In Tragic almanac 1843 (New York, 1842), p. [25]., According to the accompanying article, Thomas Topping beat his wife Elizabeth for five hours before she died. He also threatened to kill Catharine Kelly, who was in the room, if she made any effort to sound an alarm., Probably fictitious characters., Full-length portrait of the victim on the ground with her left hand raised to avert a blow; a woman lies in a bed in the background.