The Notorious Mrs. Clem

Murder and Money in the Gilded Age

Nonfiction, History, Americas, United States, Civil War Period (1850-1877)
Cover of the book The Notorious Mrs. Clem by Wendy Gamber, Johns Hopkins University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Wendy Gamber ISBN: 9781421420219
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press Publication: September 1, 2016
Imprint: Language: English
Author: Wendy Gamber
ISBN: 9781421420219
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication: September 1, 2016
Imprint:
Language: English

In September 1868, the remains of Jacob and Nancy Jane Young were found lying near the banks of Indiana’s White River. It was a gruesome scene. Part of Jacob’s face had been blown off, apparently by the shotgun that lay a few feet away. Spiders and black beetles crawled over his wound. Smoke rose from his wife’s smoldering body, which was so badly burned that her intestines were exposed, the flesh on her thighs gone, and the bones partially reduced to powder.

Suspicion for both deaths turned to Nancy Clem, a housewife who was also one of Mr. Young’s former business partners. In The Notorious Mrs. Clem, Wendy Gamber chronicles the life and times of this charming and persuasive Gilded Age confidence woman, who became famous not only as an accused murderess but also as an itinerant peddler of patent medicine and the supposed originator of the Ponzi scheme. Clem’s story is a shocking tale of friendship and betrayal, crime and punishment, courtroom drama and partisan politicking, get-rich-quick schemes and shady business deals. It also raises fascinating questions about women’s place in an evolving urban economy. As they argued over Clem’s guilt or innocence, lawyers, jurors, and ordinary citizens pondered competing ideas about gender, money, and marriage. Was Clem on trial because she allegedly murdered her business partner? Or was she on trial because she engaged in business?

Along the way, Gamber introduces a host of equally compelling characters, from prosecuting attorney and future U.S. president Benjamin Harrison to folksy defense lawyer John Hanna, daring detective Peter Wilkins, pioneering "lady news writer" Laura Ream, and female-remedy manufacturer Michael Slavin. Based on extensive sources, including newspapers, trial documents, and local histories, this gripping account of a seemingly typical woman who achieved extraordinary notoriety will appeal to true crime lovers and historians alike.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In September 1868, the remains of Jacob and Nancy Jane Young were found lying near the banks of Indiana’s White River. It was a gruesome scene. Part of Jacob’s face had been blown off, apparently by the shotgun that lay a few feet away. Spiders and black beetles crawled over his wound. Smoke rose from his wife’s smoldering body, which was so badly burned that her intestines were exposed, the flesh on her thighs gone, and the bones partially reduced to powder.

Suspicion for both deaths turned to Nancy Clem, a housewife who was also one of Mr. Young’s former business partners. In The Notorious Mrs. Clem, Wendy Gamber chronicles the life and times of this charming and persuasive Gilded Age confidence woman, who became famous not only as an accused murderess but also as an itinerant peddler of patent medicine and the supposed originator of the Ponzi scheme. Clem’s story is a shocking tale of friendship and betrayal, crime and punishment, courtroom drama and partisan politicking, get-rich-quick schemes and shady business deals. It also raises fascinating questions about women’s place in an evolving urban economy. As they argued over Clem’s guilt or innocence, lawyers, jurors, and ordinary citizens pondered competing ideas about gender, money, and marriage. Was Clem on trial because she allegedly murdered her business partner? Or was she on trial because she engaged in business?

Along the way, Gamber introduces a host of equally compelling characters, from prosecuting attorney and future U.S. president Benjamin Harrison to folksy defense lawyer John Hanna, daring detective Peter Wilkins, pioneering "lady news writer" Laura Ream, and female-remedy manufacturer Michael Slavin. Based on extensive sources, including newspapers, trial documents, and local histories, this gripping account of a seemingly typical woman who achieved extraordinary notoriety will appeal to true crime lovers and historians alike.

More books from Johns Hopkins University Press

Cover of the book Privateering by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book Pandemics, Pills, and Politics by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book Living with Schizophrenia by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book Exploration and Engineering by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book A Woman's Guide to Pelvic Health by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book A Time of Scandal by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book Science and Religion by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book From Madman to Crime Fighter by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book Penguins by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book The Night Guard at the Wilberforce Hotel by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book Reimagining Business History by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book Knowledge Games by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book Tensor Calculus for Physics by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book The Large Hadron Collider by Wendy Gamber
Cover of the book Junkyards, Gearheads, and Rust by Wendy Gamber
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy