The Devil's Gentleman: Privilege, Poison, and the Trial That Ushered in the Twentieth Century

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The Devil's Gentleman: Privilege, Poison, and the Trial That Ushered in the Twentieth Century

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65 · rating details · 492 ratings · 75 reviews

From renowned true-crime historian Harold Schechter comes the riveting exploration of a notorious New York City murder in the 1890s, the fascinating forensic science of an earlier time, and the grisly court case that became a tabloid spectacle.

The wayward son of a revered Civil War general, Roland Molineux enjoyed good looks, status, and fortune–hardly the qualities of a p...more

Paperback, 512 pages

Published September 30th 2008 by Ballantine Books (first published October 16th 2007)

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Feb 15, 2013 Caroline rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: american-history, true-crime

This is quite a lengthy book, which is eminently appropriate since the case related within at the time set a record for the longest trial in American history. From the date of the murders which set things in motion to the final result, it dragged on for over four years, through a coroner's hearing, an incredibly long and expensive trial, appeals, another trial. It makes the book somewhat hard-going, as the endless legal wrangling is somewhat tedious, but since it's in keeping with the events rel...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Lori Summers rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 100-books-in-2011, history, nonfiction, true-crime

It is sometimes interesting to read two similar books at one time. I’ve been doing that for a week or so, although the other book is my lunchtime reading so I’m making far slower progress on it. Both are true-crime books about murders that took place in the last few years of the 19th century. This one is about Roland Molineux, who lent his name to an often-cited legal statute familiar to viewers of Law & Order (it has to do with the inadmissability of prior bad acts that aren’t part of the i...more It is sometimes interesting to read two similar books at one time. I’ve been doing that for a week or so, although the other book is my lunchtime reading so I’m making far slower progress on it. Both are true-crime books about murders that took place in the last few years of the 19th century. This one is about Roland Molineux, who lent his name to an often-cited legal statute familiar to viewers of Law & Order (it has to do with the inadmissability of prior bad acts that aren’t part of the indictment before the court) and was tried in 1899 for several poisonings. The other is The Killer of Little Shepherds, which is about the notorious French serial killer Vacher, who was killing at almost the exact same time in the French countryside. That book is about the birth of modern forensic science, but this one is more about society’s reaction to sensationalized criminality. In essence, it’s about the birth of tabloid journalism and the genesis of what we now accept as the standard conflation of news, information and entertainment. Schechter asserts that this was the real beginning of the twentieth century, and after reading the book, I find myself agreeing.

Schecter is a well-known writer to aficionados of true crime, and he’s taken his game up a peg with this well-researched and well-written history. He has a knack of giving a great deal of interest to the biographical details of the key players, building up the crime itself, and setting the stage of the events of the time. He doesn’t lapse into New Journalism Capote-esque fictionalization, nor does he do much editorializing. In fact Molineux’s guilt or innocence is never clearly established, and Schechter doesn’t take a position. The book was very interesting, especially to watch the interplay between the press, the popular opinion, and the actual investigators. Molineux’s father was a venerated Civil War hero. His wife was an ambitious socialite. The world of journalism was changing with both Pulitzer and Hearst’s papers trying to out-yellow each other with sensationalist reporting. The whole thing was hopelessly partial and ridiculously biased. Say what you will about our legal system, at least it’s no longer acceptable to use blanket insinuations about men who are possibly gay killing in a “women’s fashion” like poison to bolster one’s defense strategy.

A very accessible and interesting book and a good start for newbies of true crime who don’t want to delve right into the most gruesome books about serial killers. And the book is just as much of interest to those interested in journalism history or legal history.(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 Jeb rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The story is interesting. But, the writing is only average. In fact, this author commits what I think is the worst prose crime you can commit (other than removing all of the "e"s from your words). He ends many of his short chapters with plot forward movement sentences like "and she didn't know how important this fact would be." Or, "and, unknown to him, this would be a prescient statement." I just can't stand it when an author writes that way.

This is a court case story. Maybe there isn't more re...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is my second dabble into true crime (the first was The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America). I liked The Devil's Gentleman much better, though I wasn't sure it should get another whole star (why aren't there half-stars?). It doesn't suffer from the problems of White City simply because Schechter only deals with one guy. However, he spends an awful lot of space on tangents (details of Gen. Molineaux's childhood and military career, history of...more

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Nov 07, 2010 Anne Hawn Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, mystery, non-fiction, true-crime

This was the story of Roland Molineaux, a poisoner from the turn of the 20th century. He was the son of a famous and beloved General of the Civil War. He was accused of poisoning a rival for his intended wife and a man from his health club whom he had taken a severe dislike to. While the case added up, the motive seemed extreme for a gentleman of his class. The story was very interesting, especially as it was something of a "bad seed" affair. This is also another "Lizzy Borden" case in which the...more

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Feb 07, 2013 James Cooper rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

**Publication Notes**
p. 332 in the 2nd paragraph the word import should be impact.
p. 361 in the 5th paragraph by & by
President McKinley's last words before he died show his loyalty to his faith. I found his words interesting because of all the possible things he could have said, he chose his faith to reflect on.

Maybe I completely lost track of events in the book, but at the end of the day Roland Molineux was vindicated of murder and got away with it all. Yes, he got away with it, but lea...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is about a court case, that if were to happen now, would be on Headline News all the time, as so many other current 'trials of the century' are. This was a case which had its lurid points, and at the turn of the century when this took place, the rival newspaper organizations would send their reporters out alongside the detectives to find out information about the case. In this case, a young adult son (Roland Molineux) of a famous Civil War General who fancied himself as quite a ladies...more This book is about a court case, that if were to happen now, would be on Headline News all the time, as so many other current 'trials of the century' are. This was a case which had its lurid points, and at the turn of the century when this took place, the rival newspaper organizations would send their reporters out alongside the detectives to find out information about the case. In this case, a young adult son (Roland Molineux) of a famous Civil War General who fancied himself as quite a ladies man, and above most other young men in his surrounding environment, was accused of attempting to murder the athletic director of his gym. This man did not die, but the murderer had send a poison that had been sent as medicine, which he had shared with another woman...and she did die, so Molineux was also put on trial for her death.

The motive for all this was Molineux tendency to develop spats and jealousy against other men for various reasons. In the case of the athletic director, it was due to a variety of reasons, including not agreeing how the gym should be run. But Molineux also had a problem with another man over women, including the woman who would eventually become his wife. And that man too also died, the same way as the woman did who he was evenutally charged with murdering. He was never charged with this murder...but the newspapers did bring that case up for readers and jurors to be swayed by.

What was so interesting about this book was how much influence the newspapers had on this case. Definitely too much influence and sway...though I'm not sure how much it hurt or helped the outcome. After two trials, Molineux was aquitted, definitely wrongly. He would have been found guilty today by using forensic science which was not available back then. They did not have the use of fingerprints, or DNA evidence which I'm sure he left all over the place. And though they used handwriting experts, this science was still in its infancy.

I found this book interesting, but certainly not the read that so many other reviewers found it. The author seemed to go on and on, repetitious at times, when it was completely unnecessary. You don't write more just to make the book longer. I'd rather the book be more succinct. (less)

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May 27, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

I stumbled across this volume in a used book store, and, intrigued by the title, picked it up. (See? Sometimes you CAN judge a book by its cover, or at least by its title!) From the second I cracked the front cover, I was in love, and I plowed through it every chance I got. The only time I paused was to think "How have I never read about this before?", which, given how this set precedent for law, procedure, and the "trial of the century" escapades we've been subjected to ever since, is a valid q...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Ron Chicaferro rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Once and a while you get to read a true masterpiece - well, wait no longer; this is it! Harold Schechter has expertly researched and written about a true-life murder case that occurred around 1900 in New York City. Truth really is stranger then fiction. You'll meet all the participants in the original case; the suspects, their spouses and the legal teams - even a few of the jury members. Not to be outdone are the two principal news sources - the 'yellow' press of New York City. What an amazing t...more

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May 09, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arts-and-historical

From renowned true-crime historian Harold Schechter, whom The Boston Book Review hails as “America’s principal chronicler of its greatest psychopathic killers,” comes the riveting exploration of a notorious, sensational New York City murder in the 1890s, the fascinating forensic science of an earlier age, and the explosively dramatic trial that became a tabloid sensation at the turn of the century.

