npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1876-05-23 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

THE LAND OF THE FREE.  A couple of cases which came before the justices of Yeovil. last week, county and borough, illustrate the somewhat varied notions which people entertain as to what • man has the right to do • ith his own and what he has not. Poor John Childs happens to find his position in life to be that of • pauper, and he is an inmate of the Colon. The other day he asked fer "a day out," which was refused him. Re had the consummate audacity to take it, was captured, and locked up in a pleasant little apartment,, attached to the workhouse, known as the refractory ward. From this he escaped, he was again taken, and this time handed over to the care of the police. As this was actually the second occasion upon which be had attempted to take French-leave the " worthy. " Mayor, Mr. J. Hill, sent him to gaol for six weeks' hard labour. This ought to have • salutory effect upon John Childs, but, we are afraid it won't. In all probability John will think that of the two the gaol is rather nicer than the union. Now, if we turn to the ruling of the County justice.' we find another idea existent owl to the liberty a man may be allowed to enjoy in pleasing himself. Mr. Jas. Randall, is a lively blacksmith, hailing from Beat Coker. Amongst his poeseasims is a wife which he regards as a domestic anvil and beats accordingly. The day previous to the case quoted above he was charged with assaulting her, and this is what she spoke to:- On the 6th of May, between 10 and 11 at night, her husband came home tinsel. Rhe asked him for some MOTAT for housekeeping, and be then threw • dish at her and went to bet She soon followed, and when partly undressed he jumped out of bed and abused and heather with his fist on the eves, lips, and bead, and then, with a portion of • bed. stead, struck her on the shoulders and swore he would kill her. She shouted "murder, and he then went back to bed and she lay down upon another bed in the same room. Nis son was in the room at the time but so tipsy that he knew nothing of what passed, and next morning asked what was the matter. Harriet Morris, wife of Charles Morris, living next door, said that the partition between the houses is very thin. She saw Hendon throw • dish at his wife last Saturday night after abusing her. She ran into her house with blood running from her arm, and walked up and down outside for more than • hour. When In her bedroom witness heard blows in their room, suid complainant was crying and groaning and begging barn not to strike her. Heard prisoner say—" Now the door is locked no one ran get in, and 111 murder you. He was Wang very load language and the noise went on till nearly one o'ciaek. On Sunday she appeared to have been drewlfully beaten. She was not at all drunk and did net abuse her husband. Prisoner's defence was that his wife came home drunk and heroin the row. Bound over in his own racoons:tare to keep the perwe for six months The next woman beater will probably receive something from the poor box, as an encouragement.
The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1880-07-06 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

THE ALLEGED MURDER AT GREW. KERNE.  In the Queen's Bench Division on Thursday-s Before the Lord Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Bowen. Mr. Sullen moved in the case of the Queen v. Robert Slade Colmar and Jane Colmar for a rule nisi for a writ of certiorari that the two prisoners might be tried at the Central Oriminal Court. They had been committed for trial for the wilful murder of Mary Budge, • widow, who underwent an operation in the female prisoner's house, which, according to the evidence, caused her death. It was an operation to procure abortion. She returned home on the followbig day, and died on the 20th of March in the present year, and the two prisoners were committed for trial on the 28th of April. The Lord Chief Justice —What had the male prisoner to do with it? Was he a party to the operation Mr. Sullen replied that according to what was alleged the operation was performed by the husband at the wife's house. They were living apart, he at Bristol, and she at Yeovil, and he was sent for, and he came to Yeovil and performed the operation which caused the death of Mrs. Budge. The application was made owing to the prejudice which prevailed against the prisoners, so that it was not likely they would be able to obtain a fair trial. Owing to former proceedings against the male prisoner he did not anticipate that justice would be done to him by any jury in that or the adjoinin counties. In 1864 he was tried at Taunton for a similar offence, and was acquitted. There were 42 affidavits, but he would read only one. Mr. Sullen went on to say even the coroner, who had not accused before him, but who went into the circumstances of the death of Mrs. Budge, seemed almost to have lost his head, if he might use the expression, because he said to the jury that "there was scarcely a paper or a railway station where they did not see Madame Jane Colmer, curer of worms, but if destroyer of babies was put it was more likely to be true." There were several other affidavits, among them that of the prisoners' solicitor, Mr. J. C. Davis, clerk to the justices of Sherborne, who said Mary Budge was well-known in and about the locality, having been brought before the public a g0.,•1 deal owing to the sudden death of her husband, a solicitor, two years ago. She was then left with five children, and much sympathy way expressed for her. Jane Coliner had for many years advertised herself us a herbalist and curer of worms, and it WWI generally believed in Somereetehire and the adjoining counties, that under the preteace of being curer of wormy she carried on niwa practices for the punsise of procuring abortion; and the coroner at the inquest, in addition to the words , quoted above, said "it is not the first time I have been obliged to investigate a li-sinful case, and been , obliged to send the husband for trial for the maw slaughter of a young woman." Rule nisi greats&  MR.
The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1861-04-30 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

