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Serial Killer Index Short List
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
Serial Killer Index
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
   
serial killers by name [h] amazon
     
  HANSON Hannah USA ... ... ... 2+
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Verdict/Urteil:
 
 
Ann Jones in her book Women Who Kill, tells about Hannah Hanson. After a failed marriage to Ward Witham, she moved to Boston in the early 1830s where she supported herself and her three children by sewing. There she met George Kinney and they became good friends. She also met up with Lowell, MA minister Rev. Enoch W. Freeman who was both her cousin and an old boyfriend. Hannah became Mrs. Enoch Freeman in 1835, but sadly one year later the Rev. Freeman met his maker under some unusual circumstances.  There was scandal about jealousy involving another woman and so Hannah had to leave Lowell. Resourceful woman that she was, she went back to Boston and married her friend Mr. Kinney.  Again, misfortune plagued the new bride and her groom. Mr. Kinney's business failed, so she had to go back to sewing and millinery to support the whole family. Work she did willingly until she discovered that her husband indulged himself in gambling and drinking binges. It was not the alcohol that did him in, however, it may have been the herb tea Hannah fixed for him that carried him off in great pain in August of 1840.  When the arsenic was found in his body, the police wondered about it got there.  Was he suicidal because of the failure of his business? Did he overdose on the many medications that were prescribed by his various physicians? During that time, arsenic was taken in small amounts for syphilis and other medical purposes. Arsenic, if he were taking it in conjunction with the powerful opiates he had been prescribed, could have resulted in accidental death. Or, did Hannah get miffed over having to work for money he wasted on his own pleasures?  Actually, there was no direct evidence found to tie her to her husband's death, except that the Rev. Freeman had died in an identical way. She was tried and acquitted because twelve men could not believe that an attractive, hard-working and moral woman would ever do such a thing.
 
Copyright 1995-2005 by Elisabeth Wetsch
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