Arthur Sherman Phillips Collection
DESCRIPTION
This collection of photographs was assembled by Attorney Arthur Sherman Phillips (1865-1941), who served as a member of the defense team in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. Lizzie A. Borden.
HISTORICAL NOTE
A graduate of Williams College, Arthur S. Phillips read law in the Fall River offices of James Madison Morton (1837-1923) and Andrew Jackson Jennings (1849-1923), being admitted as a member of the Massachusetts bar in 1891. He subsequently entered Boston University Law School, and was awarded his LL.B magna cum laude with the class of 1892. Returning to Fall River, he re-entered the Jennings office and was called upon to serve as a member of Lizzie Borden’s defense team, in the capacity of assistant to Attorney Jennings.
An astute researcher, he was the author of The Phillips History of Fall River, published posthumously in three volumes in 1944, 1945, and 1946 respectively; in Fascicle III, he details his recollections of the Borden case. He was, in his own words, “the sole survivor of those who participated professionally in [the Borden] trial.”
PROVENANCE
Arthur S. Phillips; to his brother-in-law, Norman Salisbury Easton (1872-1957); to the FRHS, 1946, Accession Number: 1946.011.
INVENTORY
ASP001 – Photograph: “Second St. from Lew Hall’s gateway Looking South.”
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen print, 4 ⅝” x 3 ¾” on a 4 ⅝” x 4” trimmed mount; captioned in ink on mount in hand of Arthur S. Phillips.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.001
ASP002 – Photograph: “Second St. from corner Spring – looking North.”
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen print, 4 ⅝” x 3 ¼” on a 4 ⅝” x 4” trimmed mount; captioned in ink on mount in hand of Arthur S. Phillips.
Note: “I am showing herewith a photograph of Second Street taken that same fall [1892]. I took it at an hour corresponding with the hour of the murder. It shows the normal travel on the street at that hour. It was taken from the stable door where Mark Chase, a witness, was sitting during the murder period.” The Phillips History of Fall River, Fascicle III, p. 104.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.002
Corresponds with ASP012.
ASP003 – Photograph: “from Dr. Chagnon’s yard (3d St.) showing rear of Borden yard & barn where Mrs. and Miss Chagnon heard the noise Wed. Evg.,”
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen print, 4 ⅞” x 3 ¾” on a 4 ⅞” x 4 ⅛” trimmed mount; captioned in ink on mount in hand of Arthur S. Phillips.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.003
ASP004 – Photograph: “Dr. Chagnon’s house 3d st. to left. – Mrs. Tripp’s to right. – Looking W. from Third St.”
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen print, 4 ¾” x 3 ⅝” on a 4 ¾” x 4” trimmed mount; captioned in ink on mount in hand of Arthur S. Phillips.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.004
ASP005 – Photograph: “looking S.E. from N.E. corner Borden house – showing space between barn and house – and Borden back yard.”
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen print, 4 ¾” x 3 ¾” on a 4 ¾” x 4 ⅛” trimmed mount captioned in ink on mount in hand of Arthur S. Phillips.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.005
ASP006 – Photograph: “From top of fence – S. Side of Crowe’s yard – looking N.W. – Dr Kelly’s house to left, – Borden house to right.”
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen print, 4 ¾” x 3 ¾” on a 4 ¾” x 4 ⅛” trimmed mount; captioned in ink on mount in hand of Arthur S. Phillips.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.006
ASP007 – Photograph: “Dr. Kelly’s back yard – looking N. towards Borden house.”
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen print, 4 ¾” x 3 ¾” on a 4 ¾” x 4 ⅛” trimmed mount; captioned in ink on mount in hand of Arthur S. Phillips.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.007
ASP008 – Composite panoramic photograph: “Dr. Chagnon’s house & yard – taken from near Crowe’s barn. Borden yard and barn to the left. Looking down 3d. st. to the right.”
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen print, 8 ⅝” x 3 ½” on a 8 ¾” x 3 ⅞” trimmed mount; captioned in ink on mount in hand of Arthur S. Phillips.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.008
ASP009 – Photograph: North West corner of the Andrew J. Borden residence, 92 Second Street, Fall River, Massachusetts, showing west façade of barn and south side of Adelaide B. Churchill residence.
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892/1893; albumen print, 4 ⅝” x 3 ¾” on a 4 ⅝” x 3 ¾” trimmed mount.
Note: Photograph depicted opposite p.96, The Phillips History of Fall River, Fascicle III.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.009
ASP010 – Photograph: South West corner of the Andrew J. Borden residence, 92 Second Street, Fall River, Massachusetts, showing arbor and North West side of Dr. Michael Kelly’s barn.
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen print, 4 ⅝” x 3 ¾” on a 4 ⅝” x 3 ¾” trimmed mount.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.010
ASP011 – Photograph: Guest bedroom of the Andrew J. Borden residence looking north; a view from the stairway.
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen print, 3 ⅞” x 4 ¾” on a 3 ⅞” x 4 ¾” trimmed mount.
Note: “The evidence disclosed consists of a photograph which I took from the third step down the stairway. It shows that a body, then lying between bed and bureau, could not have been seen from the hall. The bed was too low.” The Phillips History of Fall River, Fascicle III, p. 100.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.011
Corresponds with ASP013.
ASP012 – Negative: Second Street from corner Spring Street, looking North.
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen glass plate negative, 5 ½” x 3 ½.”
Note: “I am showing herewith a photograph of Second Street taken that same fall [1892]. I took it at an hour corresponding with the hour of the murder. It shows the normal travel on the street at that hour. It was taken from the stable door where Mark Chase, a witness, was sitting during the murder period.” The Phillips History of Fall River, Fascicle III, p. 104.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.012
Corresponds with ASP002.
ASP013 – Negative: Guest bedroom of the Andrew J. Borden residence looking north; a view from the stairway.
Arthur S. Phillips (1865-1941), Fall River, Massachusetts, 1892; albumen glass plate negative, 4” x 5”.
Note: “The evidence disclosed consists of a photograph which I took from the third step down the stairway. It shows that a body, then lying between bed and bureau, could not have been seen from the hall. The bed was too low.” The Phillips History of Fall River, Fascicle III, p. 100.
Object Identification Number: 1946.011.013
Corresponds with ASP011.
