3.221 resultados
1781ref. 728291781. London: Printed for J. Almon and J. Debrett 1781. London: Printed for J. Almon and J. Debrett 1781. Poisoned with Essence of Laurel Water Trial. Donellan John 1737/8-1781 Defendant. The Proceedings at Large on the Trial of John Donellan Esq. For the Wilful Murder By Poison of Sir The. Edward Allesley Boughton Bart. Late of Lawford-Hall In the County of Warwick. Tried Before Mr. Justice Buller At the Assizes at Warwick. On Friday the 30th day of March 1781. Taken in Short-Hand by Permission of the Judge By W. Blanchard. London: Printed for J. Almon and J. Debrett 1781. iv 156 pp. Octavo 7-3/4" x 5". Contemporary marbled boards rebacked in calf morocco lettering piece to spine endpapers renewed. Binding slightly cocked moderate rubbing to boards with wear to corners owner bookplate of Geoffrey G. Briggs to front pastedown. Moderate toning to text negligible light foxing and dampstaining in a few places. $350. First and only edition. "Coveting the estates of Sir Theodosius Boughton who lived at resplendent Lawford Hall in Warwickshire England Captain John Donellan poisoned his host with essence of laurel water in 1780. This was later uncovered at a probing inquest which led to Donellan's conviction and execution; he was hanged at Warwickshire in 1781" Nash. Sanctioned by its judge our account of this trial is scarce. This copy was owned by Sir Geoffrey Briggs 1914-1993 an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of Hong Kong and Brunei. OCLC locates 4 copies in North America law libraries Georgetown Library of Congress Social Law and Yale Law School. Nash Encyclopedia of World Crime II:999. English Short-Title Catalogue T93428. unknown books
1781ref. 831911781. Scarce Account of a Covetous Poisoner Donellan John 1737/8-1781 Defendant. The Trial of John Donnellan sic Esq. Late Master of the Ceremonies at the Pantheon in Oxford-Street at the Assizes Holden at Warwick On Tuesday the 27th of March 1781 Before Francis Buller Esq. One of the Judges of the Court of King's Bench For the Wilful Murder of Sir Theodosius Boughton Bart. Taken in Short-Hand by a Barrister at Law Attending the Midland Circuit. London: Printed for and sold by T. Brewman at No. 1 the Top of Fleet-Market facing the Obelisk in Fleet-Street 1781. 43 1 pp. Final page is a publisher advertisement. Octavo 7-3/4" x 5"; 20 x 12.5 cm. Stab-stitched pamphlet in contemporary thick marbled wrappers. Light rubbing a few minor chips and tears to edges of wrappers moderate rubbing to edges of wrappers and text block. Moderate toning to interior light foxing in places contemporary annotations doodles and marks both in ink and pencil in a few places. A very good copy. $150. Only edition one of two 1781 imprints. "Coveting the estates of Sir Theodosius Boughton who lived at resplendent Lawford Hall in Warwickshire England Captain John Donellan poisoned his host with essence of laurel water in 1780. This was later uncovered at a probing inquest which led to Donellan's conviction and execution; he was hanged at Warwickshire in 1781" Nash. Both imprints are scarce. OCLC locates 3 copies of the London issue in North American law libraries Library of Congress University of Georgia Yale. The English Short-Title Catalogue adds another Harvard. Nash Encyclopedia of World Crime II:999. English Short-Title Catalogue T92907. unknown books
1767ref. 727311767. London: for W. Griffin 1767. 56 23 1 pp. London: for W. Griffin 1767. 56 23 1 pp. A Sensational Inheritance Case Trial. Douglas Cause. A Concise Narrative of the Proceedings in the Douglas Cause: With Remarks Upon the Memorials: In a Letter to a Friend. London: Printed for W. Griffin 1767. 56 23 1 pp. Octavo 9" x 5-3/4". Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet fore and bottom edges untrimmed. Light toning light soiling to exterior light foxing in a few places a few creases to final leaf. $500. First edition. The "Douglas Cause" which involved claims on the estate of Duke Douglas was one of the most sensational Scottish trials of the eighteenth century. Douglas died without issue leaving his sister Lady Jane Douglas the heir presumptive. His relatives the Hamiltons had hoped to lay claim to the estate but were foiled when Lady Jane had twin sons at the age of 50. A bitter dispute ensued over whether these children were in fact legitimate but the case was decided against the Hamiltons and the estate went to Lady Jane's surviving child Archibald Stewart Douglas. This was a rancorous case which attracted a great deal of public attention most of it sympathetic to the young Douglas. A second edition was published later the same year. English Short-Title Catalogue T184001. unknown
