An Essay: On reviewing George Lippards. "The Quaker City" Ch 7 as a Mystery Short Story

[Ric]

"A Night in Monk-Hall" is what I would title an historical mystery
short story This short story was written by George Lippard in
1844. In the past I had seen the multi chaptered "The Quaker City", I
perused the individual chapters, and then quickly realized that these
were chapters that had first appeared in a newspaper weekly serialized
format. So why not, I thought, read and then re-decide and determine
whether they fit the model of a mystery short story, or the extended
novel its promoted to be. Its not a very good novel. So I read and
I found out what I was looking at: an that is that "A Night in Monk
Hall" is in fact a short story. Then I went to "The Quaker City" and
discovered that Lippard or 'somebody' maybe the Editor placed a larger
version of this story behind chapter 7, and made it into a part 2. So
in this review I am going back to the shorter version and read and
critique it as the short story it is: a mystery short story.

Moreover, I think the story is better appreciated and analyzed as a
`mystery' short story has development of the characters of the
principal characters. I was amazed at the control he exercised over
the short story narrative process. The story can be read easily and
quickly, and please note that Lippard has like the thriller films,
inserted at last minute and tacked a couple paragraphs after main
elements of the story is finished, and probably to whet the appetite
and desire of the reader to come back to the next serialized story
next week. But as we focus on the story itself, we should let it
tell the mystery story itself.

I think Lippard takes off from various established facts of historical
note. And all noted in the opening lines. Its 1836 and this is what
has happened before . This places the stories actual history in the
structure a short story in his opening. And here George Lippard let
us the reader to know the clues he will use to solve the mystery.
He's writing, toying really, and suggesting clues , but not too
much, he wants to maintain the lead and the reader to follow to the
final lines. He doesn't want us to solve the mystery before he does.

This is the strategy of Lippard and he is much like the later
Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes consulting detective stories.
I do think after reading George Lippard this way, I find he's a
marvelous mystery short story writer and early testing his craft of
writing with these stories.

I think George Lippard is traditionally given short shrift as a
mystery short story writer. Publicists would rather promote him as a
social reformer. Conservatively thinking, Lippard is following the
advise given him by Edgar A. Poe, he throttling and disciplining his
energy in his writing more. He aspires to be like Poe, or Charles
Brocken Brown. Lippard was the last person Poe talked with before he
left by train from the Broad and Washington St Train of the
"Philadelphia-Baltimore-Washington' railroad.
Lippard was shocked and traumatized by Poe's untimely death. And It
was Lippard who first came to Poe's defense when he was trashed by the
new editor of "Graham's Magazine'.

But I digress, from "The Quaker City", I don't think that Lippard
rose to the level of writing a good novel. It has no central character
or theme, its all over the place. Why? Because its not a novel ,
it's a collection of short stories. Yet, its obvious when someone
tries to read "The Quaker City" as an historical novel, one easily can
see that it doesn't work, it falls flat: too many characters, no
development of their persona, no depth of themselves in history. And
dialogue is stilted, as though somewhat like Dickens, who was his
youthful ideal. ( I wonder and suspect that George Lippard never
plotted out `The Quaker City; or the Monks of Monk Hall as a novel at
all. He wasn't that organized.)

And yet when I read the piece as a mystery short story, I found
myself amazed and compelled to continue reading it to its finish. "A
Night in Monk-Hall", has a strong and interesting opening catch. It
starts,. "Six years ago , in 1836, on a foggy night in spring , at the
hour of 1 o'clock…" Ones attention is nailed!

The protagonist is "Boyd Merivale " a youngish man, who is somewhat
naïve as the main character, who is finding the adult world imperfect.
(But engaging and mysterious, even filled with dred. ) Lippard has
named his protagonist Boyd Merivale who seems to journal in an "I"
voice or perspective , as if he's writing a memoir. Perhaps Boyd ,
in his boyish heart, thinks he may develop his reporter skills. He
will hope that this will eventuate in the report becoming a
newspaper article in one of Philadelphia's 1840's newspapers.