Death was by poison and came in the mail: A package of Bromo Seltzer had been anonymously sent to H...more From renowned true-crime historian Harold Schechter, whom The Boston Book Review hails as “America’s principal chronicler of its greatest psychopathic killers,” comes the riveting exploration of a notorious, sensational New York City murder in the 1890s, the fascinating forensic science of an earlier age, and the explosively dramatic trial that became a tabloid sensation at the turn of the century.

Death was by poison and came in the mail: A package of Bromo Seltzer had been anonymously sent to Harry Cornish, the popular athletic director of Manhattan’s elite Knickerbocker Athletic Club. Cornish barely survived swallowing a small dose; his cousin Mrs. Katherine Adams died in agony after ingesting the toxic brew. Scandal sheets owned by Hearst and Pulitzer eagerly jumped on this story of fatal high-society intrigue, speculating that the devious killer was a chemist, a woman, or “an effeminate man.” Forensic studies suggested cyanide as the cause of death; handwriting on the deadly package and the vestige of a label glued to the bottle pointed to a handsome, athletic society scamp, Roland Molineux.

The wayward son of a revered Civil War general, Molineux had clashed bitterly with Cornish before. He had even furiously denounced Cornish when penning his resignation from the Knickerbocker Club, a letter that later proved a major clue. Bon vivant Molineux had recently wed the sensuous Blanche Chesebrough, an opera singer whose former lover, Henry Barnet, had also recently died . . . after taking medicine sent to him through the mail. Molineux’s subsequent indictment for murder led to two explosive trials, a sex-infused scandal that shocked the nation, and a lurid print-media circus that ended in madness and a proud family’s disgrace.
In bold, brilliant strokes, Schechter captures all the colors of the tumultuous legal case, gathering his own evidence and tackling subjects no one dared address at the time–all in hopes of answering the tantalizing question: What powerfully dark motives could drive the wealthy scion of an eminent New York family to foul murder?

Schechter vividly portrays the case’s fascinating cast of characters, including Julian Hawthorne, son of Nathaniel Hawthorne, a prolific yellow journalist who covered the story, and proud General Edward Leslie Molineux, whose son’s ignoble deeds besmirched a dignified national hero’s final years. All the while Schechter brings alive Manhattan’s Gilded Age: a gaslit world of elegant town houses and hidden bordellos, chic restaurants and shabby opium dens, a city peopled by men and women fighting and losing the battle against urges an upright era had ordered suppressed.

Superbly researched and powerfully written, The Devil’s Gentleman is an insightful, gripping work, a true-crime historian’s crowning achievement.(less)

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May 29, 2012 Kristen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, true-crime, non-fiction

This was a surprisingly entertaining and engaging read, considering it is the account of a poison case and trial at the turn of the 19th century, and a sizable account of these crimes, at that. However, Schechter's writing is clear and the organization of the trial and the wave of media coverage it received was done incredibly by Schechter.

Like most readers, my attention wanders quickly without engaging people at the centre of the story. Even though these were real people, and not characters, S...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, true-crime

***WARNING*** This review contains MANY SPOILERS!

I hesitate to call a book about murder by poison enjoyable, but this book really was. It read like a novel, and had so many twists that I really wasn't quite sure where we were going to end up.