THE ROAD HILL MYSTERY.  --As our readers are aware, • sale of the effects of Road Hill House has taken place, and the premises were opened to view to holders of cstalcguu on Saturday week. Up to Monday night about 500 were sold, and the porcharers visited the premises, the 11081111 of the murder. As might have been anticipated, people came from far and near to inspect the house to which snob • terrible and world wide niystery is attached. Upon entering the house, the first question almoat that was asked was, "Where is the nursery?' and much diaappointtneut was felt at not seeing the murdered child's cot; as it was, every part of the room was minutely examined, as well as the adjoining apartments, and the fact of the murderer or murderess achieving his or her fiendish designs, notwithstanding the dive contiguity of of the rooms favouring the presumption that they would have been discovered, was the theme of general comment and astonishment. So great was the crush to this ill-fated appartment, the nursery, that a policeman was compelled to be stationed on duty there during the whole time of view, and Mr. Supeiintendent Foley, in compliance with general request, was continually explaining the position of the nurse's bed and the murdered child's cot to the groups of eager inquirers who thronged the room. This gave rise to • criticism of the various theories propounded on the subject, and Mr. Inspector Wichees met with universal condemnation. _  On reaching the stable there lay asleep in its box the dog that roamed at large on the fatal night, • silent -pectntor of the fearful deed. The closet was neat reached, and examined with intense curiosity. The inlelible atAin Ul.Oll the floor, caused by the out-pcuirMg of the life-blood of the innocent, was still plainly observable, although mildewed by time, and as hundreds of eyes gazed in silent horror upon it, it seemed to awaken feelings that hare recently lain dormant, and • fervent ejaculation burst from many lips, " Would to God the murderer could be discovered, and the blood of this child avenged." Every part of the Loose and grounds was inspected, cad the general exclamation, as the speetators threaded the garden walks and shrubbery paths, and viewed the rich land caps stietching out around them, was, " What • beautiful spot to be marred by such • foul crime !" So great was the desire on the part of some to obtain • relic of than:ens, that although • body of Wiltshire and Somereetshire police, under the immediate direction of Mr. Superintendent Foley and Inspector Pitney, of Bradford, were posted at points of the premises, several of the trees in the grounds surrounding the home were dismantled by degrees, in order to furnish • memento of the fearful crime. One individual, inryttlitozus stated by the police, went so far as to as y obtain • portion of the skirting of the door of she Moot, and take it with him to London.—BatA (.4trosicie.
The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1861-11-26 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

BRUTAL MURDER OF AN OLD WOILIX  NEAR CARLISLE.  Late on Thursday night, or early on Friday morning, • barbarous murder and robbery was committed at a level trussing the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, about a mile and a half from Carlisle. The unforhuiste victim was an old woman, named Jane Entinerson, 72 years of age, who acted as gatekeeper, and lived in a little cottage a few yards from the line. Deseassers husband formerly held the situation ; and during • long illness prior to his death his wife had performed the duty so carefully and satifactorily, that upon his death the company retained the widow in their service. Her only companions were a married daughter and two children; but in the beginning of the week the daughter had gone to Liverpool, accompanied by her two children, the poor old woman being thus left alone in the cottage, It was her duty every night, after the last train passed, at half-past ten o'clock, to close the altos acres* the line and take into the house two lamps which he on each side of the railway, and between this time aa four in the morning, when she had to open the gates for the first train, she had nothing further to do on the line. At half past six in the morning she was found by • servant of the company murdered beside the line, ! within a few yards of the cottage porch. Her face wan covered with blood, one eye had been driven in with • sharp instilment, the skull was fractured, and there were several cuts in the face, one of which had apparently being inflicted by • stone. The body was warm, and both lamps were found near. The garden gate was open, and in front of the window was found a "hedge slasher," an instrument with a wooden handl*, and about four feet long. The blade was covered with blood, hair, stone dust, and here and there • small piece of glans. The window had been broken in three phone, and this appeared to have been done with the slasher. The door had been burst open by • kick, and there was also the mark of a pickaxe upon it. • pickaxe which had been usually kept in the garden WM/ found under a bed in the room. Tbe drawees had been broken open, and it ii supposed that the old woman's wealth, 255. for a quarter's rent, and between VS and £lO saved to defray her own funeral expenses, had been abstracted. Footmarks of a wan have been traced, and it is supposed that in the first instance she was felled with a stone. The old woman was in the habit off taking the " slasher" out with her as a sort of life preserver, and it is supposed that having felled her with a stone, tho villain completed his murderous work with the slasher. The county constabulary are wing evert effort to discover the murderer.  A correspondent of the Glasgow Herald mentions that in a certain church the other Sunday the singers might have been beard proclaiming an entomological pursuit in the following line of a hymn : " And we'll catch the lice, And we'll catch the flee, And we'll catch the gee-ting boar."
The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1870-09-20 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