1767ref. 727311767. London: for W. Griffin 1767. 56 23 1 pp. London: for W. Griffin 1767. 56 23 1 pp. A Sensational Inheritance Case Trial. Douglas Cause. A Concise Narrative of the Proceedings in the Douglas Cause: With Remarks Upon the Memorials: In a Letter to a Friend. London: Printed for W. Griffin 1767. 56 23 1 pp. Octavo 9" x 5-3/4". Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet fore and bottom edges untrimmed. Light toning light soiling to exterior light foxing in a few places a few creases to final leaf. $500. First edition. The "Douglas Cause" which involved claims on the estate of Duke Douglas was one of the most sensational Scottish trials of the eighteenth century. Douglas died without issue leaving his sister Lady Jane Douglas the heir presumptive. His relatives the Hamiltons had hoped to lay claim to the estate but were foiled when Lady Jane had twin sons at the age of 50. A bitter dispute ensued over whether these children were in fact legitimate but the case was decided against the Hamiltons and the estate went to Lady Jane's surviving child Archibald Stewart Douglas. This was a rancorous case which attracted a great deal of public attention most of it sympathetic to the young Douglas. A second edition was published later the same year. English Short-Title Catalogue T184001. unknown books
1808ref. 684481808. London 1808. Very Scarce/Rare. London 1808. Very Scarce/Rare. A Very Scarce 1808 English Libel Case Relating to One of Wellington's Generals Trial. Draper Edward Alured 1776-1841 Defendant. The Trial of Lieutenant Colonel Edward Alured Draper Of the Third Regiment of Foot Guards In the Court of King's Bench On Monday The 29th of June 1807 Before the Right Hon. Lord Ellenborough and a Special Jury For a Libel Against the Right Hon. John Sullivan. Taken in Short Hand by Mr. Adams. London: Printed by D. Jaques 1808. vii 179 pp. Octavo 8-5/8" x 5-3/8". Later library cloth red and black calf lettering pieces and a bit of residue from paper location label to spine. Light soiling corners bumped light fading to spine. Moderate toning to text "110442" in early hand to verso of half-title two faint library stamps to title page. $850. Only edition. Draper was charged with libel for distributing a statement against a witness in a trial against his superior officer General Sir Thomas Picton. A distinguished but controversial general Picton was accused of using torture while serving as the military governor of Trinidad charges that were dismissed. Draper claimed that Sullivan a colonial official lied under oath. Draper lost his case and served a three-month sentence but went on to have a distinguished career as an officer and civil servant in Mauritius. OCLC locates 2 copies worldwide Social Law and Yale University. Not in COPAC or the Catalogue of the Library of the Harvard Law School 1909. unknown
1808ref. 684481808. London 1808. Very Scarce/Rare. London 1808. Very Scarce/Rare. A Very Scarce 1808 English Libel Case Relating to One of Wellington's Generals Trial. Draper Edward Alured 1776-1841 Defendant. The Trial of Lieutenant Colonel Edward Alured Draper Of the Third Regiment of Foot Guards In the Court of King's Bench On Monday The 29th of June 1807 Before the Right Hon. Lord Ellenborough and a Special Jury For a Libel Against the Right Hon. John Sullivan. Taken in Short Hand by Mr. Adams. London: Printed by D. Jaques 1808. vii 179 pp. Octavo 8-5/8" x 5-3/8". Later library cloth red and black calf lettering pieces and a bit of residue from paper location label to spine. Light soiling corners bumped light fading to spine. Moderate toning to text "110442" in early hand to verso of half-title two faint library stamps to title page. $850. Only edition. Draper was charged with libel for distributing a statement against a witness in a trial against his superior officer General Sir Thomas Picton. A distinguished but controversial general Picton was accused of using torture while serving as the military governor of Trinidad charges that were dismissed. Draper claimed that Sullivan a colonial official lied under oath. Draper lost his case and served a three-month sentence but went on to have a distinguished career as an officer and civil servant in Mauritius. OCLC locates 2 copies worldwide Social Law and Yale University. Not in COPAC or the Catalogue of the Library of the Harvard Law School 1909. unknown books
1930ref. 723081930. Trial. Greenwood Harold Defendant. Duke Winifred Editor. Trial of Harold Greenwood. Edinburgh: William Hodge & Company 1930. xi 347 pp. Frontispiece and nine additional illustrations with fold-out map. Hardcover. Original red cloth with gilt lettered spine. Ex-library with property stamps and shelf location label at foot of spine. Spine faded. Good. $25. First edition. A title in the Notable British Trials series. In the early morning of June 16th 1919 Mrs. Greenwood died suddenly after a few hours' illness. Her doctor granted a certificate to the effect that death was due to valvular disease of the heart and she was buried in Kidwelly churchyard. Following village gossip aroused by Greenwood's second marriage her body was exhumed and an expert's examination revealed the presence of a small quantity of arsenic in the organs. unknown books
1899ref. 732651899. A Classic of American Criminal History": McDade 276 Trial. Durrant William Henry Theodore 1871-1898 Defendant. Peixotto Edgar D. Reporter. Report of the Trial of William Henry Theodore Durrant: Indicted for the Murder of Blanche Lamont Before the Superior Court of the City and County of San Francisco. Including a Full History of the Case After Defendant's Conviction Giving in Detail All the Numerous Appeals and Motions of Defendant's Counsel to the State Supreme Court the Governor And Finally to the Supreme Court of the United States. also Including a Complete Synopsis of the Evidence in Possession of the Authorities in the Case for the Murder of Minnie Williams For Which Durrant was Never Tried But Which Developed into Even a Stronger Case Than the One Upon Which He was Convicted. Illustrated from Numerous Photographs in the Possession of the Police Department of San Francisco. Detroit: The Collector Publishing Co. 1899. vi 214 pp. 20 plates. Octavo 8-3/4" x 5-3/4". Later cloth lettering piece and silver fillets to spine endpapers renewed. Light toning to interior slightly heavier in places clean tear to fore-edge of leaf containing pp. 65 and 66. $350. Only edition. "Durrant was a twenty-four-year medical student who also served as the assistant superintendent of Sunday school of the Emanuel Baptist Church in San Francisco. By any standard he was a 'good' young man and the mystery if there is one in this case is how from a seemingly proper life he could within the space of nine days commit two atrocious murders in his church. . The case is a classic of American criminal history": McDade The Annals of Murder 276. unknown
1899ref. 732651899. A Classic of American Criminal History": McDade 276 Trial. Durrant William Henry Theodore 1871-1898 Defendant. Peixotto Edgar D. Reporter. Report of the Trial of William Henry Theodore Durrant: Indicted for the Murder of Blanche Lamont Before the Superior Court of the City and County of San Francisco. Including a Full History of the Case After Defendant's Conviction Giving in Detail All the Numerous Appeals and Motions of Defendant's Counsel to the State Supreme Court the Governor And Finally to the Supreme Court of the United States. also Including a Complete Synopsis of the Evidence in Possession of the Authorities in the Case for the Murder of Minnie Williams For Which Durrant was Never Tried But Which Developed into Even a Stronger Case Than the One Upon Which He was Convicted. Illustrated from Numerous Photographs in the Possession of the Police Department of San Francisco. Detroit: The Collector Publishing Co. 1899. vi 214 pp. 20 plates. Octavo 8-3/4" x 5-3/4". Later cloth lettering piece and silver fillets to spine endpapers renewed. Light toning to interior slightly heavier in places clean tear to fore-edge of leaf containing pp. 65 and 66. $350. Only edition. "Durrant was a twenty-four-year medical student who also served as the assistant superintendent of Sunday school of the Emanuel Baptist Church in San Francisco. By any standard he was a 'good' young man and the mystery if there is one in this case is how from a seemingly proper life he could within the space of nine days commit two atrocious murders in his church. . The case is a classic of American criminal history": McDade The Annals of Murder 276. unknown books
1836ref. 802841836. A Poisoning in Pennsylvania: McDade 280 Trial. Earls John 1802-1836 Defendant. Packer William F. Reporter Editor. Cummings Alexander Jr. Reporter Editor. Report of the Trial and Conviction of John Earls For the Murder of His Wife Catharine Earls Late of Muncy Creek Township Lycoming County Pennsylvania; In the Court of Oyer and Terminer Held at Williamsport For Lycoming County February Term 1836. Including the Arguments of Counsel At Length; Together with the Confession of the Prisoner. Williamsport PA: Printed by the Publishers Packer and Cummings 1836. iv 188 pp. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5-1/4". Contemporary quarter sheep over paper-covered boards lettering piece and blind fillets to spine. Light soiling spotting and a few minor stains to boards joints cracked wear to spine ends edges of lettering piece and fore-edges of boards edges corners bumped front hinge partially cracked. Moderate toning to interior light browning in places light foxing to a few leaves "G.W. Stout/ from Elisha Allis/ Oct: 5 1870" to front pastedown. $500. Only edition. Earls murdered his wife with poison and this trial account discusses poisons at length. McDade notes: "Earls' motive was the usual other-woman. He gave as his reason for purchasing the poison 'to kill mink and muskrats' an imaginative variant. He poisoned his wife the day after she gave birth." "G.W. Stout" is likely George W. Stout 1830-1906 a prominent Easton Pennsylvania lawyer. The giver is likely Elisha Allis 1832-1893 also a resident of Easton. His wife Sarah was the daughter of William F. Packer 1807-1870 one of the reporters of our account who later became the governor of Pennsylvania. McDade The Annals of Murder 280. unknown
1836ref. 802841836. A Poisoning in Pennsylvania: McDade 280 Trial. Earls John 1802-1836 Defendant. Packer William F. Reporter Editor. Cummings Alexander Jr. Reporter Editor. Report of the Trial and Conviction of John Earls For the Murder of His Wife Catharine Earls Late of Muncy Creek Township Lycoming County Pennsylvania; In the Court of Oyer and Terminer Held at Williamsport For Lycoming County February Term 1836. Including the Arguments of Counsel At Length; Together with the Confession of the Prisoner. Williamsport PA: Printed by the Publishers Packer and Cummings 1836. iv 188 pp. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5-1/4". Contemporary quarter sheep over paper-covered boards lettering piece and blind fillets to spine. Light soiling spotting and a few minor stains to boards joints cracked wear to spine ends edges of lettering piece and fore-edges of boards edges corners bumped front hinge partially cracked. Moderate toning to interior light browning in places light foxing to a few leaves "G.W. Stout/ from Elisha Allis/ Oct: 5 1870" to front pastedown. $500. Only edition. Earls murdered his wife with poison and this trial account discusses poisons at length. McDade notes: "Earls' motive was the usual other-woman. He gave as his reason for purchasing the poison 'to kill mink and muskrats' an imaginative variant. He poisoned his wife the day after she gave birth." "G.W. Stout" is likely George W. Stout 1830-1906 a prominent Easton Pennsylvania lawyer. The giver is likely Elisha Allis 1832-1893 also a resident of Easton. His wife Sarah was the daughter of William F. Packer 1807-1870 one of the reporters of our account who later became the governor of Pennsylvania. McDade The Annals of Murder 280. unknown books
1824ref. 857701824. The Fatal Consequences of Sports Betting Trial. Thurtell John 1794-1824 & Joseph Hunt d.1825 Defendants. Egan Pierce 1772-1849 Reporter. Pierce Egan's Account of the Trial of John Thurtell and Joseph Hunt. With an Appendix Disclosing Some Extraordinary Facts Exclusively in the Possession of the Editor. With Portraits And Many Other Illustrative Engravings. London: Knight & Lacey Publishers 1824. iv 105 1 pp. With an engraved portrait frontispiece of Thurtell Hunt and William Probert and 6 unnumbered full-page woodcuts as called for. Bound with Egan Pierce. Recollections of John Thurtell Who was Executed at Hertford on Friday The 9th of January 1824.Being an Appendix to His Account of the Trial Which May Now be Had Price 2s. London: Knight & Lacey Publishers 1824. iv 44 pp. With a woodcut frontispiece depicting Thurtell's execution. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5"; 21.4 x 12.7 cm. Contemporary three-quarter calf over marbled boards gilt fillets and lettering piece to spine. Some rubbing to exterior light wear to extremities front joint cracked spine varnished corners bumped rear hinge cracked. Light toning to interior occasional light foxing and soiling unobtrusive faint dampstaining to first three leaves of Account. A good copy. $250. Only editions. John Thurtell an unlucky gambler was deeply in debt to the bookmaker William Weare. Deciding to take revenge Thurtell along with his friends Joseph Hunt and William Probert murdered Weare in a grisly manner and tossed his body into a pond. Thurtell tried to escape conviction. He was hanged. Hunt confessed his involvement and stated that Thurtell was the killer. He was sent to the penal colony in Botany Bay Australia. Charges against Probert were dropped in exchange for his wife's testimony which minimized his role in the crime. Our account of the trial and its aftermath was produced by Pierce Egan a popular journalist and sportswriter. Thurtell himself was an admirer--the chance to read Egan's coverage of a recent prizefight was purportedly among his final wishes. Recollections was issued separately as the appendix which is referenced on the title page of Account. unknown
1824ref. 857701824. The Fatal Consequences of Sports Betting Trial. Thurtell John 1794-1824 & Joseph Hunt d.1825 Defendants. Egan Pierce 1772-1849 Reporter. Pierce Egan's Account of the Trial of John Thurtell and Joseph Hunt. With an Appendix Disclosing Some Extraordinary Facts Exclusively in the Possession of the Editor. With Portraits And Many Other Illustrative Engravings. London: Knight & Lacey Publishers 1824. iv 105 1 pp. With an engraved portrait frontispiece of Thurtell Hunt and William Probert and 6 unnumbered full-page woodcuts as called for. Bound with Egan Pierce. Recollections of John Thurtell Who was Executed at Hertford on Friday The 9th of January 1824.Being an Appendix to His Account of the Trial Which May Now be Had Price 2s. London: Knight & Lacey Publishers 1824. iv 44 pp. With a woodcut frontispiece depicting Thurtell's execution. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5"; 21.4 x 12.7 cm. Contemporary three-quarter calf over marbled boards gilt fillets and lettering piece to spine. Some rubbing to exterior light wear to extremities front joint cracked spine varnished corners bumped rear hinge cracked. Light toning to interior occasional light foxing and soiling unobtrusive faint dampstaining to first three leaves of Account. A good copy. $250. Only editions. John Thurtell an unlucky gambler was deeply in debt to the bookmaker William Weare. Deciding to take revenge Thurtell along with his friends Joseph Hunt and William Probert murdered Weare in a grisly manner and tossed his body into a pond. Thurtell tried to escape conviction. He was hanged. Hunt confessed his involvement and stated that Thurtell was the killer. He was sent to the penal colony in Botany Bay Australia. Charges against Probert were dropped in exchange for his wife's testimony which minimized his role in the crime. Our account of the trial and its aftermath was produced by Pierce Egan a popular journalist and sportswriter. Thurtell himself was an admirer--the chance to read Egan's coverage of a recent prizefight was purportedly among his final wishes. Recollections was issued separately as the appendix which is referenced on the title page of Account. unknown books
1839ref. 738111839. Murder at Sea Trial. Ehlert Jacob Frederich Defendant. Sunderland Murder. The Trial of Jacob Frederich Ehlert For the Murder of Capt. Johan Fredrick Berkholdz Of the Ship Phoenix While Asleep in his Cabin On the Night of the 12th of June 1839. Convicted on the Evidence of his Accomplice Daniel Fredrick Muller. With an Account of His Execution. &c. Durham: Printed by George Walker 1839. 24 pp. Octavo 6-3/4" x 3-3/4". Unsewn pamphlet edges untrimmed. Light toning light foxing in a few places light soiling to edges light edgewear to bottom edge fold line to bottom right corner of final leaf which is starting to separate at ends but secure. $450. Only edition. Ehlert a sailor on the Norwegian brigantine Phoenix murdered the ship's captain Johann Friedrich Berkholdz while he was sleeping and threw the body overboard. The apparent motive was robbery as Muller his accomplice and a witness to the event later testified. Our account concerns Ehlert's trial and execution and ends with a poignant description of Captain Berkholdz's tombstone and the epitaph there. OCLC locates 8 copies 4 in North America Harvard Harvard Law School Harvard Medical School Princeton. unknown books
1849ref. 717751849. Petersburg VA: J.M.H. Brunet 1849. Petersburg VA: J.M.H. Brunet 1849. An 1849 Murder in Petersburg VA: OCLC Locates 7 Copies in Law Libraries Trial. Epes William Dandridge 1806-1848 Defendant. Brunet James Monroe Hamilton 1817-1856 Reporter. Trial of William Dandridge Epes For the Murder of Francis Adolphus Muir Dinwiddie County Virginia: Including the Testimony Submitted in the Case The Speeches of Counsel &c. To Which are Added the Confessions of the Prisoner An Account of His Execution &c. &c. Petersburg VA: J.M.H. Brunet Reporter 1849. 76 pp. Woodcut portrait of Epes on p. 3. Octavo 9" x 5-1/2"; 22.6 x 14 cm. Stab-stitched pamphlet bound into later three-quarter calf over cloth recently rebacked gilt title to spine endpapers renewed. Light rubbing to board edges some wear to corners. Moderate toning to text light foxing in a few places light soiling and edgewear to title page the following leaf and final leaf. A very good copy. $1500. Only edition of a rare and detailed contemporary account of a mid-19th-century Virginia murder trial. The conflict arose when Francis Adolphus Muir threatened to foreclose on a farm property he had previously sold to William Dandridge Epes. In response Epes shot his creditor and concealed the body on the property. To cover his tracks Epes forged a series of letters to explain Muir's sudden disappearance. However his plot unraveled after he pawned the victim's distinctive pocket watch leaving a paper trail that led law enforcement straight to his door. OCLC locates 7 copies in law libraries Harvard Jenkins Library of Congress University of Missouri University of Virginia US Supreme Court William & Mary. McDade The Annals of Murder 286. Brown "Accounts of Trials" in Virginia Law Books: Essays and Bibliographies Bryson ed. 149. unknown books
