Helen Jewett Research Paper

Helen Jewett was born in Temple, Maine on October 18, 1883. Helen's mother died while she was still a child and her alcoholic father soon followed her to the grave. With no parents or guardians that could watch over her, Helen was orphaned and later adopted by a local judge who provided her with a good family and education. Helen also worked as a servant during her stay with the family and after growing into a beautiful young woman, she developed sexual assertiveness and was rumored to be involved with a banker in a scandalous affair. After Helen's 18th birthday, she moved out of the house and began working as a prostitute in Portland, Maine. Her career took her to Boston and then New York where she met her demise. Helen's body was discovered by the matron of the brothel on April 10, 1836 at 3am, the murder had taken place sometime after midnight. Helen was beaten over the head three times with a sharp object which was believed to be a hatchet and there were no signs of resistance so it was assumed the attack was not expected.

After the assailant inflicted the wounds on her, he set fire to her bed. The room filled with smoke which alerted the townsfolk, Helen's body was recovered but one side of her was badly burned.

Robinson on suspicion of Helen's murder. Richard was a repeated customer of Helen's, but denied murdering her. He showed no emotion or remorse when seeing the badly burned corpse. Based on the numerous eyewitnesses testimony's and evidence recovered which was a cloak resembling the same cloak Richard wore, the coroner's jury came to the scene of the crime and concluded that Helen was murdered at the hands of Richard P. Robinson by three lethal blows to the head with a hatchet and that was enough to gain an initial