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DocsTeachThe online tool for teaching with documents, from the National Archives National Archives Foundation National Archives

Record of Conviction in U.S. vs. Susan B. Anthony

6/28/1873

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Suffragist Susan B. Anthony registered and voted in the election of 1872 in Rochester, New York. As planned, she was arrested for “knowingly, wrongfully and unlawfully vot[ing] for a representative to the Congress of the United States,” convicted by the State of New York, and fined $100.

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.

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And thereupon Richard Crowley Esq., the Attorney of the United States for
the said District, prayed the process of the said District Court for the arrest of the said
Susan B. Anthony and it was granted; and on the 24th day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three of the January term of said Court at the City of
Albany ------------------------------------------------ came the Marshal of the United
States for the Northern District of New York, and brought into the said District Court the body
of the said Susan B. Anthony upon the said process; and the said Susan B. Anthony
being duly arraigned upon the said Indictment [Court?] called upon to plead thereto, pleaded that she was not guilty of the offenses charged therein, in manner and form as the same are therein set forth, and of this she put himself [herself above himself] upon the country, and said United States of America did the like.

And ^at the May term of said District Court held at the City of Rochester on the 22 day of May, thereupon the said Richard [Crawley?] the Attorney of the United States, for the Northern District of New York, moved that the said Indictment and the issue joined thereon be transmitted to the Circuit Court of the United States for the said Northern District of New York for disposal therein, and the said motion was granted.

Wherefore let a jury be summoned, empanelled and sworn to try the said issue at the June
Term of said Court in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three at theVillage of Canandaigua in the said District.

And now on this [the above this] 17th & 18th days of June of the term of June
one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three aforesaid come as well the Attorney of the United States for the said District as the said Susan B. Anthony and come also the jurors aforesaid;and the said jurors to speak the truth of the matters within contained being chosen, tried and sworn upon their oaths say, that the said Susan B. Anthony is guilty of the offenses charged in the said Indictment in manner and form as the same are therein set forth. And ^[above there on the 19th] there Court, and having heard the said verdict is inquired of by the Court if she has anything to say why the judgment of the law should not be pronounced upon him ^her according to the said verdict: and no sufficient answer being given, His Honor the Judge of the said Court, in the presence of the said Susan B. Anthony does here adjudge and sentence that the said Susan B. Anthony for the said offenses of which she stands convicted as aforesaid be imprisoned in the at hard labor for the term of years and months and pay a fine of one hundred dollars and the arts
of this prosecution.

Charles Mason
Clerk.

131
Circuit Court of the United States.
Circuit Court of the United States
Northern District of New York
[Arch Box ?] 918
THE UNITED STATES
vs.
Susan B. Anthony

RECORD OF CONVICTION
June TERM, 1873

Filed June 28 1873
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 278304
Full Citation: U.S. vs. Susan B. Anthony, Record of Conviction; 6/28/1873; Susan B. Anthony Criminal Case File; Criminal Cases Files, 1870 - 1988; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at New York, New York, NY. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/susan-b-anthony-conviction, March 20, 2023]
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Activities that use this document

  • Extending Suffrage to Women
    Created by the National Archives Education Team

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