npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1865-01-14 (London, England)

CQM*4I.  EXECUTION- AT LIVERPOOL.  At noon on Saturday, Henry Brown, who was convicted at the last Liverpool assizes of tho murder of Thomas 141Carthy, in Liverpool, on the 3rdof December, was executed at the north-west angle of Kirkdale Gaol, in preaence of a large and not very respectable crowd of people. The preparations for the execntion commenced as usual on Friday evening, and at an early hour on Saturday morning the gallows had been erected. Shortly after ten o'clock a body of 112 policemen arrived on the ground and were formed in line around the scaffold, leaving a clear passage round the gaol. At this time there were very few persons, probably not more than twenty, and those principally boys, who had assembled on the ground. As the time wore on, however, this number gradually swelled, and at eleven o'clock the crowd numbered about 1,000 persons, principally juveniles, and from their appearance evidently of the class known as street Arabs. The clothing of others bespoke them of better parentage, and suggested that they had found their way to that spot unknown to their parents. From this time to the time of execution the numbers rapidly swelled, and at twelve o'clock there would probably be as many as ten thousand persons, composed almost entirely of the lowest class, including many, both males and females, who evidently came from the neighbourhood where Brown had lived, and where the tragical occurrence for which he was about to suffer had taken place. The gallows was erected outside the wall forming the north-west part of the gaol premises. As on several previous occasions, the drop was hidden from the sight of the spectators by means of black drapery fastened to an iron framework ex tending in front and on each side of the drop so that no part of the unhappy convict wasvisible except the head and neck. At a few minutes to twelve o'clock Calcraft, the executioner, presented himself upon the drop apparently for the purpose of seeing that the arrangements of the dread apparatus were perfect, and he then disappeared from view. There was a rumour outside the gaol that the culprit was in so exhausted a condition that it would be necessary to carry him to the place of execution, and this rumour raised to some extent the excitement of the gaping crowd. In a very few moments more the unhappy man stepped upon the scaffold and placed himself upon the drop. The busy hum of the crowd was stilled, and all eyes fixed upon the man. The culprit, during the few moments Calcraft was engaged under the beam, bent his eyes upon 'the crowd below. He was evidently in a very enfeebled state, though ho stood more firmly than, from the rumour to which we have alluded, he was expected to do. The necessary preliminaries were quickly despatched, and during the prevailing stillness the solemn voice of the chaplain reading tho burial service was distinctly heard. The white cap having been placed on the culprit's head and the rope adjusted, Calcraft retired, and in a few seconds the drop fell, and the wretched man disappeared from view. He seemed to die without a struggle.
The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-09-24 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER AT WHITHY.—On Tuesday weel great consternation prevailed in the village of Leatholm, )atar Whitby, through a diabolical attempt at murder. It appears from the facts brought out before the Whitby magistrates, on Saturday, that a woman of the name of Thorpe, who is separated from her husband, is housekeeper to John Flintoft, a small farmer at Leatholm. On the day named a navvy called Green. labouring on the railway in course of construction up the Esk valley, had obtained lodgings at Fliratoft's house. By some means or other the husband of Mrs. Thorpe, who had been seen hanging about for seme days, had got information, or Lad imagined, that some improprieties had taken place between his wife and Flintoft's lodger, He thereupon provided himself with a gun, which he loaded with shot, and would, no doubt, have succeeded in murdering Green, had not Thorpe's wife divined the intentions of her infuriated hrsband, and given Green warning to run for his life. Without stopping a moment he dashed oil at his utmost speed, when Thorpe fired upon him with a sure aim, and had it not been for the thick woollen clothes he wore at the time, he would, no doubt, have been shot dead on the spot. As it was, his injuries were not so great but that he was enabled to give evidence before the magistrates on