npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Widnes Examiner. — 1890-11-01 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SEARCH FOR THE MISSING RING. there left. The Press Association says it is now believed that the Mrs. Piercey was on Monday morning removed to authorities are in possession of the main facts of the case Alarylebone Police Court to be examined, she appeared which they will be prepared to adduce in support of the dejected, but said nothing. The accused, who was des- charge which has been made against Mrs. Piercy, alias cribed on the charge sheet as 24 years of age, was placed Wheeler, on Wednesday. Next Monday the evidence of in : the dock at Marylebone Police Court, at eleven about 26 witnesses will be presented, including a number o'clock.—The husband of the deceased was the first wit- who were not brought forward at the inquest on Tuesness examined. He broke down several times during day. the examination. He said the prisoner had been friendly On Wednesday evening the ring believed to be with his wife. He went to the prisoner's house a few that of Mrs. Hogg, was found pawned in a Loudon minutes after ten on Friday night, as he missed his wife, suburb. The husband of the deceased does not, howbut he found prisoner was not at home. He knew of no ever, identify the ring. The police have discovered the quarrel between deceased and the prisoner. He carried lad who delivered the note from Mrs. Piercey to Mrs. a latch key of the prisoner's house land was in the habit Hogg on the Friday inviting the deceased to her house. of visiting her. He did not think his wife knew of it. There is now absolutely no doubt, it is stated, of an Inspector Banister intimated that there was many accomplice or accessory to the murder and an immediate questions to be asked on a future occasion. The arrest is not improbable. The second person is believed inspector deposed to Clara Hogg and the prisoner seeing to be a female. the body on Saturday, when the prisoner said, "That's The Central News learns that the police have succeeded not her." As Clara Hogg tried to look at the body the in still further tracing the movements of Mrs. Hogg, on body the prisoner twice tried to pull her away. The the afternoon of the day of the murder. It will be rekitchen occupied by the prisoner had blood on the cell- membered that some butter-scotch was found in the basing and all the walls, and besides the carving knives and sinette, and the person who sold this sweetstuff to the poker already mentioned there was a rug saturated with murdered woman has been found at Haverstock-hill. blood. An attempt had been made to destroy the grug, She states that a woman tallying wit h the description of as it was soaked with paraffin. When the police Hogg, and having a baby in a bassinette, bought some searched the house prisoner assumeci an air of indifference, butterscotch at her shop between three and four o'clock and whistled. She was wearing a gold ring which fitted on Friday forenoon. 4 deceased's finger. It is now stated that a man lived on the premises The prisoner was remanded. with Mrs. Piercey, and that.he has not been seen since
Widnes Examiner. — 1890-11-29 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

MACDONALD'S STATEMENT.  Sergeant Shackleton then read the prisoner'sstatement as follows : —On the 10th November,lB9o, at eight o'clock in the morning I started from home to go to near Belmont to see the manager. On my way, at the spot that has been rnentiened, I overtook the deceased. As soon as I overtook her I got hold of her shoulder. I asked her what she had been telling lies about me for. I told her that she had set it out that I followed her some weeks ago for the purpose of doing her some harm. She told me to let go of her shoulder. I told her I would not do so till she retracted what she had said. She jerked her shoulder away out of my hand, shut her umbrella, took hold of the small end of it, and struck me with the handle across the brow. I became enraged, threw her down, and caused those wounds in her head, through being in a violent passion. I then cut her throat—(sensation)—dragged her across the footpath down the ravine in which she was found. I made the marks in her neck after making the wounds in her throat to destroy all evidence against me. When I took her in the hollow I got the fern fronds and oak leaves, but before that I tore and cut open her clothes to see if her heart heat. I found it did not beat. I then covered her with fern fronds and oak leaves. The reason the clothes were so disarranged— pulled from the lower parts—were not caused, as people think, trying to violate the girl, as I could easily have done it without if I had so wished, but I did not wish to do so. I did not search for her purse or any other article she may have had. After covering her I did not go the same way back I came, but went over the rails a few yards from the body, went through the dough, and returned home along the wall side until I got into Longworth-road. A great many people think this girl was simply got hold of for the purpose of ravishing her, but I can swear on my dying oath such is not the case. The witnesses have told a great many lies, especially the milkmen meeting me in certain places. If I had been seen at Longworth Hall at half-past eight I should certainly have been found out the same morning, as Jones came by at a quarter to nine, and that would have been ' the time at which the murder have been committed, had I been seen at Longworth Hall at half-past eight. As regards the spot where the murder was committed it was about three yards from the edge of the trail, close to the footpath, where it happened. At a quarter-past eight in the moring would be the very latest at which this horrible crime was committed. Sergeant Shackleton : That is all, sir, except the prisoner's signature. The Coroner: Was anyone present when the statement was made? Police Constable Bruce and Police Constable Berry. After taking it did you read it over to them in their presence ? I did, sir. • And did he sign it in their presence? He did, sir. Will you produce the statement. The statement was handed in.
