert Sullivan's "Goodbye, Lizzie Borden" has it all. After an hour the jury returned with its verdict of "Not Guilty". "Lizzie Andrew Borden returned guiltless to her friends and home in Fall River."

Lizzie Borden took a walk,
To let her Dad have his talk;
When she came back to the room,
She found Dear Dad met his doom.