The Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Cursed Birth of Tabloid Justice by Hortis, Alex

The Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Cursed Birth of Tabloid Justice

Before the sensational cases of Amanda Knox and Casey Anthony--before even Lizzie Borden--there was Polly Bodine, the...
$60.38 SGD
$60.38 SGD
SKU: 9781639363919
Product Type: Books
Please hurry! Only 0 left in stock
Author: Alex Hortis
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Subtotal: $60.38
10 customers are viewing this product
The Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Cursed Birth of Tabloid Justice by Hortis, Alex

The Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Cursed Birth of Tabloid Justice

$60.38

The Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Cursed Birth of Tabloid Justice

$60.38
Author: Alex Hortis
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Before the sensational cases of Amanda Knox and Casey Anthony--before even Lizzie Borden--there was Polly Bodine, the first American woman put on trial for capital murder in our nation's debut media circus.

On Christmas night, December 25, 1843, in a serene village on Staten Island, shocked neighbors discovered the burnt remains of twenty-four-year-old mother Emeline Houseman and her infant daughter, Ann Eliza. In a perverse nativity, someone bludgeoned to death a mother and child in their home--and then covered up the crime with hellfire.

When an ambitious district attorney charges Polly Bodine (Emelin's sister-in-law) with a double homicide, the new "penny press" explodes. Polly is a perfect media villain: she's a separated wife who drinks gin, commits adultery, and has had multiple abortions. Between June 1844 and April 1846, the nation was enthralled by her three trials--in Staten Island, Manhattan, and Newburgh--for the "Christmas murders."

After Polly's legal dream team entered the fray, the press and the public debated not only her guilt, but her character and fate as a fallen woman in society. Public opinion split into different camps over her case. Edgar Allen Poe and Walt Whitman covered her case as young newsmen. P. T. Barnum made a circus out of it. James Fenimore Cooper's last novel was inspired by her trials.

The Witch of New York is the first narrative history about the dueling trial lawyers, ruthless newsmen, and shameless hucksters who turned the Polly Bodine case into America's formative tabloid trial. An origin story of how America became addicted to sensationalized reporting of criminal trials, The Witch of New York vividly reconstructs an epic mystery from Old New York--and uses the Bodine case to challenge our system of tabloid justice of today.

Author: Alex Hortis
Publisher: Pegasus Crime
Published: 03/05/2024
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.25lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.95d
ISBN: 9781639363919

Returns Policy

You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.

Shipping

We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.

Related Products

Recently Viewed Products