3.196 resultados
1817ref. 680751817. False Accusations of Robbery Trial. Kenniston Levi Defendant. Kenniston Laban Defendant. Report of the Evidence at the Trial of Levi & Laban Kenniston Before Hon. Samuel Putnam on an Indictment for the Robbery of Major Elijah P. Goodridge December 19 1816. Salem: Printed by T.C. Cushing 1817. 32 pp. Octavo 9-1/2" x 5-1/2". Stab-stitched pamphlet. Light browning some leaves have light foxing tiny faint mark from paper clip to title and final page. $150. Only edition one of three accounts of this trial all from 1817. "Elijah Goodridge brought charges against a number of individuals whom he accused of robbing him but apparently no robbery had taken place. Goodridge's accusations had been fabricated and the defendants were acquitted after a trial in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court" Cohen. This is one of three accounts of this case. Cohen Bibliography of Early American Law 14018. unknown books
1834ref. 149401834. London: J.B. Nichols & Son 1834. Only edition. London: J.B. Nichols & Son 1834. Only edition. Interesting Trial Concerning Responsibility for Poor Relief Trial. Nicholson Henry John Defendant. Report of the Late Important Trial in the Court of King's Bench In Which Sir Charles Merrik Burrel Bart. Was Plaintiff And Henry John Nicholson the Defendant; Respecting the Parochial Rates Claimed by the Parish of St. Margaret Westminster From the Inhabitants of Richmond Terrace. London: Printed by and for J.B. Nichols & Son 1834. 191 pp. with 191 blanks interleaved. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5-1/4". Contemporary calf lettering piece to spine. Considerable rubbing spine abraded front joint cracked corners worn front joint nearly detached. Light toning to text internally clean. $50. First edition. The plaintiff claimed that Richmond Terrace was not within the parish of St. Margaret. Therefore its inhabitants could not be compelled to contribute to the relief of the poor in that parish. Catalogue of the Library of the Harvard Law School 1909 II:1030. unknown books
12mo (150 x 90 mm), [2], 79, [1]pp., new boards, printed paper label on upper cover. JISC locating a single copy at Nottingham University Libraries.
1805pp. 491, 96 [Appendix]. Irregular pagination. On title page early manuscript ownership of John Brown crossed out. Early manuscript inscription 'J. Smith Futhey to Hon. D.H. Hastings' on front paste down. Bookseller's label of Geo. T. Bisel, Philadelphia on front paste down. 8vo. 210 mm. Leather boards. Spine perished. Hardbound. Text very good. Binding poor. Title continues: 'Assistant Justices, Of The Supreme Court Of Pennsylvania, On An Impeachment, Before The Senate Of The Commonwealth, January, 1805'. Edward Shippen (1729-1806) was a lawyer, judge, government official, and prominent figure in colonial and post-revolutionary Philadelphia. He and the other judges of the PA Supreme Court were tried for impeachment because of a 30 day jail sentence they passed on Thomas Passmore for supposed contempt of court. Politically motivated, it highlighted the real divide between Jeffersonian democrats and the Federalists in their interpretation of Common Law. Shippen's daughter, Peggy, was the wife of BENEDICT ARNOLD. FIRST EDITION. Cohen 14527. Marvin 363. II Harv. Law Cat. 1188. S&S/AI 9353. PAIMP 24
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
1823ref. 642241823. Edinburgh 1823. Only ed. Edinburgh 1823. Only ed. Trial of a Would-Be Scottish Duelist Trial. Vair George Buchan Defendant. Alston Gideon Defendant. Report of the Trial by Jury David Armstrong Against George Buchan Vair and Gideon Alston For Sending a Challenge to Fight a Duel. Taken in Short-Hand. With an Appendix of Letters and Other Documents. Edinburgh: Printed for W. and C. Tait 1823. iv 134 2 pp. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5". Contemporary calf with later rebacking blind fillets to boards gilt title to spine hinges mended. Moderate rubbing to extremities corners bumped and somewhat worn some gatoring along joints. Moderate toning to text light foxing to a few leaves internally clean. $300. First and only edition. Vair a spirit-dealer in Leith was apparently engaged to Miss Dinah Grive "a lady in Dumfries." He objected to inappropriate attentions paid her by David Armstrong a writer. Vair alleged that Armstrong had caused the lady to break off her engagement and was therefore entitled to challenge him to a duel. Armstrong refused the challenge won the court case and was awarded 20 pounds in damages. OCLC locates 4 copies in North American law libraries LA County Library of Congress Social Law University of Pennsylvania. unknown books
1869ref. 830041869. Manchester NH: Daily Mirror Office 1869. 46 pp. Manchester NH: Daily Mirror Office 1869. 46 pp. A Rare Somnambulism Sleepwalking and Insanity Defense: McDade 770 Trial. Prescott Abraham 1815-1836 Defendant. Report of the Trial of Abraham Prescott For the Murder of Mrs. Sally Cochran Of Pembroke June 23 1833. Executed at Hopkinton January 6 1836. Manchester NH: Daily Mirror Office 1869. 46 pp. Octavo 8-1/4" x 5-1/4"; 21 x 13.3 cm. Stab-stitched pamphlet in self-wrappers. Moderate toning very light foxing light soiling to exterior light edgewear and a few small tears to front wrapper which is separated but secured by thread. $450. First and only edition. Abraham Prescott 18 years old at the time had lived and worked with the Cochran family for several years. In January 1833 he had attacked both Chauncey and Sally Cochran in their sleep with an axe an incident the couple dismissed as an "unhappy occurrence of somnambulism" and did not press charges. Months later in June 1833 Prescott bludgeoned Sally Cochran to death with a wooden stake while they were picking strawberries. Prescott's defense attorneys argued that he committed the murder while sleepwalking and was not mentally responsible for his actions. Extensive testimony from medical experts and family members was presented to support claims of his troubled past history of sleep disturbances and hereditary insanity. Despite a vigorous defense the jury was unconvinced by the sleepwalking plea a novel legal strategy at the time. Prescott was found guilty in two separate trials and sentenced to death. The case garnered significant public attention and the controversy surrounding his mental state and eventual public execution led to the founding of New Hampshire's first mental institution. According to McDade "the defense was one of the best for that time on the subject of insanity" but the jury was unconvinced and Prescott was hanged. McDade notes that there is "much interesting information in this case on the superstitions and treatment of the weak-minded." An historical account offering insight into 19th-century law societal attitudes toward mental illness and the justice system of that era. McDade The Annals of Murder 770. unknown books
1846ref. 709871846. Taunton Mass. 1846. Verdict Not Guilty. Taunton Mass. 1846. Verdict Not Guilty. "A House of Human Slaughter" Trial. Williams Benjamin W. Principal Defendant. Report of the Trial of B.W. Williams and Others Editors and Printers of the Dew Drop A Temperance Paper Published at Taunton Mass. For an Alleged Libel Upon William Wilbar A Rumseller of Taunton Before the Supreme Judicial Court at New Bedford At the November Term 1845 His Honor Judge Hubbard on the Bench. Taunton Mass.: Hack & King Printers Dew Drop Office 1846. 60 pp. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5-1/4". Disbound stab stitched pamphlet. Moderate toning light soiling to exterior some rubbing to extremities. Light browning to text faint tick marks in light pencil to margins in a few places light foxing to a few leaves. $450. First edition. In January 1845 the defendant published an article in his temperance paper The Dew Drop that referred to Mr. Wilbar as "the incarnate Devil" with a mouth that emitted "flames of fire" that "withered and scorched all the deluded wretches" who entered his shop "a house of human slaughter." The defendants were acquitted after 45 minutes of deliberation. Although there are many reprint editions available the original 1846 printing is scarce in the marketplace. OCLC locates 7 copies in North American law libraries Harvard Library of Congress Social Law University of Minnesota University of Missouri University of Pennsylvania York University. Not in McCoy Freedom of the Press. Cohen Bibliography of Early American Law 12078. unknown books