1845ref. 847281845. He "Argued Much from the Bible to Induce Me to Submit to His Base Designs" Trial. Fairchild Joy Hamlet 1790-1859 Defendant. A Full and Accurate Report of the Trial of Rev. Joy H. Fairchild Before the Municipal Court of Boston For Adultery with Miss Rhoda Davidson. Caption title: Mr. Fairchild's Trial. Boston: H.B. Skinner 1845. Octavo 10" x 6"; 25 x 15 cm. 24 pp. Text in parallel columns. Stab-stitched pamphlet with untrimmed edges. Moderate toning occasional light foxing. Lower outside corners of last two leaves lacking with minor loss to text on last leaf. $250. A scarce antebellum legal document of the highly publicized Boston municipal trial of the Reverend Joy Hamlet Fairchild a married Orthodox Congregational minister accused of committing adultery with Rhoda Davidson a young domestic servant of Edgecomb Maine living in his household. After Davidson gave birth to a child and named Fairchild as the father the ensuing scandal captivated the New England public exposing deep anxieties surrounding ministerial morality and the sexual exploitation of working-class women. One of several publications about this celebrated notorious case. Fairchild vigorously defended himself against the adultery charge claiming he was the victim of a malicious conspiracy engineered by rival clergymen intent on framing him as a habitual libertine. This Skinner printing captures the full dramatic tension of the courtroom including Davidson's detailed testimony regarding how Fairchild used perverted biblical arguments to overcome her moral objections: "I asked him if God had not declared that every man should have his own wife and none other. He said that was Paul's language and then argued much from the Bible to induce me to submit to his base designs which he succeeded in accomplishing." It closes with the equally vexing verdicts. Despite his conviction in ecclesiastical court the Boston municipal jury found that he was not guilty of adultery. The trial highlights a fascinating divergence in nineteenth-century American jurisprudence. A compelling artifact documenting the intersection of religion law and public obsession with sexual scandal in New England. As in most other copies we located ours is lacking its wrappers which contained the title and publication information. Accounts of this case are sca. unknown
1871ref. 821101871. San Francisco 1871. Only edition. San Francisco 1871. Only edition. A Landmark Gilded Age Murder Trial-Offered with Its Definitive Modern History Trial. Fair Laura D. Defendant. Official Report of the Trial of Laura D. Fair For the Murder of Alex. P. Crittenden. San Francisco: Printed by the San Francisco Co-Operative Printing Co. 1871. 4 325 xvii pp. With two full-page woodcut portraits of Fair and Crittenden as a double frontispiece. Octavo 9-3/4" x 6-1/2"; 24.8 x 16.5 cm. Stab-stitched book bound in early twentieth-century three-quarter sheep over marbled boards gilt title to spine front board detached. Rubbing light wear to extremities front joint starting chipping to spine ends corners bumped and worn hinges cracked front hinge reinforced with archival tissue library bookplate with deaccession stamp to front pastedown. Moderate toning to interior; light edgewear and a few chips to portrait leaves; light foxing to last few leaves; tear to head of gutter of title page; internally clean. Housed in attractive custom crimson clamshell box quarter morocco over cloth with raised bands and gilt title to spine. $1250. First and only edition of the official report documenting the "Ferryboat Murder" a landmark case of femininity insanity and Victorian scandal. When Laura Fair discovered her lover Alexander Crittenden had no intention of leaving his wife she fatally shot him aboard a San Francisco ferry in front of his family. The ensuing trial became a national lightning rod for Victorian anxieties regarding the "sanctity of the family" and the legal rights of women. In a pioneering and controversial defense Fair's counsel argued she was a victim of "Moral Mania" a temporary insanity triggered by her menstrual cycle and "nervous prostration." While the suffragist movement championed her as a victim of a patriarchal legal system the public was captivated by the scandalous correspondence printed here in full. This historical drama is explored in depth in Gary Krist's Trespassers at the Golden Gate 2025 which contextualizes the trial within Gilded Age San Francisco. This remains a cornerstone text for the study of 19th-century gender politics and the 'insanity' defense. McDade The Annals of Murder 291. Krist Trespassers at the Golden Gate 2025 a copy of this work is included. unknown