Saturday, when T:iorpe was nmmitted to take his trial at the ensuing York assizes. ATTEMPT OF A MOTHER TO MURDER FOUR CHILDREN —On Monday, in the neighbourhood of the Victoria docks, London, there was a rumour that a woman had made a most desperate attempt upon the life of four of her children. The would-be murderess resides at 17, Bell and Anchor Cottages, near to the Vietaria docks, her husband, a man named Philbric, being employed on the -Pier head, adjacent to the docks. It appears that Mrs jPhilbric, who has hitherto borne the character of a kind :parent and affectionate wife, prepared the breakfast for 'her family in her usual manner, about seven in the .morning; but immediately after her husband's departure she desired the eldest child, a boy, about ten years old, to go at once to bed again. The boy had no sooner got into bed than she rushed at him with a poker and struck him on the head. She then procured a razor. and, in spite of the violent screams and struggles of the poor little fellow, she succeeded in inflicting a wound in his throat. Although shockingly wounded, the boy con. trived to escape, into the street, and by his cries for assist. am° alarmed the neighbours, several of whom rushed into the house and succeeded in preventing the wretched woman from murdering the three other children. The boy was at once conveyed to the Poplar Hospital, where he lies in a ,precarious condition. Mrs. Philbric was removed to the West Ham Union under the charge o: the police, and the medical men who were called in pronounced her to be insane. A
The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-09-24 (London, England)

THE EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE AGAINST I GENTLEMAN. —Mr. Hammond who is charged with having locked up his wife for two years in a room, was brought up again. al the Lambeth Police Court on Friday. - Medical evidence was given to the effect that although Mrs. Hammond had suffered much bodily from her confinement, her mental powers were unimpaired.—Police Constable Spinks deposed that on going to serve the warrant on Thursday morning he was accompanied by Mr. Morgan, her brother-in-law, and the solicitor of Mrs. Hammond. On approaching the house he found the outer gate locked, but got over it, and the solicitor knocked at tile front door, but nobody answered it, though he had seen the female defendant Allen(charged with assaulting Mrs. Ham. mond) at one of the upstairs windows. He at the same time got into the kitchen, and saw Allen and an. sther woman, Emily Wakeman, there. He then asked them where Mr. Hammond was, and they said in the garden. They all three went there to him, and the solicitor said he wanted to see Mrs. Hammond. Mr. Ham. mond said "You cannot see her, for she is in bed." The solicitor said he was sure he could see her, for he had observed her at the window only a moment before. He was aot aware that Mr. Hammond made any reply, but he iemanded that he should see Mrs. Hammond, and Mr, Hammond said, "011, yes, you may see her." When they rot into the room Allen was by the side of the bed, and appeared to be trying to prop her mistress up by pulling tlothes over her. The bedroom was on the ground floor ,f what appeared to be a wing of the house, and was very meanly furnished. There was a small iron bedstead; the bed and bedclothes were very old and bad, and much stained. The bedstead appeared to be mended in two or three places, and the smell of the place was most >ffensive and loathsome.—Mr. Norton: Did the room seem comfortably furnished?—Witness: No; quite the reverse. The things were of such a description that I would not have them myself if they were given to me. In answer to further questions the witness said that while bringing Mr. Hammond to this court in a cab he said, addressing Allen, who was in the vehicle with him that he put his wife in the room for his own safety' that he was afraid to live with her, because he found knives under her pillow. He was very glad to get rid of her, for, independently of finding the knives, she had threatened to murder him. He said he had never seen her while she had been in the room, for that he was afraid of tier; that he kept Allen wholly to attend on her; that he was very glad she was gone, as she had been a great trouble to him, and as they had taken her away they might keep her; he should never receive her again. this concluded the examination, and Mr. Beesley applied for a summons against Emily Wakeman for the assault 'on Mrs. Hammond, and the case was adjourned, hr. Hammond and his servant being admitted to bail 'n the interim.
