University of West Alabama

The Murder of Helen Jewett by Patricia Cohen

HY513

Jeanette Hollis

May 2, 2010

The Murder of Helen Jewett by Patricia Cohen is a non fiction entertaining and dramatic book that discusses several perspectives of Victorian era New York City. This narrative is about men and women, clerks, prostitutes, legal codes, tabloid journalism, politics and capitalism. This book is considerably more than a shocking murder and trial as it becomes a carefully investigated examination of a growing city. Helen Jewett born Dorcas Doyen, simply a prostitute, one of many dishonored working women in New York City was murdered and set on fire by her attacker. The suspect, Richard P. Robinson was a normal young man about town working in business and frequenting brothels. Although severe attacks were accepted in antebellum cities, prostitutes frequently endured abuse and exploitation. Helen Jewett’s murder was one of the first crimes where a mixture of sex, lies and violence revealed to the public gender inequities and class privilege that had previously been hidden from society. Helen Jewett was born in Augusta Maine. When her parents died a local judge adopted her and tried to educate her. Helen was very beautiful and had an affair with a banker which became a scandal. Helen moved to New York City. She became employed at one of the many brothels operating in New York at that time. Richard Robinson, the suspect in Helen Jewett’s murder went on trial June 2, 1836. A witness provided an alibi for Robinson at the time of the murder. It was assumed by Cohen that the witness had been bribed because he ran a grocery store in Manhattan. Because the prosecution’s witnesses were mainly wer prostitutes, Robinson was acquitted Cohen divides her book into seventeen topical chapters. Her book can be used by general audiences or because it is heavily footnoted with a meaty bibliography, it can be used by scholars who specialize in the field. In this work Cohen used mainly letters between Robinson and Jewett, Robinson’s diary legal documentation, census reports, paintings and newspapers. Some of the other primary sources she used were The New York Herald, Advocate of Moral Reform, National Police Gazette, The Herald, and The Boston Daily Advocate. Cohen is somewhat repetitive and draws her own conclusions and theories without justification in this book. The murder of a prostitute probably would have been a little known occurrence had it not been for the rise o the “penny press” newspaper in New York City according to Cohen. One specific newspaper, The New York Herald, founded by James Gordon Bennett, capitalized on Helen Jewett’s murder and began media frenzy. The Herald printed graphic details of the murder scene and circulated unshared stories regarding Robinson and Jewett that was very erotizing to the people. According to Cohen, developing sexual beliefs in the 1820s and 1830s forbid women’s sexual desires and commended the honor of virginity. Even though these beliefs may have given women more ethical power at home and in public, Cohen shows that sex had become completely a male privilege, an activity that embellished male command and authority.

I have read and understand the statement on academic honesty included in the course syllabus. I also understand that violating the course and university policies with regard to academic honesty and plagiarism will subject me to the penalties set forth I the course syllabus.