The Kingdom of Matthias: A Story of Sex and Salvation in 19th Century America

To conclude the book, Johnson and Wilentz discuss the fallout of the trial and the texts they used that were so critical to their research. They also share that many penny-press editors and the public were generally outraged at the fact that Matthews got off so lightly; William Stone, with help from Benjamin and Ann Folger, published a book documenting Matthews’s time as leader of the Kingdom. Stone and the Folgers also accused Isabella Van Wagenen of being complicit in Pierson’s death while they portrayed themselves in the best possible light. The authors perceive their version of events as slanted. Margaret Matthews published her own account of events, claiming that Benjamin Folger was the main villain. Gilbert Vale, an independent editor, published yet another account, from which the authors drew; this version was corroborated by Isabella Van Wagenen. The Stone account slanders Van Wagenen, who demanded a more truthful version of the story. Matthews’s story was quickly forgotten as newer crime stories and scandals were published in the increasingly popular penny presses, which helped give rise to the likes of Edgar Allan Poe and Herman Melville. The authors also tie Matthews to a long history of religious cult leaders, including Jim Jones and David Koresh.