The women's stories are a blend of love, desperation, and madness, highlighting the diversity of female killers' motivations.
The article covers five historical cases: Mary McKinnon, Margaret Garner, Elizabeth Taylor, Edith Thompson, and Christiana Edmunds.
The cases demonstrate the complexities and consequences of their actions, as well as the differing ways society judged and punished them.
The article aims to bring attention to lesser-known female killers and the circumstances that led them to commit such heinous acts.
Throughout history, female killers have often been overshadowed by their male counterparts, but their stories are no less captivating or tragic.
This article aims to shed light on the lives and motivations of these women, who, driven by love, desperation, or madness, committed heinous acts that left an indelible mark on society.
From the seedy taverns of 19th-century Edinburgh to the plantation fields of antebellum America, this article examines the lives of Mary McKinnon, Margaret Garner, Elizabeth Taylor, Edith Thompson, and Christiana Edmunds.
These cases reveal not only the complex web of circumstances that led these women to kill but also how their actions were judged and punished within the context of their time.
Edinburgh in the 1820s was a city of stark contrasts. The New Town catered to the wealthy, while the Old Town was riddled with grimy inns and taverns.
On February 8, 1823, William Howat and his friends found themselves at Mary McKinnon’s tavern. A disagreement over payment for drinks led to a violent scuffle, resulting in Howat’s stabbing and eventual death.
Mary McKinnon was accused of the murder, found guilty, and hanged on April 16, 1823.
This case emphasized the moral judgment placed on sex work and the devaluation of women’s lives in 19th-century Britain.
In the 1850s, the US was divided on the issue of slavery. In early 1856, the Garner family attempted to escape enslavement.
After reaching Cincinnati, their plan fell apart, and they were discovered by marshals. Faced with being recaptured, Margaret Garner killed her young daughter, Mary, rather than allowing her children to return to a life of slavery.
Margaret was apprehended and, under the Fugitive Slave Act, she and her family were returned to their slaveholders.
In 1867, Christiana Edmunds became infatuated with her neighbor, Dr. Charles Beard.
In 1886, Elizabeth Taylor, a “ladies nurse,” performed an illegal abortion on Julia Warburton, an unmarried actress, in Melbourne, Australia.
Julia died three days later, and Elizabeth was arrested for murder. Despite being implicated in the deaths of at least eight women, it is believed that she successfully performed many more procedures.
Elizabeth was convicted of manslaughter, served her sentence, and continued her business upon release.
In the early 1920s, Edith Thompson had an affair with Freddy Bywaters, a shipping steward.
They planned to make a life together, but Edith’s husband, Percy, stood in their way. On October 3, 1922, Freddy stabbed Percy to death.
Both Freddy and Edith were charged with murder, convicted, and hanged on January 9, 1923.
In 1867, Christiana Edmunds became infatuated with her neighbor, Dr. Charles Beard.
Christiana attempted to poison Charles’ wife, Emily, with chocolate creams laced with strychnine.
After the attempt failed, Christiana continued her poisoning spree, contaminating chocolates at a local confectionery shop.
Four-year-old Sidney Barker died as a result, and Christiana was convicted of his murder.
A post-trial insanity diagnosis spared her from execution, and she spent the rest of her life in Broadmoor Criminal Asylum.
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James Madison was initially against a bill of rights, but political pressure led him to change his stance and write one, resulting in the inclusion of the Second Amendment in the U.S. Constitution.
The Second Amendment is rooted in concerns about national defense and the type of military force needed for the nation's security, as early Americans viewed standing armies as tools of tyranny.
Alexander Hamilton's arguments in the Federalist Papers about arming and equipping the general population laid the groundwork for the Second Amendment.
The final version of the Second Amendment has been the subject of extensive debate and confusion due to the removal of crucial phrases and punctuation.
The true intent of the Second Amendment was not about individual gun ownership or personal protection but rather to ensure that a standing army or specially chosen militia would not pose a threat to liberty.
Madame Restell, also known as Caroline Ann Trow Lohman, was a 19th-century midwife and abortion provider who defied societal norms to help women make choices about their bodies.
Restell faced numerous legal battles throughout her career, including charges of administering noxious medicine and procuring miscarriages. She was often portrayed as a cold-hearted murderer, but also had an elaborate network of midwives, doctors, and other professionals who helped her provide safe and affordable reproductive health care to women.
Restell's legacy is complex and controversial. On one hand, she provided crucial reproductive health services to women who had few options for safe and affordable care. On the other hand, her methods were often unsafe, and her business practices were often unethical. Her advocacy for women's rights was also tempered by her belief that women should only have access to reproductive health services if they were married and financially stable.
Restell's story is a reminder of the ongoing struggle for reproductive rights and the complex history of reproductive health care in the United States.
The current debates around reproductive rights, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, make Restell's story and legacy all the more relevant today.
Sinrock Mary was a successful entrepreneur and leader in her community, defying traditional gender roles and maintaining control over her own life and property.
She played a significant role in the reindeer industry in Alaska, helping to broker a deal to bring reindeer from Siberia and becoming the first Alaska Native couple to have their own herd.
Mary faced numerous challenges, including the tragic loss of her husband and legal battles to protect her ownership of the herd.
The reindeer industry in Alaska experienced a decline due to the Depression and mysteriously crashing herds between the 1930s and '50s, but it remains an important part of Alaska's cultural heritage.
Mary's legacy serves as a testament to her tenacity and strength, and her story highlights the resilience of Alaska Native communities.
