TRIAL OF MRS. ELIZABETH G. WHARTON, ON THE CHARGE OF POISONING GENERAL W.S. KETCHUM. TRIED AT ANNAPOLIS, MD. DECEMBER, 1871 - JANUARY, 1872

[Baltimore]: Reported and Published by The Baltimore Gazette, 1872. [2], 172pp. Stitched. Original printed wrappers [closed tear to the front wrap, not affecting printing; wraps lightly dusted; wrapper spine worn, with rear wrap detaching]. Inner front wrapper advertises Baltimore's Howard Hotel; rear wrapper advertises the Baltimore Gazette, "A Well-Known Conservative Journal." Text clean and bright. Ownership signature on front wrap of "Capt. A.B. Beers." Very Good.

Mrs. Wharton was acquitted, after a 42-day trial, of poisoning General W.S. Ketchum, to whom she owed $2600. The jury "heard nothing of the sudden death of Mrs. Wharton's son the year before during a visit to her and her collection of the policies on his life. Nor did they hear that another financial adviser to this estimable lady, a Mr. Van Ness, had nearly perished in her household shortly before the arrival of the General. It is not surprising that the New York Sun dubbed her 'the Baltimore Borgia.' There was a spate of pamphlets after the trial by the 'expert' witnesses belittling each others' judgments and qualifications and generally expressing that contrariety of opinion so bewildering to laymen" [McDade].
William Scott Ketchum [1813-1871], a West Point graduate, served in the Seminole Wars; the Civil War commanding Fort Dalles in Oregon and protecting settlers from Indian raids. He achieved the rank of Brigadier General of Volunteers in 1862 and was sent to Washington, D.C., for inspection and recruiting duties. After the War he worked in the Adjutant General's office, retiring six months before his suspicious death.
Capt. A.B. Beers was probably Alfred Bishop Beers [1845-1920], a Connecticut native who served as Captain with the 6th Connecticut Volunteers during the Civil War. He was admitted to the Bridgeport bar in 1871, was clerk of the Bridgeport City Court from 1873-1875, Assistant City Attorney in 1876, and Judge of the Bridgeport City Court from 1877-1893.
FIRST EDITION. McDade 1076. II Harv. Law Cat. 1224.