Rare Book Monthly

print Send Email to Friend Change Font Size Share Link

Articles - January - 2011 Issue

A Death Once Thought Murder

- by Bruce E. McKinney

An early draft of a cold account

An early draft of a cold account

The printed broadside version, attributed to Poughkeepsie c 1800, reads:

 

A tribute to the memory of

Catherine Berrenger

of the Town of Rhinebeck

Who fell a victim to Death on the 4th day of November, in the year of our Lord 1800,

by swallowing a portion of Arsenic, supposed to be administered to her by JOHN

 BENNER, to whom she was promised in marriage, and who has been confi-

ned in the gaol of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, for the same offense.

 





The second version is Asa Dean's manuscript copy dated 1809:

 

A tribute of respect to the Memory of

Catharine Berring [er] 

of the town of Rhinebeck,

 who fell a victim, to death, on the 4th day of November 1800,

by swallowing a portion of Arsenic, supposed to be administered to her by John

Benner, to whom she was promised in marriage, and who is now confined

in the gaol of Poughkeepsie.

 

They are similar but not the same.

 

For this there are several possibilities.

 

The printed text is earlier and Mr. Dean inaccurately transcribed his version.

Rare Book Monthly

  • <b>Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:</b> HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: [Pietro Fabris], 1776, 1779. € 30.000 - 50.000 <b>Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:</b> [MORTIER] - BLAEU, Joannes (1596-1673) - Het Nieuw Stede Boek van Italie. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1704-1705. € 15.000 - 25.000 <b>Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:</b> TULLIO D'ALBISOLA (1899-1971) - Bruno MUNARI (1907-1998) - L'Anguria lirica (lungo poema passionale). Roma e Savona: Edizioni Futuriste di Poesia, senza data [ma 1933?]. € 20.000 - 30.000 <b>Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:</b> IL MANOSCRITTO RITROVATO DI IPPOLITA MARIA SFORZA. TITO LIVIO - Ab Urbe Condita. Prima Decade. Manoscritto miniato su pergamena, metà XV secolo. € 280.000 - 350.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: [Pietro Fabris], 1776, 1779. € 30.000 - 50.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: [MORTIER] - BLAEU, Joannes (1596-1673) - Het Nieuw Stede Boek van Italie. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1704-1705. € 15.000 - 25.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: TULLIO D'ALBISOLA (1899-1971) - Bruno MUNARI (1907-1998) - L'Anguria lirica (lungo poema passionale). Roma e Savona: Edizioni Futuriste di Poesia, senza data [ma 1933?]. € 20.000 - 30.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: IL MANOSCRITTO RITROVATO DI IPPOLITA MARIA SFORZA. TITO LIVIO - Ab Urbe Condita. Prima Decade. Manoscritto miniato su pergamena, metà XV secolo. € 280.000 - 350.000
  • <b><center>Sotheby's Fine Books & Manuscripts<br>Available for Immediate Purchase</center></b> <b>Sotheby’s:</b> Balthus, Emily Brontë. <i>Wuthering Heights,</i> New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1993. 6,600 USD. <b>Sotheby’s:</b> Charles Dickens. <i>Complete Works,</i> Philadelphia & London: J.B. Lippincott Company & Chapman & Hall, LD, 1850. Limited Edition set of 30 volumes. 7,500 USD. <b>Sotheby’s:</b> John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Handwritten Letter from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to their Chauffer. 1971. 32,500 USD. <b>Sotheby’s:</b> Winston Churchill. First edition of <i>War Speeches,</i> Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1941. Set of 7 volumes. 5,500 USD. <b>Sotheby’s:</b> Andy Warhol, Julia Warhola. <i>Holy Cats</i> First Edition, Signed by Andy Warhol. 1954. 30,000 USD.
    Sotheby's Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s: Balthus, Emily Brontë. Wuthering Heights, New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1993. 6,600 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Charles Dickens. Complete Works, Philadelphia & London: J.B. Lippincott Company & Chapman & Hall, LD, 1850. Limited Edition set of 30 volumes. 7,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Handwritten Letter from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to their Chauffer. 1971. 32,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Winston Churchill. First edition of War Speeches, Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1941. Set of 7 volumes. 5,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Andy Warhol, Julia Warhola. Holy Cats First Edition, Signed by Andy Warhol. 1954. 30,000 USD.
