npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1827-07-13 (London, England)

OLD BAILEY-(THIS DAY)  OLD COURT. SHEEN, THE MURDERER.  This man, when brought up with the other pri soners to plead, exhibited no alteration in his personal appearance since he last stood at the bar accused of the most strange and unnatural murder of his helpless infant. He seemed perfectly self-collected, and conversed with his fellow-prisoners with the greatest apparent unconcern. His countenance indicated no mental suffering since his former trial. While every person in Court seemed to feel an instinctive horror at his appearance, he himself ad'sluiced to the bar without the slightest trepidation. Mr. Justice Bußitourat having taken his seat, his name was called, and the indictment read to the Jury.  The following counts were contained in the in dictment  For murdering a male bastard child, describing it baptized "Charles Willianl." For murdering a male child, "baptized Charles William.' For the murder of a male child, called and known by the name of " Charles William." For the murder of a male bastard child, called and known by the name of " Charles William." For the murder of a male child, called and known b‘ the name of " William."  For the murder of a male child, called and known b 3 the name of " Billy." For the murder of a male bastard child, ealleil and known by the name of " Billy." For the murder of a male child, called and known a. " William Sheen."  For the murder of a male child, whose name i 3 unknown. After the indictment had been read, the prisoner exhibited more anxiety, and, when called upon to plead, he handed in a written plea, and his firmness seemed to part from him with the paper, on which his life was to depend. He requested to have it read ; but the Learned Judge stopped it, on the ground that it was informal. He could not receive a written plea, unless it were properly drawn up. He would, however, give the prisoner any reasonable time for the purpose of getting it prepared. The prisoner, on being asked if he had any attorney, replied in the negative. It was mentioned that Mr. Clarkson had held his brief on the last trial; but Mr. Sheriff Farebrother observed that on the last trial, seeing that the prisoner had no Counsel, the Sheriffs, from humanity, applied to Mr. Clarkson to watch the interests of the prisoner, which he generously consented to do. It would be too much, however, to eipect that Mr. C., who was engaged professionally out of town, should come up for this case. Mr. ANDREWS, for the prosecution, stated that he was quite prepared to go on, and hoped that his Lordship would not allow the prisoner to have any undue advantage from not being prepared. His LORDSHIP applied to several of the Barristen• to draw up the prisoner's plea. Mr. CRESWELL consented, and requested the Court to let it stand over till Monday, as the indictment was very long. After some further conversation, it was fixed to come on on Monday morning.  •
The Sun. — 1827-09-04 (London, England)

ALBANY, JULY 26. This morning the Jury were empanelled, and the trial proceeded. After the Counsel for the prosecution had stated the case, the following witnesses were called : _  Ab. S. Van Rensselaer, sworn—Resides at Cherry-hill. Was there on the 7th of May, at ten o'clock. Was part of the time in the cellar. Was in the second story, and then went into the third story. Was with Mr. Whipple in the room in which he was killed, in the second story. Whipple was in the room between nine and ten o'clock, busy with sundry accounts. Was writing at a table. Witness was on the opposite side of the table ; the room is the south-west room. Whipple was about seven or eight feet from the window. While sitting there heard the report of a rifle or gun. Witness thought he heard it rain upon the stoop near the window. Looked out, and thought he saw a person's face, a white man with a black hat, and also thought he saw something shine like a rifle or a pistol, or a gun, could not tell which. At this he sprang from his  seat, and exclaimed, " Oh !" and at the same in stant the piece went off. Deceased instantly sprang from his chair,. and exclaimed "Oh Lord !" Both started for the stairs. On the second stair deceased's hand on the bannister slipped, and he fell. Witness ran down stairs. Mr. Whipple died almost instantly. Witness seized a piece which they kept, and was going out, but was prevented by those within, because Orton had said a few days before that there was a gang about there. He did not see Whipple fall, because he ran down a-head of him. Returned to Whipple, and he was gasping—just olive, and that was all. The ball went in on the back side of the left shoulder, and penetrated the chest. Strang, a few days before, told witness that there were persons lurking about the house who meant no good. He had seen them sit the courtyard gate, and once in the back yard. Strang said that he thought they could have no design upon witness, because they could have no chance. He also cautioned witness not to tell the family of it, lest they should be alarmed. Witness told his mother and sister, and he believed all the family. Mr. Whipple was absent, but shortly expected to return at this time. He had been expected before, but when he was absent it was uncertain when he would return. Had conversed with Strang about the murder, on one occasion, when he was making a final settlement with Strang. Strang was hired on the 28th of Aug., under the name of Joseph Orton. A few days, i. e. less than a fortnight before the murder, Strang and witness came to the city to sell some old iron. Strang boasted of having been a pretty good marksman with a rifle, and inquired of Mr. Fay, and of Mr. Moore, as to the price of rifles. On the morning of the 7th of May, Strang had a piece of lead in his hand, which he said was the softest he had ever seen. On the 14th of April, Strang said he was going to Troy, to collect a ":sum of money due to him. He was absent all night, and returned the next day. Witness could not of his own knowledge say that Mrs. Whipple was absent on that night By Mr.
