npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1860-07-12 (London, England)

THOMAS H. SMITH, Assistant Native Secretary. It is with deep regret that we have to announee to our native friends that two tribes in New Zealand who have received the light of Christianity, and enjoyed the instruction of the missionaries, have recently committed an act of atrocity such as has not been known since the dark days when they were ignorant of the precepts of the Scriptures. It is known to all that Win. King refused to recognise the right of certain men to use and dispose of their land as seemed good to them ; that he was unwise enough to build a Pah on the land purchased by the Governor from these men, and that his people have been driven out of this Pah with considerable loss. This is, however, altogether a separate matter. Wm. King is a chief, and he did not make war on the unharmed and the helpless. He said his quarrel was with the Governor and the soldiers, and if the settlers did not molest him he should not molest them.  But the men of the Taranaki and the Ngatiruani tribes, being an ignoble people, came up to New Plymouth. They had no quarrel with the Governor or the settlers, but they would destroy the settlers and their property, and slay the unarmed and the helpless.  They did not come to help Wtn. King to fight with the Queen's soldiers about the land, but only to rob and murder.  The Governor did not believe that any men whc had received the light of Christianity would do this. On the 17th of March, however, these evil-minded men came near New Plymouth and there they found three men whom they murdered foully=they did not kill them in fight for they were unarmed, but they murdered them cruelly and barbarously, as none but slaves would do. Not satisfied with this, they murdered two boys—children, helpless and innocent.  The Governor was wroth and was preparing to take vengeance, but he waited until all were all assembled, that he might strike a great blow. The next day, however, he heard that a clergyman and his family were remaining in the country, and he sent a small party of men, 340 in all, to bring them away, fearing that murderous slaves would not respect even the ministers of religion. The Taranakis and Ngatiruanis seeing a small party go, divided into two parts, fell upon them and hoped to destroy them one and all. But the settlers and the soldiers fought like men having a good cause, and the sailors came ; a captain and 60 sailors, they saw a Pah, threw a rocket or two into the Pali and made the hearts of these evil men quail i for fear—the wicked are always cowards—then the sailors rushed into the Pah ad destroyed all in it who were fighting, and the party outside killed  many more who were fighting there. It is not known how many are killed in all, but the following are the names of certain chiefs who are known to be killed and wounded :  'rARANAKI TRlBE.—Paora Kukutai (the leading chief), Paratene Kopara, Purere Pakati, Taraia of Taranaki, Tahaua Ngeu, Hatawera, Wata Tineia (a Waikato), Hapurona.
The Sun. — 1860-11-03 (London, England)

TILE STEPNEY MURDER.  EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENT OF THE  PRISONER  A memorial drawl up by the prisoner James  Mullins himself, in his own language, was yesterday transmitted to the Home Secretary, through his solicitor, Mr. H. Wood, praying for a commutation of the capital sentence. The memorial is as follows :  " James Mullins wishes to explain some difficulties against him at his trial. These are chiefly the alibi proved in favour of Emm on the Monday night, and the hour at which he states he saw him deposit the parcel. • " There may be two suppositions with regard to the time of the murder—one placing it on the Monday night, the other on Tuesday morning—in either case no proof against me. First, if committed on Monday, my children swear I was at home all night from 7 o'clock. He also wishes that Mrs. Mudie should be found out, as she would probably swear she knew him to be at home on that night or evening. The alibi in favour of Emm would only show that he did not commit the murder on Monday night, but yet he might have received the parcel from the man who did. In the second supposition— that it was committed on Tuesday morning, no evidence was given to show that Emm, or any other person, may not have committed it, as the alibi was proved only for Monday; yet it was distinctly sworn by Mrs. Barnes, living opposite, that she saw some person moving papers