1821ref. 849031821. Elizabeth-Town NJ: J. and E. Sanderson 1821. Elizabeth-Town NJ: J. and E. Sanderson 1821. A Schoolteacher Sues to Redeem Her Reputation and Save Her School Trial. Hall Eunice Plaintiff. Rogers Daniel Reporter. Report of the Trial of Eunice Hall vs. Robert Grant For Slander. Tried Before the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Essex In New-Jersey And a Special Jury In June Term 1821. Taken in Short Hand by Daniel Rogers Counsellor at Law. With an Abridgement of the Arguments of Counsel And an Appendix. Elizabeth-Town NJ: Printed by J. and E. Sanderson 1821. 137 pp. Octavo 9-1/2" x 6"; 24.10 x 15.20 cm. Stab-stitched pamphlet in printed wrappers untrimmed edges. Moderate rubbing and faint dampstaining to wrappers heavier rubbing to extremities with wear to spine ends. Moderate toning and light foxing faint dampstaining to sections of text corner folds to several leaves clean tear to leaf 7 pp. 49-50 early owner inscription "Robt. Fitch/ August 29th 1822" to front endleaf. $500. Only edition. Robert Grant a physician who treated one of Hall's students alleged that Hall a teacher was responsible for the student's death which destroyed her reputation and that of the school she kept. Hall sued Grant for fifteen counts of libel; the jury awarded her $250 in damages. The first page has a statement by Grant that indicates his interest in the publication of this pamphlet. OCLC locates 7 copies in law libraries Harvard Library of Congress NYU Nova Southeastern University University of Minnesota University of Missouri Yale. Cohen Bibliography of Early American Law 11981. Felcone New Jersey Books 2nd ed. 1982. unknown books
1829340 p. Foxed. 8vo. 225mm. Disbound. "State of Ohio vs. David Hilles and Isaac James. This was a prosecution against the defendants for disturbing the Ohio Yearly Meeting of Friends, under a statute for the punishment of disturbers of religious societies." Important artifact of the later Hicksite controversies. Marcus Tullius Cicero Gould (1793-1860) was a famous short-hand reporter. **PRICE JUST REDUCED! PA 60 L Stk
1875ref. 832031875. The Mystery of the Headless Skeleton: McDade 633 Trial. Lowell James M. d. 1875 Defendant. Plaisted Harris Merrill 1828-1898 Reporter. Report of the Trial of James M. Lowell Indicted for the Murder of His Wife Mary Elizabeth Lowell Before the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine For Androscoggin County; Containing the Evidence Arguments of the Counsel and the Charge of the Court In Full With the Verdict of the Jury and Sentence of the Prisoner And an Appendix. Portland ME: Published by Dresser McLellan & Co. 1875. 3 ii 260 pp. Frontispiece. Octavo 9" x 5-1/2"; 23 x 14 cm. Contemporary buckram gilt title and publisher name to spine. Light rubbing to spine ends corners bumped. Moderate toning to interior light foxing in a few places brief early annotations to a few leaves minor tears to edges of a few leaves tear to foot of title page with early cellotape repair another cellotape repair to head of rear endleaf. Overall a very good copy. $350. First and only edition. Although the headless skeleton encased in a silk dress was not discovered for more than three years after her murder Lowell was tried and convicted of murdering his wife. The tale is also interesting because the victim's mother foresaw the murder in a dream which is described in the Appendix. Plaisted's preface notes this was "a case of circumstantial evidence.hardly surpassed in the annals of criminal justice." Plaisted was a notable Maine politician who ended his career as a one-term governor of that state. He was Maine's attorney general when he wrote his report of the Lowell trial. McDade The Annals of Murder 633. unknown books
1801ref. 822491801. McDade 297: One of the Most Sensational American Trials of the Early 1800s Trial. Fairbanks Jason Defendant. Report of the Trial of Jason Fairbanks On an Indictment for the Murder of Miss Elizabeth Fales. At the Supreme Court Holden at Dedham in the County of Norfolk On Thursday the 6th And Friday the 7th Days of August 1801. Boston: Printed by Russell and Cutler 1801. 87 pp. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5-1/2". Stab-stitched pamphlet with untrimmed edges bound into later cloth gilt title and fillets to spine. Light rubbing to extremities moderate browning and light foxing to interior corner folds and small chips to edges of a few leaves tears with early repairs to title page and following leaf. $350. Second edition one of four editions all issued in 1801. The second third and fourth editions have a history of the case and an eye-witness account of Fairbanks's execution. This was one of the most sensational American trials of the early 1800s. The parents of Elizabeth Fales objected to Fairbanks's suit and he in revenge or frustration slit her throat in a field attempting at the same time to commit suicide. When apprehended he claimed that she tried to kill herself. After his conviction Fairbanks escaped custody and almost reached Canada but was apprehended in Vermont. He was hanged a short time later. Cohen Bibliography of Early American Law 12550. McDade The Annals of Murder 297. unknown books
1815ref. 646021815. London 1815. 1st ed. London 1815. 1st ed. A Hand in the Scuttle Trial. Stocks Michael d. 1836 Defendant. Report of the Trial of Michael Stocks Esq. For Wilful and Corrupt Perjury At the Yorkshire Lent Assizes 1815 Before the Honourable Sir Alexander Thompson Knight Chief Baron of his Majesty's Court of Exchequer And a special jury. Huddersfield England: Printed for the Editor By J. Lancashire 1815. iv 109 1 pp. Octavo 8" x 5". Recent period-style quarter calf over marbled boards gilt title to spine. Moderate toning to text newspaper article "Last Moments of Jonathan Martin" pasted over errata list the verso of p. 109 small newspaper clipping pasted to foot of title page. Early owner annotations to title page and following leaf light soiling and minor edgewear to final two leaves interior otherwise clean. $500. Only edition one of two issues both from 1815. Stocks was accused of stealing and selling 10000 tons of coal from mines in Northowram in the West-Riding of Yorkshire he owned in partnership with two other men. Stocks was not convicted. The trial details the contractual history of the partnership such contentious matters as the exact legal boundaries of neighboring mines and coal-pits and the nature of written and verbal agreements. Including both edition OCLC locates 9 copies in North America 5 in law libraries Harvard Library of Congress Ohio State University of Georgia Yale. Not in the British Museum Catalogue. unknown books
1815ref. 848071815. Hanged after a Denied Clemency Petition Trial. Blackburn Joseph d.1815 Defendant. Report of the Trial of Mr. Joseph Blackburn Attorney at Law Leeds For Forgery At the Yorkshire Lent Assizes 1815. With an Appendix Containing Some Details Relative to the Attempts that were Made to Obtain for Him the Extension of the Royal Clemency; And Some Particulars Respecting His Execution &c. Carefully Transcribed from the Notes of the Short-Hand Writer. Leeds: Printed by Benjamin Dewhirst. Sold by Davies and Booth 1815. ii 46 pp. Octavo 8" x 5"; 20 x 12.7 cm. Stab-stitched pamphlet bound in recent marbled boards printed title label to spine. Moderate toning to interior light foxing and faint staining in a few places title page re-hinged. A very good copy. $650. Only edition. Blackburn a Leeds attorney was accused of committing revenue fraud by altering duty stamps on executed deeds and conveyances. Though he denied the accusations and a number of witnesses testified to his good character he was found guilty and sentenced to death. According to our report of his trial and execution "upwards of three thousand persons" signed a clemency petition. Petitions like these were common during the years of the so-called "Bloody Code." Many were successful; Blackburn's was not. He was hanged on April 8 1815. Our account notes that the execution was botched and it took him six or seven minutes to die. This is a scarce title. OCLC and Library Hub locate 6 copies York Minster University of York Leeds Public Libraries York University Law School University of Toronto Harvard Law School. No others added by Library Hub. unknown books
