Preview
Identifier
KF 223 .H47 Y4 1862
Creation Date
1862
Description
Report of the Case of Geo. C. Hersey, Indicted for the Murder of Betsy Frances Tirrell. Boston: A Williams and Co., 1862.
George Hersey resided in the same neighborhood as the Tirrell family and became engaged to Mary Tirrell. In January 1860, Mary fell ill and died. Hersey remained close with the family after her death, including with Mary’s older sister, Betsy Frances. In May of that same year, Betsy Frances suddenly died, and an autopsy revealed that she was pregnant and had been poisoned. Hersey was accused of murdering her. The prosecution claimed that he had gotten Betsy pregnant and killed her to avoid having to marry her or have his indiscretion revealed. Hersey was found guilty and sentenced to death. He wrote a letter confessing to the murder of Betsy before being hanged in 1862.