Commonwealth vs Henry K Goodwin, Charged by Indictment with the..

1886. The Personal Copy of the Author, who was the Attorney General at the Time [Trial]. Goodwin, Henry K., Defendant. Sherman, Edgar J. [1834-1914]. Commonwealth vs. Henry K. Goodwin: Charged by Indictment with the Wilful Murder of Albert D. Swan: Eighth Day of the Trial Before Charles Allen and William S. Gardner, Justices. Edgar J. Sherman, Attorney General, Henry F. Hurlburt, District Attorney,} For the Government. Benjamin F. Butler, John P. Sweeney,{ For the Prisoner. Argument of the Attorney General, In Behalf of the Government. Lawrence, MA: American Electric Job Print, 1886. 43 pp. Octavo (8-3/4" x 5-3/4"; 22.2 x 14.6 cm). Stapled pamphlet in stiff printed wrappers. Light soiling, a few tiny stains and moderate edgewear and chipping to wrappers, which are partially detached but secure, owner signature in faint pencil (Edgar J. Sherman) to front wrapper. Moderate toning to interior, folds to lower outside corners of first 8 leaves. $500. * Only edition. Goodwin shot Swan because he thought Swan was trying to cheat him out of his patents relating to the telephone. He was convicted of second degree murder. This pamphlet contains the argument of Edgar J. Sherman, who led the state's case against Swan. It appears to have been his personal copy. Sherman went on to serve as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and an associate justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court. One of Swan's lawyers, Benjamin F. Butler [1818-1893], one of Swan's lawyers, was also a prominent Massachusetts resident. A distinguished Lowell businessman and politician, he was an important major general in the Union Army and a leading member of the U.S. House of Representatives who served as governor of Massachusetts. This is a rare title. OCLC locates 5 copies, 1 in a law library (Social Law). McDade, The Annals of Murder 360.