No. 669
Crime, Eccentricity, and the Sporting Life in 19th Century America.
September 19, 2024

A Lunatic's Ball

At the Asylum, Blackwell's Island.
August 20, 2024
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The following story, which appeared in the "Liverpool Mercury" on July 28, 1815, falls into the "random weird stuff" category.  (Via Newspapers.com)The following, (copied from the Sun paper) contains a further account of the singular phenomenon already related in page 407 of our last volume.  Other papers, we understand, both in America and England have noticed the remarkable
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Strange Company - 9/18/2024
Included in yesterday’s trip to Fall River was a stop at Miss Lizzie’s Coffee shop and a visit to the cellar to see the scene of the tragic demise of the second Mrs. Lawdwick Borden and two of the three little children in 1848. I have been writing about this sad tale since 2010 and had made a previous trip to the cellar some years ago but was unable to get to the spot where the incident occured to get a clear photograph.  The tale of Eliza Borden is a very sad, but not uncommon story of post partum depression with a heartrending end. You feel this as you stand in the dark space behind the chimney where Eliza ended her life with a straight razor after dropping 6 month old Holder and his 3 year old sister Eliza Ann into the cellar cistern. Over the years I have found other similar cases, often involving wells and cisterns, and drownings of children followed by suicides of the mothers. These photos show the chimney, cistern pipe, back wall, dirt and brick floor, original floorboards forming the cellar ceiling and what appears to be an original door. To be in the place where this happened is a sobering experience. My thanks to Joe Pereira for allowing us to see and record the place where this sad occurrence unfolded in 1848. R.I.P. Holder, Eliza and Eliza Ann Borden. Visit our Articles section above for more on this story. The coffee shop has won its suit to retain its name and has plans to expand into the shop next door and extend its menu in the near future.
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Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts - 2/12/2024
New Yorkers have strong opinions about neighborhood names. Soho, Nolita, Tribeca—the names of these downtown enclaves probably sounded funny, even ridiculous, to longtime residents. But 30, 40, even 60 years on, they’re accepted in today’s Manhattan. Yet if you describe any of the lettered streets in the East Village as part of “Alphabet City,” you […]
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Ephemeral New York - 9/16/2024
An article I recently wrote for the British online magazine, New Politic, is now available online. The article, “The Criminal Origins of the United States of America,” is about British convict transportation to America, which took place between the years 1718 and 1775, and is the subject of my book, Bound with an Iron Chain: […]
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Early American Crime - 12/17/2021
From the confession of Mary Brown to the murder of her husband, John Brown, by her paramour, Joseph Wade:When I first went to the gate Mr. Brown was lying with his feet about the middle of the gate and his head towards the buggy, close to the hind wheel. The buggy robe was under him and the blanket over him, so that I could not see his head. After I took the child in and returned Brown was
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Murder By Gaslight - 9/14/2024
CHIEF OF CONSThe Morning Times(Cripple Creek, Colorado)February 15, 1896Courtesy of Mitch Morrissey ig Ed Burns robs a dying man?      Mitch Morrissey, a Facebook friend and historian for the Denver District Attorney’s Office, found and published an interesting newspaper piece on "Big Ed" Burns, one of the most notorious characters in the West. Burns was a confidence man and
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Soapy Smith's Soap Box - 4/2/2024
Youth With Executioner by Nuremberg native Albrecht Dürer … although it’s dated to 1493, which was during a period of several years when Dürer worked abroad. November 13 [1617]. Burnt alive here a miller of Manberna, who however was lately … Continue reading
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Executed Today - 11/13/2020
Colt's Patent Fire-Arms. | Two Giddy Girls.

A Lunatic's Ball

Lunatics-Ball

The 6th of this month was signalized on Blackwell's Island by a ball given to the patients of the Insane Asylum, in honor of the completion of four frame buildings, recently commenced, in consequence of the overcrowded state of the institution.

The structure being but slightly furnished, afforded a fine opportunity for the free exercise of "many tinkling feet.” Not a few visitors were present to enjoy the novel spectacle of a dance, in which nearly all the participants were among the most justly commiserated of the human species.

Their delusions forgotten, many of the patients whirled about in glee, which, though wild, did not exceed the bounds of common-sense propriety; others were merely roused from their apathetic state, and gazed with a slight smile upon the scene.

Although the majority of the dancers preferred original variations from the various approved figures, quadrille parties were formed which did credit to the institution.

A breakdown jig seemed, however, the favorite style of showing delight at the violin’s screechings and twiddlings. Some sixty people were present.

Balls are an item that has been but lately added to the list of amusements for patients in the Blackwell’s Island Asylum. Music with magic lantern exhibitions, have hitherto been mainly employed in enlivening them, but perhaps the ball, in its power of withdrawing the maniac from the fancies which oppress him, surpasses both.


Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, December 9, 1865.