The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-11-26 (London, England)

FATAL TAILKOTATION TO I FIORT.—Mr. E. Herforcl, the Manchester coroner, held a.O inquest at his court on :Saturday, on the body of Robert Brierley, labourer, who .resided at Hadfield, near Heywood. On Monday evening, the 31st October, about eight o'clock, a labourer, named Michael Duffey, was returning from Rochdale to Marland, and when about 200 yards from the Castleton toll.bar he heard a groaning noise, and found two men lying on the ground—James Livesey, a blacksmith, 62 years of age, uppermost, an the deceased underneath. Livesey said, "I'll teach you for hitting me for nothing." Deceased was also speaking, but his groans rendered his words unintelligible. D affey got Livesey away, and another man remained with deceased, who was removed to the toll-house and laid upon a sofa. Livesey an his friend went into A public-house, and the former boasted that he had had light with deceased, and had made him shriek out murder. In proof he showed the company his own shirt front, which was covered with blood. The neat day the deceased was taken to the Manchester InAmery, and attended to by Mr. Thomas Starkey Smith, the house surgeon. The patient was suffering from a severe compound fracture of the right leg, and upon the left leg there was a good deal of contusion. These marks have no doubt been occasioned by kicks. The sufferer became delirious, sank under his injuries, and ultimately died. Prior to his death, however (on the 4th of November), betore Mr. -James Butterworth, magistrate, and two officials) the deceased made a statement in Livesey's presence. In that deposition he stated that on the Moqday night previous he was passing Livesey on the Rochdale side of Sparth toll-gate, when Livesey turned and "punched" ids right leg, and called him a ".wastril," Livesey said," You had never cured Emmett," and deponent said, "I had," referring to having cured a man whom he thought was a reEtive of Livesey's, named Emmett of a bad disorder. Livesey continued to kick him and threw him down, and struck him on the face several times. He told Livesey he had broken hisleg, and called out "Murder." Livesey Rot up,- but first said, "I'll have another blow or two," and struck himin thaface six or seven times afterwards, and then left him on the ground. He (deponent) was sober at the time, arid had blown Livesey all his life, bat had not seen him that day or evening, and had never had any quarrel with him at any time.—ln cross-examination by Livesey, deceased said: I was not standing at the wall at the side of Mr. Nield's, or near Mr. Nield's. Did not collar you whea you passed 1116, nor lay a finger on you, nor knock you down. Never asked you anything about Emmett. Never struck yon nor any man alive.— This deposition having been read over at the inquest, with the evidence produc3d. Live3cy, who was in ens. tody, was cautioned ii the usual manner by the coroner, and replied: "1 di I not atrike ,;fie first blow. I wver kicked hm nobbnt as lie kw. ine."—Th e jury returned a verd.ct of "Manslaughter," and Livesey Was corn. ratted for trial.
The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-06-25 (London, England)

MURDER OF A PITMAN AT ST. MARY'S ISLAND, OLD HARTLEY.  Last week we reported an occurrence of a very tragical nature, resulting in the death of a man named Ralph Moor, on St. Mary's Island, near to Old Hartley. A party from Seaton Delaval Colliery had been pic-nicking on the island, and were about to return home, when a man named Robert Bell, who lives at Silver Hill, near to Old Hartley, came out of the public-house on the island under the influence of drink, with a loaded gun in his hand, and asked William Moor, brother of deceased, for threepence to get a pint of ale. William refused to comply with his request, whereupon Bell lifted up his gun and threatened to shoot him. William took hold of the barrel of the gun to push it from him, when Ralph interfered in behalf of his brother, whereupon Bell instantly discharged his gun at Ralph, the contents passing through the thigh and out at the hip. The unfortunate man only lived five hours afterwards, and died at one o'clock on Sunday morning. Bell was immediately taken into custody by the police. Intelligence of the tragic occurrence was immediately conveyed to the police authorities, when P.C. Rutherford was soon on the spot, apprehended the murderer, and took him to the lock-up at Ears. don. News of the affair soon spread to Hartley and Seaton Delaval, where the parties were well known, and caused the greatest consternation. The body of the deceased was ultimately removed to his house at Seaton Delaval, where it awaited the coroner's inquest. Deceased had been some time at Seaton Delaval Colliery, and was noted for his quiet and inoffensive disposition; he has left a wife and child to mourn his untimely end. The murderer is a native of Warkworth, and had during the last eighteen months worked at Hartley. He is married, but without family. He has been an inveterate poacher, and was some time ago discharged from North Seaton Colliery for a poaching affray. On Sunday morning he was visited in his cell at Earsdon by his wife, who apprised him of the death of Moor. He then said that he knew his fate, and told her not to put herself about, as he would not have to live long, and must prepare for it. In the evening the prisoner was visited by the Rev. Mr. Mason, who gave him some good spiritual advice. On Monday morning Bell was brought before the county magistrates— John Straker and G. C. Atkinson, Esqs., of Tynemouth—in the custody of Superintendent Hookey. On being placed in the dock the prisoner, although a bold, reckless-looking man, seemed to feel his position acutely, and bore evident traces of extreme sorrow. On being charged with the serious offence, he said, "When I committed the murder I knew nothing about it." As all the witnesses were detained at Seaton Delaval for the coroner's inquisition, the case was adjourned for a week. The prisoner is thirty-eight years of age, and is about sft. Sin, in height. Moor was quite a young man, only twenty-six years of age, and much respected. On Monday, an inquest was opened at Seaton Delaval, before Mr. Cockcroft, deputy coroner.
