Mary Ann Cotton“I wont be troubled

long. He’ll go like all the rest of the

Cottons.”

Background Born in 1832 in northern England as Mary Ann Robson Hated her stepfather so she left her home at 16 Married WILLIAM MOWBRAY in 1852 at age 20 and had 5 children Had 4 more children with random men, but didn’t keep any of them Married GEORGE WARD in 1865 (rich man) Her mother died 9 days after she went to visit her Married JAMES ROBINSON in 1867 and had 1 child Robinson was suspicious of her past and the deaths related to her,

so he threw her out Married FREDRICK COTTON and they had 1 child (rich man) Had another child with a man named NATRASS, and collected

money when he died After Cotton died, his 2 children from a previous marriage also died,

which left Mary Ann as second in line for the money, behind Charles Cotton (16 years old)

Charles died 2 weeks after the other 2 children

VICTIM CRIME

11 of her children2 step-children

Murder (“gastric fever”)

Mother and sister-in-law

Murder (poison)

2 “lovers” Murder (poison)

4 husbands Murder (“gastric fever”)

Crimes Accused of Committing:

Most Recent Crime Murder of Charles Edward Cotton (last living son of Fredrick

Cotton) A man named Thomas riley asked if she would help take

care of a sick woman but she couldn’t because of her sick son, Charles

She said “I won’t be troubled long. He’ll go like all the rest of the Cottons.”

After hearing this, Riley (secret investigator) told them not to issue the death certificate of Charles until it could be investigated (death certificate would give her the money)

Evidence lead to her being charged with the murder of Charles

Evidence Against Her Many investigators were suspicious of Mary Ann, so when

Charles died, they decided to look into it “I wont be troubled long. He’ll go like all the rest of the

Cottons.” All of the people that died in her life died of “stomach

related illnesses” or gastric fever She had always collected the insurance money from her late

husband Proved that the wallpaper dye in Charles’ room contained

arsenic, which was used to poison him (believed to have done this to her other children)

Sentence Sentenced to the death penalty Hanged at Durham County Jail on January 10,

1873 Execution was delayed because of her being

pregnant with her 13th child

Sociological Theory I believe that the behaviors of Mary Ann Cotton can be backed up

by the Anomie Theory. This theory is defined as affecting people when norms are weak, absent, or conflicting. I believe that Mary Ann falls under this theory because she uses illegitimate methods to reach her goals. In the five ways that an individual adapts, Cotton uses the innovation method. This is because she marries and kills rich men so that she can get money from them and their families. She was never able to keep a job and didn’t finish basic schooling, so she didn’t have a normal way of making money. She also has some signs of the rebellion method because she gets a little crazy when the police tried to keep her from receiving the money from Fredrick Cotton’s death. She felt that they were trying to keep her from what was her property. Overall, Mary Ann Cotton fits best into the Anomie Theory of sociology because of the illegitimate ways that she gets what she wants.

Cultural References Mary Ann Cotton nursery rhyme: Mary Ann Cotton,She’s dead and she’s rottenShe lies in her bed,With her eyes wide

openSing, sing, oh, what can I sing,Mary Ann Cotton is tied up with stringWhere,

where? Up in the airSellin’ black puddens a penny a pair. Songs: Serve Tea, Then Murder – Hardnoise Mary Ann – Macabre

Poems: Of Rope and Arsenic – The Raveness

HARDNOISE

MACABRE