Indictment for Susan B. Anthony for Illegal Voting
1/24/1873
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On November 18, 1872, a deputy U.S. marshal arrested Susan B. Anthony for voting in the 1872 presidential election. Two months later, this indictment charged her with "wrongfully and unlawfully" voting for a candidate for Congress from the City of Rochester, New York, on November 5, 1872 in the first election district of the eighth Ward of the City of Rochester, “being then and there a person of the female sex.” She was convicted in June and sentenced to pay a $100 fine and court costs.
This is one of several federal court cases involving women arrested for illegally voting in the 1872 election in Rochester, NY, 48 years before the 19th amendment passed in 1920.
This is one of several federal court cases involving women arrested for illegally voting in the 1872 election in Rochester, NY, 48 years before the 19th amendment passed in 1920.
Transcript
Second Count: And the jurors aforesaid upon their oaths aforesaid do further present that said Susan B. Anthony now or late of Rochester in the County of Monroe with force and arms, etc., to-wit: at and in the first election district of the eighth Ward of the City of Rochester in the County in the County of Monroe in said Northern District of New York, and within the jurisdiction of this Court, heretofore, to-wit: on the fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two at an election duly held at and in the first election district of the said eighth Ward of said City of Rochester in said County, and in said Northern District of New York, which said election was for Representatives in the Congress of the United States, to-wit: a Representative in the Congress of the United States for the State of New York at large, and a Representative for the twenty ninth Congressional District of the State of New York, said first election district of said eighth Ward of said City of Rochester being then and there a part of said twenty ninth Congressional District of the State of New York, did knowingly, wrongfully and unlawfully vote for a [insert mark] Candidate for Representative in the Congress of the United States for the State of New York at large, and for a [insert mark] Candidate for Representative in the Congress of the United States for said twenty ninth Congressional District, without having a lawful right to vote in said first election district,(the said Susan B. Anthony being then and there a person[torn] of the female sex) as [insert mark]s he, the said Susan B. Anthony then and there well knew, contrary to the form of the statute of the United States of America in such case made and provided, and against the peace of the United States of America and their dignity.[signed] Richard Crowley
Attorney of the United States for the Northern District of New York.
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 278295
Full Citation: U.S. vs. Susan B. Anthony, Indictment for Illegal Voting; 1/24/1873; Susan B. Anthony Criminal Case File; Criminal Cases Heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, 1870 - 1968; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at New York, New York, NY. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/anthony-indictment, October 9, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
