npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-11-26 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER. _ _  Lavinia Mason, about 20, chief stewardess on board the Allan liner Mongolian, was charged, at the Liverpool Police Court on Saturday,with having attempted to murder George Stewart, pusher on board the same vessel. The accused seemed to be deeply affected by her position, and continued sobbing all the while she was in the dock, hiding her face with her hands. It seemed that when the steamer was off Moville on the homeward voyage,the stewardess came on deck from below, and singling out the purser from among a crowd of persons, rushed in his direction and discharged a revolver at him. The bullet missed its aim, but the young woman fired a second shot, which took effect in the purser's left shoulder. Stewart then sprang at his assailant, and wrenched the pistol from her grasp, though not until she had succeeded in firing a third shot. The stewardess then went quickly below and locked herself in her cabin, where she remained until the vessel arrived at Liverpool. Stewart now remains as a private patient at the Royal Infirmary. Detective Irvine stated that on Friday night,accompauied by Detective Caminada,of the Manchester Police he arrested and charged her with having attempted to murder George Stewart while on board the steamer Mengoliau. She replied, "Do I look like a murderesB? I would not injure the man for the world; he has frequently promised me marriage, and has threatened to leave me. I got into a state of frenzy, and lam sorry for what I have done." In reply to the Magistrate, an officer stated that the injured man was making satisfactory progress. The case was remanded for a week, and the accused, who was allowed out on bail, was taken away by her friends, BUII sobbing violently as left the Court.  A shocking affair was discovered at Prestwich Asylum, Manchester, the other day. One of the inmates, a buck-setter, went, as usual, to the gasworks, close to the farm buildings. He was sup. posed to be following his usual occupation, but as attendant went into a blacksmith's shop and found him sitting on the flour with a terrible tithl in his head. A carpenter's axe, e,,cored with blood, was on the floor beside him. Slight hopes are entertained of his recovery. There seems to be little doubt that the injuries were selfinflicted.  At the Clerkenwell Police Court William Slater, the jeweller who is accused of attempting to administer poison to a woman named Annie Bowden with intent to murder her, was committed for trial. The vacancies upon the Court of the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy caused by the death of Earl Beauchamp and Mr. Frederick Calvert have been filled by the election of Lord Robartes and the von. Richard Strk4.  Miss OLDMAID (clool teacher) : How many million years old is the earth ? " Bright pupil : "Please, ma'am, I don't know, it was here when I came. How old is it ? "  111 : "She's a remarkable girl. She doesn't hesiI ale to tell everybody that she im twenty-seven. Don't you admire hes for it 'r " She : "No, bccattbe 1 latow she is thirty."
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-12-03 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE ELECTION IN EAST DORSET. s found at the that my life has been a che iuered one. Whose, pose? churchyard and disappear in the darkness. Then I The counting of the votes polled on Friday in the , indeed. hits not? Like a boy on a see saw we are "Certainly not, if I can do so in a proper remembered it would not do to leave my bag of tools East Do,set Election was not commenced until ten sanleit nis ionietiiiie up. sometimes down. I have e.,perienced manner." there, so I had to drop into the passage again and o'clock on Saturday morning, as some of the boxes, 'he both conditems, and ilnd that each has its cares and Ile frowned at the qualification, the n broke into a grope about until I found the bag lying behind the from the outlying stations did not arrive until a responsibilities, its joys and sorrows, its pleasures and sorry, apology for a laugh as he said, "Proper way— shattered door. All was quiet, and once more re- quarter of an hour before that time. The result was annoyances. Cnly the annoyances seem to pre- ha, ha ! very good. Quite R joke, upon my word.' gaining the churchyard. I made the best of my way declared as follows :-nlerate when you are down in the world. Dame I failed to see where the joke came in, and told to my hotel. • Hon. H. Stud (C.) .0 likes to have a kick at those she has