The book tells the tale of a young man from a prominent Saratoga Springs family who killed his father in 1873. The murder was huge news in the 19th century.
A short version: Ellen Hardin Walworth was an author and women’s activist who married Mansfield Walworth, an attorney and writer. They moved into his family’s Pine Grove estate in the city, across from what is today’s Saratoga Springs City Center. They had six children, but she obtained a limited divorce from him after he became abusive. Their oldest son Francis shot his father in a New York City hotel after Mansfield Walworth made repeated threats against his ex-wife and family members.
Francis Walworth faced death for the killing, but was freed after a trial. He died three years later, according to reports.
O’Brien will tell the story of the family’s collapse, and what led up to the killing. The family’s legacy is preserved on the third floor of the casino in Congress Park.
Here’s the NYTimes story from the murder trail.