  • <b><center>Forum Auctions<br>Online: India<br>Ends 19th February 2026</center></b> <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 40<br>Ramasvami (Kavali Venkata). <i>A Digest of the Different Castes of India,</i> 83 charming hand-coloured lithographed plates, Madras, 1837. £5,000-7,000 <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 50<br>Watson (John Forbes) & John William Kaye. <i>The People of India: A Series of Photographic Illustrations...of the Races and Tribes of Hindustan,</i> 8 vol., 480 mounted albumen prints, 1868-75. £4,000-6,000 <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 53<br>Afghanistan.- Elphinstone (Hon. Mountstuart). <i>An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul,</i> first edition, hand-coloured aquatint plates, a fine copy, 1815. £2,000-3,000 <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 57<br>[Album and Treatise on Hinduism], manuscript treatise on Hinduism in French, 31 watercolours of Hindu deities, Pondicherry, 1865. £3,000-4,000 <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 62 Allan (Capt. Alexander). <i>Views in the Mysore Country,</i> [1794]. £2,000-3,000 <b><center>Forum Auctions<br>Online: India<br>Ends 19th February 2026</center></b> <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 76<br>Bird (James). <i>Historical Researches on the Origin and Principles of the Bauddha and Jaina Religions...,</i> first edition, lithographed plates, Bombay, American Mission Press, 1847. £3,000-4,000 <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 100<br>Ceylon.- Daniell (Samuel). <i>A Picturesque Illustration of the scenery, animals, and native inhabitants, of the Island of Ceylon: in twelve plates, 1808. £5,000-7,000 <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 123<br>D'Oyly (Charles). <i>Behar Amateur Lithographic Scrap Book,</i> lithographed throughout with title and 55 plates mounted on 43 paper leaves, [Patna], [1828]. £3,000-5,000 <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 139<br>Gandhi (known as Mahatma Gandhi,) Fine Autograph Letter signed to Jawaharlal Nehru, Sevagram, Wardha, 1942, emphasising the importance of education in rural communities. £10,000-15,000 <b><center>Forum Auctions<br>Online: India<br>Ends 19th February 2026</center></b> <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 140<br>Gantz (John). <i>Indian Microcosm,</i> first edition, Madras, John Gantz & Son, 1827. £10,000-15,000 <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 146<br>Grierson (Sir George Abraham). <i>Linguistic Survey of India,</i> 11 vol. in 20, folding maps, original cloth, Calcutta, Superintendent Government Printing, 1903-28. £2,000-3,000 <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 195<br>Madras.- Fort St. George Gazette (The), No.276-331, pp.493-936 and Index to all of 1834 at end, modern half calf, Madras, 2nd July - 31st December 1834. £2,000-3,000 <b>Forum, Feb. 19:</b> Lot 205<br>Marshall (Sir John) and Alfred Foucher. <i>The Monuments of Sanchi,</i> 3 vol., first edition, 141 plates, most photogravure, [Calcutta], [1940]. £3,000-4,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 40
    Ramasvami (Kavali Venkata). A Digest of the Different Castes of India, 83 charming hand-coloured lithographed plates, Madras, 1837. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 50
    Watson (John Forbes) & John William Kaye. The People of India: A Series of Photographic Illustrations...of the Races and Tribes of Hindustan, 8 vol., 480 mounted albumen prints, 1868-75. £4,000-6,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 53
    Afghanistan.- Elphinstone (Hon. Mountstuart). An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul, first edition, hand-coloured aquatint plates, a fine copy, 1815. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 57
    [Album and Treatise on Hinduism], manuscript treatise on Hinduism in French, 31 watercolours of Hindu deities, Pondicherry, 1865. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 62 Allan (Capt. Alexander). Views in the Mysore Country, [1794]. £2,000-3,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 76
    Bird (James). Historical Researches on the Origin and Principles of the Bauddha and Jaina Religions..., first edition, lithographed plates, Bombay, American Mission Press, 1847. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 100
    Ceylon.- Daniell (Samuel). A Picturesque Illustration of the scenery, animals, and native inhabitants, of the Island of Ceylon: in twelve plates, 1808. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 123
    D'Oyly (Charles). Behar Amateur Lithographic Scrap Book, lithographed throughout with title and 55 plates mounted on 43 paper leaves, [Patna], [1828]. £3,000-5,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 139
    Gandhi (known as Mahatma Gandhi,) Fine Autograph Letter signed to Jawaharlal Nehru, Sevagram, Wardha, 1942, emphasising the importance of education in rural communities. £10,000-15,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 140
    Gantz (John). Indian Microcosm, first edition, Madras, John Gantz & Son, 1827. £10,000-15,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 146
    Grierson (Sir George Abraham). Linguistic Survey of India, 11 vol. in 20, folding maps, original cloth, Calcutta, Superintendent Government Printing, 1903-28. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 195
    Madras.- Fort St. George Gazette (The), No.276-331, pp.493-936 and Index to all of 1834 at end, modern half calf, Madras, 2nd July - 31st December 1834. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 205
    Marshall (Sir John) and Alfred Foucher. The Monuments of Sanchi, 3 vol., first edition, 141 plates, most photogravure, [Calcutta], [1940]. £3,000-4,000

Article Search

Archived Articles