laid him so. The next day I presented myself at the Hall, Hon. P. Glyn ' teing of the male p ersuasion accounts, "You will see jaresently," he said. Then he and demanded to see Mr. Chickweed. I did not - the lack of chivalry in her disposition. became serious "I am willing to give you five think he would dare refuse to see me, and I knew he Majority .. , . -on this date, I was down very hundred pounds for one single hypnotic trick,' he would not leave the place until he had had time to The following are the figures of the last two else.' can remember to have been wentesn : "but you must swear that if you will not turn some, at least, of the property into cash. tions :-1886—Mr. G. H. Bond (C.), 4,317; Hon. • I had arranged to give do it,-you will never divulge to a soul what lam "1 am not going to waste time or words upon Pascoe Glyn (G.), 3,662—majority 6. 1885—Hon. 1 city in the \Vest of about to tell you." such a man as you," I said, when he appeared, Pascoema j0rGit1yv,u6(1)L7..),4,542 ; Mr. G. H. Bond (C.), 3,84( si with coneiderable " Andwhat am Ito receive for holding my tongue ?" looking very white and a bit startled. "But for a advance booking I asked, fortunate accident you would have murdered me sxp enses, and "What !" he exclaimed, evidently astounded at last night, as you would have murdered your mint, -loom did my temerity in asking payment for such a trilling had I not doubted you. I shall want live thousand
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-01-22 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE LAW OF PRESCRIPTION. A MURDERER CONFESSES WITH LHPITNIIT.  A little more than ten years ago a double murder was perpetrated in Paris. A chemist carrying on business in the Place Beauveaux was, together with his servant maid, itsas,inated in the night. The object of the crime was robbery. Suspicion fell upon the chemist's assistant, a young man named Walker, who simultaneously disappeared. No trace of him could be discovered, and after long-continued but fruitless efforts to track him the police as well as the family of the murdered man abandoned all hope of bringing the ciiinai to justice. The ease, which produced great commotion in Paris at the time, thus came to one of those to which no sequel would ever be forthcoming. According to the French law of prescription, however, it appears that a murderer who can elude detection for ten years may then declare himself with impunity. This Welder has recently done. He has caused it to be made known to all whom it may concern that he has during his period of absence been comfortably settled in business as a chemist at Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, under the name of Weiser. He has even had the effrontery to relate the whole story of his adventures since the night of the mnrder. The person to whom he thus unburdened himself was none other than a member of the Venezuelan police force. With the utmost assurance he recalled all the circumstances of the murder, and admitted it was he who had assassinated both his employer and the domestic servant. He refrained, however, from mentioning the 40,000 f. that disappeared from the house in the Place Beanveau on the night of the crime which, he added, was committed in a moment of madness. His first instinct on realising what he had done was to give himself up to the police, but the instinct of self-preservation prevailed. After hiding in the neighbourhood of the St. Lazare railway station for two months he succeeded in reaching Nantes, and proceeded thence to the port of Paimbceuf, where he embarked for South America. On arriving there, he set up in business as a chemist at Caracas. His life in Venezuela has been a somewhat chequered one. In the course of one of the revolutions which not long ago disorganised the country, he served as chief surgeon with the Nicaraguan forces. Now he thinks he has sufficiently expiated his crime by ten years of exemplary conduct, and so long as he remains in Caracas he is safe, because France has no extradition treaty with Venezuela. It is said, moreover, that he with perfect accuracy construes the French law of prescription, according to which a lapse of ten years has placed him beyond reach of justice. It would, therefore, be quite possible for the confessed murderer Welder to return to Paris to-morrow, and M. Goren himself, the head of the detective department, could not lay a finger upon him. Considering the nature of his confessions, however,it is, perhaps, doubtful whether public opinion in Caracas will permit him to further pursue his present occupation there as a dispenser of drugs.