npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1879-05-03 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

BOVIE IN OOURT.  The woman Webster was brought before the Richmond (Surrey) magistrates again on Tuesday charged with murdering Mrs Thomas. Mr Poland prosecuted, and Mr F. Browne defended.—John Church, cross-examined by Mr Browne, said he had been to the Treasury twice to give information about the case. Had made no statements except to officers of the Treasury. Saw several statements in yesterday's papers purporting to be his, they were not exactly true. Were not got directly from him. Narrative of his evidence givea by Inspector Pearman, Mr Mentinnick, and Mr Hughes was true. There were little inaccuracies. Had talked the case over with his wife. Could not remember where he was born, it was so long ago. Was between 19 and 20 when he joined the army. Did not remember what his occupation was before he joined the army for a living, but he did work for a liv.  lug before he joined the army. Could not remember what produced his discharge, which put him down as a clerk when he enlisted; but he was not a clerk. Recruits did not always give the real description. He was in the Bengal Cavalry before entering the army—in the old East India Company's service and was in India at the time of the transfer. After that he joinei the 11th Hussars. Could not remember what he described himself when he joined the Bengal Cavalry at the age of 19. Was not a native of Waterford. It was not correct to describe himself a 3 born in the parish of Marylebone, but he might have describ2d himself as such when he joined the Hussars. He produced his "small book" or military:e Iger, supplied to and kept by every soldier. He was not properly deecrioc... in the book. He gave the description himself. He had no term:anent residence before he joined the Hasse: s, as he was in the Bengal Light Cavalty. His brother kept the "Queen Elizabeth" publ:c-house at Fulham. His name was James Joseph. He had one sister. She lived at Chatham. He was enlisted at Soho Square for the Bengal Cavalry, and served nearly 3 years. He was promoted to oorporal, and was orderly to two generals in the Hussars. He became coachman to Mr Allen, Pall Mall, after leaving the army, and was two years and a-half in his service. He purchased the Rising Sun beer and wine house for about £5OO. He had not occupied, managed, or resided in any other public. hone. It would not be true if it was sworn he had resided in a public-house in Clare Market. He had known the prisoner only since the 9th of March, when she was introduced to him. He never knew her when she lived in Rose Cottages six years ago. Church, hesitating on being pressed to account for his time at Vine Cottage on ' the 17th, the prisoner Webster, crying, broke , out, addressing him : You scoundrel, you know you took the brandy upstairs and tried to make me drunk;" and then, to the Bench, " He knows, sir, he to3k my character away seven years ago, and be disowns me now."— Church denied that he was upstairs that day, or that he had ever received stolen property.—The further bearing of the case W/1.3 then adjourned until Saturday.
Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1879-05-24 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE OULTON MURDER.  PETITION FROM DAROY FOR A NEW TRIAL.  Mr William Gray (the Under-Sheriff) has announced that no reporters will be admitted to the execution of Darcy, the Oulton murderer, next Tuesday. Darcy has written and despatched a I:petition to the Home Secretary, praying for a new trial. Notwithstanding the repeated assurances his solicitor (Mr Lodge, of Wakefield) has given him that such an attempt would be futile, Darcy has resolutely persisted in carrying out his design, and we aie informed that he is very sanguine that his prayer will be granted. He has also written several letters to his solicitor, beseeching him to use every possible effort to gain a respite or reprieve for him. The petition which we mentioned on Thursday as having been prepared for presentation to the Home Secretary will probab!yr be despatched to-day. The following is a copy of this petition : —l. "That the evidence, as shown by these depositions, and by what appears to your petitioners from an almost verbatim report of the trial, is purely circumstantial. 2. That there are many discrepancies in the evidence. 3. That though a witness was called as to the pm oner's presence in the neighbourhood Borne time before the murder, yet not one of the witnesses who were called to trace him after the murder to Methley Station had ever seen the man before. 4. , That there are discrepancies in the evidence as to what the man so traced was carrying— wLether a round yellow bundle, a case, or anything. 5. That the chisel found, and spoken to as having at one time belonged to the prisoner, had never been seen in his possession (if the same chisel) since August' 1978. 6. That there are many doubts as to what kind of hat the prisoner was wearing. 7. That it was physically impossible that any man could have walked from the Winter Lodge or Mexborough Lodge to Thwaite Gate, where the tramcar started, froth between the time of the commission of the murder and the time stated by the witness Michael Armistead, called for the defence. 8. No ti ace of blood was found upon the prisoner. 9. That the said Michael Armistead was pre pared to swear that whilst the prisoner WAS riding in the tramcar on the 4th of March, the day of the murder, he said to the said Michael Armistead that he was on his way to a mceting of the Sunday Fehool 'Union, in South-paradg Lecds. 10. Your petttioners further pray in aid that many persons accustomed to deal in facts have stated in your petitioners' hearing that whatever suspicion might attach from various causes to the prisoner, yet had they respectively been on the jury they could not have found a verdict of guilty.  The Leeds Mercury, in an article on this remarkable case, expresses an earnest hope that the Home Secretary will see his way to acquiescing in the general deshe for a further investigation of the case.
Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1879-06-14 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE EXETER MYSTERY.  The police have arrested Mary Hoskins, the mother of the infant whose mutilated body was three weeks since found in the mill lest, and she was brought before the Exeter magistrates on Saturday. The approaches to the Court were crowded long ' before the case came on, the horrible mutilation of the body having excited muoh public feeling. The day after the trunk was found the head and other limbs were discovered, and for the purpose of identification parts were put together, and t .e child photographed. Several false clues were followed up, but it was only a few days since that the first information was received of the circumstances that have led to the arrest of the mother. She is unmarried. She is twenty-five years of age, and her friends belong to the middle class, and reside at Camborne in Cornwall. The prisoner came to Exeter at the end of last June, took lodgings there, and stated that she was the wife of an Indian officer. She gave birth to a male child in October, and at the beginning of December placed it in charge of a widow named Tooke. The preliminary arrangements with the widow • were made by the prisoner's brother and sister, and when they had got rid of the baby the whole party disappeared. On first being seen Tooke wanted to be paid six shillings a week for the child. Next she agreed to take a lump sum of £2O, but afterwards she accepted £l2. Shs says that a further payment was promised het. 'D. oko, however, did not take the precaution to obtain the name of the mother, nor did she ask for the name of the child. She, however, was in ccrrespondence with a person who first communicated with her on the subject, and as at the beginning of last month she had not received any further advance, she informed her correspondent unleas more money was forthcoming the child would be put in tl'e workhouse and the police communicated with. A day or two after this a woman, whom Tooke says she does not know, came and stated that the mother had sent her for the child, and he was accordingly handed over to her without enquiry. This was on the 12th of May, and on the same day this strange woman was seen with another female, said to be the mother, and the child was then alive and well. On the 18th its body was found in the mill beat. The identity has been clearly established, the woman Tooke positively swearing to the potograph of the mutilated remains. On the police going to Camborne the prisoner left the house at which she was staying, and went to a farmhouse three miles distant. As the police entered the front door to arrest her she attempted to escape by the back door. The prisoner admits that the child is hers, bat denies that she knows anything bf the murder, and before the magistrates ou Saturday she questioned Tooke as to why she parted with the child. A remand was applied for, but prisoner objected to this, saying that she did not wish to be kept there a week, and slie was quite ready to answer any questions. The Bench remanded her until Friday.
Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1879-03-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

IMPORTANT LETTER FROM THE  CHAPLAIN OF LEEDS GAOL.  Mr Joseph Lomas, of Broughton, has received the following letter from the Rev. Osmond Cookson, chaplain of the Leeds gaol: " lip to the present time I have carefully avoided some people may think it a disadvantage—giving any information about matters connected with Peace, the now executed murderer. I was determined to pander in no way to the morbid public feeling, which has, to my mind, beea shock! lug to contemplate. But, as a longer silence on my part would act deterimentally to the singing of the petition which I hear you are getting up in favour of the release of the convict Hebron, I feel I am bound to speak out. My attention has been called to an extract from the Manchener Guardian referring to the so-calied confession of Peace to Mr Littlewood. In the-first place, I may remark that all the information given by Peace to Mr Littlewood, and much more besides, was furnished by him to me before Mr Littlett ood had his interview with him. The statement about the Whalley Range murder was made to ma several times without any appreciable alteration in his statement, but the statement made to me and others differs from the account furnished by Mr Littlewood in two, as it now appears to me, particulars. First, Peace never made any mention of a staff He said Cock was about to strike him on the head with a stick. Second, he said plainly that no scuffle whatever took place, and that Cock was shot before arriving to actual close quarters. Mr Littlewood hearing the statement but once, and having so much information to carry away with him to be reproduced at a later date, and having no opportunity of making a single note of what was said at the time, no doubt took no special notice of the use of a stick, and jumped to the conclusion that as a star is the weapon supplied to policemen, it was with such a weapon that Cock intended to strike Peace. To account for the statement about the scuffle I can only think Mr Littlewood has confused the descriptionof the circumstances of the Banner Cross murder with that of Whalley Range. I may add that Peace made his statement to Mr Littlewood in the presence of three prison officers. Two of them whom I have seen to-day—the other has been removed to another prison assert most positively that Peace told Mr Littlewood that Cock was about to strike him with a stick, and that no mention of a scuffle was made. One more word. Peace, I think, never for a moment imagined that the sentence of death on him would be commuted or his execution delayed. The statement about his appeal to the sheriff or under. sheriff for the postponement of his execution for an hour is simply a fabrication, which will rank with many other bare-faced inventions which have found their way into the newspapers about matters connected with Peace."
Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1869-10-29 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

EXTRAORDINARY EURGLARY.—At an early hour on Saturday morning last, a police-officer, while passing Woodlands House, the residence of Mr Angus Holden, observed that one of the windows was open. As it was properly shut when he passed it on his previous round, he suspected that there was something wrong, and at once rang up the gate.keeper at the lodge, and roused the household. On an examination being made, it was found that Mr Holden's gold watch, left the preceding night on the dressing-table, had disappeared, and also that a still more daring feat of burglary had been accomplished in the circumstance that the bedroom of Mr Holden had been entered while he was asleep, and £33 stolen from the pocket of his trousers. No trace has been discovered of the thief who performed this daring and successful exploit. ESCAPE OF A FENIAN PRISON'ER FROM WERTZAN AusTnatia.—John Boyne O'Reilly, one of the Fenian prisoners transported to Western Australia, sends to the Irishman the following narrative of his escape from that settlement :--On the l'qh February I escaped, seized a boat, and went to sea, but bad to return to land in the morning. I then lived in the " bush" for some time, and eventually put out to sea again, and before long was picked up by an American whaler. When the captain knew who and what I was he installed me cabin passenger, and as he was on a six months' cruise for whales, I remained on board for that time, and every day had a fresh instance of his kind. ness and of the officers and all on board. I had BODO very close escapes from being retaken, but the officers were determined I should not; and in one English island at which we touched the governor came on board, and demanded me to be given up, as he had instructions that I was on board. The chief mate answered him by pointing to the 'stars and stripes," which floated at the "half " in sign of mourning, and said, " I know nothing of any convict ' named O'Reilly, who escaped from New Holland; bet I did know Mr O'Reilly, who was a politiesl prisoner there, and he was on board this ship. but you cannot see biva —be ie dead ;" and was forced to be content with that. alit making my way to America.  The Durham County Foxhounds will meet on Monday, Nov. 18t, at Embleton ; on Wednesday. the 3rd. at Wo.-idhtius.• ; and, on Friday, the sth, at Newbigain. Each day at a quarter before 11 o'clock.  Belgium is just, now " supping " full of horrore, as a farmer named Moustier is in custody, charged with four murders in a village about thirty miles from Brussels. The first victims were three brother., and the story reads like • nursery tale. One brother went to visit the ogre farmer with 3,000 francs in his pleket, and never returned; a second went' to enquire kfter him, and also disappeartd: the third went, and was no more seen. At last (Moustier poisoned his wife, and she in dying made diselosures which led to her husband's arrest. The bodies of the three brothers were found iu au old pit iu the prisoner's garden. He has o nfit ssed his guilt.
Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1869-01-01 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

LYNCH LAW.  Louisville correspondent:, writing on the 12th inst.. give the particulars of a tragedy which occurred at New Albany early on the morning of that day. A vigilance committeo, said to have come from Seymour. Indianit, arrived at New Albany on the previous evening. Atsiut three o'clock in he morning of the 12th, Luther Whitten, tine of the outside guards of the gaol, was met at the entrance by a party of men, who presented pistols at him, demanding his silence or death. Whitten shouted, but wa4 seized, knocked down, and informed that if he ,houted again he should die. By this time the ginil-offi.re was filled with men seeking for the keys. Shivtiff Fubeehive, understanding the situLion, came do fn and gained the door leading to the grounds on the west side of the gaol. Here he met a force armed with pistols which were directed at him. He exclaimed, "Gentlemen, don't shoot me; I am the sheriff." But one of the hand fired a shot, which took effect in the sheriff 'a right arm, inflicting a serious and painful wound. rhe keys were demanded, hut he positively refused to surrender them. About a dozen of the band then entered Fullen.ove's room, where his wife lay in bed, and demanded the gaol keys of her, but she refused to surrender them. They succeeded in finding them, however, concealed in a drawer. Thos Matthews, one of the inside guards, was then compelled ' to open the cells of the rllell whom the mob had determined to hang. Frank an William Reno were the first •ictims. They were drag ed out and hung alongside of each other on the Caine Ilar. Simon Reno was then brought out, but he fou lit the mob with great despetion, knocking one or twG of them down before he was overpowered and left suspended between the coiling and the floor. Charles Anderson, who was the last victim, was heard to beg for the privilege of praying ; but this request WfV; refused, and he was hanged at the south-west come of the gaol. After a further threat to kill the sheriff, the mob proceeded to the train, car• rying with them the gaol keys. Armed men stood guard to prevent any alarm being given. At four o'clock the train, with the entire party, consisting of from 75 to 100 men, started off. They came well armed and equipped for the work. They intended to hang a man named Clark, the murderer of Geo. Till, but they concluded not to do so, fearing to remain any longer. The band came in a car by themselves, which wati attached to the regular traM. Glades Anderson and Frank Reno were surrendered by the Canadian authorities upon the solemn pledge of the United States Government that they should have a fair trial. and, if found innocent, be returned to Canada. All the telegraph wirers on the line of the Jeffersonville Railroad were found connected together sad communicating with the ground, about one half mile north of Seymour. It is supposed to have been done by the Seymour Regulators before going to New Albany.
Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1869-01-22 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

EXTRAORDINARY CHASE AFTER BURGLARS, & GALLANT CAPTURE.  One of the most daring and successful burglaries that have ever been attempted took place a few days Mince at the residence of the Rev. G. C. Abdy, Park Villas, Uxbridge. Five weeks ago Superin endent Ecclers, of the X division, had reason to believe that an attempt would be made to enter one of the houses in the neighbourhood of Uxbridge, and all the police in that division were put on the alert, but up to Tuesday last their vigilance was without reward, when, as a policeomn was going his rounds about two a m, he saw lights moving in the basement of the clergyman's house. Ile at once aroused the inmates, when it was discovered that the place had been broken into and all the plate and valuable property stolen ; but the thieves, disturbed, no doubt, by the constable's approach, had fled, one of them leaving a het and coat, and taking in exchange a hat belonging to Mr Abdy. Mounted constables were at once sent out in pursuit, and Sergeant Mason was returning from Hanwell Station, when he met a cart being driven rapidly in the directiou of London by two men. Observing that one had on a hat answering ezaerly to the description of that stolen from the house, he called on the men to stop, and seized the horse's head, the men using their utmost endeavours to escape. He backed the cart into a ditch, and then jumped into the vehicle, when two tnen who had lain concealed at the bottom, cowered up with a rug. sprung up and threatened to murder him if he did not allow them to „escape. The sergeant being quite unarmed, put his hand in his pocket, and :hreatened to blow out the brains of the first man who resisted him. Two of them immediately fled, but the other two attacked the sergeant with lite preservers, and a most deadly encounter ensued, when the sergeant, wresting the weapon from one of the men, struck him a terrific blow on the side of the head, rendering him insensible. The other man was seized by the cfinstable, and after a short struggle was overpoWered.l The sergeant then lashed them both to the cart wheels, and stood sentry over them with a bludgeon until assistance should arrive. Over two hours he remained in this position, the rain pouring in torrents, when some farm labourers who were proceeding to their work assisted him in convey. ing them to Uxbridge, where they now await their trial. The cart was found to contain the whole of the missing property, as well as a formidable assortment of housebreaking tools. The men comp Lin bitterly of their companions' cowardice, and asset t that had they stuck together they could easily have murdered the policeman and thrown his body into the ditch. They also avowed their inteution of using their life preservers to any of the iumatei of the parsonage had they offerA resistance. It is hoped the brave and gallant conduct of Sergeant Mason will meet with a proper reward at the !lauds of the Scotland Yard authorities'.
Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1869-09-17 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DURHAM.  THE NEW DEAN OF DURHAX.—The Dean of Durham (nowinate), the Rev. W. C. Lake, M.A., will return to England about the 20th inst. There will be a special meeting of the Unice, city of Durham afterwa,ds, to coof.r on Mr Like the degree of D.D. (lie, as Dean, being Warden of the University). The inatallatiou as Dean will probably take place on the 25th or 26th inst., wh.-n the Bishop of Durham and the Canons of the c.theiral, and 'he Professors f the Uoiversity, will to,. " in residence" in Durham. Dr. Lake will then preside as Dean at " the great Chapter," held annually on the 28th inst., and it is his intention to reside in Durham during the October terw.  ESCAPE OF Two PRISONERS FROM DURHAM Palsutr.—Ou Sunday evening, toto prisoners Robett Reed, charged with murder, and a man named Sheeley, charged with felony at Sonderland—ruade their escape from the Durham County Prison at Durham. They were confined in separate but adjoining cells. It appears that the two men commenced proceedings by making a hie through the well which divides the two cells. This they succeeded in accomplishing by areas it tools they bad see,eted, and having thus far succeeded in their bold undertaking, they set to work to remove the iron bars which potent the cell window. Tide they accomplished without noise, or creating any alarm. They then appear to have broken the glass, and made space sufficient for the passage of their bodies ; they commenced to tear up their clothes, from which they made a rope, and fastened it to one of the bars. The 'height of the portion of the prison in which they were confined is three storeys from the ground, and down this rope the two area slid, and so reached the quadrangle aojaioing this part of the gaol. Another obstacle, however, presented itself in the shape of two walls, one 21 feet high, and the other about eight feet. The higher wall they scaled by means of a large scaffolding pole, which they placed at:ARIA it, and so reached the open fields. The fall of this pole, when the men attained the top of the wall, attracted a prisoner in 3 c.II on the same flat, who at once rang his bell, and told the warder that some of the prisoners were breaking out. An alarm was instantly given, and search made without avail. Immediate information was given to the county police, a nuniber of whom were sent in various directions, Police-constable Christan taking the road in the direction of Crag Head, where Sheeley was known to have& brother resident. Tile officer reached the house about six o'clock on Mouday morning, and apprehended Sheeley, wearing his prison shoes, cap and drawers. He was removed in custody to Durham. The other man, Reed, who at the time of his escape is-iftpposed to have taken across the country to Sunderland, almost naked, had not been heard of up to Monday afternoon.