Murder Most Foul and Other Books of Law from the Lawbook Exchange
There are many legal works in Catalogue 54 from the Lawbook Exchange.
By Michael Stillman
Catalogue 54 of Law and Legal History has been issued by The Lawbook Exchange. It offers a combination of antiquarian legal texts, constitutional documents, and more entertaining works, such as accounts of horrible murder trials. For those of a serious legal mind, and those of a non-serious, Nancy Grace legal entertainment one, there is something here for you. Forgive me for focusing more on the Nancy Grace material, but we are here to entertain, and as television has established, what could be more entertaining than a gruesome murder? So, here we go.
The Trial of Charles M. Jefferds for Murder, at New York, December 1861, covered the murder of two respectable citizens. "No occurrence has ever caused greater horror in the city of New York," it says in what is probably a bit of hyperbole. On June 30, 1860, John Walton, a wealthy businessman, was gunned down on the streets of New York. His assailant fled, pursued by a group of public-minded citizens. The fastest of these was John Matthews, who almost caught up. When he was within six feet of the assailant, the latter whirled around and shot Matthews, killing him too. Jefferds was a logical suspect. He was Walton's stepson, and Walton and Jefferds' mother were in the process of an acrimonious split. He was arrested and put on trial for Walton's murder, proclaimed his innocence, and was acquitted. However, there were no other suspects, and police were convinced Jefferds was the killer. So they sent an undercover agent, to whom Jefferds was said to have confessed his guilt. With that and some other later developed evidence, Jefferds was again put on trial, this time for the killing of Matthews. Twice was not a charm for Jefferds, who was convicted in the second trial, sentenced to death, but murdered in prison before making it to the gallows. Item 80. Priced at $150.
That was the pleasant murder story. Here is the gruesome one: Fairburn's Third Edition of the Trial of John Holloway and Owen Haggerty for the Wilful Murder of Mr. Steele...and of Elizabeth Godfrey for Stabbing Rd. Prince in the Eye....to which is added a Circumstantial Account of the Dreadful Accident which happened at the Place of Execution... This case was a disaster in many ways. Holloway and Haggerty had been convicted of the murder of Steele for his money primarily on the testimony of a scofflaw who was promised a pardon for his testimony. The result was much public doubt as to their guilt. Godfrey, a prostitute who killed customer Richard Prince, was an afterthought except that she was taken to be hanged the same day. The doubt over Holloway and Haggerty's guilt drew a huge crowd to the gallows, reportedly some 40,000. It turned into a mob scene, with numerous spectators being crushed or suffocated by the crowd. Forty people not sent to the gallows also perished that day. Meanwhile, the hangman apparently panicked and did not properly hang Ms. Godfrey, who was still kicking at the end of her rope a half hour later. This happy story from old London town was published in 1807. $1,250.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: APRES DE MANNEVILLETTE Le Neptune Oriental
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: CASSAS Eaux fortes de la Sicile et quelques vues d’Espagne
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: CASSINI DE THURY Carte générale et particulière de la France.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: JOUY; GARNERAY Vues des côtes de France dans l'Océan et dans la Méditerranée
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LA PÉROUSE Voyage autour du monde
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LE GENTIL DE LA GALAISIERE Voyage dans les Mers de l’Inde
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LICENT Hoang Ho, Pai Ho, Loan Ho, Leao Ho. Itinéraires suivis dans le bassin du golfe du Pei Tcheuly
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: FRENCH SCHOOL FROM THE 19th CENTURY Panorama d’Athènes
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: PEETERS Description des principales villes, havres et isles du golfe de Venise
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: PÉRON; FREYCINET Voyage de découverte aux terres australes
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: STACKELBERG La Grèce : vues pittoresques et topographiques.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: VALENTINER Atlas des Sonnensystems.
Forum Auctions Online Sale: The Detective Fiction Collection of John Cooper Ending 7th November, 2024
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). The Thirteen Problems, first edition, The Crime Club, 1932. £15,000 to £20,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Dumb Witness, first edition, 1937. £3,000 to £4,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Cards on the Table, first edition, The Crime Club, 1936. £2,000 to £3,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: [Carr (John Dickson)], "Carter Dickson" and John Rhode. Drop to his Death, first edition, Heinemann, [1939]. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: Berkeley (Anthony). Jumping Jenny, first edition, Hodder and Stoughton, 1933. £800 to £1,200.
Forum Auctions Online Sale: The Detective Fiction Collection of John Cooper Ending 7th November, 2024
Forum, Nov. 7: Marsh (Ngaio). Overture to Death, first edition, The Crime Club, 1939. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: [Day-Lewis (Cecil)] "Nicholas Blake". The Beast Must Die, first edition, 1938. £750 to £1,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Brand (Christianna). Green for Danger, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, John Lane the Bodley Head, 1945. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Murder is Easy, first edition, signed by the author, 1939. £3,000 to £4,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Sayers (Dorothy L.) Lord Peter Views the Body, first edition, Gollancz, 1928. £6,000 to £8,000.
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Sotheby's Fine Books, Manuscripts & More Available for Immediate Purchase
Sotheby’s: J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. 11,135 USD
Sotheby’s: Edgar Allan Poe. The Raven and Other Poems, 1845. 33,000 USD
Sotheby’s: Leo Tolstoy, Clara Bow. War and Peace, 1886. 22,500 USD
Sotheby’s: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1902. 7,500 USD
Sotheby’s: F. Scott Fitzgerald. This Side of Paradise, The Great Gatsby, and Others, 1920-1941. 24,180 USD
Freeman’s | Hindman Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana November 14
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: LEROUX, Gaston. The Phantom of the Opera. FIRST AM. ED, FIRST ISSUE IN THE VERY RARE DUST JACKET. 1911. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: GOULD, John. A Monograph of the Trochilidae...Humming-Birds. L., [1849-] 1861. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: A COMPLETE RUN of Limited Editions Club publications, v.p. [mostly New York], 1929-2010. $50,000 – 60,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: ORWELL, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Lon., 1949. FIRST EDITION IN A VERY FINE DUST JACKET. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: GOULD. A Monograph of the Ramphastidae...Toucans. L., [1852-] 54. SECOND ED. $35,000 – 45,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:The Federalist. NY, 1788. FIRST EDITION, THICK PAPER COPY. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: SELBY. Plates to Selby’s Illustrations of British Ornithology. Edin., [1833-] 34. $20,000 – 30,000.