TRIAL OF THE LONDON MONSTER

(WILLIAMS, Renwick). The Trial of Renwick Williams, (Commonly Called the Monster)… for Assaulting and Wounding Miss Ann Porter. London: Printed for D. Brewman, [1790]. Slim quarto, 20th-century full brown calf, raised bands, red morocco spine label; frontis., pp. 18. $1850.

First edition of a detailed account of the sensational trial of the "London Monster," with an engraved frontispiece hand-in-waistcoat portrait of the accused, elegantly bound by Joseph Zuffant of Monastery Hill Bindery.

100 years before Jack the Ripper, London was in an uproar over another serial attacker, a predator responsible for numerous "wanton outrages perpetrated upon unprotected females" in which the assailant would make obscene comments before using a concealed weapon to slice his victim's clothes and often her person. "When consternation was greatest, however, it was reported that the cowardly assailant was in custody. He proved to be one Renwick [or Rhynwick] Williams, now generally remembered as 'the monster.' The assault for which he was arrested was made in St. James's Street, about midnight, upon a young lady, Miss Porter, who was returning from a ball to her father's house. Renwick struck at her with a knife, and wounded her badly through her clothes, accompanying the blow with the grossest language. The villain at the time escaped, but Miss Porter recognized him six months later in St. James's Park. He was followed… and brought to Miss Porter's house. The young lady, crying 'That is the wretch!' fainted away at the sight of him" (Griffiths, The Chronicles of Newgate). While Mr. Williams staunchly maintained his innocence—and in fact had an alibi for some of the other attacks—he was indicted at the Old Bailey, found guilty at the July 8, 1790 trial documented here and sentenced to two years' imprisonment. ESTC T51699. Frontispiece recto with two institutional stamps.

A near-fine, handsome copy of this scarce pamphlet.