"RAIL-ROAD CONSPIRACY CASE" (SPINE TITLE). "Report of the great conspiracy case. The people of the state of Michigan, versus Abel F. Fitch and others, commonly called the rail road conspirators; tried before His Honor Warner Wing, presiding judge of the Circuit court for the county of Wayne, at the May term 1851, in the city of Detroit. Containing the evidence, arguments of counsel, charge of the court and verdict of the jury." (Detroit, published by the Advertiser and Free Press, 1951). Preceding is from the NUC.

9.5 x 5.5, gilt ruled 1/2 leather; 175. 285, 399. Shelfworn, corners worn, some scuffing/scraping to spine, front outer hinge starting to crack, inner hinges cracked, spotting to page edges, spotting and a few small tears, lacking title page. "In the year 1849, a series of assaults and depedations were committed upon the property and business of the Central Railroad Company (Michigan Central Railroad), in and about the villages of Leoni and Michigan Centre, in Jackson County . . . This continued until the autumn of 1850, when the freight depot of the company in Detroit, together with all its contents was burned and totally destroyed." The Michigan Central Railroad compensated farmers for the total value of their livestock when their animals were killed on the tracks. However, in 1849 the railroad had a new policy which would only reimburse the farmers for half the value. This was the beginning of "The Great Railroad Conspiracy" in which the enraged farmers engaged in acts of vandalism and terror against the railroad and its employees. Detectives were hired and suspects arrested and all were found guilty. The lawyer for the defendants was Sen. William H. Seward of New York who later became Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln. Scarce.…