The Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. Lizzie A. Borden: The Knowlton Papers, 1892-1893

On June 20, 1893, a verdict of Not guilty brought the case of Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. Lizzie A Borden to a close, thus ending a trial which had thrust its participants into worldwide media attention. In 1892, Miss Lizzie Andrew Borden was accused of the brutal August 4 murders of her father, Andrew Jackson Borden, and her step mother, Abby Durfee (Gray) Borden. Vindicated by due process of the charges brought against her, Miss Borden returned to Fall River, Massachusetts, only to face the life sentence inflicted upon her by her contemporaries, that of being ostracized. Prosecuting attorney Hosea Morrill Knowlton gladly relinquished his position in the public eye, proceeding with a career which was to bring him numerous successes in the final decade of his life. It is interesting to note that, with the plethora of paperwork which can accumulate in a lifetime, the only file retained by Attorney Knowlton was that of his most famous case, a case which was not ruled in his favor.Presented here is a volume comprised of original documents pertaining to the Borden case. It is hoped that this collection, the legacy of Attorney Hosea Morrill Knowlton, will intrigue and fascinate the reader.