Item #19814 Life, Trial, Confession and Conviction of John Hanlon for the Murder of Little Mary Mohrman.... Containing Judge Ludlow's Charge to the Jury, and the Speeches of the Learned Counsel on Both Sides
Life, Trial, Confession and Conviction of John Hanlon for the Murder of Little Mary Mohrman.... Containing Judge Ludlow's Charge to the Jury, and the Speeches of the Learned Counsel on Both Sides

Life, Trial, Confession and Conviction of John Hanlon for the Murder of Little Mary Mohrman.... Containing Judge Ludlow's Charge to the Jury, and the Speeches of the Learned Counsel on Both Sides

Philadelphia: Barclay & Co., 1870.

First Edition. 128 pp, with 10 wood-engraved plates. Wrappers heavily chipped, backstrip perished, pages toned and brittle, with some closed tears. A good copy only, but scarce. Hanlon, who raped and murdered a six-year-old girl, was famously brought down by a jailhouse snitch. Based upon his presence in the neighborhood and a documented earlier attempt to abduct a young girl, the police were sure Hanlon was their man, but lacked the evidence to prove it. They placed Michael Dunn, a career criminal with multiple theft convictions, in a cell with Hanlon and asked him to report back. According to Dunn, Hanlon soon spilled his guts and confessed to the murder. After a highly publicized 18-day trial in which the defense challenged Michael Dunn’s testimony as both hearsay and perjury, Hanlon was convicted and sentenced to be hanged. Dunn received a pardon for his efforts. Hanlon maintained his innocence, proclaiming at his sentencing, "If ever another such case should come to light, lay before the jury John Hanlon’s last words, and let no more blood be spilt by perjury."

Item #19814

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