Edward H Rulloff. McDade 841. American Journal of Insanity, 1872.
McDade 841: "One of Those Bizarre Criminals Who Defy Easy Classification" Sawyer, George C. Edward H. Rulloff. Offprint from the American Journal of Insanity, April, 1872. [Utica, NY: State Lunatic Asylum]. 52 pp. Octavo (9-1/4" x 5-3/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlet in printed wrappers. Wrappers detached, chipped around edges and lightly soiled, moderate toning to text, faint dampstining to upper corner of the first half of the text block at gutter, light soiling to title and verso of final leaf. $750. * As McDade notes, Rulloff (sometimes spelled Ruloff) was "one of those bizarre criminals who defy easy classification." He began his criminal career in 1856 with the murder of his wife and child. The bodies were never recovered, so he was convicted of a lesser charge and sentenced to jail. Upon release, he was tried again and sentenced to death, but that sentence was reversed on appeal. While in prison Rolloff taught himself several languages and devised a theory of languages. Under an alias, he toured the lecture circuit as a philologist. Far from reformed, he continued to commit burglaries and other crimes with a pair of associates. In 1870, one of these burglaries ended with the murder of two store clerks. The two associates drowned during their escape, but Rolloff was caught, tried and hanged for murder. His brain was later a subject for scientific study. Sawyer's article offers a psychological study of Rulloff and a detailed account of his career. OCLC locates 9 copies, 1 in a law library (Yale). McDade, The Annals of Murder 841.
Price: $750.00
Book number 71233