Lizzie Borden Audio
Lizzie Borden Audio is a new episodic series that appeals to lovers of the dark and macabre nature of a historical true crime investigation from the famous 1892 case. Told from multiple witnesses utilizing the primary source transcripts with short musical interludes, it is the first podcast made entirely from trial testimony with humorous bits of music to accent the absurd and sometimes comical nature of the crime. All work is nonfiction and comes from the trial, the published works of Borden scholars, and the newspapers of the time.
Lizzie Borden Audio
Detective Nellie McHenry - Aug 25, 1892 - What Did Bridget Tell Her?
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Enigmatic Nellie McHenry arrived in Fall River alongside her husband, Detective Edwin McHenry, shortly after the brutal murders of Andrew and Abby Borden. Dubbed the "mysterious lady in black" by local newspapers, Nellie would provide important clues about the household by disguising herself as a relative of the late Mrs. Borden and skillfully gained the trust of Bridget Sullivan, the Borden family’s maid to extract confidential details about the household.
Bridget spoke candidly, revealing key insights that she never disclosed during her preliminary or superior court testimony. However, the world remained unaware of Nellie McHenry’s undercover work until 1989, when the grandson of Prosecutor Hosea Knowlton donated his grandfather's legal files to the Fall River Historical Society—documents that were later published in 1994.
Among Bridget’s revelations was the denial of Lizzie’s claim that a messenger boy delivered a note summoning Mrs. Borden to visit a sick friend. For one, the front door was still double-locked, forcing Mr. Borden to be let in by Bridget upon his return. Additionally, Mrs. Borden never left the house without informing Bridget, even for something as simple as a yeast cake.
Bridget had attempted to leave her position three times, but each time, Mrs. Borden persuaded her to stay by increasing her wages. Though reluctant to share specifics, Bridget admitted that living and working in a household devoid of love was too difficult for her.
Nellie McHenry is played by Tanya Montoya.
VoiceOver Narrator: Mike Paine
Interview by Borden Experts created with Google Notebook LLM.
Trial testimony provided by the website of LizzieAndrewBorden.com with permission from Stefani Koorey.
Royalty-free music: Unstoppable and Adrenaline by Jon Wright
Other sources: The Knowlton Papers by FRHS
The Case Against Lizzie Borden by William Spencer.
Directed & Produced by Kate Lavender
Visit Lizzie Borden Audio on my YouTube channel and leave a comment!
https://www.youtube.com/@lizziebordenaudio
• • Welcome to Lizzie Borden Audio, the podcast made entirely from primary nonfiction sources from the 1892 trial of Lizzie Borden. • • Today we have a letter from a donated collection of old records to the Fall River Historical Society from the grandson of prosecutor Hosea Knowlton in 1989. • • Prior to that time, fans were unaware that the government employed confidential informants in this famous case. • • And now the statement of Nellie McHenry after her interview with the Borden's maid, Bridget Sullivan. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Nellie McHenry
I'm Nellie McHenry and this is August 25th, 1892. I'm a private detective employed by the government to interview Bridget Sullivan. The Borden made. • • • • • • • • • • • I, uh, hereby enclose my statement to the City Marshal of Fall River, Rufus B. Hilliard. • • • • • • • • • • • • Dear Sir, • • • • • • • • • I herein and close the statement of Bridget Sullivan made to me at her boarding place in fall river on the 19th of August, 1892 between Eightock and Nine O'Clock in the morning. • • • • • • • • • • • • • After stating to her that I was from Tiverton, Rhode island and related to poor Mrs. Borden that I wish to hear her story myself. • • • • • • • • • • • Therefore I called upon her personally for that reason and after talking with her for about two hours, • • I elicited the following • • • • • • • • • • • that Mr. And Mrs. Borden had been very sick all night. Mrs. Borden asked Bridget if she had heard them vomiting, said someone had been trying to poison them and that she was going to see Dr. Bowen, but she knew they would not like it. • • • • • • • • • • • Also asked Bridget if she had eaten the same food. She answered yes, • • • • • • • all, uh, but the baker's bread. Mrs. Borden then burned the bread in the stove and burned herself doing it. • • • • • • • • • • • • Bridget ate her breakfast and was taken sick. She went into the yard and vomited it all up. • • • • • • • • • • Bridget denied telling the O'Neill girl that Lizzie sent her upstairs to clean the windows. Mrs. Borden told Bridget to clean the windows herself and she did so with a brush. She saw, uh, a Mr. Baker and uh, a Mrs. Kelly's girl while doing them. So that was the last she ever heard Mrs. Borden say anything and the last she ever saw of her. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Mrs. Borden had been talking about Mr. Morse • all week long, saying now he is here and I suppose we will have him on our hands all summer. I don't see why he don't get married and go away. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Bridget also said if he had not come there, this poor old lady would be alive today. As it was his being there that took her to that part of the house. She never went there as she knew well she was not wanted. • • • • • • • • • • • • • The bed was found made • • • even the shams and Bridget supposed the old lady had made it. Uh, as she was found dead in his room. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Bridget was positive Lizzie was ironing when she went upstairs. Lizzie told Bridget that morning that there was a special sale at Sergeant'drygoods store that they were selling the gingham for 8 cents per yard and asked Bridget why she did not go down. Bridget said she would get there before they were all gone. • • • • • • • • • • I asked Bridget why the newspaper said so much about the fire. She said, oh, there were no clothes or rags found. She might have burned them all up. • • • • • • • • • • • • Bridget then referred to the fact that Mrs. Borden always spoke about anything she was going to do or anything that happened about the house. Even if she was going out for a yeast cake, she would tell Bridget that she was going. So an answer to the question if Mrs. Borden received a note she said no, she did not believe Mrs. Borden received a note as, uh, she was sure she would have spoken to her about it • • • • • • • • • • • • • • also. The front door had not been opened by Bridget until Mr. Borden returned and it was fastened in such a way that he could not open it with his key. And when Bridget tried to let him in she could not open it at first and ah. She said oh, Shaw. As soon as she spoke, she heard Lizzie laugh upstairs and. And looked up and saw her on the landing. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Mr. Borden came in and went into the sitting room. • He did not ask for Mrs. Borden as was his usual habit. Bridget felt sick to her stomach and had a bad headache. After she finished the windows • • she went upstairs and laid across the foot of her own bed. She did not go to sleep but heard the clock strike 11, got up and looked at her own clock. Thought it would soon be time to go downstairs to get the regular noon meal. It did not seem but a few minutes when Ms. Lizzie called Maggie, come down quick. Father is dead. Go for Dr. Bowen. Bridget is called Maggie. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Bridget was so frightened. She did not look at Mr. Borden but ran out for the doctor. Then Bridget asked • where is M. Mrs. Borden? • • Lizzy said she went out. Go up to Mrs. Churchill's. I think you'll find her there. • • • • • • • • • • Bridget went and came back with M. Mrs. Churchill and uh, together they went over the house and upstairs to Morse's room where they found her. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Mrs. Borden was dead and she was so awfully frightened. She put her arms around Mrs. Churchill and cried. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Miss Lizzie was quite cool and not nervous. • • • Dr. Bowen came running out of Mr. Borden's room all excited and with tears running down his cheek, saying, oh, he is murdered. He is murdered to fucking pieces. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • I asked Bridget how it could happen that M Mrs. Borden was killed right in her own house. And no one heard her cry out, although Lizzie was so near Bridget. And her answer was, that is just what I said to Ms. Lizzie. • • • • • • • • • • And she said, oh, uh, I heard her groan. • • • Then Bridget added, I told that to the court and to the judge. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Bridget said it was her custom to fasten the cellar door after washing it. If it was open, • • • someone opened it • • • • • • • • • • • • • when she started to clean the windows. Lizzie was going to hook the back door, but Bridget said she would be at work right there. She could see to it. • • • • • • • • • • Bridget spoke of where she had worked on fall river at Mrs. Reed and Remington. She said she came from Newport about three years ago, was there to visit three weeks before, and stayed all night. When she got out of this, she was going back to Newport. • • • • • • • • • • Bridget further stated that M. Mrs. Borden was always very kind and good to her and would talk to her about what she was going to do. The girls, • • particularly Miss Lizzie, were very different, • • always keeping to themselves and no one ever was allowed to go to Miss Lizzie's room. She took care of it herself. • • • • • • • • • • • Bridget often said it was too bad Mrs. Borden was their stepmother. • • She was too good for them and they did not like her. M. • • • • • • I asked Bridget if they quarrelled. She said she would not want to say anything about that. Of course they would not quarrel in front of me. • • • • • • • • • I pressed her upon this subject, but she evidently did not want to talk about it. • • • • She further stated that she made up her mind three times to leave there and gave in her notice. But Mrs. Borden coaxed her to stay and once raised her wages. • • • • • • • • • • • Mrs. Borden was so good that Bridget stayed, but was intending to leave. She gave us her reason that while the work was not hard, the place was not pleasant for any girl. On account of the odd habits of the family. • • • • • • • • • She said things were not pleasant in the house. I asked how it was. Well, the girls keep so much to.
Speaker C
Themselves, there's no love for their stepmother. • • • • • • • •
The above report is in substance the result of the two hours of conversation with Bridget Sullivan. • • • • • • • • • • Mrs. Nellie S. McHenry, August 25, 1892. •
Morden took an ax, gave her mother 40 wax. You know how it goes. But how much of that rhyme is based on, you know, actual fact? And how much is just, well, speculation? • • • We always seem to love a good mystery, right?
Nellie McHenry
Right.
Speaker D
That's what we're doing here today. We're going back in time, back to 1892, Fall River, Massachusetts, to the Borden murders. Andrew and Aby Borden found brutally murdered in their home. And of course, suspicion falls on their daughter Lizzie.
Speaker C
Of course.
Speaker D
But we're not just looking at know the basic facts of the case. Again, we're diving into the good stuff. The trial transcripts, you, witness testimonies, all that evidence that was presented in court • • to see if, well, maybe we can find some details that challenge what we think we know about this case. And joining me in the deep dive is an expert, someone who knows these transcripts, knows this case probably better than Lizzie Borden knew her own house. • •
There are some interesting details in the Borden autopsy reports
So let's just, let's jump right in with the medical evidence. I mean, a trial like this, you have to set the scene, right? So what can you tell us about those original autopsy reports? What did they find?
Speaker C
Well, they're definitely pretty gruesome, as you can imagine. Um, the autopsies themselves were done very soon after uh, the bodies were found. And, uh, they detail pretty meticulously, I might add, that Mr. Borden suffered 10 to 11 blows to the head. Wow. Mrs. Borden was struck 19 times.
Speaker D
19 times. It's no wonder this case still has people talking.
Speaker C
Oh, absolutely. And it's brutal for sure. But there are these curious details in the autopsy reports that really complicate the whole thing. Like when they described the wounds, the shape of them, how deep they were, it suggests that the weapon was something lighter than an axe.