1841ref. 757151841. The Times Testimonial. London 1841. Rare. The Times Testimonial. London 1841. Rare. Probably the Most Detailed Account of a Nineteenth-Century Financial Swindle Trial. Hughes W. Hughes Editor. "The Times" Testimonial: Report of the Trial of the Action Bogle Versus Lawson For a Libel Published in "The Times" London-Newspaper Tried at the Summer Assizes for the Country of Surrey Held at Croydon Monday August 16 1841 Before the Right Honourable Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal Knt. Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas And a Special Jury; Together with the Proceedings of a Public Meeting of Merchants Bankers and Others Held at the Mansion House London Friday October 1 1841 On the Subject of Such Action And of the Committee then Appointed; And Also a List of Subscribers to "The Times" Testimonial. Published by the Committee. London: John Hatchard and Son Henry Butterworth and Pelham Richardson 1841. 179 1 pp. Half-title lacking. Octavo 8-1/5" x 5-1/2". Contemporary three-quarter calf over marbled boards later lettering piece to spine endpapers renewed. Light rubbing to boards moderate rubbing to extremities owner bookplate Geoffrey G. Briggs to front pastedown. Light browning to text light foxing to a few leaves. $750. First edition. A sensational case of a million-pound plot to defraud Continental bankers by forged letters of credit or lettres circulaires purporting to have been issued by the bankers Glyn Hallifax Mills & Co. The plot was exposed by a Times of London correspondent in a letter published on 26th May 1840. This case was important because it exposed the largely unregulated banking practices associated with letters of credit which were easy to forge and difficult to police. The naming of Allan George Bogle-who was almost certainly involved-triggered this libel action against John Joseph Lawson the printer and publisher of the Times and resulted in the award of one farthing damages for Bogle but enormous expense and the considerable gratitude of bankers and investors for the Times. The present report is probably the most detailed account of a major financial swindle of this period particularly one involving letters of credit. A second edition was published the same year as the first the third and final edition in 1842. Our first edition was owned by Sir Geoffrey Briggs 1914-1993 an English lawyer and. unknown books
1842ref. 749081842. Third & Final edition. Third & Final edition. A Presentation Copy from the Editor Trial. Hughes W. Hughes Editor. "The Times" Testimonial. Report of the Trial of the Action Bogle Versus Lawson For a Libel Published in "The Times" London-Newspaper Tried at the Summer Assizes for the Country of Surrey Held at Croydon Monday August 16 1841 Before the Right Honourable Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal Knt. Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas And a Special Jury; Together with the Proceedings of a Public Meeting of Merchants Bankers and Others Held at the Mansion House London Friday October 1 1841 On the Subject of Such Action And of the Committee then Appointed; And Also a List of Subscribers to "The Times" Testimonial. Published by the Committee. London: John Hatchard and Son Henry Butterworth and Pelham Richardson 1842. 186 pp. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5". Stab-stitched pamphlet bound in contemporary cloth gilt title to spine "Bogle v Lawson" and front board "3d. Edition/ Times Testimonial/ for/ A. Dobie Esqr/ 1842". Light rubbing dampstaining to boards fading to spine spine ends and corners bumped and lightly worn front hinge cracked later owner bookplate Geoffrey G. Briggs and bookseller ticket to front pastedown later illegible owner signature dated 1961 to front free endpaper. Moderate toning to interior. Presentation inscription "Alexander Dobie Esq. With the best comps & thanks of The Editor 1st January 1842." to head of half-title. $750. Third and final edition. Alexander Dobie Lawson's defense attorney and the recipient of this copy is thanked warmly in the preface "for affording Hughes access to the original documents in the cause as well as for correcting the evidence from the notes of the short-hand writer" 40. Bogle v. Lawson was a sensational case centering around a million-pound plot to defraud Continental bankers by forged letters of credit. The plot was exposed by a Times of London correspondent in a letter published on 26th May 1840. The naming of Allan George Bogle who was almost certainly involved triggered this libel action against John Joseph Lawson the printer and publisher of the Times. Bogle won the case but thanks to Dobie's skilled defense his victory was costly. The jury granted him a mere farthing in damages and ordered him to pay his own hefty legal expenses. T. unknown books
