Abstracts
Abstract
Around midnight on 3-4 June 1826, Gore clerk of the peace George Rolph was attacked by a mob, dragged from his home, threatened with bodily harm, and tarred and feathered. He was accused of adultery with a live-in servant. Since Rolph was the brother of reform advocate John Rolph, the attack and related legal proceedings drew international attention and the civil trial was packed “almost to suffocation.” This outrage remained in the public eye for over two years as Rolph brothers sought justice and as other outrages occurred. This article examines the social background and politics of the outrage and the subsequent legal challenges from the perspectives of the three original defendants in the trial. It argues that personal, non-political factors were more significant motivations than previously recognized. This is the first paper to examine the perspectives of the three defendants.
Résumé
Vers minuit, le 3-4 juin 1826, le greffier de paix de Gore, George Rolph, a été attaqué par une foule, traîné hors de son domicile, menacé de lésions corporelles, puis recouvert de goudron et de plumes. Il a été accusé d’adultère avec une domestique à domicile. Étant donné que Rolph était le frère de l’avocat réformateur John Rolph, l’attaque et les procédures judiciaires qui en ont découlé ont attiré l’attention du monde entier et le procès civil fut bondé “presque jusqu’à l’étouffement”. Cet outrage est resté dans l’oeil du public pendant plus de deux ans, alors que les frères Rolph cherchaient à obtenir justice et que d’autres outrages se produisaient. Cet article examine le contexte social et politique de l’outrage et les contestations judiciaires qui ont suivi, du point de vue des trois premiers accusés du procès. Il soutient que les facteurs personnels et non politiques ont été des motivations plus importantes que ce qui avait été reconnu auparavant. Il s’agit du premier article à examiner les perspectives des trois accusés.
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Appendices
Biographical note
Ross D. Petty is Emeritus Professor of Marketing Law at Babson College after being a faculty member for thirty-one years. He was a Faculty Research Scholar (2011-2019) and held the Zwirling Family Term Chair (2008-2011) and Roger A. Enrico Term Chair (1992-1997). He taught about 1,600 undergraduates and nearly 4,000 MBA students. Ross is an award winning reviewer who served on the editorial board of four academic journals. He has published more than 100 articles, book chapters, and notes, and presented 115 times at various academic conferences and events. Ross has authored two books: Branding Law: A Guide to Legal Issues in Brand Management (2016) and The Impact of Advertising Law on Business and Public Policy (1992). Before joining academia, he practiced law with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for nine years. He is a life member of the Clan Donnachaidh and Stewart Societies.