at the top window on Tuesday morning, between the hours of 9 and 10 o'clock. That must be just before the murder was committed, as the person could not go back again after committing the deed on the previous night. Why should not this woman's evidence be believed, when she had the daylight and could not be mistaken in seeing the person moving the papers. The witness Stephenson, who has proved that he saw a man named Rowland, one of the deceased's collectors, come from the deceased's house on the morning of Tuesday, between the hours of 10 and 11 o'clock, with a quantity of Pr  ,Japerhangings under his arm ; this witness proved that Rowland seemed quite confused when spoken to by the witness on trade, who had known him a long time before, and after hearing of the murder, gave information to the police. This man Rowland was in conversation with Emm on the previous night. This was sworn to on the trial. With regard to the hour stated of the placing of the parcel in the shed, prisoner might be easily deceived, as he had no watch to tell him the hour and he could not see any clock. Prisoner submits that he was not convicted from legal evidence, but through prejudice • and he trusts the Home Secretary will consider the whole case without prejudice, and prove to the world that the life of a man is too sacred to be taken on mere suspicion. Prisoner feels that the police have been very sharp towards him, and not in endeavouring to ascertain whether some one else might not have committed the crime ; and that if they had gone immediately on receipt of information from prisoner, they might have found the remainder of the parcel in Emm's cottage. (Signed) "
The Sun. — 1860-10-12 (London, England)

IRON-PLATED FRIGATES•  A vessel of immense proportions in the course of building upon Messrs.. Palmer Brothers' extensive works at Jarrow, is attracting a great deal of attention from persons passing up and down the Tyne in then, packetv bloats between Shields and Newcastle. frigate Defiance, is the iron-plated ram building under contract for our Government. he is making most satisfactory progress, and is intended t to carry 36 heavy Armstrong guns. Her iron casing will be 4f inches thick on the outside. Next that willii be 20 inches of timber, and inside of that the ason framing of the ship, which will be as stronggthe any already used for the largest sized vessels in of merchant service. Her thereon deck-beams are made iron, and the decks to be laid tierron will be of iron. patent beam The vessel will have water-tight shot with water-tight doors, so tigla',.t in passages, sides of the should be driven through the Immense il case vessel men may pass through the doors into the cut the chamber compartment, and plug up theahnodl% that, they can close the doors, ailing to do gill be off from the other parts of the ship, keeping stgeraever the water within it. The stern post of the ship one of the largest, possibly the largest, for made in this or any other country. The the vessel will algo be of enormous strength, X will in addition be fortified with plating, s° that the ship may run any timber-built ship down with impunity. With the exception of the ends, Which kave been kept back by the difficulty in forging such a mass of iron as that necessary for the stem and stern, the whole is plated. Many of the armour plates are on the premises. Feathering and grooving those plates will be commenced at once. -..........  Poor Lola Montes is rapidly failing. She has found a friend near the city who gives her an asylum during the closing days of her career. The poor woman had a paralytic attack some days since, which shattered her intellect beyond the hope of recovery, and now she is fast lapsing into idiotcy. Her cheeks are hollow, her eyes sunken, her complexion cadaverous, and a racking cough is hastening her to the grave.—New York letter. is ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A WIFE BY HER HueISAND.—On Saturday night last, a man and his wife, who travel the country attending fairs, took lodgings at a beershop in Dragon-street, Peterafield, kept by James Parker. About the middle of the night the man made a desperate attempt on the life of his wife by cutting her throat. He then proceeded to the station-house, and gave himself up to the police, stating that he had just killed his wife. It proved, howevor, that the yv,rnau was not dead. Surgical aid was procured, and she is likely to recover. The man was brought up before the Hon. J. J. Carnegie, on Tuesday, and remanded until the wife shall be able to attend to give evidence,— West &sox Gazette,
