Description
1822 Broadside Horrid Parricide Inhumane Murder Escaped
‘An account of the awful and inhumane Murder of Peter Moffat, Carter in Kilsyth, by his own Son, on Tuesday the 2nd of April, 1822, who cruelly stabbed his father several times in the belly, so that he languished till Saturday last in great agony, when he expired.’
Extremely scarce! Original 1822 broadside sensationalizing the horrific crime and pandering to the public’s bloodlust. These cheap, single sided sheets of paper told tales of crime, trials and executions. They were commonly sold at public courts and executions by hawkers and peddlers — street performers in their own right — and cost a halfpenny or a penny. The broadsides themselves were often produced by printers who specialized in them. No gory detail was spared. The writers were motivated to make a quick penny and thus embellished their stories for shock value, much like the tabloids of today. They were printed to be read and posted up in public places. This copy was archived by the printer John Muir as part of his permanent records.
6.5 x 11 inch broadside on original period mount to 9.5 x 15 inch sheet.
