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- Title
‘So Foul A Deed’: Infanticide in Montreal, 1825–1850.
- Authors
Pilarczyk, Ian C.
- Abstract
The preceding narrative is, in many ways, illustrative of the complex and contradictory phenomenon of infanticide in the district of Montreal during the first half of the nineteenth century. Although notices regarding the finding of infant bodies were frequent, discovery of twin infant bodies was not. This account was also unconventional in its tone: lacking the usual sterile narration typical of newspaper coverage of that topic, it cried out for the apprehension of the “perpetrator of so foul a deed.” Although the call for justice might have appeared strong, infanticide prosecutions were fairly rare and convictions rarer still. The prevalent view might have been to characterize the responsible party as an “unfeeling mother,” but the reality surrounding infanticide was altogether more complicated, yet fully as tragic.
- Subjects
MONTREAL (Quebec); QUEBEC (Province); INFANTICIDE; JUSTICE; PROSECUTION; NARRATIVES; DISCOVERY (Law); SENSORY perception; BELIEF &; doubt; HAMARTIA
- Publication
Law & History Review, 2012, Vol 30, Issue 2, p575
- ISSN
0738-2480
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1017/S0738248011000988