1871ref. 821101871. San Francisco 1871. Only edition. San Francisco 1871. Only edition. A Landmark Gilded Age Murder Trial-Offered with Its Definitive Modern History Trial. Fair Laura D. Defendant. Official Report of the Trial of Laura D. Fair For the Murder of Alex. P. Crittenden. San Francisco: Printed by the San Francisco Co-Operative Printing Co. 1871. 4 325 xvii pp. With two full-page woodcut portraits of Fair and Crittenden as a double frontispiece. Octavo 9-3/4" x 6-1/2"; 24.8 x 16.5 cm. Stab-stitched book bound in later twentieth-century three-quarter sheep over marbled boards gilt title to spine. Rubbing light wear to extremities front joint starting chipping to spine ends corners bumped and worn hinges cracked front hinge reinforced with archival tissue library bookplate with deaccession stamp to front pastedown. Moderate toning to interior; light edgewear and a few chips to portrait leaves; light foxing to last few leaves; tear to head of gutter of title page; internally clean. Housed in attractive custom crimson clamshell box quarter morocco over cloth with raised bands and gilt title to spine. $1500. First and only edition of the official report documenting the "Ferryboat Murder" a landmark case of femininity insanity and Victorian scandal. When Laura Fair discovered her lover Alexander Crittenden had no intention of leaving his wife she fatally shot him aboard a San Francisco ferry in front of his family. The ensuing trial became a national lightning rod for Victorian anxieties regarding the "sanctity of the family" and the legal rights of women. In a pioneering and controversial defense Fair's counsel argued she was a victim of "Moral Mania" a temporary insanity triggered by her menstrual cycle and "nervous prostration." While the suffragist movement championed her as a victim of a patriarchal legal system the public was captivated by the scandalous correspondence printed here in full. This historical drama is explored in depth in Gary Krist's Trespassers at the Golden Gate 2025 which contextualizes the trial within Gilded Age San Francisco. This remains a cornerstone text for the study of 19th-century gender politics and the 'insanity' defense. McDade The Annals of Murder 291. Krist Trespassers at the Golden Gate 2025 a copy of this work is included. unknown books
1845ref. 847281845. He "Argued Much from the Bible to Induce Me to Submit to His Base Designs" Trial. Fairchild Joy Hamlet 1790-1859 Defendant. A Full and Accurate Report of the Trial of Rev. Joy H. Fairchild Before the Municipal Court of Boston For Adultery with Miss Rhoda Davidson. Caption title: Mr. Fairchild's Trial. Boston: H.B. Skinner 1845. Octavo 10" x 6"; 25 x 15 cm. 24 pp. Text in parallel columns. Stab-stitched pamphlet with untrimmed edges. Moderate toning occasional light foxing. Lower outside corners of last two leaves lacking with minor loss to text on last leaf. $250. A scarce antebellum legal document of the highly publicized Boston municipal trial of the Reverend Joy Hamlet Fairchild a married Orthodox Congregational minister accused of committing adultery with Rhoda Davidson a young domestic servant of Edgecomb Maine living in his household. After Davidson gave birth to a child and named Fairchild as the father the ensuing scandal captivated the New England public exposing deep anxieties surrounding ministerial morality and the sexual exploitation of working-class women. One of several publications about this celebrated notorious case. Fairchild vigorously defended himself against the adultery charge claiming he was the victim of a malicious conspiracy engineered by rival clergymen intent on framing him as a habitual libertine. This Skinner printing captures the full dramatic tension of the courtroom including Davidson's detailed testimony regarding how Fairchild used perverted biblical arguments to overcome her moral objections: "I asked him if God had not declared that every man should have his own wife and none other. He said that was Paul's language and then argued much from the Bible to induce me to submit to his base designs which he succeeded in accomplishing." It closes with the equally vexing verdicts. Despite his conviction in ecclesiastical court the Boston municipal jury found that he was not guilty of adultery. The trial highlights a fascinating divergence in nineteenth-century American jurisprudence. A compelling artifact documenting the intersection of religion law and public obsession with sexual scandal in New England. As in most other copies we located ours is lacking its wrappers which contained the title and publication information. Accounts of this case are sca. unknown books
1821ref. 694431821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. He Beat Her to Death with a Shovel: McDade 300 Trial. Farmer Daniel Davis 1793-1822 Defendant. Rogers Artemas Reporter. Chase Henry B. Reporter. Trial of Daniel Davis Farmer For the Murder of the Widow Anna Ayer At Goffstown On the 4th of April A.D. 1821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. 72 pp. Octavo 8" x 5-1/4". Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet. Light soiling to exterior light rubbing to extremities light browning and occasional light foxing to text. $250. Only edition. "Mrs. Ayer had charged Farmer with fathering her child. He beat her to death with a cudgel sic and tried to burn her house" McDade. The report states that the murder weapon was an iron shovel. Farmer was found guilty and executed. McDade The Annals of Murder 300. unknown