The Sun. — 1827-12-14 (London, England)

AUSTRIAN DIPLOMACY, PARIS, DEC. • 11.—We have received from Ger many the following important document : Copy of an Official Communication from Prince Metternich, to Baron OttenCels, dated Sept. 22 : " The complicated and embarrassing situation in -which you have just placed our Cabinet, M. le Baron, by the inexplicable conduct you have adopted in refusing your co-operation with the simultaneous measure of the. -Ministers of the Three Allied 'Powers towards the Porte, has singularly affected his majesty the Emperor and King, who blames you, And disavows you entirely on'the present occasion. " It is not, in fact, possible to comprehend the reasons which have induced you to refuse the invitation which these gentlemen sent you ; and if you had properly appreciated the spirit of the instructions which I transmitted you in December last, and Which have not since been revokAd, you would, most assuredly, not have committed such a mistake. "In order to repair it, which is the least can do, I must impose on you the penalty of going yourself to make an excuse to your colleagues—that you have misunderstood the orders which 1-4,.,d been given you; declaring to them that you are ready, _henceforward, to support, by all the means in your power, the proceedings. tending to make the Porte relay from its obstinacy, and not persist in its refusal to adopt the salutary measures lately proposed to it, the wishes of his Majesty being in entire conformity with those of his august Allies, for the preservation of generaipeace, and for the re-establishment of order and seugrity in the East." nia'doeuMent explains how the Austrian Ca-met, which for xu, long a time had made common cause with the Divau, Ns shown itself for some time 0,,,p0,ed to support the proceedings of the Triple ,Alliance. It seems that Prince Metternich, seeing retolutiou of the Three Powers, was terrified he had Pursued up to that time. He the policy felt -ahAt '2,11.".t w(uldl't Ptoduced in Europe by hoc 4-yrrip aaily for thet T Powers at tile moment when 'Ore:: 1-'(w,ers were arming to put t 1, ,e  an end to the disasters and murders of Greece.— He felt that if the intervention produced a war, her Cabinet might be in an embarrassing situation; and that if a dismemberment were at length decided on, her views on Bosnia and Servia might be opposed by his friendly relations with the Porte; and that it would be difficult to share the spoils of his Allies. M. de Ottenfels has paid for M. tie Metternich, for nobody will believe that the Ambassador has not understood his instructions. He has just received a title and honours. Fur six years the Austrian Internuncio has acted in the same manner, without being either disavowed or blamed. M. de Metternich could not avow that he had given instructions contrary to the views of the three Powers, and in consequence of recent circumstances, he repented of having given those instructions. The Ambassador was therefore obliged to make the apology, being remunerated by the favour of the Court. (From the Journal des Debuts.)
The Sun. — 1827-09-28 (London, England)

EXECUTION OF STRANG.  The following account of the execution of the murderer of Mrs, Whipple, at Albany, in the state of New York is abridged from a journal published in thttt city  " The city yesterday was alive with strangers. Early in the morning, and Mull the hour of execution, avenue teading to the city was thronged with vehicles; the steam-boats that came up during the morning, and the ferry-boats, literally swarmed, and the streets and side-walks were so filled by the pas,4eg Crowds as to render it ditlicult to pursue thb ordinary avocations.. The place of executiOn was in the valley, at the head of Beaver-street, directly west of the Lancasterian Academy. From this valley, which forms a narrow flat, the hills upon three sides rise abruptly to a considerable height, forming a perfect amphitheatre. The scaffold) therefore, was overlooked, and every movement connected with it distinctly seen by the vest multitude that occupied all parts of the sides summits of the eminences. It is believed that at least 30,000 persons witnessed the ceremony on this occasion; one-fifth of whom were females ! At about a quarter past one p.m., the prisoner, in a white overdress, trimmed with black, accompanied by the Sheriff and gaoler, and other civil officers, and by the Rev. Mr. Lacy) and escorted by the Albany Republican Artillery, passed from the prison and proceeded on foot to the place of execution. During several of the past days, Strang had appeared to be much softened, and to evince a considerable degree of patience. He experienced no parti cuter debility, and now ascended the steps of the scaffold with firmness. Addressing the multitude, he said, in an audible voice, that he perceived a great many people present, who had come, as he supposed, to witness his execution, and he hoped that it would lead them to reflect upon effects of sin and lust, and induce them to avoid those acts for which he was about to suffer a painful and ignominious death: Then, holding a pamphlet in his hand, he said, " This contains a full confession of the great transaction for which I am about to die, and every word that it contains, to the best of lily knowledge and belief, is true; if there is a single' word in it that is not true, it has been inserted by mistake, and not by design." The prayers prescribed by the episcopal church for such occasions were then read, which he appeared to join in earnestly. The Sheriff then took a final leave of him, and was evidently much affected. -During the awful interval between ascending the scaffold and his death, be was composed, and not much agitated. At a quarter before two o'clock, he gave the signal, drew his cap over his face, the drop fell, and after struggling for a few minutes, the wretched man expired. He remained suspended for about half an hour, when his body •was taken down, and delivered to his friends for interment.
