Scandal at Bizarre: Rumor and Reputation in Jefferson's America - Paperbackby Cynthia a. Kierner (Author) In the early 1790s Richard Randolph was accused of fathering a child by his sister in law Nancy and murdering the baby shortly after its birth. Rumors about the incident, which occurred during a visit to the plantation of close family friends, spread like wildfire. Randolph found himself on trial for the crime largely because of the public outrage fueled by these rumors. A tale of family passion, betrayal, and deception,