Bathsheba Spooner, husband-murder

In her book, "Murdered by his Wife", author Deborah Navas tells
how in 1778 Joshua Spooner was beaten to death, and his body 
thrown into a well, by his wife Bathsheba, her lover (a young
continental soldier), and two young british soldiers.


http://www.geocities.com/trctl11/femhang.html 


http://www.s-t.com/daily/04-00/04-13-00/c13xx212.htm
First woman tried for murder "in the US" (1778)

Said to have "schemed constantly of ways to bring about her husbands death"

http://hometown.aol.com/TNash74528/bathshebaruggles.html

Bathsheba's was the first insanity plea in the US.  Her lawyers pleaded
that she was "clearly mad".  The court rejected this plea.
http://www.forensic.to/webhome/ejwagner/

Her story was told on the radio show "Crime Classics" in 1952, 
and again on NPR in 2001 (told with comic irony, with Bathsheba
being played by JoAnne Worley of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In).