Trial of Dr. Valorous P. Coolidge, for the Murder of Edward Mathews..

1848. OCLS 2 copies. No copies found in U.S. law schools. OCLS 2 copies. No copies found in U.S. law schools. McDade 211: An Inept Poisoner [Trial]. Coolidge, Valorous P. [1820-1849], Defendant. Trial of Dr. Valorous P. Coolidge, For the Murder of Edward Mathews, At Waterville, Maine. (As Reported For and Published in the Boston Daily Times.) [N.p.: S.n., 1848]. 40 pp. Text in parallel columns. Octavo (9-1/2" x 6"; 24 x 15.2 cm). Stab-stitched pamphlet in self-wrappers, untrimmed edges. Some wear to corners, moderate browning, heavier browning to leaves at beginning and end of text, faint dampstaining in a few places, tiny inkspots to a few leaves. $250. * Only edition. Coolidge murdered Mathews with a shot of poison-laced brandy because Mathews refused to loan him money. When the body was found Coolidge was summoned by the coroner's jury to perform an autopsy on his own victim. After an inept series of attempts to hide his crime, Coolidge was convicted and sentenced to hang. He cheated the gallows, however, by committing suicide. OCLC locates 7 copies in law libraries (Yale, Los Angeles County, U.S. Supreme Court Library, University of Maine, Duke, Seton Hall, York University, University of Pennsylvania). McDade, The Annals of Murder 211.