1841ref. 652231841. The Times Testimonial. London 1841. Rare. The Times Testimonial. London 1841. Rare. One of the Most Detailed Accounts of a Major Nineteenth-Century Financial Swindle Trial. Hughes W. Hughes Editor. "The Times" Testimonial: Report of the Trial of the Action Bogle Versus Lawson For a Libel Published in "The Times" London-Newspaper Tried at the Summer Assizes for the Country of Surrey Held at Croydon Monday August 16 1841 Before the Right Honourable Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal Knt. Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas And a Special Jury; Together with the Proceedings of a Public Meeting of Merchants Bankers and Others Held at the Mansion House London Friday October 1 1841 On the Subject of Such Action And of the Committee then Appointed; And Also a List of Subscribers to "The Times" Testimonial. Published by the Committee. London: John Hatchard and Son Henry Butterworth and Pelham Richardson 1841. 179 1 pp. Half-title lacking. Octavo 8-1/4" x 5". Recent quarter cloth over marbled boards printed paper title label to spine. Some toning to text light soiling to title page. A very nice copy. $750. First edition. A sensational case of a million-pound plot to defraud Continental bankers by forged letters of credit or lettres circulaires purporting to have been issued by the bankers Glyn Hallifax Mills & Co. The plot was exposed by a Times of London correspondent in a letter published on 26th May 1840. This case was important because it exposed the largely unregulated banking practices associated with letters of credit which were easy to forge and difficult to police. The naming of Allan George Bogle-who was almost certainly involved-triggered this libel action against John Joseph Lawson the printer and publisher of the Times and resulted in the award of one farthing damages for Bogle but enormous expense and the considerable gratitude of bankers and investors for the Times. The present report is probably the most detailed account of a major financial swindle of this period particularly one involving letters of credit. A second edition was published the same year as the first the third and final edition in 1842. All three are rare. OCLC locates 6 copies worldwide of the first edition 2 in North America Newberry Library Temple University. LibraryHub adds a copy at the Society of Antiquaries. This edition not in Kres. unknown books
1822ref. 848091822. The Plaintiff was Represented by Two Distinguished Scottish Jurists Trial. Stevenson Duncan 1776-1867 Defendant. Report of Trial of the Issues In the Action of Damages for Libel in the Beacon James Gibson of Ingliston Esq. Clerk to the Signet- Pursuer Against Duncan Stevenson Printer in Edinburgh Defender. Taken in Short Hand. Edinburgh: Printed for Archibald Constable and Co. London: Hurst Robinson and Co. and James Ridgway 1822. 139 2 pp. With a half-title. Publisher advertisement to recto of final leaf verso blank. Octavo 8-1/4" x 5-1/4"; 20.95 x 13.33 cm. Stab-stitched pamphlet bound into recent watered cloth gilt title to spine endpapers renewed. Negligible light rubbing to binding. Light toning to interior negligible light spotting to a few leaves. A very good copy. $350. Only edition. Gibson 1765-1850 later Sir James Gibson-Craig 1st Baronet was a lawyer government official and Whig politician. An article in The Beacon a Tory newspaper alleged that he passed forged bank notes. Represented by Francis Jeffrey 1773-1850 and Henry Cockburn 1779-1854 two eminent Scottish jurists who were also notable literary figures Gibson prevailed and was awarded 500 in damages. Library Hub locates 3 copies outside of Scotland. Macleod "Craig Sir James Gibson" Moss "Stevenson Duncan" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography accessed online. British Museum Catalogue Compact Edition 24:250. unknown books
1831ref. 736581831. Conspiracy to Suppress a Will Trial. Hodgson Thomas Bent Primary Defendant. Report of the Trial of Thomas Bent Hodgson Esq. And Others Charged With a Conspiracy At the Court of King's Bench Guildhall London On Wednesday & Thursday The 21st & 22d of December 1831 By a Special Jury Before the Right Hon. Lord Tenterden. London: Printed by James & Luke G. Hansard & Sons 1831. 507 1 pp. Octavo 8-1/4" x 5-1/4". Later buckram gilt title and date to spine endpapers renewed speckled edges. Boards bowing slightly light rubbing to extremities rear hinge cracked before final leaf small bookseller's ticket and later bookplate of Geoffrey Briggs to front pastedown. Light toning to interior light soiling in a few places somewhat heavier to title page corners lightly worn in a few places not affecting text crack in text block between pp. 14 and 15 first few leaves loosening at foot but secure brief annotations underlining and marks to margins in several places in an early hand. $250. Only edition. Hodgson and his co-defendants William Young Ann Young and Nancy Watson were accused of conspiring to suppress a will made by William Stephenson a friend of Hodgson and former employer of Watson and the Youngs. Despite what the jury deemed "highly unprofessional" conduct by the prosecutor Hodgson Watson and William Young were convicted; Ann Young was acquitted. Our copy was owned by Sir Geoffrey Briggs 1914-1993 an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of Hong Kong and Brunei. The brief but substantive notes likely precede his ownership. OCLC locates 6 copies of this title in law libraries Harvard Stanford University of Minnesota University of Virginia Library of Congress Social Law. unknown books
1823ref. 733071823. Assault and False Imprisonment Trial. Carr Thomas Defendant. Report of the Trial of Watson Against Carr For an Assault and False Imprisonment Before Sir John Bayley Knt. One of the Justices of His Majesty's Court of King's Bench Westminster At the Guildhall Newcastle On Saturday August 2d 1823. Newcastle: Printed for John Sykes Bookseller 1823. 36 pp. Woodcut title page vignette of Samuel Johnson. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5". Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet. Moderate toning light foxing in a few places. $200. Only edition one of at least 2 issues from the same year. This scarce trial report concerns the beating and false imprisonment of Thomas Watson by Carr. The latter claimed as his defense his position as Town Constable during the time of incident and engaged Henry Brougham as his lawyer. The jury found for Watson and Carr was subject to a fine and court costs. Other copies we have seen have a different title page vignette depicting Newcastle's Guildhall. OCLC locates 7 copies of this title 4 in North America Harvard Law School University of Georgia Law School Temple University University of Pennsylvania Law School. unknown books
1823ref. 864751823. Assault and False Imprisonment Trial. Carr Thomas Defendant. Report of the Trial of Watson Against Carr For an Assault and False Imprisonment Before Sir John Bayley Knt. One of the Justices of His Majesty's Court of King's Bench Westminster At the Guildhall Newcastle On Saturday August 2d 1823. Newcastle: Printed for John Sykes Bookseller 1823. 36 pp. Woodcut title page vignette of Samuel Johnson. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5". Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet bound in later wrappers. Moderate shelfwear toning light foxing in a few places. Internally clean. $150. Only edition one of at least 2 issues from the same year. This scarce trial report concerns the beating and false imprisonment of Thomas Watson by Carr. The latter claimed as his defense his position as Town Constable during the time of incident and engaged Henry Brougham as his lawyer. The jury found for Watson and Carr was subject to a fine and court costs. Other copies we have seen have a different title page vignette depicting Newcastle's Guildhall. OCLC locates 7 copies of this title 4 in North America Harvard Law School University of Georgia Law School Temple University University of Pennsylvania Law School. unknown books