But Boyd sticks to unfolding the narrative as if looking and trying
to solve the mystery with meager , and disconnected clues he's found
or thinks he has found. ( Of course Lippard on the other hand is
trying to stay ahead of us.)-

And the story is set in Philadelphia in 1836.(When Lippard was
but a 16year old "Boy-d". A boy ? Lippard knows that all of
Philadelphia and the region there was still in an economic crisis or
depression that resulting when President Jackson refused to re-
charter the 2nd Bank of the U.S. because Jackson hated Philadelphian
Nicholas Biddle, the wealthy banker that owned the State Chartered
bank. Biddle was a Whig. So Boyd's father died and he hadn't kept
his business accouts solvent. Boyd has heard rumors about Paul
Western and Emily Walraven, having an `affair' , and both may have
disappeared.

And in reality Lippard worked in the Attorney General's office as a
result of his father's political friends. The elder Lippard had
been a County Accountant, who died after being run over by a horse and
wagon on the streets of Philadelphia. ( I hasten to add that there was
no suspicions of faol play.) And George Lippard learned enough law
on his job with the Attorney General Ovid Fraser Johnson from 1836 to
41 to be able to write like his favorite writer Charles Brocken Brown,
who was himself a Lawyer. Lippard is familiar with all the types of
crime and criminal activities of the two square miles that was the
City of Philadelphia up until 1854. (George was a long time reader
and had only completed a year or so in college before his father
died. (George Lippard devalued the education that he was provided by
his father and his father's political friends.) He often said that he
didn't want the Law, or what he couldn't have anyway..a Law and
College degree. He would make it on his own.

And its from Lippard that we try to figure why `Boyd' knew too of
much information about graft, rumors of bankruptcy, corruption, and
absconding of funds, as well as murder. But strangely enough Boyd
never tries to make contact with a Constable or any more official
investigator.

Lippard expresses his puzzlement , but focuses only on the story
and Boyd Merivale's point of view, realizing that his father wants
him to find out why these things happened.( He believes…as his father
is deceased.) The Elder Merivale was aged , sick and bankrupt before
he died.. Boyd had noticed the disappearance of Emily Walraven and had
admired the stories of his older friend Paul Western related and who
had shared stories of his exploits. But it's a love-hate relationship
also with Paul, as he also voices his criticism of Paul for wearing
'fancy cuffs' and specialized clothes. Maybe even killing Emily
Walraven.

Paul Western did have business to go into town of Philadelphia
regularly. And Boyd loves to listen to his friend tell stories about
the brothel on the edge of the city--a Bagnio. (Lippard was well aware
that a Bagnio was a combination Turkish Coffee House as well as having
steam baths too. Since Boyd hadn`t been there…they were of course
exotic, mysterious, dangerous to him.) Boyd suspects that Paul is
involved in the disappearance of Emily Walraven, or worse. Paul is a
young bachelor , a wild fellow, `rather good looking, a Cashier at the
County Bank. Boyd wants to find out. Paul is also a a braggard of
sorts. Boyd would not like to admit that he is shocked , (He was!)
but tries to not show it. Paul goes to Philadelphia regularly, and now
both he and Emily are missing, And $30,000 is also missing from the
accounts of the County Bank. Maybe Paul and Emily are dead , he
wonders.

Boyd tells us the story, as it unfolds for him, he goes to the
Chestnut Street Theater, (seeking Paul ?) and notices a ruffian is
causing a ruckus and hitting on young woman he recognizes. (He
thinks!) He rushes up, hit's the bully, and escapes down the street
with the young woman to Monk Hall. As they hurry along south Emily
Walraven reveals herself, and tells him ". "Don't talk to me—" she had
almost shrieked as we hurried along the street—"it's too late for me
to change now. For God's sake let me be happy in my degradation." She
may recognize him from her village.

