Beadle's Pocket Library No. 487: 'Jack's Snare'

Museum Catalog Note This issue of the Beadle and Adams dime novel series contains "Jack's Snare: The Kent Boys' Plot" by Mrs. Ann E. Porter, a domestic mystery serial. Judge Webb is found murdered in his home, with a boot discovered beneath his chamber window. Jack Cheever, a young shoemaker from a poor family, becomes the prime suspect after his boot is found at the scene. Jack claims innocence despite circumstances pointing toward him—he admits to being on Federal Street the night of the murder but offers no explanation, and a new pair of shoes appears the next morning. The narrative involves his sisters Lottie and Minnie, who work as servants, his devoted aunt, and his friend Willie, who vows to prove Jack's innocence. The account includes the schoolteacher Helen Ross, described in detail as a young woman of education and refinement. The opening chapters establish the murder mystery and introduce characters emotionally invested in proving whether Jack committed the crime.