Lizzie Borden Audio - The Inquest of Dr. Seabury Bowen, w/ 2 Excerpts of The Knowlton Papers

The Inquest of Dr. Seabury Bowen, w/ 2 Excerpts of The Knowlton Papers

06/05/23 • 30 min

Dr. Bowen was summoned shortly after Lizzie Borden discovered the body of her father, Andrew Borden, dead in the sitting room with his head smashed open by a hatchet. Shortly after Doc Bowen arrived he encountered several witnesses and gave his timeline of events and sadly, described how Mrs. Borden visited his office early Wednesday morning stating that someone was trying to poison her the day before the murders.
Bowen made acute observations on Lizzie and Bridget's behavior including what they were wearing, their composure, and whether or not Lizzie was fainting or crying as the papers said she "was having fainting fits."
District Attorney Hosea Knowlton: Tim Dennis
Dr. Seabury W. Bowen: David Loftus
Fainting Lizzie: Rina Sklar
Music: The Gargoyles of Notre Dame by Alex Grey
Voiceover Narration: Don Sharp @Sharpvoiceovers on Fiverr
Trial transcripts provided with permission by Stefani Koorey
and www.LizzieAndrewBorden.com
HK 130 and HK 332 were selected from "The Knowlton Papers" by the Fall River Historical Society.
Performed by CrankyPants T.D. Dennis
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Previous Episode

Mayor Dr. John Coughlin's Autopsy Report on Andrew & Abby Borden

On August 4, 1892, Dr. John Coughlin, the Mayor of Fall River, arrived at the residence of Andrew and Abby Borden only forty minutes after their brutal murders. Despite the passage of time, his meticulous notes and observations remain relevant today.
Coughlin's observations include a haunting insight into the nature of the crime: the same person who killed Mr. Borden was responsible for Mrs. Borden's death. He was baffled by the lack of blood at the crime scene and the absence of any evidence that could identify the perpetrator. There were no blood drops leaving the crime scene from Mrs. Borden to Andrew Borden and no bloody footprints leaving the building.
The person committing the deed cleaned up all traces of their work. John Morse who was in town visiting relatives was still wearing the same clothes he arrived in the day before and was seen by several witnesses eliminating him as the first suspect.
"The same deliberate hand that inflicted death upon the man guided the weapon that cut off Mrs. Borden's life. I cannot satisfy myself how a person could have done such a deed with so little blood around and leave no mark of his presence left behind."
Dentist M.M. Park played by David Loftus
Special Appearance by Jack Cone
Mayor Dr. John Couglin played by David Loftus
All other voices played by David Loftus
Music in order of appearance:
Gloria in Excelsis by Raffaele De Leonardo
Disturbed Anxiety by eBunny
Cute Puzzle Box by Roman Cano
Produced by Kate Lavender
All information contained in this podcast was selected from the scholarly work of the Fall River Historical Society with "The Knowlton Papers" and "The Jennings Journals 1892." You can order these books online.
Outro voiceover by Don Sharp of Sharp VoiceOvers

Next Episode

The Inquest of Alice Russell w/ Lizzie Refusing a Search

This episode contains new information of Lizzie refusing a search and barring the officers from looking inside her room or bureau. Later this information would be disputed as tho it never happened. Read it for yourself in the book "The Jennings Journals, 1892" by the Fall River Historical Society. What was she hiding? Please leave a comment if you know.
Alice said she knew "it was cold blooded murder" implying it was Lizzie by the way that her Uncle, John V. Morse, looked directly into Lizzie's eyes and cried out, "How in the name of God does something like this happen, Lizzie?" when he became emotionally distraught upon hearing that the Bordens had been brutally slain in the few hours since they had all dined together at breakfast.
On further reflection I believe that John Morse was the one person that truly grieved over the loss of Andrew and Abby Borden as he found in Andrew a brotherly, best friend that he could confide in financially and share a sense of belonging as brother-in-laws, his Fall River family for over 42 years when his sister Sarah married Andrew. They were very much alike and shared many secrets which Emma would pry out of him by her letter writing.
The information of John Morse is known to me bc I have recorded the inquest of Charles Sawyer which also goes into more detail about the anguish that John Morse exhibited that day. Unlike Lizzie who was busy swooning.
Included is the expert testimony of Dr. Ed Wood, Professor of Chemistry at Harvard Medical School and his autopsy results of the stomach contents of Andrew and Abby Borden for prussic acid. Unfortunately, he says he would need at least a full two weeks to test for other poisons.
The Flat Iron Theory as a murder weapon is discussed in a letter written to the District Attorney in a letter.
Alice hints that she changed after she found a big ugly stick that scared her under the bed she slept in suggesting that Lizzie may have planted it there. But the FRPD did another thorough search during the funeral and they are the ones that put it back under the bed that made her take notice. I think she changed because of something else she saw or heard regarding Lizzie's behavior - was it because of the dress burning? Was it because she never saw Lizzie cry but only swoon?
Alice Russell played by Shaily Rae Smith
D.A. Hosea Knowlton played by Tim Dennis
HK006 - What Became of the Piece of Lead? by Brenda McGinnis
Irish Cop and Narration by DJ/Radio Star Jack Cone
Lizzie Barrs the Officers: Tanya Montoya as Lizzie Borden
Tim Dennis as Officer Harrington
Dr. Ed Wood played by David Loftus
John V. Morse & Flat Iron Theory by Jack Dabdoub
Lizzie's Axe by David Loftus
FATAL CHOICE opening music by eBunny
CANDY FACTORY by Roman Cano (Alice's theme)
SPOOKY WALTZ by Elena Naumova (Lizzie's new Axe)
SHIMMERING WATERS by Jon Wright (Flat Iron Theory)
HAPPY HALLOWEEN by Ahoami (Closing theme)
Trial transcripts provided with permission by Stefani Koorey
and the website LizzieAndrewBorden.com
Produced by Kate Lavender
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Lizzie Borden Audio - The Inquest of Dr. Seabury Bowen, w/ 2 Excerpts of The Knowlton Papers

Transcript

D.A. Knowlton00:00:00.359

And now HK 130.

Rev. R.M. Devens00:00:03.029

Dear Sir! There has been a deal said about the impossibility of Lizzie Borden killing her father and mother without her clothing being stained with blood. Now every woman knows that her gossamer waterproof cloak such as every woman owns will protect the clothing completely and that a fire hot enough for our ironing would reduce it to ashes in less than five minutes.