There weren't a lot of likable personalities in this book, which one would expect, being a book about murder. The General was very likable, if a bit naive in his unfailing trust of his son. For me, the most unlikeable personality was Roland's wife, Blanche....more

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May 06, 2011 Brett Devall rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: nonfiction, college-required

Covering the trial of Roland Molineaux, this was a great look at the criminal courts and shoddy medical practices of the late 18/early 1900's. Filled with a plethora of interesting facts, this book created a literal window into the world of the time period...which was fitting, seeing as it was assigned in an American History class. You see how amazingly different and illogical the court proceedings of the time were, how anybody with a persuasive voice and a bottle of tonic could be considered a...more Covering the trial of Roland Molineaux, this was a great look at the criminal courts and shoddy medical practices of the late 18/early 1900's. Filled with a plethora of interesting facts, this book created a literal window into the world of the time period...which was fitting, seeing as it was assigned in an American History class. You see how amazingly different and illogical the court proceedings of the time were, how anybody with a persuasive voice and a bottle of tonic could be considered a "doctor", how greatly taboos were instilled by society (to a very negative impact, as it always seems to be), and a preview of the coming celebrity age of America.

This book highlights the rise of yellow journalism and the media transformation from a stoic reporter of facts into the celebrity-chasing, fear-mongering vultures of today. It was interesting to read of newspaper journalists out-performing the police with their investigations for the first time in history, so urgent was their need for a story to sale their paper.

The book gets bogged down towards the end, after the trial is over. Chunks of "aftermath" coverage fill out the last section, and it simply failed to interest as much as the reporting beforehand. The first 3/4 of the book is superbly interesting, however, and was a very quick read for such historical writing.

The writer makes no argument as to whether the controversial verdict was right or wrong - indeed, the novel's purpose is to highlight the case's impact on society and the manner in which it was conducted. While Schechter does leave his thoughts on the case in a parting message (which I agree with), the book is not structured to convince in either way. This, in my opinion, makes it an extremely refreshing read. Any time I see "persuasive" books, the authors tend to let their strong feelings and emotions cloud their reasoning. This creates works that seem exceedingly truthful to them and their supporters, but which read as drivel to those opposed or those unknowledgeable of the subject. Schecter, however, covers the trial with a neutrality that all journalists and historians should envy. (less)

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Feb 16, 2008 Cynthia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Caleb Carr and The Devil in the White City

Fantastic book!!! I highly recommend it. The story is fascinating and the author brings it to life with amazing skill. He's like steven spielberg, in complete control of your emotions at every step of the way — and he does it so well that you don't even mind.
It's a literally "incredible" story, with so many twists and turns and odd coincidences, truly one of those stories that, if you tried to make it up, no one would believe you. The ending is a surprise, too, an added bonus; you never feel li...more

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Mar 23, 2011 Dianne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Since I like this kind of book, I'm probably too biased to be objective. I found this to be a quick, enjoyable read, filled with interesting facts. The only part that dragged on a bit was Roland's first trial, but that only added to the author's point that that trial seemed to go on forever. No one came off as likable; other than the general, there really were no wholly "good" characters. But then, isn't that what the real world and real people are like? Looking forward to reading more of Schect...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 11, 2011 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book. If you liked Devil in the White City, this is a similar account of true crime at the turn of the 20th century.

The Devil's Gentleman describes the events that lead up to the crime, through the trial of Roland Molineux. The book touches on legal precedent, yellow journalism, the popularity of patent medicines, and Victorian social mores, giving the full background to the trial and the crime.

A quick, easy read.

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Oct 03, 2012 Rachel Pollock rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Interesting enough, i guess, but much of this book droned on. Odd to find a scandalous murder trial boring in places. At times the author relies so heavily on Blanche Chesebrough's unpublished memoir that i found myself thinking, why didn't he just annotate the memoir and publish THAT? The book felt somewhat phoned-in on the whole, and suffered perhaps more than it otherwise might by the fact that i'd just finished reading Paul Collins' Murder of the Century, which was a far superior book on a v...more

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Sep 21, 2011 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really good book on a murder by poison case in the late 1800's. It is amazing what the Yellow press could get away with back in the day. Found myself liking the defendant, Molineaux, in the case because of his father who was an old Civil War General. I only gave this book four stars due to the brevity of the ending. I think the author could have gone into greater details during the retrial. The ending won't be what you expect.