Widnes Examiner. — 1890-11-08 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

YOUNG WIFE—" Yes, father always gives expensive things when he makes presents." Husband —" So I discovered when he gave you away." And then he went to his library to draw a cheque for the monthly millinery bill. Coirssuir.—" You speak of a bogus statement; are you going to make another in thewitness-box ?" Witness—" Certainly not. When lamon my oath, that is another thing. When I get in the witnessbox, I am going to tell the truth." IF anybody wishes to see what utter and astounding ignorance prevails among some of our business men, just let him ask any railroad officer about the details of an accident. It would be as well to ask a two-days' babe to expound Herbert Spencer. WIFE, before a lion's cage, to husband—" What would you say if the bars were to suddenly break, and the lion to eat me up ? " Husband, drily—" I should say he had a good appetite." " I NEVER get angry with a fool," was the cutting remark of a man who wanted to crash a rival in argument. "Oh then, that accounts for your always being on such good terms with yourself, was the response. A NATURALIST says that when a lion becomes old and unable to injure a man his mane falls out. If you have a spite against a lion, don't tackle him until his mane falls out. P.s.—And don't tackle him then. Hire another man to do it for you. It woahl be safer. SYMPATHETIC old lady (to convict)—" Ah, my unfortunate friend, your fate is indeed a hard one, and as she thinks of you here in this dreadful Place how your poor wife must suffer." Convict (very much affected)—" Wh—which one, mum? I'm up for bigamy." "Sliz here, my friend," said a farmer to a tramp, " you've been lyin' in the shade of that fence for over thirteen hours. Ain't it 'bout time to move on ?" "If you say so," replied the tramp, struggling to his feet, "I s'pose it is. I'm only tryin' to make my shoes last as long as possible." Hes. BLOOD (to the colonel, who has returned from fighting a duel)—" Oh, colonel, you look distreeeed. Is it possible you have injured your antagonist ?" Colonel Blood—" A devilish sight worse, my dear. I killed a valuable mule in an adjoining lot, and I suppose I'll have to pay for him." MoTrutes—" Ella, go to bed. Say good night to the governess, and give her a kiss." Ella—" No, mamma, I don't want to give her a kiss." Mother— " And why not?" Ella—" Because when anyone gives her a kiss she boxes their ears. Ask papa if she doesn't." ":WONDER what is the matter with Mr. Brown," said the landlady ;" he seems to be very angry about something. Why, you should have seen him grinding his teeth just now in the hall." "Perhaps," suggested a boarder, "he is only getting them in order before tackling one of your beefsteaks." The landlady smiled, but there was murder in her heed.
Widnes Examiner. — 1890-12-06 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

TRIAL AND SENTENCE OF MRS. FEARCY.  At the Old Bailey, on Monday, before Mr. Justice Den man, the trial was commenced of Mary Eleanor Pearcy alias Wheeler, on the charge of murdering Mrs. Hogg and her infant at Kentish Town, Mr. Forrest Fulton opened the case for the prosecution, and said it was important for the jury to know that intimacy had taken place between Frank Hogg and his wife before he married her. At that time Hogg was also 0.11 the closest terms of intimacy with the prisoner. Mr. Fulton read letters which had passed revealing the nature of these relations, and John Charles Pearcy deposed that, in co nsequence of the prisoner's intimacy with Hogg, he ceased live with her. Frank Samuel Hogg. deceased's husband, said he first had immoral relations with the prisoner about a month after he was married. His wife had no knowledge of it. William Henry Holmes, a boy twelve years of age, living in Prince of Wales-road, stated that on the day of the murder the prisoner gave him a note to take to Mrs. Hogg at 141, Prince of Walesroad. Re-examined, he said he identified the prisoner by her face and hat. He was alone when he picked her out. A number of other witnesses having been examined, the Court adjourned: On Tuesday evidence was given by the local police of the discovery of Mrs. Hogg's body at Hampstead. The detectives spoke to finding the body of the child, and to the condition of Mrs. Pearcy's house. The female searcher at Kentish Town Police. Station repeated her statement as to the version Mrs. Pearcy gave her of the origin of a dispute preceding the murder.—Dr. Bond said he believed that the scalp was first injured and that the throat was then cut. Much force was necessary. He found scratches on the prisoner's hands, as if from glass. The blood-stained carving knife found could not have inflicted the wound on the neck .—Dr. Jeeper gave similar testimony, and said that the smaller knife shown him might have done it. This concluded the case for the prosecution.—Hr. Hutton having intimated that he did not propose to call witnesses for the defence, the counsel ' tor the Crown summed up the case, and then Mr. Hutton addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner He submitted that the case was entirely one of circumstantial evidence, and evidence of a kind which it would be most dangerous to accept as conclusive, especially as the jury would have noticed that the prisoner, had she been guilty, might easily have escaped, or tried to do so.—The further hearing of the case was adjourned until Wednesday morning. On Wednesday, Mr. Justice Denman summed up adversely to the prisoner, and was very severe in his denunciation of the conduct of Hogg, the murdered woman's husbond. The jury found the prisoner guilty ; and in reply to the usual question why the death sentence should not be passed she declared her innocence. She bore the sentence without any outward expression of emotion.
Widnes Examiner. — 1890-02-08 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

DAVIES." These statements were real over in the presence of both prisoners. Richard said, when lie heard George's statement, "Now, George, yours is not true. The first part is, but the last is nothing but lies. I did not say that, and I expected you, George, to tell the truth. The fast part is not true. You had the axe and you know it. You struck father first." The prisoner George replied, "No, I did not. It's all true what I have written. You came up with the axe-head in one hand and the stave in the other, and did you not say, 'What shall we do now ? You took the pistol with ypu and you said if you did not finish him with the hatchet your would with the pistol. You struck him from the side of the trap. Did you not 'go down the lane and over a style into Commer's Field, and say. 'Some one Is coming down the lane.' You said, " I will go home, and you must come in ten minutes, and say my father has been stopOd in Crewe-lane by two men.' I did so, and you know it. I never struck father with the axe at all. You took the axe into the trap." Richard said to Geroge, "You took the axe"; whereupon George replied, "I did not. You took it." Richard said to that "How could I take it when I was in the skating-rink and ether places before I went home ?" " Oh, George, you know you did. How can you say ;bat? I got hold of the pony's head, and you struck him whilstin the trap, and he fell backwards with the seat." He then conveyed both prisoners back to the cells. On Sunday morning the elder brother John came, and was told the prisoners had expressed a wish to see him. He brought Richard into his office, and on confessing to John, Richard said "John, I hope you will forgive toe for what we have done to father." John said, "Then it is true." Richard replied, " Oh, yes ; only too true, lam sorry to say. John said, "Well Dick, I forgive yon; but you have to ask someone else to forgive you." Afterwards George was brought into his brother's presence. John said to him "Welt George, this is a sad job." George replied "Yes, it is: but I am innocent." 'George did not say more. After some time had been spent in silence he was conducted back to the cells, and John went away. Emily Davis, deceased's daqghter, who keeps the house attached to the shop in Victdria-street, said that on the sight of the murder she saw both her brothers, Richard and George, having a conversation in the yard behind the shop. She did riot hear what it was. Richard left the shop about eight o'clock, and George followed about half-past ten, riding in the father's trap. Next day the chopper was missing from the yards She identified the handle produced as part of the chopper. [lt had been picked up with blood on it near the scams of the murder.] Early on Sunday morning, her brother Richard came to' tell her what had happened, and on opening the door to him his words were, " Fathet is killed.' The prisoners were remanded until Wednesday.
Widnes Examiner. — 1881-08-20 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

WIFE 111URDER7AT SALE.  At Sale, on Saturday, a man named James Edwards murdered his wife with a clasp knife. Edwards, who is 42 years of age, lived with his wife (who was two years his junior), his two sons, youths, and a baby, in a cottage on the highway at Sale, where he carried on the business of greengrocer. Edwards went home between three and four o'clock, and on entering the house he said to his wife, "Let us be comfortable, and part comfortably," referring to a rumour which he had heard that she was about to leave him. One of the sons went up stairs, leaving Edwards and his wife together in the kitchen. He heard shrieks almost immediately, and on going into the kitchen he saw his father standing in the middle of the room with a bloodstained knife in his hand. It seems that as soon as the son left the room Edwards and his wife had some words, and the man rashed at the woman, and before she could realise what he was about he had buried the blade of a new claspknife under her left ear, severing the jugular vein. The poor woman tried to defend herself, but only succeeded in diverting the direction of her husband's blows. Her left arm was seriously injured, her left cheek was gashed, and she received four other wounds about the head and body. Frightfully injured as she was, she managed to stagger into the next house, and having exclaimed "Oh, oh," she sank into the arms of a Mrs. Moore, by whom she was supported until her death, which took place within half an hour after she received the terrible injuries. When apprehended Edwards offered no resistance, and on being charged at the Police station with cutting his wife's throat, he said "Eh, I have done it." The prisoner had bought the knife the same afternoon at a Mrs. Hirst's, in School-road, Sale. The deceased was a fine, strong woman, whilst her husband is a man of small stature. Some four years ago Edwards was employed at the Liverpool-road (Manchester) goods warehouse, where he met with an accident, having some of his ribs fractured. He received from the railway company £2OO, and of this sum £9O is still in the bank. Jealousy is stated to be the cause of the crime, Edwards having heard that his wife was about to 20 to Australia with another man. Edwards was brought up at the Sale Petty Sessions, on Monday, and committed for trial to the Chester Assizes on the capital charge. The inquest on the body of Mrs. Edwards was held later on in the day, when a verdict of wilful murder was returned against her. husband. Dr. Renshaw, after giving the results of the post-mortem examination of the body of the deceased, stated that he had attended Edwards fourteen months ago, and was of opinion that the prisoner was at that time in an unsound state of mind. He had on two occasions recommended the deceased to place her husband in a lunatic asylum, but she always stated that she would wait and "see bow he went on."
Widnes Examiner. — 1881-12-17 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE FATAL POACHING AFFRAY IN  CHESHIRE.  PERCIVAL AND THE POACHERS COMMITTED. William Percival, farmer, was charged at the Altrincham Police Court, on Wednesday, with the marder of Joseph Jennings, and wit!r doing grievous bodily harm to James Perrin, tyro poachers at High Legh, on the 7th ultimo. Mr Marshall addressed the court for Percival, and said that the charge against the defendant was the most serious which could be made, and although it was not for them to I pronounce the final verdict as to whether the defendant was guilty or not, yet even if it was conceivable that they should commit him upon the most serious charge the result to him would be at any rate two months' agonising suspense ; prob thly his committahto gaol without bail, and an encouragement given from the Bench to those bands of lawless men who went about the country poaching. They would have an encouragement to pursue their lawless course, and if Percival were committed for trial on the charge of wilful murder it would be direct encouragement to others in their position. Mr. Cobbelt, who conducted his case with his usual ability, had adopted the violent theory, which no impartial person could agree with—not that Percival fired the shot when in the heat of the affray, but that with a cold 1 bloodedness which one could hardly conceive he had deliberately shot the man after the affray was over, anol when he was lying helplessly on the ground. The theory was extraordinary and evidently improbable, and was not borne out by the evidence. The evidence on the point was weak, and was not exhaustive, only three witnesses having been called, although there were upwards of a score who might have been. It had been suggested that Percival used his pistol in a most dastardly manner, but the evidence entirely failed to prove this. The poachers commenced the attack, after threatening the keepers, and if Percival fired in the course of the affray, the poachers being engaged in a felony and having fired upon him and his companions, who were, therefore, in danger he was perfectly justified in so doing. Lb e argued that the evidence entirely failed to prove that Percival had been guilty of the cold-blooded, the dastardly act of firing at Jennings, when be lay on the ground, to finish , Litin• Percival was justified in trying to arrest the poachers, who were committing a felony, and wilo had threatened tire keepers, and were carrying that threat into execution- If the Bench did not think that what had been done was justifiable, and they considered it their duty to commit hit, it would be for manslaughter, but under no circumstances whatever could he be guilty of the great crime of wilful murder. With regard to the second Fharge,Percival was in imminent peril, but if he shot Perrin in the lcgs he was justified in doing so. On the conclusion Of Mr. Marshall's address; the bench, after half-an-hour's deliberation, committed Percival for trial on the charge of nutuslanghter. Bail was granted in a total sum of £l,
Widnes Examiner. — 1881-10-29 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE KING'S TRAGEDY. 711 e following verses are from a ballad by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, on the murder of James I. of Scotland. It is written as though spoken by Catherine Douglas, of whom it is narrated that, finding that the chamberlain has been bribed to mislay the bar which should have secured the door that keeps the traitors back, stie thrusts her bare arm through the stanchion, and for a few precious moments—alas, too abort 1 —keeps the assassins from entering.] 'Twas in the Charterhouse of Perth. In the fair-lit Death-cbapelle, That the slain King's corpse on bier was laid • With chaunt suld requiem•knell. And all with Royal wealth Of balm Was the body purified And none could trace on the brow and lips The death that he had died. In his robes of state he lay asleep With orb and sceptre in hand; And by the crown he wore on his throne forehead spann'd. Was his kingly And girls, 'twas a sweet sad thing to see How the curling golden hair, As in the day of the poet's youth, From the King's crown clustered there. And if all had come to pass in the brain That throbbed beneath those curls, Then Scots had said in the days to Come That this their soil was a different home And a different Scotland, girls 1 And the Queen sat by Lim night and day, And oft she knelt in praTer. All wan and pale in the widow's veil . That sbrended her shining hair. And I had got good help of my hurt• And only to me some sign . She made; and pave the priests that were there No face would she see but mine. And the month of March wore on apace; And now fresh couriers fared Still from the country of the Wild Scots With news of the traitors snared. And still as I told her day by day, Her pallor changed to sight. And the frost grew to a furnace-flame Thatrbunat her visage white. And evern3ore as I brought her word, She bent to her dead King James, And in the cold ear with fire-drawu breath She spoke the traitors' names. But when the name of Sir Robert Grwine Was the one she had to give, I ran to hold her up from the floor; For the froth was on her lips, and sore I feared that she could not live. And the month of March was nigh its end, And still was the death-pall spread; For she would not bury her slaughtered lord Till his slayers all were dead. And now of their dooms dread tidings came, And of torments fierce and dire; • And nought she spake—she had ceased to speak,- But her eyes were a soul on gre. But when I told her the bitter end Of the stern and just award, She leat.ed over the bier, and thrice three times She kissed the lips of her lord. And then she said, "My King, they are dead'!" . And she knelt on the chapel floor, And whispered- low with a strange, proud smile— "James, James, they suffered morel" Ls,st she stood op to her queenly height, But she shook like an autumn leaf, • As though the fire wherein she burned Then left her body, and all were turned To winter of life-long grief. And "0 James 1" she said—" My James 1" she said— Ales for the woeful thing, That a poet true and a friend of man, In desperate days of bale and ban, Should needs be born a King!"