The Manheim Tragedy

The Manheim Tragedy
A Complete History of the Double Murder of Mrs. Garber and Mrs. Ream, with the Only Authentic Life and Confession of Alexander Anderson

On December 15, 1857, Anna Garber and Elizabeth Ream were brutally murdered in a farmhouse near Neffsville in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Suspicion quickly fell upon Alexander Anderson and Henry Richards, two itinerant men seen seeking food and work in the area that morning. Their arrests, trials, convictions, and executions captivated Lancaster County and made the crime infamous as “The Manheim Tragedy.”

Originally published in 1858, this remarkable volume presents a detailed contemporary account of the murders and their aftermath. It follows the discovery of the victims, the pursuit and arrest of Anderson and Richards, the evidence presented against them, the testimony of witnesses, the verdicts, the prisoners’ final statements, and their execution at the Lancaster County Prison on April 9, 1858.

The book also contains Anderson’s extensive life story and confession, written and compiled while he awaited execution. His account traces a troubled path through poverty, crime, imprisonment, escape, and violence before describing the events that brought him and Richards to the gallows. The volume concludes with accounts of other notable murders and executions in Lancaster County and a list of Pennsylvania death warrants issued between 1798 and 1851.

This restored and annotated edition is not a photographic facsimile. The complete text has been newly transcribed and typeset from the original 1858 publication, making this rare historical work clearer and more accessible to modern readers while preserving its nineteenth-century character. The edition also includes restored versions of the original illustrations and floor diagram, along with explanatory footnotes.

Obvious typographical and printing errors have been corrected, abbreviations have occasionally been expanded, and capitalization and punctuation have been lightly standardized for readability. The original wording, tone, and historical character of the text have otherwise been preserved. Editor’s notes clarify selected archaic terms, legal expressions, historical references, obsolete spellings, geographical details, and discrepancies within the original account. Except where addressed in an editor’s note, the factual claims, descriptions, and interpretations remain those of the original publication.

Both a true-crime narrative and a revealing historical document, The Manheim Tragedy offers a rare contemporary look at crime, justice, capital punishment, religious repentance, racial attitudes, and public sentiment in Lancaster County on the eve of the Civil War.

Length: 205 pages
Size: 6×9
Available in paperback and hardcover

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