WAR NOTES.  Among the French prisoners lately sent to the c-astem provinces of Prussia, via Frankfort was M. Taegressen, the well-known champagne manufacturer, is one ; he was captured in his capacity as captain of the Gawks Nlobule, in a most fantastic dress, similar to that usually worn by the operatic martial heroes of " Fra Diavolo."  The German Pest relates that after the slaughter at Vionville, on the iith of August, on the evening call being sounded by the it Regiment of Dragoons of the Guard, 600 riderless horses answered to the summons, jaded, and in many cases maimed. Large numbers of the demi-monde have been ex• paled from Nancy by the Prussian authorities.  General' Milani has, it is said, escaped from Sedan, where hc was prisoner, lie passed through the Prussian army in the disguise of a p‘msant. Ile has been appointed to the command of Fort St. Denis. Colonel de. Tuce is also said to have succeeded in bringing half of his regiment, the 12th Chasseurs-iChcval, away from Sal= through a murderous fire. The Berlin correspondent of the Jima telegraphs :—" Immediately after the treachery at Laon, the bombardment of Metz, which had been generously countermanded was begun. During the night nine thousand grenades were fired." The Democratic Socialists of Germany are agitating for peace with their French brethren, and protesting against the annexation of Alsace and Lorraine. A printed address to that effect was seized by the police in Brunswick. The authors and publisher were imprisoned. A Berlin letter in the Cahwne Gazette remarks that there will soon be 150,000 French prisoners in Germany, whose maintenance will considerably increase the bill which France will have to pay. It is proposed to employ them in the construction of State railways and roads. At Thorne the officers have found warm friends in the Poles.  A cry for bread comes from Sedan. In order to meet the most pressing needs of the people, "a bread committee" has been formed at Brussels, by which convoys of provisions are forwarded. The state of the town is described as something frightful. A touching instance of the observance of religious rites is reported from the battle-field of Woerth. There is an ancient custom among the Jews that all parties and sects cling to with peculiar strictness, viz., to celebrate the anniversary of their parents' death by a kind of mass-reading and lighting a lamp or candle for twenty-four hours. A German military surgeon of the Jciwsh persuasion discovered a poor soldier running about the battle-field, evidently in search of something or some one : on the doctor asking him the object of his search, his answer was, "a Jew." "I am one," replied the doctor. " Well, then, I have a request to make," said the soldier; "one of my comrades wishes to celebrate his father's deathday, and there are but nine of us, there should be ten for the service; will you make the tenth r The surgeon gladly granted this pious request, and he says, he never attended a religious service with more devotion than this JOU' IllaSS.
The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1865-08-01 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