The Sun. — 1827-03-22 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.  BOW-STREET.—Lieutenant Wells, of the East India Company's service, was charged by Julia Farmer, the Icper of a brothel, at No. 5, Eagle-court, Catherine-street, with assaulting her with a brass candlestick. The defendant was also charged by Elizabeth Purdoe, a girl of the town, with attempting- to commit an infamous offence.  It appeared that Lieutenant Wells was returning to his lodging in the Adelphi, between 12 and 1 o'clock on Monday night, when he was accosted by Elizabeth Purdue, one of the complainants, who induced him to accompany her to the house in question. The Lieutenant consented ; but perceiving the infamous house to which he was led, he repeated of his engagement, and was desirous to retreat. He descended the stairs with that intention, at the bottom of which he was met by the mistress of the house, and two or three women, who hustled him into a room and threatened to call in the assistance of their bullies, unless he gave them some money. He gave the women some silver, which had only the effect of raising their demands and renewing their threats. The defendant, apprehensive of personal violence, seized a brass a candlestick, and swore that he would knock down the first man who should attempt to molest him. The mistress of the house immediately fell down as if she had been struck, and the other women cried murder most lustily. The watchmen hearing their screams forced open the door, and the Lieutenant was given into custody for the alleged assault.  The keeper of the brothel repeated her charge, declaring that the Lieutenant knocked her down with a blow of the candlestick, in proof of which she showed a black eye, which had all the appearance, however, of not being a recent injury. The infamous girl Purdoe then repeated her diabolical charge, in the course of which both she and her witness prevaricated as much, that Sir R. BtaxtE ordered both the complainants and another oman, named Charlotte Fisher, to be placed at the bar on a charge of conspiracy, and they were all they ordered to find hail, and locked up in default of it. Sir R. BIRNIE then directed that the house in Eagle-court should be immediately indicted. *,5 Senor De Rotalde, whose affair with Don Fermin de Noguers we reported in this journal of yesterday, requests us to state that he is not a Royalist Colonel, but a proscribed Constitutionalist, and that he was amongst those who were delivered to the French at the surrender of Cadiz, in 1823. Senor De Rotalde requests us to add, that when challenged by Don Fermin Noguer: on a former occasion, he expressed hie willingness to meet him; and when waited upon by Senor Ilarregui on the 18th instant, who insisted on his signing a paper, declaring in substance that his "Life of General Mina" was a gross libel on that individual, he armed himself with a razor, and made Senor llarregui sign his own name, and then quit the house. We have only to observe, that we should have added this explanation to our report of yesterday, had the facts which it contains transpired at this office.
