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<v Speaker 1>Unsolved mysteries. The Burden case is undoubtedly without parallel in

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<v Speaker 1>the criminal annals of America. It is perhaps the most

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<v Speaker 1>puzzling murder which has occurred anywhere in the whole world.

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<v Speaker 1>The perpetrator of this double murder was saved from the

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<v Speaker 1>gallows by a most extraordinary chain of circumstances, circumstances which

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<v Speaker 1>perhaps would not recur in a thousand years.

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<v Speaker 2>Mm hmm.

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<v Speaker 1>The Borden Place in Paul River, Massachusetts was a house

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<v Speaker 1>of silences, a house of moody, brooding silences brought about

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<v Speaker 1>by pent up hatreds, catty jealousies, niggardly feelings in money matters,

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<v Speaker 1>and two daughters who hated their stepmother, a stepmother who

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<v Speaker 1>hated with equal intensity her two step daughters. Even from

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<v Speaker 1>the outside, the Borden House, where it stood on South

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<v Speaker 1>Main Street, had about it an air of ineffable doom,

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<v Speaker 1>the atmosphere of a place that cursed. It is exactly

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<v Speaker 1>thirty seconds before eleven o'clock on the morning of August

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<v Speaker 1>the fourth bridget, the maid, finished with her morning duties,

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<v Speaker 1>is resting in her room on the third story. Mister

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<v Speaker 1>Borden is lying on the couch in the living room.

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<v Speaker 1>Emma Borden is away from home, and Lizzie, Lizzie Borden

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<v Speaker 1>is standing on the back porch.

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<v Speaker 3>Bridget Bridgie, come here, what's the brother?

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<v Speaker 1>That's Lizzy?

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<v Speaker 2>Go down quick.

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<v Speaker 3>Father's dead. Somebody came in and killed him. Still go

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<v Speaker 3>in wick it don't go in, get a doctor. Run

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<v Speaker 3>across the street and get doctor Bowen. Is there anything

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<v Speaker 3>wrong living? Missus Churchill? Summer and it'skill father? Please please

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<v Speaker 3>come over. I'll be over right away.

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<v Speaker 2>Doctor isn't home.

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<v Speaker 3>I left word for him to come this. Lizy, where

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<v Speaker 3>were you when this happened? I was out in the yard.

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<v Speaker 1>I heard a groan, the screen.

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<v Speaker 3>Door was bide open. I came in lively, Lizy, where

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<v Speaker 3>is your father in the living room? Where were you

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<v Speaker 3>a Lizy when this happened? I went to the barn

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<v Speaker 3>to get a piece of iron.

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<v Speaker 1>Where's your mother?

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<v Speaker 3>And I don't know? She had a note to go

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<v Speaker 3>see someone who was sick. It must have been in town,

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<v Speaker 3>but I thought I heard her come in. I don't know,

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<v Speaker 3>but what she may have been killed too. Father must

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<v Speaker 3>have an enemy.

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<v Speaker 1>What'd to hear about your father?

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<v Speaker 3>It's doctor Bowen and he has bought Sir Alan with him. Oh, doctor,

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<v Speaker 3>doctor in the living room.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, all right, I'll stand back. Come on, doc, No,

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<v Speaker 1>no need to examine him to see whether or not

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<v Speaker 1>he's dead. Give me see somebody. How long have you

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<v Speaker 1>been dead? Duck hmm fob ten minutes? Still warm, Lizzie?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, doctor.

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<v Speaker 1>Where were you when this happened? I was over at

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<v Speaker 1>the barn. Where were you, Bridget in my room upstairs?

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<v Speaker 1>Did you hear anything? No? Were you asleep? No?

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<v Speaker 3>I've just been lying down for a few seconds.

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<v Speaker 1>I listen. Nobody could have killed this man the way

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<v Speaker 1>he's been killed without making some noise a weapon either, officer.

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<v Speaker 1>Let me see your hands, Bridget, that said, turn around?

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<v Speaker 1>Oh nothing there you, miss Lizzie. Let me see your hands. Me. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>you whoever killed this man must have left them traces,

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<v Speaker 1>and you were the only two people in the house.

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<v Speaker 3>There's no signs of blood on busy, not even inside

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<v Speaker 3>her botts. I've looked, Bidget you go upstairs, see mothers.

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<v Speaker 1>Come in.

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<v Speaker 2>Not alone, miss Lizzy.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm not going up those stairs alone.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll go with you. Oh, doctor, dotor Lizzy. Oh that's

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<v Speaker 1>that's missus Borton yes.

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, I knew something like this would happen.

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<v Speaker 1>Why why I just did? That's all Alan, Yes, doctor cheez.