The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-12-24 (London, England)

STRANGE TRAGEDY IN TUSCANY.—The punishment of death for the commission of the crime of murder has for some years been practicelly abolished in Tuscan?, I and consequently four villains recently convicted of a most atrocious umrdsr hive escaped with their lives. Tie facts as reported are these: Michelangiolo Mearini was the prior or mayor of the little commune of Subbianne, n-ar Mezzo; he liv. d in hit own house, Ca di Porro, with his three sons, Giuseppe, Donato, and Giovacchino. The two la'ter were good-for-nothing spendthrifts ; moreover Donate, thingli a marred man, kept up a criminal intrigue with the wife of a certain Pasquale Beglioni ; hence • the old father and the young reprobates were in constant hot water, and the later were often heard to dec.are that they would "do for the old plague." Once, indeed, they administered poison, but it was insufficient; and on the 14th June 1859, the old man was found drowned to a bridge whsch he used to pass on his a ie wber"yfkrei ileamhr:s house to the commune. Dssp:te the 'suspicions, which amounted to certainty in the minds of the pub-ic of foul play, the priest Meoni, curate of Subbiane, buried the corpse on the same day, merely saying to the objectors, "We can do nothing e for the dead, and may as well save the 1 vin No more notice was taken of the matter, and it was given out that the old man, subject to apoplexy, had heen 0-zed with an attack and han falien into the water. S me time after a certain Nem, an intimate of the brothers Mearini, contracted an irregular marriage with a young girl of the name of Giuseppe Monette— viz., unable to marry in tile ordinary way owing to some impediment, they rushed before a priest, and having with them the necessai y witnesses cried, "I take that woman to WitsP, and this man to husband." This proceeding in Catholic countries constitutes a legal marriage, but it seems that the priest must be the parish priest of one of the contracting parties, which was not the case. After some time, Necci confided to Gillseppe that lie, another men, and the brothers Mearini, had murdered the old man in cold blood on the bridge of Borro di lie Motte. So horrified was the girl that she fled Isom Necci, discov reci tie illegality of the marriage and procsaimed his guilt. Ile, the two brothers Mearini, end ihe fourth accomplice, were tried, and last week were iondemnecl to hard labour for life. The trial has caused great excitement, and the parricides barely escaped the popular fury. Necci, it seems, had done the deed for 100 crowns, paid my the brothers ; end that was his third murder, while Donato Mearini had just laid a plot for the murder of the be sband and moth, r of the woman with whom he kept up the intrigue. The priest Meoni escaped, but it is certain that he received 60 crowns for the idegal
The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-12-24 (London, England)

RETALIATION.— Six Confederates have been txecuted at Osecola, Kentucky, by order of Major. General Burbridge, in retaliation for the murder of two Union men. Lycurgus Mnigan, one of the six. was a most desperate man. On the way to the place of execution he cursed the guards and himself with one Nutt oath after another. Upon arriving on the ground he coolly walked to his coffin, cursing all the time, and heavily dropped himself astraddle of it, looking boldly and defiantly at the soldi. re before him. He seemed to defy God and man. Four men were to fire upon each of the prisone7s ; and three white soldiers and one b ack one were to fire upon Morgan. When the word was given all took deliberate aim and tired. While all the others fell pierced wilh bullet,, and without a murmur, Ear nge to say, the caps snapped on the guns poi ted at Morgan, with the exception of the negro's and he missed his aim. At the report of the guns, Morgan fell back on his c ffln, and lay as it he had been 'killed ; but the lieuten nt in charge approached him and examined Ids bo y closely, and, finding that he had escaped b-ing shot, drew a pistil and shot him in the breast, Vie ha 1 p,,ssing up his ribs and lodging in the back of his neck. When the bail struck Morgan his wh, le person sprang three feet above the coffin on which he was lying upon his back. He was a man unacquainted with fear.— Louisville Journal.  OUR WOODEN Surps.