In The Dalton divorce case (Boston, 1857), title vignette., Helen Dalton was accused of adultery by her husband, Frank Dalton, but maintained her innocence, arguing that her relations with her supposed lover, William Sumner, had not been improper. The ensuing divorce trial was complicated by counter-accusations of adultery and spousal neglect leveled at Frank Dalton, allegations of an aborted pregnancy, and Sumner's death following a brutal beating by Mr. Dalton. The trial became something of a public sensation, as the topic of women and morality was a subject of heated debate. The jury was ultimately unable to come to a conclusive verdict., Full-length portrait of Dalton, wearing a gown and bonnet.