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-07-16 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE POLICE AND THE KAISER. - • • - The visit of the German Emperor has entailed an enormous amount of work on the police and the Scotland Yard authorities. It has transpired that Anarchists openly boasted they would take the opportuuity to insult the Emperor whilst in England, and a sharpsurveillance was therefore kept on the leaders. Large numbers of English and German detectives were in Hatfield House and grounds. Inspectors Melville and Jarvis, with other officers, have been in close attendance on his Majesty during his stay at Hatfield. At the sight of the London police (accord. lug to a London correspondent), " What a backbone for an army," the Emperor said, half musingly.  It will be a disappointment to many people that the cape worn by the Empress at the Crystal Palace on Saturday has been seen too late in the season to worth imitating. It was what may be called three-quarter length, made of pale green silk veiled with lace, and small gathered. hood. Altogether a most charming and becoming garment. The pity of it is that in this land of rain, varied by east wiuda, there would be so few opportunities for wearing so airy a wrap The Pall Mall Gazette says :—ln his imaginary "Page from the Kaiser's Dairy " Mr. Walter &sant comments on the absence from " the Court" of " the people who make the real greatness of the country—its traders, its manufacturers, its men of science, art, and literature.- In connection with this remark it may be added that the Chy Corporation followed the practice of the Court. Neither the president of the Royal Academy, nor any representatives either of science or of literature as such, was bidden to the Guildhall banquet.  At Consett, on Saturday, a public park, thirty acres in extent, presented by the Consett Iron Company for the benefit of ths inhabitants of the district, was formally opened by Alderman Dale, of Darlington, and Mrs. Dale.  Reuter telegraphs from Sydney: The official enquiry into the causes of the bursting of a gun on the Cordelia resulted in proving that the occurrence was accidental, and that no one was to blame. The injured are doing well. At the Lincoln Assizes, on Saturday, A. Spencer. 23, butcher, was sentenced to death for the wilful murder of Mary Ann Garner, a widow with whom he lodged, by shooting her. Au old woman named Donelly has been found in a house in the east end of Greuock with marks on her throat which lead the police to believe she was murdered. A young sailor,employed on an Atlantic liner, has been arrested on suspicion. Atter daybreak, thu ILettuid police, observing a number of well-kuu wu poachers enter the town from the direction of the Clumber preserves, and, acting promptly, succeeded in tracing the gang by the soft, wet ground to a field beyond Ordsall.where two bags' full of freshly-killed rabbits, were hidden behind a hedge. These the police secured and the men.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-08-06 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

TRAGEDY. THE believers in the moral curative properties of modern civilisation must receive very severe shocks from time to time as they read their morning paper—itself one of the best products of that civilisation. The bur rible revelations of the doings of " Jack the Ripper "that only a short time back were so frequent that they were almost looked for ass part of the new order of things, have hardly passed into history before a series of crimes scarcely, if at all, less atrocious and demoniacal, are perpetrated under the very eyes of the police, and in the midst of the most Christian nation under the sun. Sentence of death has been passed upon an old man for the terrible murder and mutilation of a young boy in Liverpol. A crime this, which seems to have no motive, at any rate no recognisable motives, for its commission. A jury, after hearing the evidence, found old JOHN CONWAY guilty. There is no doubt that the crime was committed, whatever doubt may still exist in any minds as to the actual guilt of the man who lies under sentence for its perpetration. But, horrible as this crime was, and full as the circumstances of it were of sickening details, it is almost over-shadowed by the still more dreadful tragedy at Ilorsforth. Nothing but the uncontrovertable fact itself could make the possibility of a human person being capable of committing such a crime even conceivable. But WALTER LEWIS TURNER has received