CONSTANCE KENT. face •in his hands, and weeping? The horrors of this medieval cell as depicted in the reports are enough, one After all the mystery that hung about the case for so would think, without torturing the culprit farther many years—after the doubts that have been raised as to tke possibility of a girlie young committing the murder-with a repenter in attendance, pencil in band, to Under all the conditions that thecae involved, we think chronicle his tears, and paint his emotion, in penny-s-it was due to the public that something more than a hare liner English. Condemned cells, according to my view, assertion of her guilt should have been elicited.— should be places of safe keeping, not of punishment, and Beastiard. The unhappy girl will speed the rest of her life in the privacy of • condemned man should be invaded only penal servitude. No greater or more appropriate punish- by the officers of the prison having him in charge. ment could have been inflieted upon her.—Star. Anything further is to inflict punishment not imposed "Penal servitude for lifer It is a hard grim • sentence that for a girl of twenty-one: it means by the judge, before the legal penalty is suffered. suffering more intense and more prolonged than that lam glad to notice that several of our journals, OMof the vulgar felon who periabes by the hempen cord; Meeting on the lamentable deaths that have occurred in. but it mesas, also, time for entire penitence and for plenary confeasion. Had the murderess been Switzerland through the absurd passion for alining she would have left this world, we fear, in • falsiall7t mountains, have done their best to discourage the unnatural state—half that she was a aninifi practice, but it is not likely that much effect will this half-conscious that she was the, MOSS miserable be produeed. The love of adventure is inst. in English.' sinners. Theme spiritual enigmas recur from generation ,to generation. When remorse itself becomes fanatical, men, and there is • great charm, no doubt, in amending ' and penitence is nothing but a desperate struggle to and descending, providing it be done safely—on snowiest away • burden, crushing in its weight, the temi clad mountains. Any one who has been in Switzerland is diseased; and, until the soul is oared, God forbid _. will remember bow the conversation is never so animated that even the body should die I That prayer against sudden death in our Liturgy is substantially a prayer as when the guests at a table d'ltote, or in the conthat we may all have time to set our house in order wersation room at an IMtel, talk about such adventures, before we depart; that we may not perish whilst whioh ere, in fact, the staple of conversation in this 1 worldly paasions hid desire. are .nagtinEstour heads ouour b j,h; stirm. ing country. imutt, too, join in it with cow. but that, • Magidcallab is one of *mitt -the rdo'ornirt of an abrupt siderable root; and when "bright eyes look brighter 460101,11—", leo erregronop treiut _lbaprp., when An come" from a gnotegrtul &moat, the tooopte, . ylwflare; .  4  teak i  in this /
The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1865-02-07 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

SNOW-BALL RIOTS AND DISGRACEFUL BRUTALITY IN VICTORIA PARK.—Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon was the scene of a most brutal and disgraceful riot, lasting for nearly three hours, during which time some hundreds of respectable men, women, and children were mast shamefully maltreated and ininred,some seriously. Owing to the frost and the day being fine, an immense concourse of persons were attracted to the park. The roughs lined the carriage road running across the southern portion of the middle ornamental or centre park, and every carriage, chaise, cart, and other vehicle that came up,containing ladies and children,or tradesmen and their wives, were assailed with showers of snowballs, both right and left, demolishing the carriage windows, and doing a great amount of injury to the occupants. The park-keepers could do nothing against so many, and the mob, now finding themselves in possession of the park, assailed the people indiscriminately. Ladies, women, and children were all assailed, and on escaping were found bleeding from cuts and wounds in their heads and faces, evidently inflicted by pieces of sharp ice or stones rolled up in the snowballs. Besides whioh, their dresses were either spoiled or destroyed, and the poor creatures were in &fearful state of suffering. There was a general cry of "Where's the police !" "Can it be possible that such scenes can take place in a London park r, and other similar exclamations. The riot continued until dusk, when the mob made for the park gate leading to Cambridge Heath Gate, and here a frightful scene took place. There was only one police constable present at this spot—namely, Chadwick, No. 350, of the K division who, it is but justice to mention acted in a manner division, of the highest commendation. He got hold of one of the ringleaders, and endeavoured to take him to the pelice-station, several gentlemen volunteering to assist him. The mob, some 1200, bore down upon them, and attempts were made to rescue the fellow. For some time they were kept at bay, until the officer reached the Consumption Hospital, where the roadway has been recently made up with granite stuff and flints. These were grappled at by the mob, and in an instant these fearful missiles were hurled at the officers and those who were with them with murderous force. One or two gentlemen had their heads split open, and others were badly hurt, while-a great many people who were standing at the side of theiroad were struck and hurt. The officer held on to the prisoner for some time until he was struck down by a stone and violently kicked, and was forced to let the fellow go. The mob then dispersed, and on the arrival of the police from Bethnal-green.road the streets, the inhabitants of which were in a state of excitement, many windows having been broken, were cleared of the crowd of bystanders. At the Worship-street Police-court the following day several of the rioters were brought up, and three were fined 10s., or seven days' imprisonment.