The Sun. — 1860-12-14 (London, England)

THIS DAI.)  MARLBOROUGII-STREET.  ATTEMPTED MURDER BY A FRENCHMAN.—Pierre Maison, a Frenchman, living at 4, Francis-street, was eharged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with stabbing with a knife a Frenchwoman named Marie de Lille, with intent to du her bodily i harm, in Sherrard-street. Mr, F. Lewis, of Great Marlborough-street, appeared for the prisoner, who is a tall, stout, middle- aged man, of respectable a; pearance. From the evidence of the prosecutrix, which was given at some length, it appeared that about one o'clock that morning a quarrel took place between them, owing to the prisoner expressing his intention of leaving the prosecutrix for the society of an English or Scotch female, and that on her trying to get him to go home with her, they having been living together, he struck her a blow on the side just above the heart, causing her great pain, and on her putting her hand to the part she found all her clothes penetrated, and her hand full of blood. She then felt faint and fell. The knife, it was stated by the surgeon, was prevented going farther by the ribs of the injured woman. Previous to this the prisoner had allowed the Scotch girl to assault her. Waterson, 144 C, said that hearing the cries of a female he went up, and the prisoner said " The knife from the female," but be found the knife in the prisoner's right hand. The female said " Oh," and then fell into his arms. He then noticed that her clothes were covered with blood. He had turned on his light, and saw that the blood was issuing from the side of her dress. He then told the prisoner that he must come with him, and he refused for some time but he ultimately Compelled him to do so. The prosecutrix sdd she did not wish to give him in charge, but that three months' imprisonment would do him good, as if he did not do it this time he would another. 'With the assistance of another constable he got the prisoner to the station. The prosecutrix, in answer to Mr. E. Lewis, said she did not take the knife out of the house herself, and did not threaten to kill herself by taking poison, as she was so unhappy with him, and many times wished for poison to drink for the purpose. Mr. Lewis said he supposed it was useless for him to address the magistrate, and Mr. Tyrwhitt said he had made up his mind to send the prisoner for trial. The prosecutrix reluctantly signed the depositions, having stated several times in the course of the case that she " loved the prisoner." The depositions—all but that of Dr. Tothill, who was not in attendance—being read over, the prisoner was committed for trial. The prisoner has already undergone twelve months' imprisonment for throwing snuff in the eyes of a person jeweller, with the object of committing a robbery. Mr. Albert, the interpreter, read over the evidence to the prisoner.
The Sun. — 1860-11-20 (London, England)

TILE THEATRES.  HER MAJESTY'S.  The last scene of the Stepney Tragedy was enacted yesterday outside the grimly walls of Newgate. The hoary murderer of old Mrs. EMsLEY, that heartless ruffian JAMES MULLINS, who designed to be the assassin of poor EMM, striving by all sorts of clumsy devices to fix upon that innocent man the guilt of the very crime he himself (MuniNs) had committed, with a view to the handling of the bloodmoney offered for the discovery of the actual perpetrator of the sanguinary deed he had done—this dreadful criminal, at once Murderer, Perjurer, False Witness, and as we cannot but deem him also deliberate Liar to the Almighty upon the very threshold of the grave, yesterday morning died the death of a dog by the hands of the hangman in expiation of his almost unparalleled atrocities. The statement written by this wretched creature upon the case, and deliberately signed by him before the morning of his execution, is a document in every way as painful to read as any we can at this moment, from all the abundant records of crime, recall to recollection. It is particularly observable in regard to this docu• ment that it deliberately conveys, in one sentence, a formal, though manifestly wholly unintentional, acknowledgement, on the part of the writer, of his own guilt as the murderer—of his guilt of that crime of which throughout that very document he is solemnly protesting his innocence before GOD ! Scoring out some other words with his blundering pen, MULLINS has there written in place of the words thus obliterated—"l beliereEmms to be innocent of the murder of Mrs. Emsley !" In the presence of that admission—what becomes of the whole "plant" by means of which MuLLINs strove to swear away the life of the very man whom he now Thus solemnly avers that he believes to be innocent ? The parcel with its contents, the very tape-string tying it up, the threads or strands of that tape-string, the lens—above all, the cheque !