Item #16973 Trial of Thomas O. Selfridge, Attorney at Law, Before the Hon. Isaac Parker, Esquire. For Killing Charles Austin, On the Public Exchange in Boston, August 4th, 1806. Thomas O. Selfridge, T. Esq Lloyd, Geo. Esq Caines, late reporter to the State of New York, reporter of the Debates of Congress.

Trial of Thomas O. Selfridge, Attorney at Law, Before the Hon. Isaac Parker, Esquire. For Killing Charles Austin, On the Public Exchange in Boston, August 4th, 1806.

Taken in Shorthand and Sanctioned by the Court, and Reporter to the State. Boston: Published by Russell and Cutler, Belcher and Armstrong, and Oliver and Munroe, [1807].

First Edition. Wraps. Disbound wraps. 168 pages, [1] page table of contents, [1] page blank, [1] page illustrated partial street plan in Boston, [1] page blank, [1] page publisher statement, [1] page blank, [1] page errata, [1] page blank. Title page 1 and page 2 are detached from the stitched wraps. There are two small closed tears to pages 1 and 2. Light to moderate toning and foxing to the text. Some very light, occasional, pencil marginalia to the text and underlining of two words on page 116 "murder" and "manslaughter" both words written in the margins of the page. Contemporary inscription written on page 1 - "Tho C Worthington 181-". The text has been trimmed resulting in minor loss to the inscription top of page 1. The verdict was "Not Guilty." 38 copies located in OCLC.

Shaw and Shoemaker 11474; McDade 860 - "The killing of Austin by Selfridge arose out of a political dispute between Selfridge and the victim's father. The grand jury refused to indict him for murder; the charge was manslaughter. The case was long an authority on the law of self-defense. Paul Revere was a member of the jury which acquitted Selfridge." Fair. Item #16973

The previous owner of this copy Thomas C. Worthington (1782-1847) was a U.S. Representative from Maryland. He was a Captain in the War of 1812. Later he studied law and practiced in Annapolis. He was elected to Congress in 1825 serving two years. (Wikipedia).

Price: $100.00