Criminal Fall River
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Dec 5, 2025 Joining the discussion is Kate Winkler Dawson, an author and journalist known for her book The Sinners All Bow. She delves into the tragic case of Sarah Cornell, a mill worker found dead in 1832, sparking a sensational trial. Topics include Sarah's challenging life in the factory, her allegations against Reverend Avery, and the courtroom's bias shaped by religious tensions. Dawson highlights how the trial became a spectacle, featuring victim shaming and a controversial acquittal, ultimately connecting Sarah's narrative to Hawthorne's Hester Prynne.
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Writer Champions The Accused Woman
- Catherine Williams decided to write a different kind of book about Sarah Cornell after hearing town gossip about the case.
- She felt compelled to give Sarah a voice because, as Williams wrote, "she cannot answer them back again."
Factory Work Brought Freedom And Risk
- Textile mill work in 1820s–1830s offered young women new independence through travel and wages despite brutal conditions.
- Factories paid more than farms but imposed strict moral expectations and dangerous working environments.
Shoplifting Stained Her Reputation
- Sarah Cornell shoplifted multiple times and those convictions branded her as a criminal in New England communities.
- Kate Winkler Dawson explains that repeated thefts pushed people to view her as morally suspect and doomed her reputation.