Boyd is certain, yet without evidence to the contrary, that Paul is
involved in the disappearance and possible seduction of Emily at Monk
Hall.


And Lippard ushers the story into believing that Emily is no
innocent either. He awakes in bed with her at his side. Boyd knows
her to be spoiled by her doting father, she is `masculine' in her mind
he says (He doesn't explain what he thinks he means.) as her father
spared no expense on her education. Boyd had heard other stories
about the shame that Emily had brought on her father, by becoming
pregnant. He had even heard that father Malraven put a family curse on
Paul Western.

He half remembers rumors that the disappearance is because Paul has
fled to Texas, or has drown in the nearby Delaware River. Boyd wants
to find out!, he thinks he firmly believes. Maybe Emily is held at the
Brothel by southern Slaveowners against her will.


And in that year of 1836, Lippard well knew that Edwin Forrest
playing "Richelieu" is starring at the Chestnut Street Theater. And
again Lippard knows his historical facts, he is a reader and has
attended the theater. Edwin Forrest, the Shakespearian actor, had
just returned in 1836 from London with his new and young English wife.
Forrest had scandalized all, by taking up with a younger woman.
( Edwin Forrest always played at the Chestnut Street Theater. It
was built in 1791 on a model from plans of the Theater Royale in Bath,
England. It has 3 tiers that are specifically referred too by Lippard
in this short story.) George Lippard is no neofite about drama and
the theater, or the life of an artist writer.

For Lippard , a block away on Chestnut street was the 2nd National
Bank of the U.S. which had been recently 'de-chartered' by the
conflict with Biddle. And Boyd's hotel, was exactly across the street
from the bank , and was named United States Hotel same as when
Lippard knew it was in his conflict with the towns literatti at
Charles Dickens visit to Philadelphia in 1842. Lippard knew that
Charles Dickens and Edgar A. Poe had met at that hotel. Lippard
admired both men. So Lippard puts "Boyd Merivale" at the same hotel.

Boyd says that the Landlord of the United States Hotel had gave him a
cane, that he later discovered was a sword-cane, it had been hollowed
out and a sword like knife hidden under the cap of the cane. (The
Hotel owner is mysteriously helping him.)

Boyd escapes and accompanies Emily down the street to Monk Hall. He
already knows all about that Monk Hall, as the scene of many a
debauchery As Emily and Boyd arrive, Boyd thinks (but is not sure) he
sees the shadow of Paul Western duck into the building Monk Hall.

He relies on the stories he's hear (Lipaprd has heard about town) The
building that has three stories below ground and three above, and in
each room there is a trap door, that when opened will plunge the
person into the basement and murdered. Boyd hears , (he thinks) the
words `Murder, Murder, Murder, then a gargling smothering sound.
He's heard about `a secret spring in the wall of any of these
chambers, communicated with the spring beneath the carpet." Then a
trap door opens, and then someone is plunged down to `h..l'.


While Emily gets up, leaves him, goes down to get herself something
to eat. It doesn't register with Boyd that this was a puzzle, she
said she always eats at this hour…Its past 1: oo o'clock in the
morning.! (He is suspicious of Emily) Boyd is scared and thinks
`Devil Bug' and his `negros' are planning to kill him and are already
on their way to him to do the deed.


But our hero is brave and says "But out of this house my father's son
will not leave this place until broad daylight!" Is he whistling into
the dark to buck up his brave sounding words? And then he almost
steps on a rug that is sinking thru a trap door. But he gets thru the
night and out of the house. Lippard uses the word `Bagnio' which is
the word for a Turkish Coffee House and Steam Baths. He never sees
Emily Malraven or his friend Paul Western again. Yet he is certain
that `Devil-Bug" arranged and choreographed the whole thing. Lippard
at the end adds a paragraph about Fitz -cowles, the Judge and "Devil
Bug' being ultimately responsible for all the murders.

(Reviewed by Ric Ben-Safed, writer researcher and genealogist.)