Deliberate Evil: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Daniel Webster, and the 1830 Murder of a Salem Slave Trader

Renehan’s (The Kennedys at War) meticulously researched book details the 1830 murder of Captain Joseph White in Salem, MA. White was found in his bed, bludgeoned and stabbed; the only thing missing from his house was his will, and with so little evidence and so many suspects, the city was left reeling. White’s killing also shocked Salem because he was part of a wealthy enslaver family renowned for its influence in the shipping industry, with family members serving in Congress and as cabinet secretaries. Four men were eventually charged with the murder—Joe and Frank Knapp and Richard and George Crowninshield. The prosecution was led by Senator Daniel Webster, which brought a great deal of attention to the case. Salem resident Nathaniel Hawthorne observed and wrote about the trial, and his later novels were influenced by the events he witnessed. Renehan’s narrative is gripping; perhaps most interesting is that he uncovers related documents that were buried for centuries in local archives, —evidence of the ways in which wealth and influence can result in a selective history.