sentence of death for the atrocious murder and horrible mutilation of a helpless, unoffending little girl, the full particulars of which will probably never be revealed. It was hardly possible for the jury to reach any other conclusion than that the prisoner who was charged with the crime was in truth the guilty party, or one of the persons guilty, if there were more than one involved. Few will question either the justice or the wisdom of Mr JUSTICE GRANTHAM in the adoption of the unusual course by which the crime was brought home to the prisoner. The charge of being "accessory after the fact," which was first brought against the prisoner's mother, and on proof of which she received the terrible sentence of penal servitude for life, was a first step towards the completion of evidence. The formal process of acquittal on the possible charge of being an accomplice in the act was the next step. Bravely the poor woman fought for her son throughout the long, stern examination; but none the less, perhaps all the more surely, the toils of clear conviction were by her woven round the son that she would have saved. Guilty! Guilty of one of the most frightful crimes that have blotted the character of the country whose police records are crowded with hideous villianies. So the jury found WALTER LEWIS TURNER, and so the judge concurred. Rarely in the history of capital crimes and their sentences has a condemned prisoner been addressed as Mr JUSTICE GRANTHAM addressed the murderer of little
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-06-13 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE SUPPOSED POISONING OF A CHILD IN CARLISLE.  Yesterday morning the adjourned inquest as to the circumstances attending the death of Mary Herd, aged nine weeks, which occurred last week at 3, Graham Street, Denton Holme, and in connection with which the child's grandmother, Jane Clelland, was arrested by the police and remanded at the City Police Court last Friday charged with the murder of the deceased, was resumed at the City Police Station, West Walls, before Mr J. Hewetson Brown, the coroner, and the jury. The jury having answered to their names, Margaret Herd, mother of the deceased, was recalled, and in reply to the Coroner said her mother was sitting near the fire on the day before the child's death when witness went out for the lemonade, and when she returned she was standing by the cradle. Dr. Thomas Hatfield Walker, L.R.C.P.. Newcastle, analyst for the city, was next called. He deposed that on the 4th inst. he received the stomach of a child and its contents from Sergeant Keep. He made a careful analysis, of the same, searching especially for opium. He found that the stomach did not contain a trace of any opium or opium compound (laudanum). He explained that if the child vomited after receiving any laudanum it would not be likely that any would be found in the stomach as the small quantity left in the stomach after vomiting would be quickly absorbed, and no trace would be left, absorption being very rapid in the case of an infant. The child having lived from 3 p.m. till 2 a.m. next day, any Mice of such a small quantity of laudanum as it received, assuming it received any, would have most certainly disappeared after the vomiting. By the FOREMAN (Mr Cairns).—A very minute quantity of laudanum would kill an infant of that age, but inhalation of the fumes alone would not cause death. Some must have got on its lips to cause death.  The Cinza CO-NBTABLE said he had no more evi• dence.  The CORONER then summed up to the jury. The room was then cleared for the jury to consider their verdict.  In a few minutes the jury called Dr. Lediard in, and the FOREMAN asked what was the natural CCM which could have led to the child's death.  Dr Lediard, in reply, said the traces of disease found in the liver were insufficient to account for death; the unexpended condition of a portion of the lungs was also insufficient; but the brain was preternaturally soft, and it was that which attracted his and Dr. Helm's attention most There was no marked naked eye appearance of inflammation or deposit, such as tubercles, or other growth on the brain, but the whole brain was preternaturally soft. It was in such a condition that one would not be surprised if it had led to the death of the child. It must be remembered that there were evidences of a constitutional disease upon the child such as shown by the arms, thighs, feet, and the face. After a quarter of an hour's consideration the jury returned a verdict of " Death from natural causes."