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<v Speaker 1>Missus Borton's been ginning anyone from one hour to two hours,

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<v Speaker 1>and he's been dead only a few minutes. Yes, on

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<v Speaker 1>every one of you say where you are, I'm going

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<v Speaker 1>to search for the weapon. But neither Officer Allen nor

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<v Speaker 1>any other of the many members of the police force

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<v Speaker 1>ever found the weapon. Missus Church Chill from her window

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<v Speaker 1>across the driveway, saw no one enter or leave the house.

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<v Speaker 1>Missus Borden, the murdered woman weighed nearly two hundred pounds,

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<v Speaker 1>yet no one heard a sound when the murderer failed her.

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<v Speaker 1>Not a sound, not a cry, not a clue, but suspicions. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>Lizzie Borden lay in prison, staring at the whitewashed ceiling,

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<v Speaker 1>hearing again and again the same words, different voices, but

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<v Speaker 1>always the same words. Where were you, Lizzie Borden when

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<v Speaker 1>this happened?

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<v Speaker 3>Where were you, Lizzy Borden when this happened?

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<v Speaker 1>Were you Lizzie Borden when this happened? Where were you,

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<v Speaker 1>Lizzie Borden when this happened?

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<v Speaker 3>Where were you Lizzie Borden when this happened?

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<v Speaker 1>Where were you, Lizzy Bordon when this happened? Where were you,

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<v Speaker 1>Lizzie Borden when this happened? The Superior cord of New

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<v Speaker 1>Bedford on this day, June the twentieth, now in session,

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<v Speaker 1>Chief Justice Albert Mason presiding. All stand while a Justice.

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<v Speaker 3>Takes his seat.

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<v Speaker 1>Mister Robinson, you may begin your closing appeal to the jury.

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<v Speaker 1>Gentlemen of the jury, you have heard the witnesses describe

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<v Speaker 1>the sitting room in which mister Borden was killed. Of

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<v Speaker 1>the walls, the ceiling were splattered with blood. Now, Gentlemen

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<v Speaker 1>of the jury, almost two hours elapsed between the murders.

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<v Speaker 1>At no time was Miss Lizzie Borden out of the

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<v Speaker 1>sight of Bridget the maid or mister Borden before his death,

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<v Speaker 1>or a period of more than twenty minutes. How could

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<v Speaker 1>she cleanse herself of blood stains in that length of time?

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<v Speaker 1>I repeat, how could she cleanse herself of blood stains

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<v Speaker 1>in that length of time? She could not. I remember that,

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<v Speaker 1>according to the state, Lizzie Borden must have killed her

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<v Speaker 1>stepmother about nine thirty, got rid of the weapon, cleansed

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<v Speaker 1>herself and appeared before bridget the Maid before nine forty five. Again,

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<v Speaker 1>she had between ten forty five and eleven o'clock in

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<v Speaker 1>which to kill mister Borden, again disposed of the weapon,

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<v Speaker 1>and again cleanse herself of blood stains. Impossible, Gentlemen of

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<v Speaker 1>the jury. Impossible. Within fifteen minutes of mister Borden's death,

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<v Speaker 1>Lizzie Borden was examined by Missus Churchill, who stated that

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<v Speaker 1>there were no bloodstains on Lizzie Borden's person, not even

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<v Speaker 1>inside her bodies. I have finished, I ask that you

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<v Speaker 1>think carefully and seriously upon the evidence presented when you

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<v Speaker 1>return your verdict. The distinct attorney may address the jury too,

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<v Speaker 1>Gentlemen of the jury. The defense contend that Lizzie Borden

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<v Speaker 1>did not have time to cleanse herself after killing her stepmother.

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<v Speaker 1>Now that is something that no one can say. The

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<v Speaker 1>medical testimony cannot and does not specify the exact moment

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<v Speaker 1>at which Missus Borden was struck down, and Lizzie Borden

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<v Speaker 1>may have had ample time in which to rid herself

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<v Speaker 1>of the tell tale bloodstains. In regard to the killing

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<v Speaker 1>of mister Borden, I admit the difficulty. I cannot answer it.

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<v Speaker 1>You cannot answer it. But gentlemen of the jury, Lindsey

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<v Speaker 1>Borden was the only person who could have committed the

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<v Speaker 1>double murders. And so I say to you, gentlemen of

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<v Speaker 1>the jury, as presiding judge in this case, that if

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<v Speaker 1>the state have not proved their case, then you must

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<v Speaker 1>find Pa the prisoner and return a verdict. So you

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<v Speaker 1>may retire to consider your dirty while the jury retire

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<v Speaker 1>to consider their verdict. Consider the case. It is not

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<v Speaker 1>easy to remove bloodstains. Bloodstains can be removed more or

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<v Speaker 1>less easily from the smooth skin of the face, but

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<v Speaker 1>from the hands. No Remember too, that there was no

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<v Speaker 1>bathtub in the Borden home. Do not lose sight of

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<v Speaker 1>the fact that no weapon was found, no burned clothes

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<v Speaker 1>were found, and the murderer must have been literally saturated

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<v Speaker 1>with the victim's blood. Consider too that at any moment,

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<v Speaker 1>Bridget the maid or mister Borden could have walked upstairs

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<v Speaker 1>and discovered the murderer killing Missus Borden. The jury have

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<v Speaker 1>been out almost an hour. It is four point thirty,

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<v Speaker 1>and they file to their places in the jury box.

