1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,680 Speaker 1: Hey, y'all, were rerunning two episodes today, which means that 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: you'll hear two hosts me and Tracy V. Wilson. Enjoy 3 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: the show. Welcome to this Day in History class from 4 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: how Stuff Works dot com and from the desk of 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: Stuff you Missed in History Class. It's the show where 6 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,119 Speaker 1: we explore the past, one day at a time with 7 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 1: a quick look at what happened today in history. Welcome 8 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: to the podcast. I'm Tracy V. Wilson and it's August four. 9 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: On this day, someone murdered Lizzie Borden's parents with an 10 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: axe in Fall River, Massachusetts. According to that famous rhyme, 11 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: it was Lizzie Borden. She gave her mother forty wax, 12 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 1: and when she saw what she had done, she gave 13 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: her father forty one. You probably know that, but none 14 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: of that is right. Number one, It was Lizzie Borden's stepmother. 15 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: Her mother was Sarah Anthony Morse, who died when Lizzie 16 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: was about three, and her dad, Andrew Jackson Borden, remarried 17 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: a woman named Abby Derphy. This part is maybe a 18 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: more excusable mistake, though for as far as we know, 19 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,279 Speaker 1: Lizzie called Abbey mother for most of her young life. 20 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 1: The second big mistake. Abby did not get forty wax 21 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: with that axe. There were nine team and then Andrew 22 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: did not get forty one. He got ten. It's also 23 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: really not clear, as many people are sure that Lizzie 24 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: Bordon did it, it's not clear who delivered those wax. 25 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 1: She was the prime suspect, she was put on trial. 26 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: She was also acquitted, and she was the prime suspect 27 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 1: for several reasons. Both she and her sister Emma were 28 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:35,679 Speaker 1: upset that their father had given one of the properties 29 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: that they owned to their stepmother rather than to them. 30 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 1: They were older at this point in terms of when 31 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: people typically married. They were not married yet having this 32 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: property would have helped them support themselves. There's maybe some 33 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: financial jealousy or greed going on. The day before the murderers, 34 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: Lizzie had also allegedly tried to buy poison from the pharmacist, 35 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: and even though he refused, the Boardings and their mate 36 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: all reported feeling sick to their stomachs the next morning. 37 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: Lizzie was also suspected because she was home at the 38 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: time and there were no signs of a break in 39 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: or a struggle. So there were a lot of questions 40 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: about how would you miss the fact that your stepmother 41 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 1: was literally being murdered with an ax right down the hall. 42 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: And when a police officer on the scene asked Lizzie 43 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: when she had last seen her mother, she said, no, 44 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: it's my stepmother, and this guy brought up a lot 45 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: after that. She also did give a lot of contradictory answers, 46 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: and she acted really strange on the stand. This may 47 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 1: be explained though, by the fact that she had been 48 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,800 Speaker 1: given morphine as a sedative. She had also burned address 49 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 1: in the kitchen a few days after the murder. She 50 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: was portrayed for a long time. Is really cold and 51 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,399 Speaker 1: unfeelings were in her family, But some documents that were 52 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: uncovered more recently showed that while she was being held 53 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: she had this just colossal amount of grief over their deaths. 54 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: At the same time, though, I mean, that's a lot 55 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: of circumstantial evidence that people pointed to Lizzie Borden, but 56 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: there was no led on her, not on her clothing 57 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: or in her shoes. Officially, it's unsolved. Nobody else has 58 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: ever charged. But after the trial was over, Lizzie Borden 59 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: was really ostracized by the community. This rhyme is just 60 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,919 Speaker 1: entrenched in popular consciousness. It goes all the way back 61 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: to not at all. Long after this whole thing happened, 62 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: people know Lizzie Borden took an ax. She gave her 63 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: mother forty wax. The story has also been remade over 64 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,119 Speaker 1: and over and over in books and movies and songs, 65 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: on and on. It's a little odd that it has 66 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: stuck so well in people's memories. It's a gruesome and 67 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: horrifying crime, but also not that uncommon of a crime 68 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: when it happened. Was the murder of two people who 69 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: were related to each other, carried out with an axe, 70 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: which is a