—each of these things separately, all of them collectively, now that MULLINS confesses at least, "I believe EMMs to beinnocent of the murder of Mrs. EMSLEY," all now manifestly and by necessity fix the guilt upon MULLINS himself as the murderer ! The cheque, observe, tha wretched man never once accounted for, never once attempted to account for ! He never alludes to it once, directly or indirectly, throughout the whole of this statement. The tracing of that cheque to his possession was, as the learned judge who tried the case insisted in his masterly snmming up, the one damning fact in the evidence pointing to MULLINS as the murderer. With a lie upon his lips, made in this incidental examination of EMM, the unhappy felon has died , by the just mandate of the law upon the scaffold.  The Law Amendment Society has again begun in earnest its useful and laborious exertions, under 1 the presidency or chairmanship of the greatest law reformer :of his age, the venerable ex-Chancellor Lord
The Sun. — 1860-02-03 (London, England)

TEA. STRACHAN and Co.'s Matchless " Drawing Room" Black at 4s. 2d. per lb.-20, Cornkill, London. E.C.  ' aid securing their own safety—some of the most timid proposing the abandonment of Cawnpore, the falling back on Futtegurh, and the conjunction of their force with that of the rebel Nawab there. Some suggested making a stand at Bithoor, while others, either more conrageous or desperate, advised the casting all "on a die," and fighting it out at Cawnpore. Yet, notwithstanding all felt that their hour had well nigh come, and that shortly a stern retribution would be exacted for the innocent blood already so wantonly shed, such was the fear of detection (by the many who had aided and abetted their chief, through their recognition by the prisoners, particularly such of them as Mrs. Greenway and other old residents of Cawnpore, that no fear of consequence could stay them from further imbruing their hands in the blood of women and children, deeming that thus they secured themselves from further detection—especially those who had, even at that early stage, resolved, should things continue to go against the rebel faction, they would change sides ; and, if the evidence recorded be true, many of those present at that council are now again in Government employ. Much valuable evidence yet remains nu taken. A careful investigation of all procurable would, we think, beyond doubt, implicate many at present supposed to be free from the mutiny. Adla, by birth and profession a courtesan, born at Mugrassa, resided with the Nana from 1850 and from receiving 200 rs per month, and becoming a favourite, was, it is said, endowed with the jewels belonging to the widows of the late Peshwa, valued at 50,000r5. On the Nana's flight from Bithoor she was sent in a boat some distance up the river; but, returning to Cawnpore in August, 1857, was secreted in a house in the Butcher-khana, went thence to Misreepore, Zillah Humeerpore, and is now said to be at Mtigrassa, near Cawnpore, under the care of a man named Mundhoo, having promised, she states, to await one year at Cawnpore the return of the Nana to that station. The sister of Mundoo, named Kareena, resides with Oojagur Debey, of Dahaby Zillah, Cawnpore, and the jewels are said to be secreted in his house. The girl, called the Begum, who attended on the prisoners is one of four slave girls bought by the Peshwa, and named Hossanee Khanum. She, it is said, carried the order for the massacre of the prisoners to the sepoy guard placed over them ; and, on their refusing to execute it, returned and fetched five men of the Nana's own guard, one of whom was her lover, Sirdar Khan. There is evidence also of the wife of the toll-keeper at Sheorajpore, who was spared at the intercession of the widows of Bajee Rao, and was delivered of a child at Bithoor, being alive on the 17th of July, two days subsequent to , the murder of the prisoners. On the N ana's flight, however, from Bithoor, on the afternoon of the 17th, he ordered her and the child to be killed.