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<v Speaker 1>Ah the gentlemen of the jury agreed upon a verdict.

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<v Speaker 1>We are your honor, Liziborden, stand up base the jury weigh.

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<v Speaker 1>The jury find the prisoner not guilty. A careful reading,

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<v Speaker 1>without emotion or favor of the trial transcript must convince

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<v Speaker 1>any unprejudiced person that Lizzie Borden did not commit the

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<v Speaker 1>double murder. Since this is an unsolved mystery, any solution

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<v Speaker 1>is necessarily a supposition based, however, upon the known facts.

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<v Speaker 1>A possible solution will be presented after you have heard

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<v Speaker 1>from your sponsor.

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<v Speaker 2>My sister. So as.

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<v Speaker 1>On two occasions previous to the board and murders, the

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<v Speaker 1>Barden home had been robbed of jewelry and money. Straight

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<v Speaker 1>tramps had probably perpetrated the robberies. And remember that these

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<v Speaker 1>gentlemen of the Highway leave secret markings on walls and houses,

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<v Speaker 1>informing their brothers of the road that these houses are

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<v Speaker 1>easy to rob, or perhaps a mark that tells that

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<v Speaker 1>the householder is kindly and that food will be forthcoming.

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<v Speaker 1>It is the morning of the murder, Lizzie.

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<v Speaker 3>Lizzie, Yes, mother, I'm going to clown to visit a

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<v Speaker 3>friend who isn't feeling well. Now, Mother, I'm going to my.

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<v Speaker 1>Room to dress first.

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<v Speaker 2>Have Bridget washed the windows?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, mother, Bridget Oh, Bridget, Yes, Missus Lizzie, I'm going

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<v Speaker 3>to do some morning. Will you wash the windows?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, miss Lizzie.

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<v Speaker 1>I've got the water and everything ready.

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<v Speaker 2>Now I'm going right outside.

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<v Speaker 3>Both of the ants high quite as well. I'll go

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<v Speaker 3>over the barn. Get the lead.

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<v Speaker 2>Make these thinkers from a fishing line.

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<v Speaker 1>A tramp hidden in the basement since early morning makes

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<v Speaker 1>his way into the house. This is his opportunity for

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<v Speaker 1>petty theft. The house is empty, he thinks. In the

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<v Speaker 1>upper room, he comes face to face with Missus Borden.

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<v Speaker 1>He silences her one hundred cry with a blow. Annick

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<v Speaker 1>seizes him and he turns to flee. Escape is impossible.

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<v Speaker 1>Lizzie Borden has returned from the barn and tremblingly. The

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<v Speaker 1>murderer hides in the same room where he's victimized dead.

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<v Speaker 1>Here's your father, miss Lily. I'm going out of my

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<v Speaker 1>room for a few minutes.

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<v Speaker 3>Very well, bridget Oh, Hello father, Hello Lizzie, you may

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<v Speaker 3>open me.

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<v Speaker 1>Father, Well, I'm not the same, Lissie. I'll tie I'll

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<v Speaker 1>I'll lie down for Bess.

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<v Speaker 2>On the sofa.

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<v Speaker 3>Now all right, I'm going out to the barn for

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<v Speaker 3>a piece of irons.

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<v Speaker 1>The murderer still hidden in the upper room. Here's the

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<v Speaker 1>door slam. He creeps downstairs to the living room, sees

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<v Speaker 1>mister Borden on the sofa, and, thinking his asleep, tries

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<v Speaker 1>to creep past him. Borden looks up, sees the bloodstained figure,

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<v Speaker 1>but like Missus Borden, he is silenced with a blow.

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<v Speaker 1>Before he can say a word, the back door creaks,

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<v Speaker 1>Lizzie's returning. In a moment, the human tribe will be raised.

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<v Speaker 1>The murderer's only chances to hide in the basement and

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<v Speaker 1>wait for an opportune moment to escape, and so Fall

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<v Speaker 1>River had an unsolved mystery for the police, despite a

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<v Speaker 1>statement that a murderer could have entered the house through

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<v Speaker 1>the basement, didn't even look in the basement till the

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<v Speaker 1>next day, and the murderer had, of course made his

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<v Speaker 1>escape in the dark of the previous night.