january 11 , 1850-in a shocking twist to the willful murder trial of anne donovan that has the city riveted , witness molly faye , former lover of elusive and charming defendant jonathon thiroux , is dead , by her own hand.after engaging in a heated and illustrious argument with another witness , also a lewd and unfortunate woman , just two days past , in which miss faye learned she was not the only object of the defendant 's affection , miss faye took her life in the decisive manner of slicing open her own throat .