The Balance of Justice: the Utica Streetcar Murder of 1872: a Novel

by Eileen Sullivan Hopsicker

“In January 1872, Josephine McCarty was indicted for murder in a shooting on a horse-drawn streetcar in Utica, New York. There were witnesses, and the common consensus was that the woman would hang. Then the governor of New York called a special term of court, and his attorney general sent a high-powered lawyer to aid the prosecution. Why? Perhaps the story was more complex than it appeared" -- Provided by publisher.

296 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[ShellyG · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about this event that occurred in Utica NY. It was incredible what Josephine had to endure in her time in Augusta NY, as well as in her marriage. It seems we don't know if her eldest three children were able to reunite with her. I'm disappointed that society/family didn't force her husband to take more responsibility back in that time. Obviously there wasn't any legal solution for her to have financial support or her children returned to her. She endured and somehow survived through some trying circumstances, with men who used her and then turned away from their responsibilities again and again.

I'm most impressed that she was able to become a physician and navigate some challenging situations with help from friends.

I was surprised by the verdict at the end of the book - I didn't expect the jury's decision.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and entertaining read. I've not read a book set in a place I was so intimately acquainted with. This book is fiction, but it was based on an actual event and person. That made it more interesting. Josephine McCarty is the protagonist. She was written in such a strong fashion, but had her flaws. I can't imagine what it was like to be such a strong woman who overcame many abuses at a time when women had no voice. This book has me appreciating the struggles of women like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Victoria Woodhull. Definitely worth the read.

[MBP · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was fascinating. It started a bit slow, but became absorbing as it chronicled the life of Josephine McCarty, and what a life she led! I have a lot of questions: what happened to her in her later years? What became of her children, and were her three children in Europe ever located? (How different Josephine's life might have been in this era, with birth control, full acceptance of women as MDs, and better access to investigative and legal services.)

This article has some information about a possible connection between Josephine and Billy the Kid, and a little information about her later years: https://truewestmagazine.com/the-birt...

[Robert Melone]

I received this book from mom from Jervis Library.

[Debdanz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marked as fiction, but it sure reads like NF, true crime. Fascinating look at the region and the times.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my usual genre but an intriguing story nonetheless.

[Eileen Sullivan]

Clicked currently reading by accident. As the author I've read it many times, and loved it!