The Sun. — 1827-12-24 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-(THIS DAY.)  BOW-STREET.  RESCUE OF MAURICE DELAY FROM A SHERIFF'S OFFICER..--A Sheriff's officer, named Levi, appeared to complain before the Magistrates this morning of four persona, named Brown, Reeve, Sankley, and Martishaw, who, he stated, had rescued Maurice Delay, the pugilist, from his custody on Saturday last, at the Crooked Billet public-house, near Temple Bar. He stated that he had with Lee, his assistant, watched Maurice Delay from another into the above public-house, where he captured him. Maurice however wish, 1 him to go to another house, where he had a friend who would pay the debt and costs ; to this complainant would not agree, but consented to stop till he sent for his friend there. Maurice sent for a person named Ward, who left the house, and shortly afterwards returned with several. other persons, who shook hands with Delay, and remained there for some time, several of them saying " I wish you may get it, Maurice, you are not going to night." The defendants now present were all there. Complainant then heard his man Lee, who was outside, call out " murder," and immediately collared Maurice, who struck him, and on his drawing out his staff knocked him down and escaped. All the defendants were assistfru,' more or less in his escape. Brown and Reeve collared him, and the two others were upon Lee ; he then called his wan Lee, Themes Thomas, a watchman, and Cuthbert the landlord, who corroborated some parts of his statement; Cuthbert however said that no person assisted Delay, who doubled Levi up like a piece of paper, and jumping over hint rushed out of the door. He said that they were friends of Delay's, who mostly visited the Sol's Arms, and who, he had no doubt, had come to his house for the purpose, except Sankey. Levi seemed in fear of his own prisoner, and i stopped in the house with him two or three hours. Brown said, in defence, that he was a jeweller, and knew nothing of Delay, more than having known him to be a pugilist. He had nothing to do with the fray. Sankey stated that he knew Delay on the same .footing ; that he was a farmer from Worcestershire, and was going to leave town by coach, when taken at the Sul's Arms, with the other defendants. They had been visited wsei niulttihinbe at gywiyLegchvai‘:.ehwohuhiseso soliy a personwho llairree,dt2osclo.:naps o he po nedrwtitesdriseled'to have dotool. get out be en sent ( se e.olf such a scrape at any price, having respectable friends in' town, whom he did not wish to hear of it. He neither knew the name or address of the person to whom he gave his money. The night constable said he saw 25/. given by Sankey to the person whom lie called his friend ; he did not know what they were doing, but insisted on taking the number of the notes.  Sankey was instantly bailed, and the others were committed in default thereof; the Magistrates expressing their astonishment at .the easiness with which Sankey patted with his money.
The Sun. — 1827-07-14 (London, England)

OLD BAILEY--(THIS DAY) OLD COURT.  ACQUITTAL OF SHEEN THE INFANTICIDE.  We yesterday stated that the trial of this man was fixed for Monday; but by a subsequent arrangement after we went to press, it was fixed for this morning. Mr. CLARKSON appeared at the bar, and had, we understood, come to town on purpose to be present at this trial.  Sheen looked much worse than he did yesterday. His countenance was pale, and he seemed to be wrapped in a sullen state of anxiety, while the indictment was being read to the Jury. When asked if he were guilty or not, in the usual form, he put in a, written plea, which was read by the Clerk of the Court. It was neatly drawn up, and engrossed on parchment. The Clerk, however, (Mr. Shelton) read it in so low and inaudible a voice, that not one word in twenty reached the reporters. It was, however, ascertained that he pleaded his former acquittal the same charge ; and that the child, for the murder of which he was now arraigned, was the same that he had before been tried for and acquitted: and that the child was as well known as " Charles William Beadle," as by any name in the present  . Mr. Justice BURROUGH said, that the prisoner must put in the same plea to the Coroner's Inquisition, as well as to the present indictment.  Mr. CURWOOD, for the Crown, put in a replication, which stated that the Crown could not be barred from prosecuting by any former proceedings, although it was ,true that the child for which the prisoner was tried before, was one and the same child, yet it was not so well known as " Charles William Sheen," or " William Beadle," as it was by any of the names charged in the present indictment.  Mr. CLARKSON then requested that all the documents produced at•the' former trial, might be produced now, to which Mr. Sergeant Andrews consented.  The Jury were then sworn to try whether the child murdered had been known as well by the name " Charles William Sheen," or, " William Beadle," as by any of the names in the present indictment. It having been admitted by the replication that it was the same child, Mr. CRESSIVELL then addressed the Jury on the evidence that he should adduce to prove his case, and besought them to take an unprejudiced view of the question. He then called  John Sutton—Witness had examined the baptismal register of the Church of St. George the Martyr. The register was at the clerk's house, and the copy produced was a true one. It was dated January 1, 1827, and stated the child's name te be Charles William, the son of Lydia Beadle. Elizabeth Cable was nurse to Willis's poor-house, knew Lydia Beadle, she was there delivered of a male child, she believed in January last; did not recollect when they left the house; knew the child, and saw it on the day it was murdered; it was the same child which had been born in the poor-house; Lydia Beadle was then single, but was married to the prisoner two months after the child was born; knew that child from its birth to its baptism by the name of " William," or " Billy ;" stood godmother at the baptism. By the