The Portrait of a Scandal: The Abortion Trial of Robert Notman

Type of resource
Author/collaborator
Title
The Portrait of a Scandal: The Abortion Trial of Robert Notman
Abstract
In the winter of 1868 a name Montreal society associated with art, good breeding, and culture became fodder for scandal mongers. The Notman name, synonymous with fine photography, was suddenly making headlines featuring the words "abortion" and "suicide." Robert Notman (1837-1882), the younger brother of photographer William Notman (1826-1891), had seduced the beautiful and ambitious Margaret Galbraith, a student at the McGill Normal School, then arranged an abortion for her with the up-and-coming young doctor, Alfred Patton, who committed suicide soon after botching the abortion operation, almost killing Galbraith. The subsequent trial of Robert Notman, for "feloniously counseling, procuring and commanding" the abortion, became a cause-célèbre and he was sentenced to ten years of hard labour at Kingston Penitentiary.
Place
Montreal
Publisher
Véhicule Press
Date
2013
# of Pages
214
Language
en
Citation
Naves, Elaine Kalman. The Portrait of a Scandal: The Abortion Trial of Robert Notman. Montreal: Véhicule Press, 2013.
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