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The latest installment of the Ryan Murphy-led anthology series “Monster,” released on Sept. 17, tackles one of the most famous names in American true crime: Lizzie Borden. The double murder of Borden’s father and stepmother happened right here on the Massachusetts South Coast, in Fall River. The Borden home is now a bed-and-breakfast attraction.
With all the recent spotlight and fanfare on this story, and the spooky month of October underway, there’s a distinct connection to New Bedford that new and seasoned Lizzie fans will want to pay attention to.
This is the latest installment of a series that answers questions about what’s going on in New Bedford. Ask the Light your question here and our reporters will look into it for you.
Borden spent 17 days at the Ash Street Jail in New Bedford — while on trial in the city for the brutal murder of her father, Andrew, and her stepmother, Abby, by use of an axe.
Arrested on Aug. 11, 1892, at her family home in Fall River, Borden was first taken to the jail in Taunton to await her trial, which is depicted in Episode 7 of the show. She was indicted on Dec. 2, 1892, on three counts of murder — one for her father, one for her stepmother, and one for them as a couple.
In Taunton, Borden was housed in the quarters of Mrs. Mary Wright, the jail matron, rather than a cell, as it was incredibly uncommon for women to be incarcerated at the time, especially a woman from an upper-class background.
The show also depicts the time she spent incarcerated, as her room was tastefully decorated with her personal items, and she was brought food each day from the local hotel.
Borden went to New Bedford briefly for her arraignment on May 8, 1893. That June, she was moved to the Ash Street Jail for her trial, held in New Bedford at the Bristol County Court House.
An article in the Boston Daily Globe of June 3, 1893, described her “hack,” or hackney carriage, which appeared “on the corner of County and Court sts., and turned west into the latter.” Three minutes later, it turned into the jail entrance on Cedar Street. These street names confirm that the jail was Ash Street Jail. Built in 1888, it still stands on Court Street, across from Cedar Street and along Ash Street.
A second article, from June 4, 1893, describes the “preparations” being completed for the trial, including a carriage that would take Borden the “one-eighth of a mile road between the jail and the court house.”
Borden was housed in the “matron’s quarters,” in the Bristol County sheriff’s official residence, next door to the Ash Street Jail, according to the sheriff’s office. The building, now part of the jail complex, is used for storage and a staff break room today.
Borden’s trial lasted 13 days, every day of it covered in newspapers nationwide. The jury found her not guilty on June 20, 1893.
Her home is now a historical museum run by U.S. Ghost Adventures. Guests can choose to stay in Borden’s former room, or, if they’re feeling even more apt to tempt fate, in the very room where her stepmother, Abby Borden, was murdered. Guests can gather outside of museum hours in the living room, where her father Andrew Borden was killed.
The New Bedford Whaling Museum owns a copy of Borden’s jail booking card, which notes her time there — June 3 to 20, 1893 — and notes that the court discharged her. The warrant for her arrest is on loan to the museum from the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office.
The Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up, built in 1888, is often referred to as one of the oldest operating jails in the United States.
Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux has been trying for years to secure state funding to close it. He has cited the jail’s age and its many deficiencies, such as mold, hot water issues, and plumbing problems.
At the jail, the sheriff’s office has often refused to receive pre-arraignment detainees after they undergo medical or mental health screenings, leading to heightened conflict with local police chiefs.
Whatever the fate of the jail, it is unlikely its history will become forgotten. With proposed plans to turn the jail into apartments, one must wonder if the room Borden where stayed will turn into a hot commodity that some might jump at to be closer to the legend herself.
Danielle Bartholet is a journalism intern from Emerson College. Email her at dbartholet@newbedfordlight.org.