—The Lords of the Admiralty have at length arrived at a decision With regard to the squadron of wooden vessels which have been for some time ly rig idle on the sio.7,!ts at Chatham Docliyard in various stages of progres... The wooden v, ssels on which all work has been suspended include the Bulwark, 81, 3,716 tons, 800.horses' power; the Menai, 22, 1,857 tons, 400 horst s' poner, :he Reindeer, 17, 959 tons, 200 borses' power ; an 'the Myrmidon, 4,696 one, 200 ho sea' power. An order was received on Monday direci,ing the Belvidera, the Menai, atlt.4 the Re ndeer to be t. k,q) to pieces, and their timbers hn.l materials to be used for the general service of the dockyard. The Belvidere was lad t'own several years since as an "imprnved,, 50 run triga!e of the same &ass as the Dryad, boil dug at Portsmouth Dockyard, and some others, but when rather less than one third ecanplete I ad work upon her was suspen. ed. It was subs, quently proposed to complete hems an iron-clad, which w0.,1d have necessitated her being" converted ;" but, as the Admiralty have at length set their faces agaiiist any further " conversions " of vessels., this idea was abandoned, and she will at once be taken to pieces, her timbers being well seasoned from the length of tme the fiiga e has been in frame. The Bulwark is about one ha f finished, and, as she is the only wooden vessel at Coatham not o-dered to be taken to pieces, it would seran prol.ahle that she may be cornVet, d as an iron-clad, which would trcessitate the removal of on of her decks, besides other important alteration.— Time.
The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-01-09 (London, England)

BRUTALITY AT SEA.—At Greenwich, on Friday, William Rogers, captain of the ship Symmetry, now in the Commercial Dock, Rotherhithe, was summoned by Alexander 'Donald, who said :—On the 21st November he shipped as an ordinary seaman at Quebec in the Symmetry, bound for London. On the 30th November, when off Newfoundland, the dalendant c%-v.eed him to grease the mizen topmast. Witness asked Min for the " gantling” to be pulled up with, but he refused, saying "Climb up by the backstay, and grease . the mast down by holding on," which is most dangerous, the mast being naked except the backstays. The weather was very cold. Witness obeyed the defendant's order. On coming down to dinner, the defendant left orders with the man at the wheel that when witness came on deck again he was to grease the mast again. Witness asked why that work was not divided between him and the other ordinary seamen. He replied, "Do as I tell you," and at four o'clock the defendant brought out the mastinan's chair, and ordered witness to ascend and regrease the mast, adding in a bullying manner, "Look alive." Witness was hoisted on the chair. and when 30 or 40 feet high he called out, "High enough." The defendant then threw all his weight on the rope, causing a jerk, and the chair twisted. Witness fell back, heels up and head downwards, and barely saved himself by catching the backstays. He was kept up for an hour and :half. The defendant then called Witness to his cabin, and said he would read the articles of the merchant service to him. He then took off his coat, put a knuckle duster on his hand, and a glove over it, arid struck witness a violent blow upon the temple, saying " You are a Yankee son of a --. I am an Englishman, and can lick you," and he repeated the blows several times. Witness cried out "Murder." He then again ordered witness to grease the mast, and after scril,ing him on the poop? told witness to go below, and that he would put him in irons. The crew interfered, telling him not to illtreat witness. Witness said he could give no reason for defendant's conduct, except that the witness was the only American on board.—Corroborat ve testimony was given.--Mr. Cockle for the defence, denied that the de. ' fendant used a knuckle.cluster.—Mr. Trail said defend. ant's conduct was most abominable. Had he known al: the circumstances before going into the case of assault, he would have communicated with the Board of Trade, In order that defendant's conduct might be punished by suspension of his certificate, and he should consider what he ought to do in order to make the defendant answerable as described. As to the assault, the complainant was entitled to compensation, and to enable this to be done he should adjourn the sumnions:—The parties then left the court, and the defendant agreed to give the cm; plgtimmt a sum of money, and pay the expenses.