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Mar 03, 2009 Vicki rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: true-crime

I love Harold Schechter, and this book is right up there with his others. This guy sure can write! I stayed up waayyy too late reading -- just had to finish it -- and now I'll be tired all day, but it was worth it. I loved all of the "fun" stuff about the journalism of the time, the behavior of the lawyers and the general public, etc. This book was like candy for me!

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Mar 03, 2008 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The trial of Roland Molineux in 1899/1900 was really a precursor to the sensationalistic crime obsession that would only continue to grow throughout the 20th and into the 21st century. In his way, Molineux was the Paris Hilton of his generation, famous for his upbringing of privilege and the fact that he didn't do too much with it (although to be fair, at least he maybe killed someone...Paris not so much). The look into the criminal proceedings at the turn of the last century is encouraging and...more

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Feb 26, 2012 D. Ennis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An interesting and enjoyable read. Could be a little tighter but overall it was more or less a page turner. I like the way Schechter tied this early 20th century crime and trial into the beginning of the media/celebrity craze that would develop through the following 100 years and counting.

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Aug 27, 2009 Tom rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, non-fiction

A good account of a famous trial I was not familiar with. Very interesting description of how the "yellow papers" began sensationalizing current events; it's easy to see how we progressed from those newspapers to the media circus that attends every major trial.

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Feb 27, 2008 Meaghan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, true-crime, read-in-2008, historical-crime

Meh. Much as I enjoyed finally seeing a Schechter book that was properly footnoted, this one just dragged on. And on. And on. Of course, Roland Molineaux's trial also dragged on. And on. And on. But that's no excuse. I kept slogging through the chapters hoping for something better, but the only time I felt any suspense was almost at the very end, when [SPOILER ALERT] Roland's conviction was overturned and he had the second trial and everything. [END SPOILER]

The author deserves kudos for painting...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Ben rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Overall, this book is pretty good. The author did a great job of researching and detailing the events that took place. My main gripe was the redundancy within the story lines. I think it could have been tightened a bit.

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Aug 08, 2011 Tim Nordstrom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating book about a 19th century dandy who poisoned his rivals, one of the first 'tabloid' crimes, and the beginning of media sensationalism. Also a great read if you want to learn about the late 19th century.

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Jun 28, 2012 Katrina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: autobiographies-biographies, books-read-in-2012, crime, history, mystery, non-fiction

While, Schechter has a talent for writing and trying to keep the reader interested, the story just got too bogged down in detials. Schechter wrote about people in the trial and the life of Roland that just did not matter. Which bogged down the book and just didn't move. Interesting stuff though!

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Aug 10, 2011 Bev Hankins rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, history, mcpl-book, non-fiction, true-crime

Better pacing would have helped this book immensely. But overall--very interesting and a good look at one of the early crime sensations of the 20th Century. Well-researched.

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Mar 17, 2009 Dave rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The back of the book brags that it's a true-crime novel that reads like fiction, and they're right. It just reads like mediocre fiction.
By the time I was 3/4 of the way through it I gave up and just started flipping through chapters, scanning for juicy bits.

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Aug 24, 2012 Laura Chandler rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I learned about the way of our country in the late 1800s. Very well written and documented. Interesting and tragic. Interesting how people are able to believe what they want to believe about someone, no matter what evidence indicates otherwise. I imagine we all do this to some degree.

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About Harold Schechter

Aka Jon A. Harrald (joint pseudonym with Jonna Gormley Semeiks)

Harold Schechter is a professor of American Literature and culture at Queens College, the City University of New York. Among his nonfiction works are the historical true-crime classics Fatal, Fiend,Deviant, Deranged, and Depraved. He also authors a critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Edgar Allan Poe, which includes The Hum Bu...more

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Books by Harold Schechter

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The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers

Depraved: The Definitive True Story of H.H. Holmes, Whose Grotesque Crimes Shattered Turn-Of-The-Century Chicago

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