Trial of Dr. William H. King
Description
- Media Type
- Image
- Item Type
- Drawings
- Description
- The trial of Dr. William H. King in Cobourg in 1859 for the murder of his wife was a cause celebre. His execution at the Old Court House, now the House of Refuge, was no less memorable.
- Notes
- Dr. William King was the only criminal to be executed in Northumberland and was a well-known doctor of Brighton. He became infatuated with Melinda Vandervoort and began to feed his wife small doses of arsenic. After a hard-fought trial he was convicted of murder and on June 9, 1859 he was hung at the old Court House. No less than 10,000 people attended what would prove to be the last hanging in Ontario and even Victoria College closed for the day. The doctor who had denied his guilt to the last day, rose to the occasion and made a public address and confession. This is now the site of the Golden Plough Lodge, a long term care facility
- Date of Original
- 1859
- Subject(s)
- Local identifier
- 971-1
- Collection
- Historical Photographs
- Geographic Coverage
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Ontario, Canada
Latitude: 43.95977 Longitude: -78.16515
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- Copyright Statement
- Protected by copyright: Uses other than research or private study require the permission of the rightsholder(s). Responsibility for obtaining permissions and for any use rests exclusively with the user.
- Reproduction Notes
- Toronto Public Libraries Photographic Service
- Contact
- Cobourg Public LibraryEmail:info@cobourg.library.on.ca
Website:
Agency street/mail address:200 Ontario Street, Cobourg, ON K9A 5P4
