Der Lebenslauf und die erschreckliche Hinrichtung von Margaretha C. Waldegrave [...] Margaretha C. Florence, Madame Bellville, Madame Roland und Madame Le Hocq genannt, welche wegen Mord und Vergiftung am 9. Juni 1852 zu Havanna, auf der Insel Cuba, vermittelst der Garote [...] Charles D. Ellas, Lorenzo Cordoval und Pierre Dupont am 14. April 1852.

A rare sensationalized work of crime fiction, co-sharing a New Orleans imprint

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A nineteenth-century female serial killer.

Rare in both the English and German language, but rarer in the latter, this title presents a sensational and likely fictional tale of murder and mayhem; infanticide, executions and executioners, and the ever-popular motif of women as poisoners.

This is the German language edition. The English language edition translates as The life, career, and awful death by the Garote [sic] of Margaret C. Waldegrave: otherwise, Margaret C. Florence, alias Mrs. Bellville, Madame Rolande, Madame Le Hocq, the poisoner and murderess, at Havana, Cuba, June 9th, 1852: for the murder of Charles D. Ellas, Lorenzo Cordoval, and Pierre Dupont, (April 14th, 1852,) who were three desperate members of a powerful and sanguinary band of robbers, counterfeiters, and assassins, known as “the alumni.”

The storyline is that of Margaret C. Waldegrave who comes from respectable parents, but whom’s mother then dies. Thereafter, she receives a cool reception from her new stepmother, and is subsequently forced or driven from the home, somewhere near the tender age of fourteen. The young woman gets employment in a milliner’s shop where she becomes ever-beguiled by ardent admirers who praise her beauty to such an extent that she becomes narcissistic. Waldegrave then begins a rampage of murders by poisoning and/or mayhem in diverse locations: Buffalo, Canada, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Havana. Gamblers and criminals become her traveling companions.

The only copy for this German language edition is held by AAS, their copy lacking wrappers. This copy has both illustrated wrappers. The front wrap is a portrait of the female poisoner. Her attire shockingly reveals her exposed neck. Portions of her back and breasts are bared. Of note, the rear wrapper presents an additional illustration not repeated within the text of this work; highway robbers committing murder while the leader of their gang looks upon the scene.

Scant is know of Arthur R. Orton, the publisher and/or the author. Scant has been the extant physical record of his output as either publisher or author.

A rarity in mid-nineteenth-century popular and sensational crime fiction with a dangerous woman on the loose.

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