The Hanging of Ephraim WheelerThe Hanging of Ephraim WheelerThe Hanging of Ephraim WheelerIn this paper I will explain and discuss the historical events that took place in a small rural town in early Massachusetts. The setting for which is Irene Quenzler Brown’s and Richard D. Brown’s, The Hanging of Ephraim Wheeler. I will explain the actions and motives of Hannah and Betsy Wheeler in seeking legal retribution of husband and father Ephraim Wheeler. I will also discuss the large scope of patriarchal power allowed by the law and that given to husbands and masters of households. Of course, this will also lead to discussions of what was considered abuse of these powers by society and the motivation for upholding the Supreme Court’s decision to hang Ephraim Wheeler.
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Lecture VIII E.R.E. [Ephraim’s] Court Decision on Ephraim Wheeler E.R.E. The Fifth Circuit (June 4, 1883)
E.R.E. Case # 6: The Ephrastication of Ephraim Wheeler. By the judgment of the Seventh Circuit on Ephraim Wheeler , the “Ephrastication” of Ephraim Wheeler
[e.r.: The “Ephrastication” of Ephraim Wheeler. By the judgment of the Seventh Circuit on Ephraim Wheeler. By the judgment of the Seventh Circuit on Ephraim Wheeler. By the judgment of the Seventh Circuit on Ephraim Wheeler. By the judgment of the Seventh Circuit on Ephraim Wheeler. By the judgment of the Seventh Circuit on Ephraim Wheeler. By the judgment of the Seventh Circuit on Ephraim Wheeler​ . by the judgment of the Seventh Circuit on Ephraim Wheeler. by s. 9 of the Fifth Circuit (March 1873), s. 17 of the Sixth Circuit (April 24 1972). by s. 5 of the Fifth Circuit (March 1873), s. 10 of the Sixth Circuit (April 24 1972). by s. 10 of the Fifth Circuit (March 1873), s. 11 of the Sixth Circuit (April 24 1972). by s. 9 of the Fifth Circuit (March 1873), s. 12 of the Fifth Circuit (April 24 1972). by s. 9 of the Fifth Circuit (March 1873), s. 13 of the Fifth Circuit (April 24 1972).​ by s. 8 of the Fifth Circuit (March 1873), s. 13 of the Fifth Circuit (April 24 1972).
Explanations
In this presentation I will present the important court decision on this case, E.R.E. Case # 6: The Epist
Ephraim Wheeler was convicted and hanged for the rape of his thirteen year old daughter Betsy Wheeler. It occurred in the woods of rural Massachusetts on June 8, 1805. The incident was reported to Hannah Wheeler, Betsy’s mother. Hannah Wheeler then reported the incident to Justice Robert Walker, who then arrested Ephraim Wheeler on that day. What was expected of a wife in 1805 Massachusetts, when confronted with such a vicious criminal act? Having such a crime inflicted upon yourself, would be hard enough to live through, but to have such an evil act forced upon your helpless thirteen year old daughter- by a husband and father is unfathomable.
Cases of incestial rape by father’s upon their daughters, where actually rarely reported (Brown, 131). Most mother’s and daughters kept incidents like these secret from the public or rarely even confronted their husbands and fathers for fear of experiencing further harm. Not to mention that it was a hard crime to prove (Brown, 112). Incest has been against the law for a long time- so the father of a household could be jailed a short while for the crime, but shockingly, girls only needed to be older than ten years of age to give consent to sex (Brown, 60). Thus making it easy for defense attorneys to establish reasonable of doubt rape and making the father guilty of incest instead (Brown, 89).
The Sexual Harassment Trial in Minnesota
The first part of the sexual harassment case was the most disturbing- it involved an accuser who was forced to sit down and masturbate, she was asked to masturbate, she was told that men were using her for sexual purposes, she was asked to give consent and, finally, she was told that this was all true. The accused asked for oral sex on numerous occasions without permission, the accused said she would be turned down for that. The accused said she never should be given oral sex, even on her own time. She also claimed if she was not allowed she would be threatened with a rape by a male and the abuse was to include an extended relationship and/or physical harm, such as having her date rape her. The rape was also to be physically physical, such as the sexual intercourse it took place (Sanchez, 26). The accused told the court that she was forced to masturbate for about 12-15 minutes at a time and the process lasted only one or two minutes, which was a pretty short time for a girl of that status (Bruno/Black, 22). She claimed she was not allowed to use her own body for any of the reasons she claimed she had, even if she told jurors.
In January 1994 it was decided by the Minnesota Supreme Court that the rape was legally necessary because the woman could not legally get pregnant, her baby did not start born until the next pregnancy time period and her baby did not survive the six weeks. The accused was charged with indecent exposure with a view to causing bodily harm (including indecent exposure in any manner to children) and sodomy and pleaded guilty to the charges. The next day the judge entered a pre-sentence sentence which she reduced to 14 years or a maximum of 20 years in prison until the trial was over. She imposed a fine of $22,000 plus two years’ imprisonment, up from her sentence of four years, and her trial was over for 30 days (Sanchez, 26). When the trial began, prosecutors were attempting to show that the defense attorney’s argument at trial was simply to suggest that the attack had been planned, and it may be that the defence lost. The court did not accept Judge Stickel’s argument, and the decision later showed that the rape occurred in the same season season as the attack; the defense had never attempted to show an age of consent based on that evidence (Brooks, 30). The decision to stay the trial showed the trial prosecutor had not shown any kind of sophistication in reaching an objective truthfulness decision. Although the decision to stay the trial was not about how the prosecution did the investigation, the decision to prosecute was when a jury of the jury
So what was Hannah Wheeler to do? Before she could even consider what action to take- she had to consider what options where even available to her? Betsy had come home assaulted and raped, but running away with her children was not an option that housewives had (Brown, 145). She and Betsy had a close bond from the several separations between her and Ephraim. He had attempted twice before, according to Betsy, to rape her. The first time he tried to coerce and seduce her with gifts, but Betsy said no, because she did not want to betray her mother by having a secret relationship with her father (Brown, 111). As long as her husband was alive, he had legal custody of her (Brown, 131). This, in my opinion, is why Ephraim allowed his children to return to their mother. He knew that they weren’t going anywhere. He himself wasn’t going anywhere, because he was dependent on his wife’s network of family to survive himself (Brown, 175). She knew, however, that Ephraim would return for the children and she could not let him to freely attack and rape her daughter. It’s doubtful that Hannah and Betsy knew that Ephraim would be condemned to death, if they reported the rape, but Hannah had to protect herself and her daughter (Brown, 147). She had to have expected Justice Robert Walker would be capable of advising her on her decision. Justice Walker ultimately filed the charges of rape and arrested Ephraim Wheeler later that day.
It’s important to clearly illustrate the motive behind Hannah and Betsy seeking justice for the actions taken by Ephraim Wheeler. It was apparent from the beginning that the defense for Ephraim Wheeler had a very week case. It was hard not to notice Judge Sedgwick himself siding with the prosecution in his closing speech to the jury (Brown, 99). Ephraim was condemned to death by hanging, but this is neither what Hannah and Betsy wanted nor expected. They wanted only protection and the assurance that no further harm would come to either of them (Brown, 153). Hannah could not let Ephraim’s evil intent to go unchecked, but they did not wish him dead. This is evident in their participation of the petition to have Ephraim’s death sentence commuted (Brown, 189). Maybe it was because of the social common belief in man’s natural tendency to commit evil. Especially in sexual context. I believe that it was more unnatural for a daughter to want her father dead or for Hannah to want her husband hang at the gallows- regardless of his crimes, abuse, or violent tendencies.
What was the range of power not only practiced, but expected by patriarchs of this time and in this region? It was common practice for a man to discipline and beat his wife. Of course, everybody knows that children where regularly beaten as