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-11-20 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE JUDOS'S MARGE. LORDSHIP, in charging the Grand Jury. said he ht that he might fairly congratulate them upon the lar which was now to come before them. In a large y like Cumberland, which contained a population of quarter of a million, it was satisfactory to find that the last Assizes were held here in the month of July were only nine cases to come before them. There ,nly one case into which they would have to inquire ich a man lost his life. That was the case of Samuel all, who was charged with feloniously killing and ig William Jackson on the sth of October. That was a not of great gravity in itself. The offence of manliter varied very much. Sometimes it was nearly as actual murder. At other times it was of a cornively venial description. This was a case in which risoner and one or two other men, who had had more nk than was good for them, possessed themselves of 1, intending to hide it by way of a joke. The way in they conducted themselves in regard to the gun, and reatment which they bestowed upon it amongst one ier certainly would lead to the supposition that they not aware that it was loaded. Unfortunately, it was d and went off. The law upon the subject was this : re death was caused by accident, of course, the man was unfortunate enough to cause that death was not yof manslaughter. Where, however, he was guilty ,gligence, and that negligence caused death, then other derations came in. It was a little difficult to lay any general rule as to what amount of negligence d make a man criminally liable. Certainly not all gence would; a slight degree of negligence would not, WE degree of negligence would; but what was slight gimes degree was a question simply of degree, and it very hard to lay down a general principle. In such ; all one could say was that men must judge according Lek own views of what was so culpable as to require mnishment of imprisonment, and what was not, and e negligence was so great that in the interest of the ic it was right that the person who was guilty of it Id be punished with imprisonment, then he ought to mild guilty of manslaughter and punished. On the r hand if the negligence did not amount to so great a ee as that, then be should not be found guilty, ;e were the general principles which regu-1 the punishment of persons who were charged manslaughter arising from negligence. Having mented upon two of the other cases, his Lordsaid there was a case of robbery which appeared aye been brought about by the fact that the prosecutor got too much to drink. It was undoubtedly the fact, throughout England a very great deal of crime was to the people taking more drink than was good for a; and the consideration of how much crime w.ls due us one cause certainly tended to make one sympathise ame extent with those who had made it their business, ir as they could, to check this unfortunate indulgence ttoxicating liquors. le trial of prisoners was then proceeded with.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-10-23 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

PAISLEY. *  The town of Paisley was celebrated for the trade in connection with which my younger years had been spent; and it was there also where Wilson, Tannahill, and others concocted verses whilst they threw t4e shuttle. It will be easily understood, therefore, with what alacrity I paid my first visit to a spot mixed up with my earliest dreamings, and to which I felt it next to a religious duty to make a pilgrimage. lam not alone, I believe, in regretting that the name of Burns, great as it deservedly is, should so much have eclipsed those of some who sang as sweetly, if not so loudly, of their fatherland. It was the case to so large an extent in regard to Tannehill, that even wellinformed Scotchmen not unfrequently, without intention, do an injustice to the one in favour of the other. And yet the merits of the Paisley weaver, as a lyric poet, are universally allowed to be equal, if not superior, to those of him whose praises are on every tongue. There is nothing finer in conception anl description in any language than "The Braes of Balquhither,"- and "The Flower of Dumblane ;" whilst for pathos, sentiment, and imagery, the song of "Gloomy Winter's noo awa " is positively unsurpassed. To those wh o are capable of following the idiom of the Scottish dialect, these lines have a charm scarcely to be equalled by any other known composition. "Towering o'er the Newton woods, Lavrocks fan the snow-white clouds; Shier soughs, wi ' downie buds, Adorn the Banks sae breerM 0 ! Round the sylvan fairy nooks, Feathery brackens fringe the rocks; Neath the Brae the Burnie jouks ; And aka thing is cheerie 0! Trees may bud, and birds may sing; Flowers may bloom, and verdure spring; Joys to me they cannot bring, Unless wt thee my demie 0!" But another characteristic of this author was:his chaste, and for that period, temperate life. This itself, taken in connection with his affectionate regard, and many years of faithful attention to a widowed mother, throws a halo around a literary reputation, that, to me at least, gives it an additional attraction. How melancholy have been the ends of many of our most distinguished literateurs ! Swift predicted, long before his demise, that he would die from the top! and how true that became is only too well known. The same was the case with Sir Walter Scott, and Southey, and many others. Tannahill could not be said to be positively insane, but the gloom and despondency which settled on his mind were undoubted evidence of the breakdown of a fine intellect which had been over-taxed. His death by his own hand gave a shock to many a heart, and even at this distance of time one can hardly contemplate such a catastrophe without a shudder.  "Self Murder, name it not, Our country's shame." From "Occasional Writings" by W. Farish, Chester, late of Carlisle.—To be obtained from Messrs Coward, Booksellers, Scotch Street, and Mr Barwise Stewart, Bookseller, Botchergate and Scotch Street, Carlisle.—Price 6d.