historicall.y

Lizzie Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks, When she saw what she had done She gave her father forty- one! This rhyme is based on a murder that occurred on August 4th 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts.  The victims were Andrew and Abby Borden. They were found in their home, very dead. Mrs. Borden was declared to have died first by nineteen (rather than the 40 in rhyme) hits of a hatchet, not an axe. Her murder was followed by the murder of Mr. Borden from 10 or 11 hits. A week later Mr. Borden's youngest daughter of his first marriage, Lizzie Andrew Borden, was arrested. According to the detectives, she had recently bought a hatchet and after the murder disposed of a dress by burning it. Lizzie, however, was released after the authorities decided there was not enough forensic evidence to take the matters any further. The murder still remains a mystery to this day.

This is a true story that happened in a small Suffolk village in 1828. It is rather grim and makes me feel sick at the same time as sending shivers down my spine. It has been turned into melodrama plays, songs and stories. There are many different versions of this tale and this is just two of them. Also Mariah is sometimes known as Maria. Beth William Corder was a famous womaniser, from a wealthy Suffolk family. Mariah Marten was the village beauty, daughter of the local mole catcher. Apparently, Corder wished to meet Mariah in the Red Barn. But he told her to come dressed in men's clothing. That in itself seems rather suspicious. Mariah went off and arrived at the barn. Whilst she was waiting, Corder entered carrying a pistol and shot her. He then buried her in the barn. Then Corder left for London and wrote to Mariah's father telling him that they were happy and married on the Isle of Wight. A year later, a gruesome discovery was made. Mariah's body... The ...