What do you think?
Rate this book
True Crime History
The Murder Of Mary Bean: And Other Stories
The facts and fiction of an infamous New England murder
When the winter ice melted in April 1850, residents of Saco, Maine, made a gruesome discovery: the body of a young girl submerged in a stream. Thanks to evidence left at the scene, a local physician was arrested and tried for the death of Mary Bean, the name given to the unidentified young girl; the cause of death was failed abortion. Garnering extensive newspaper coverage, the trial revealed many secrets: a poorly trained doctor, connections to an unsolved murder in New Hampshire, and the true identity of "Mary Bean"--a young Canadian mill worker named Berengera Caswell, missing since the previous winter. The Murder of Mary Bean and Other Stories examines the series of events that led Caswell to become Mary Bean and the intense curiosity and anxiety stimulated by this heavily watched trial.
In addition to the sensationalist murder accounts, De Wolfe looks back at these events through a wide-angle lens exploring such themes as the rapid social changes brought about by urbanization and industrialization in antebellum nineteenth-century society, factory work and the changing roles for women, unregulated sexuality and the specter of abortion, and the sentimental novel as a guidebook. She posits that the real threat to women in the nineteenth century was not murder but a society that had ambiguous feelings about the role of women in the economic system, in education, and as independent citizens.
Sure to place this case among the classics of crime literature, The Murder of Mary Bean and Other Storiesfeatures two reprinted accounts of Caswell's death, both fictional and originally printed in the 1850s, as well as an introduction that places these salacious accounts in a historical context. This book serves not simply as true crime but, rather, presents a seamy side of rapid industrial growth and the public anxiety over the emerging economic roles of women.
224 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2007
104 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 7, 2023
This is an exceptionally interesting and important examination of one of the most infamous "mill girl" murders. DeWolfe's analysis is compelling, putting the story in its context of the Industrial Revolution and the remarkable social, cultural, and intellectual changes it inspired. This volume also includes the full texts of two fictionalized accounts of the case published at the time, 1850's Mary Bean, the Factory Girl; or The Victim of Seduction and 1852's A Full and Complete Confession of the Horrid Transactions in the Life of George Hamilton: The Murderer of Mary Bean, the Factory Girl.
I read this in conjunction with Bridget M. Marshall's Industrial Gothic: Workers, Exploitation, and Urbanization in Transatlantic Nineteenth-Century Literature. A highly recommended combination!
I read this in conjunction with Bridget M. Marshall's Industrial Gothic: Workers, Exploitation, and Urbanization in Transatlantic Nineteenth-Century Literature. A highly recommended combination!
December 28, 2008
In April 1850, the residents of Saco, Maine, were shocked when the rat-gnawed body of what had once been a beautiful young woman was retrieved from an icy stream. All evidence pointed to a failed abortion as the cause of death, resulting in the arrest and trial of a prominent local doctor.
The girl was referred to as Mary Bean, but the news coverage that attended the trial revealed that she was really Berengera Caswell, a young Canadian factory worker who had gone to the physician for ‘treatment’ after being seduced and denied marriage. The case focused public attention on the perils of factory work, which took thousands of girls out of their parents’ homes, and exposed societal discomfort with the evolving economic independence of women.
Elizabeth DeWolfe has done a spectacular research and writing job. Her sources include Caswell family descendants, contemporary press reports of the trial, and authoritative accounts of early nineteenth century factory conditions. She explores the history of the penny press and the legal and social ambiguity surrounding abortion in ante-bellum America without crossing the line from academic analysis into a dull recital of facts.
“The Murder of Mary Bean” is of particular interest because it reprints two fictional accounts, originally published in 1852, of Berengera Caswell’s seduction and ruin. One, “Mary Bean, Factory Girl” cautions women that death is the wages of illicit passion, while the other, “Life of George Hamilton”, uses treachery, murder, and suicide to keep men on the path on the path of righteousness. Although both plots bear a meagre resemblance to the real circumstances of Caswell’s murder, they are fascinating examples of the true crime genre during its infancy.
The girl was referred to as Mary Bean, but the news coverage that attended the trial revealed that she was really Berengera Caswell, a young Canadian factory worker who had gone to the physician for ‘treatment’ after being seduced and denied marriage. The case focused public attention on the perils of factory work, which took thousands of girls out of their parents’ homes, and exposed societal discomfort with the evolving economic independence of women.
Elizabeth DeWolfe has done a spectacular research and writing job. Her sources include Caswell family descendants, contemporary press reports of the trial, and authoritative accounts of early nineteenth century factory conditions. She explores the history of the penny press and the legal and social ambiguity surrounding abortion in ante-bellum America without crossing the line from academic analysis into a dull recital of facts.
“The Murder of Mary Bean” is of particular interest because it reprints two fictional accounts, originally published in 1852, of Berengera Caswell’s seduction and ruin. One, “Mary Bean, Factory Girl” cautions women that death is the wages of illicit passion, while the other, “Life of George Hamilton”, uses treachery, murder, and suicide to keep men on the path on the path of righteousness. Although both plots bear a meagre resemblance to the real circumstances of Caswell’s murder, they are fascinating examples of the true crime genre during its infancy.
December 1, 2007
Fantastic piece of research and what a page-turner! I really admire Elizabeth De Wolfe's work and this is terrific.
It's the story of the death of a young woman in a 19th century Maine mill town. The story, while true, was a real mystery at the time with a discovered body, disguised identities, scorned love and manipulated information. The incident made a star of the defending attorney and forever changed Maine's attitude toward abortion. A must-read for any feminist, Mainer or anyone interested in 19th century American history.
Also includes 2 "lurid" novels published about the case.
It's the story of the death of a young woman in a 19th century Maine mill town. The story, while true, was a real mystery at the time with a discovered body, disguised identities, scorned love and manipulated information. The incident made a star of the defending attorney and forever changed Maine's attitude toward abortion. A must-read for any feminist, Mainer or anyone interested in 19th century American history.
Also includes 2 "lurid" novels published about the case.
February 3, 2009
The first part is interesting; the author writes a well documented picture of the changes society was going through as opportunities beckoned the young people off the farm in the 1850's, just as industrialization made their labor unnecessary at home and city life offered new options. The last was two fictionalized stories written at the time about the events. The writing of these were highly romanticized and horrible. I recommend you read the first part and skim the rest.
August 23, 2016
Excellent research not only into the events of the murder but the culture and life of the mill workers. The challenges that women faced as they sought independence or worked to help support their family were not trivial. As the descendant of French Canadian mill workers, I enjoyed this window into past.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews