Dubbed the “trial of the century,” the 1893 murder trial of Lizzie Borden was a media sensation. Reporters across the United States covered the lurid details of the brutal 1892 hatchet killings of her father and stepmother, Andrew and Abby Borden, in their family home in Fall River, Massachusetts.
Despite Lizzie’s attempts to deflect suspicion, she soon became the prime suspect. Her conflicting testimony throughout the investigation led many to doubt her claims of innocence, and she was arrested for the double murder.
During her trial, prosecutors tried to establish a motive, hinting at the difficult relationship between Lizzie and her stepmother, but were unable to produce any physical evidence. Two weeks later, she was found not guilty by an all-male jury.
While she was acquitted of all charges, Lizzie struggled to make a life for herself in a world in which many remained convinced of her guilt. The murders, which are revisited in Netflix’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, even inspired a famous nursery rhyme, which continued to haunt her until her death.
Here’s what we know about Lizzie’s isolated life after her high-profile murder trial.
Lizzie Borden changed her name after the trial
Lizzie and her older sister, Emma, briefly returned to the Borden house, but soon purchased a 14-room, Queen-Anne style home on The Hill, which they named Maplecroft. The now-wealthy sisters lived the life Lizzie had always dreamed of, with a large staff of servants and all the modern conveniences of the day. They also built a lavish monument which they placed at the site of Andrew and Abby’s graves.
Lizzie began using the name Lizbeth, and while she may have hoped for a fresh start, Fall River refused to allow her to forget her past. Maplecroft became a target for school children, who threw objects at the house and regularly pranked and taunted her. Former friends abandoned her, and fellow church members avoided her.
Newspapers wrote thinly-veiled attacks, all but accusing her of getting away with murder. In 1897, Lizzie faced another scandal, when she was accused (but not charged) of shoplifting while visiting Rhode Island, leading her to become even more isolated within the walls of Maplecroft.
She formed a close bond with actor Nance O’Neil
Fall River society may have treated Lizzie like a pariah, but others were more than willing to take advantage of her largesse. An avid theater-goer, Lizzie began traveling frequently to New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere to shop and attend shows. She also began throwing lavish parties at Maplecroft for her new friends.
Among them was Nance O’Neill, an actor whom some in the press dubbed the “American Bernhardt.” Lizzie met Nance in Boston around 1904, and the two quickly became close. Lizzie doted on her, and gossip soon began to spread that the two were having a sexual relationship, though neither woman commented on the accusations. Some accused Nance of taking advantage of Lizzie’s generosity and financial support.
She had a falling out with her sister Emma
Emma, who had been her sister’s closest confidante throughout their lives, grew increasingly frustrated with Lizzie, and moved out of Maplecroft in 1905. She later told a Boston newspaper, “The happenings at the French Street house that caused me to leave I must refuse to talk about. I did not go until conditions became absolutely unbearable.”
Nance’s friendship with Lizzie ended after just a few years, but Lizzie and her staunchest supporter remained estranged for the rest of their lives. Lizzie died in June 1927 at the age of 66. Emma died a little more than a week later.
Today, the Borden family home on Second Street is a popular bed and breakfast, where those brave enough can spend the night at the scene of the one most famous—and officially unsolved—murders in American history.
Catherine Caruso joined the Biography.com staff in August 2024, having previously worked as a freelance journalist for several years. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she studied English literature. When she’s not working on a new story, you can find her reading, hitting the gym, or watching too much TV.