1821ref. 664751821. Concord NH: Hill and Moore 1821. Concord NH: Hill and Moore 1821. He Beat Her to Death with a Shovel Trial. Farmer Daniel Davis 1793-1822 Defendant. Rogers Artemas Reporter. Chase Henry B. Reporter. Trial of Daniel Davis Farmer For the Murder of the Widow Anna Ayer At Goffstown On the 4th of April A.D. 1821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. 72 pp. Octavo 8" x 5-1/4". Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet fragments of wrapper along spine. Light rubbing to extremities light browning to text light foxing to a few leaves. $250. Only edition. "Mrs. Ayer had charged Farmer with fathering her child. He beat her to death with a cudgel sic and tried to burn her house" McDade. The report states that the murder weapon was an iron shovel. Farmer was found guilty and executed. McDade The Annals of Murder 300. unknown
1821ref. 745441821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. He Beat Her to Death with a Shovel: McDade 300 Trial. Farmer Daniel Davis 1793-1822 Defendant. Rogers Artemas Reporter. Chase Henry B. 1776 or 1777-1854 Reporter. Trial of Daniel Davis Farmer For the Murder of the Widow Anna Ayer At Goffstown On the 4th of April A.D. 1821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. 72 pp. Octavo 8" x 5-1/4". Stab-stitched pamphlet with untrimmed edges bound into later quarter cloth over marbled boards black-stamped title to spine. Light rubbing to extremities free endpapers lacking light browning to pamphlet. An attractively bound well-preserved copy. $350. Only edition. When Mrs. Ayer charged Farmer with fathering her child he beat her to death with an iron shovel McDade mistakenly says "cudgel" and tried to burn her house. Farmer was found guilty and executed. McDade The Annals of Murder 300. unknown books
1821ref. 694431821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. He Beat Her to Death with a Shovel: McDade 300 Trial. Farmer Daniel Davis 1793-1822 Defendant. Rogers Artemas Reporter. Chase Henry B. Reporter. Trial of Daniel Davis Farmer For the Murder of the Widow Anna Ayer At Goffstown On the 4th of April A.D. 1821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. 72 pp. Octavo 8" x 5-1/4". Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet. Light soiling to exterior light rubbing to extremities light browning and occasional light foxing to text. $250. Only edition. "Mrs. Ayer had charged Farmer with fathering her child. He beat her to death with a cudgel sic and tried to burn her house" McDade. The report states that the murder weapon was an iron shovel. Farmer was found guilty and executed. McDade The Annals of Murder 300. unknown books
1821ref. 664751821. Concord NH: Hill and Moore 1821. Concord NH: Hill and Moore 1821. He Beat Her to Death with a Shovel Trial. Farmer Daniel Davis 1793-1822 Defendant. Rogers Artemas Reporter. Chase Henry B. Reporter. Trial of Daniel Davis Farmer For the Murder of the Widow Anna Ayer At Goffstown On the 4th of April A.D. 1821. Concord NH: Published by Hill and Moore 1821. 72 pp. Octavo 8" x 5-1/4". Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet fragments of wrapper along spine. Light rubbing to extremities light browning to text light foxing to a few leaves. $250. Only edition. "Mrs. Ayer had charged Farmer with fathering her child. He beat her to death with a cudgel sic and tried to burn her house" McDade. The report states that the murder weapon was an iron shovel. Farmer was found guilty and executed. McDade The Annals of Murder 300. unknown books
1824ref. 699621824. London: Knight and Lacey Publishers 1824. London: Knight and Lacey Publishers 1824. The Trial and Execution of Henry Fauntleroy: A Landmark Case in British Financial History Trial Fauntleroy Henry 1785-1824 Defendant. Egan Pierce 1772-1849 Reporter. Pierce Egan's Account of the Trial of Mr.Fauntleroy For Forgery At the Session's-House In the Old Bailey On Saturday The 30th of October 1824 Before Mr.Justice Park and Mr.Baron Garrow. London: Knight and Lacey Publishers 1824. Octavo 8-1/4" x 5-1/4". 67 1 pp. Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet. Light soiling and edgewear; moderate toning to text. Minor chips and tears to a few leaf margins not affecting text. Early ownership signature and "5" to head of title page. A very good copy. $500. Only edition. Henry Fauntleroy was a prominent English banker whose conviction for forgery became a cause celebre. Though he admitted to the acts he maintained they were committed solely to sustain his firm's credit. Despite the testimony of numerous merchants to his character and multiple appeals for clemency he was executed in November 1824. He remains one of the last individuals in Great Britain to be hanged for forgery before it ceased to be a capital offense in 1836. The ownership inscription on the title page belongs to "Thos. Fisher / 3 Union Street / Bath" likely Thomas Fisher 1787-1863 a mid-nineteenth-century British solicitor. British Museum Catalogue Compact Edition 9:70. unknown