1855ref. 821721855. New Haven: Thomas H. Pease 1855. New Haven: Thomas H. Pease 1855. Rare Account of an 1855 New Haven Murder Case: McDade 178 Trial. Clark Willard d.1855 Defendant. McFarland Henry H. Reporter. Report of the Trial of Willard Clark Indicted for the Murder of Richard W. Wight Before the Superior Court of Connecticut Holden at New Haven On Monday September 17 1855. New Haven: Thomas H. Pease. T.J. Stafford Printer 1855. 217 pp. Octavo 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"; 21.6 x 14 cm. Disbound. Moderate toning a few signatures at beginning and end of text block loose light foxing in places light soiling to title page and verso of final leaf residue from wrappers and binding to spine. $450. Only edition. McDade offers a neat summary of this case: "Clark was apparently infatuated with a girl who married Wight. With no warning he shot Wight through the head while Wight was kneeling to tie a bundle. The crime and trial were in New Haven Connecticut; Clark was acquitted on the ground of insanity." OCLC does not locate any printed copies but we found examples at the American Antiquarian Society the University of Michigan Medler Crime Collection Clements Library and Yale Law School. McDade The Annals of Murder 178. unknown books
1844ref. 712921844. Boston: Samuel N. Dickinson 1844. Boston: Samuel N. Dickinson 1844. A Devastating 1843 New Hampshire Murder Trial Trial. Comings William F. d. 1844 Defendant. Report of the Trial of William F. Comings: On an Indictment for the Murder of His Wife Mrs. Adeline T. Comings. At the September Term of the Court of Common Pleas Holden at Haverhill In the County of Grafton N.H. A.D. 1843. Together with His Life Written by Himself. Boston: Printed by Samuel N. Dickinson 1844. 158 pp. Octavo 9" x 5-1/2"; 23 x 14 cm. Stab-stitched pamphlet in printed wrappers. Light soiling and a few minor marks to wrappers light wear to spine ends and corners rear joint and adjacent signature just starting to detach at foot some loss to foot of fore-edge of rear half of text block with no loss to text. Light toning to text somewhat heavier in places occasional light foxing. $750. Only edition of this scarce and grim 19th-century murder trial. William F. Comings was convicted of the brutal murder of his wife Adeline in Bath New Hampshire. In an attempt to evade justice Comings strangled her with a handkerchief and suspended her lifeless body from a bedpost to stage the crime scene as a suicide. Alongside the comprehensive trial report this volume uniquely includes an autobiographical account written by the defendant himself before his death in 1844. Highly scarce in commerce. OCLC locates 5 copies in law libraries Library of Congress New York University Social Law Library University of Missouri Yale. McDade The Annals of Murder 208. 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 books
1856ref. 847541856. Well-Illustrated Contemporary Account of a Famous London Poisoning Trial Trial. Palmer William 1824-1856 Defendant. Illustrated and Unabridged Edition of The Times Report of the Trial of William Palmer for Poisoning John Parsons Cook At Rugeley. From the Short-Hand Notes Taken in the Central Court from Day to Day. London: Ward and Lock 158 Fleet Street 1856. 184 pp. Folding frontispiece woodcut illustrations throughout text several full-page advertisements to wrappers. Report of the final day of the trial and its verdict clipped from the London Times January 14 1856 laid in. Octavo 8-1/4" x 5-1/2"; 20.95 x 13.97 cm. Stab-stitched pamphlet in printed wrappers. Binding slightly cocked light soiling edgewear and a few tiny stains to wrappers creasing to spine moderate wear to spine ends. Moderate toning to interior light browning to sections light soiling to title page lower corner lacking from frontispiece with minor loss to image. A very good copy overall. $250. Only edition. Also known as the Rugeley Poisoner or the Prince of Poisoners Palmer was a physician who abandoned his practice to own and breed racehorses which often put him in financial difficulty. As a full-blown sociopath he saw murder as a convenient way to restore his finances. In order to collect on their life insurance policies he poisoned his brother wife his mother-in-law and four of his children who were killed before their first birthdays. He also defrauded a friend John Cook when he was poisoning him and cheated his wealthy mother out of thousands of pounds. He was finally convicted in 1855 for murdering Cook and was executed the following year. Davenport-Hines "Palmer William Called the Rugeley Poisoner" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography accessed online. British Museum Catalogue Compact Edition 19:281. unknown books
