The Court Case of Mary Ann Cotton

On January 10, 1873, Mary Ann Cotton welcomed her daughter, Margaret Edith Quick-Manning Cotton, into the world. Mary Ann’s trial commenced in March 1873 with her pregnancy behind her. Charles Russell, a rising star under the Attorney General, took on the role of prosecutor. This trial began Russell’s eminent career in handling notorious poisoning cases.

During the trial, Mary Ann Cotton’s defense lawyer, Mr. Thomas Campbell Foster, put forward a novel defense. He claimed that Charles Cotton, Mary Ann’s alleged victim, succumbed to arsenic poisoning from the dye used in the green wallpaper of their home rather than foul play. This defense highlighted the potential dangers within one’s own walls.