very common murder weapon. In the nineteenth century, 71 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: most people had one in hand. Crimes of convenience often 72 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: were committed with handy objects. You can find out more 73 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 1: about Lizzie Borden on the October an episode of Stuffy 74 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: Missed in History Class, which was also updated on August 75 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: thanks to Sari Harrison for her audio skills on these episodes, 76 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: and you can subscribe to This Day in History Class 77 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, and whatever else you get 78 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,839 Speaker 1: your podcasts. Tune in tomorrow for some heroic women in 79 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 1: World War Two. Greetings everyone, welcome to this Day in 80 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: History class, where we bring you a new tidbit from 81 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 1: history every day. The day was August four, nineteen eleven. 82 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: A Major League baseball player named Herman Schaeffer, or Germany 83 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: as he was nicknamed, stole first base in reverse during 84 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: a game. Germany Schaefer made his major league debut in 85 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 1: October of nineteen o one, playing for the Chicago Cubs. 86 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,559 Speaker 1: Schaefer worked as a baseball player, coach, or scout until 87 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: he died in nineteen nineteen, but during his baseball career, 88 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: he was known for his antics on the field. He 89 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: entertained crowds by pulling pranks like wearing a raincoat onto 90 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: the field, bringing a lantern onto the field, or walking 91 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 1: along the foul line as if it were a tight rope. 92 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: One of his most remembered stunts is stealing first base. 93 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: A base is stolen when a runner moves to the 94 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: next base without the ball having been hit into play 95 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 1: and without a fielding error. The official score awards stolen bases. 96 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: On August four, nineteen eleven, Schaefer was in Chicago playing 97 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,840 Speaker 1: for the Washington Senators against the Chicago White Sox. In 98 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: this era, stealing basis was a popular strategy that included 99 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 1: the double steal, which happens when two base runners attempt 100 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:01,840 Speaker 1: to steal a base on the same play. When this 101 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 1: game was in the bottom of the ninth inning, the 102 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:08,919 Speaker 1: score was zero to zero. Schaefer's teammate Clyde Millon was 103 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: on third base. Schaefer stole second, hoping to draw a 104 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: throw from the White Sox catcher Fred Payne and allow 105 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: Milan to steal home but the catcher held the ball. 106 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: This led Schaefer to try and steal backward to first 107 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: base on the next pitch so he could attempt the 108 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: double steal again, but again he did not draw a 109 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: throw from the catcher. White Sox manager Hugh Duffy ran 110 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 1: out onto the field to argue with umpire Tommy Connolly 111 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: about letting Schaefer steal first. While they argued, Schaefer made 112 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 1: a run for second base again, Schaefer was caught in 113 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: a rundown, or when a base runner gets stuck between 114 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 1: two bases. At this point, Milan headed for home plate, 115 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: but Milan was tagged for the third out and the 116 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:02,159 Speaker 1: inning was over. The Senators argued that the play did 117 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: not count because the White Sox had ten players on 118 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: the field, counting the Socks's manager, even though he had 119 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: not played a game in years, but the umpire ruled 120 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: against them as they had caused the chaos in the 121 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 1: first place, and the official score only credited Schaefer for 122 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 1: one stolen base, even though the umpire said that stealing 123 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: first base was legal. Milan did later score and the 124 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: Senators won the game, won to zero. Newspapers reported on 125 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: the events of the game the next day. In August five, 126 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 1: report in the Richmond Item out of Indiana said the 127 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: umpires and bugs will keep guessing all summer over what 128 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: right has a man to steal bases? Backward outfielder Davy 129 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: Jones recalled Schaefer stealing first base in nineteen o eight 130 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: against Cleveland, but this story has not been verified. In 131 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: ninety a rule was passed to call players out if 132 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: they ran the bases in birth order. I'm e jeffcot 133 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: and hopefully you know a little more about history today 134 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: than you did yesterday. And if you'd like to follow 135 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: us on social media, you can find us at T 136 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: D I h C Podcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 137 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: We'll be back with more history tomorrow. For more podcasts 138 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: for my heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, 139 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.