The Sun. — 1860-02-03 (London, England)

MANSION-HOUSE.—John described as a musician, but better'kUoian ii4-410tte police as one of the men who wefriiii4.Al e ‘ =.l murder of Mr. 13:11cLambers, in VieSt*uateriitliOWil ;414 12 years ago, was charged with loiter'ng-f,iivF: church-street, supposed with intent -toioolaniitV felony. § • Dennis Clarke, 108 M, said—Last nig* abut 7r— eight o'clock, I was. in Fencburch-street, in company with 184 M, when I saw the prisoner standing at the corner of a turning. 'Well knowing him to be a most notorious thief and housebreaker, I called my brother officer's attention to him, and we stood back to watch him. lie re nained there for about 20 minutes, looking up at a warehouse, and I then crossed over to him, and seid " Johnny, what have you got about you ?" Hr said "Nothing ;" and 1 searched him, without finding anything, but just then two City officers came up, and when I told them what I knew about him they took him to the station. lie is one of the cleverest thieves we have on the Surrey side of the water, and I have no doubt he had a compauion waiting not far off at the time.  Monger, City detective—l searched him at the station, my lord, and found on him only a small knife of a peculiar make, such as they use to force panes of glass ; hut a gentleman who has a warehouse close by thinks that an attempt has been made to obtain an entrance. The pair cf iron hooks produced were also found near the spot; they are such as thieves and housebreakers use to lower themselves over walls or anything of that kind.  Mr. Goodman (chief clerk)---But nothing of the kind was actually found in his possession ? Monger—No. The Lord Mayor—Then I am afraid we must discharge him.  Clarke, 108 M—As I knew he had been tried for murder and housebreaking, and was besides a no. _ torious thief, I thought I was acting quite right in what I did, my lord. _ _ _  The Lord Niayor—So you were. You were perfectly justified in your conduct, and I hope you will always keep as vigilant an eye when you Ome into the City upon any such character that you may see here. As for this man, although I must discharge him now—if he deserves the character you give him, and I have no doubt of your accuracy, the sooner he is brought to justice the better. Prisoner—May I speak, my lord ? Mr. Goodman—What do you want to speak for when you are discharged ? Prisoner—Why that officer (pointing to Clarke) has a little enmity against me. Clarke—He would not say that on the other side of the water, my lord, where his character is so well known.  The Lord Mayor—He may think himself very lucky to get away now, and I advise him to be very careful of his conduct for the future. The pisroner was then discharged.
The Sun. — 1860-11-26 (London, England)

KIDNAPPING AND MURDER.—In America, the Chteago Press and Tribune of the 26th ult. states that Jerry Boyd, an honest, industrious, and inoffensive coloured dray man of Galena, Illinois, where he bad led a sober and reputable life for twenty years; his wife, Mary Boyd, whom he had bought out of slavery with money earned by the sweat of his brow; a girl, also coloured, but also free, aged 12 to 14, who lived in Jerry's family ; and a white child that Mary took care of for a poor woman at service, were enticed away from their homes two or three weeks ago by a couple of persons, upon the pretence that the three oldest persons of the party were to have profitable and pleasant employment on a farm and in a hotel at Des Moines, lowa. They were last seen in Johnson County, of that State, in a covered waggon, going westward. A few days after their departure from that bounty, the body of a man was found by the roadside near where they were last seen, and from papers in his pocket it was plain that it was the body of Boyd, and that he had ,been murdered. News of his death went back to his friends in Galena, and then for the first time a suspicion that the party had been kidnapped for sale into slavery was excited. That suspicion grew into a certainty by further develop.. ments, and the people who used to see Boyd every day at his work, earning honest bread, offered, though he was a mulatto, a reward of .500 dollars for the apprehension of the villains who had committed a double crime, and despatched two trusty men to follow the criminals up. The kidnappers effected a sale of their victims in MisSouri, but before the money was paid over, one of the negroes, Mary Boyd, revealed the whole truth, in consequence of which the kidnappers and murderers were arrested. Their names are John Goodwin and Peter I. Bolton. One of them, Bolton, the first captured, was committed to gaol in St. Joseph, under a charge of kidnapping, in default of 2,000 dollars bail. The other Goodwin, was taken charge of by the gentlemen from Galena, who brought him within-40 miles of Hannibal, Missouri, on their way to Galena, where he slipped his irons, and jumped from the ear window while the train was running at the rate of 13 miles an hour and escaped. Mrs. Body states that when the party had travelled three days out from Galena, they encamped by night about 16 miles from lowa city. Here some 'movements made by Goodwin and Bolton excited the suspicion of her husband that all was not right, and he loaded his gun and revolver in the presence of the kidnappers. The next morning Goodwin and Bolton held a consultation, Goodwin urging the necessity of getting rid of Jerry by killing him. While Jerry was sitting down near the waggon, Goodwin stepped up to him, saying " Jerry, I am afraid of you," and fired, first shooting him in the breast and then in the head. The murder was committed in the presence of Mrs. Boyd and the mulatto girl. A