npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1888-02-04 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

FIGHT FOR LIFE.  A frightful encounter between two men took place at a house in Northumberland-street, Strand. The surviving actor in the tragedy, Major Murray, of the 10th Hussars, stated that as he was paining through Hungerford Market, he met a stranger (Roberts, a Jew money lender), who spoke to him about the wish of the directors of the Grosvenor Hotel Coin. many to borrow money. With a view of discussing certain details the Major was induced to accompany the stranger to his chambers—"l sailed him for his card of address. He got rip, andlbegan rummaging among the papers of a desk. Presently I felt a touch on the back of the neck ; there was the report of a pistol. I dropped off the chair on the ground. I was perfectly paralysed. I could not move any part of my body. My head, however, was quite clear, and when he fired he left the room. After some little time I felt life return. ing. I was just raising myself when he came in again. He immediately walked up behind me, and fired a pistol into my right temple. He knelt down close behind me, for I could feel his breath, and watched close to see if I was dead. I then made up my mind to pretend to be so; I felt that the bleeding was bringing life back. I knew that if I could get upon my feet I should be able to make a fight for it. I opened my eyes, and saw a pair of tongs within a few inches of my hand. Hearing me move, he turned and faced me. I at once rushed at him, and made a heavy blow with the tongs, which missed. I then seized them short by the middle, and made a dash into his chest and face, which knocked him over on his back. I tried to smash his head. and he got them in both hands firmly. I struggled to get them away; he was as strong as I. I looked round for something else. Close to my right hand I saw a large black bottle, which I caught in my right hand. I hit him with all my force on the middle of his forehead, smashing it to pieces. After a long struggle I got the tongs. He was in a sitting position, which gave me a fall fair blow at his head, and I gave it to him with all my might and main. I repeated it three or four times. He fell forward on his face through the folding doors as if he were dead. I pushed his feet through the doors and shut them, and then threw up the window." The Major then sprang out of the window into some baskets, a drop of eighteen feet, and was taken to Charing Cross Hospital. The wounds of the Major were few, but from one of the pistol shots it was a marvel how he escaped instant death. Roberts refused to give any information about the affray, and died on the 10th of Jane. The mystery was unravelled at the coroner's inquest, the .jar): finding a verdict of "Justifiable homicide, and that Major Murray slew the deceased to save his own life. The above is condensed from the Times report of July, 1861, and the foundation of one of the sensational ince dents in the great drama, "Humanity,- to be produced on Monday eveniag next at the Theatre Royal.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1888-04-07 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SHOT WICK. We next come to Shotwick, farther along the Dee shore, an interesting place in many ways. Here the Normans Wit, a castke—one of a chain- of for.' tresses—to guard against the Welsh incursions. It is eesentially the mist military place in the Hundred, and the land was held in the feudal period by military tenure. The Cheshire soldiers frequently met and stayed here; it was honoured by many of our kings as they passed to and from Ireland; but most , notably by Henry 11., in 1171, when he went on that tour of conquest which was the foundation of England's acquiring that Island. Edward I. was at Shotwick Castle also in the year 1278. The for. tress fell into decay fully three centuries ago, for in the time of Leland, the noted antiquary, who visited it in the reign of Elizabeth,.it was a ruin. The church stands on what was orig. inally the edge of the laud, on the very brink of the river Dee; but that fitful stream has long since left Shotwick high and dry. The Manor was owned for about five centuries by the ancient family of Hockenhull, who acquired it by marriage of the heiress of Shotwick in the reign of Edward I. A branch of this once powerful manorial family also resided at Prenton. Shotwick eventu. ally became mortgaged to the Bennetts, of Chester, and fell into their possession about 1715. The last of the Hockenhall family, a female, soon after this became so poor, it is said, that she received parochial relief. The church has a fine Saxon doorway, some ancient stained glass, and other precious antiquarian remains which have fortunately so far escaped the "restorer.” Shotwick is also honoured by having had as its curate in the 17th century the eminent divine—preacher, lecturer, and writer—Dr. Samuel Clarke. He wrote many books, the most notable being one entitled "The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History," said to be the first English biography, in 1654. He was deputed by the London ministers to present a decree against re-ordination and surplices. He was one of the ejected ministers in 1662, but drew large crowds to hear him preach and lecture, and was much venerated. He died in 1683. Ormerod, a good Churchman, makes a longer reference to Samuel Clarke in his history than to all the other ministers of Shotwick put together. Ancient documents frequently refer to the importance of the fishery in the Dee opposite to Shotwick; also to extensive salt works here before the year 1600. A place in the Parkgate-road in this parish called "Two Mills " is notable as the scene of a double execu. tion, in 1750, two Irishmen having been hanged there for murder, and afterwards gibbetted. The gibbett was standing until a few years ago, and the place is yet called" Gibbett Mill." This once lonely road seems to have been a dangerous one totravel by, for in William son's Liverpool Advertiser of June,l76o, we find the following account of a "dashing highwayman "—so circumstantial and so seriously ludicrous to modern eyes—that it is worth transcribing at length:— "
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1888-09-22 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SOME NEWSPAPER HOAXES.  The editor of a Scotch newspaper, suspecting his rival of stealing news from early copies of his paper, determined to lay a trap. The chief reporter and foreman printer were consulted, and a paragraph was put into type giving a short and startling account of a terrible murder committed on a lonely moor at some distrnce from the town. A dozen copies of the paper were printed before the stereotype plate containing this announcement was removed from the machine, and another plate with nothing but authentic news was substituted. Of these twelve copies with the fictitious narative, one was placed in the way of a machine man who was believed to receive a shilling every morning for despatching an early paper to the office of the competing journal. Next day the good people of X— were thrown into a fever of excitement by the appearance of bills, on which were printed in dropsical black letters," Terrible Tragedy I Mysterious Murder !" Thousands of papers were sold, and great was the joy of a certain political party that the rival organ had not a single line about this important event. But the joy was short-lived The editor, whose subordinates had fallen headlong into the pit so cleverly dug for them, was aghast on discovering that the contents-bills of his contemporary madeltio reference to the supposed murder. He turned to the paper itself. Not a word about the subject The foreman was summoned in hot haste, and the paper from which the paragraph had been pilfered was produced. There it was in black snit white, identical in substance, and almost in terms with the paragraph that was exciting the town and puzzling a couple of reporters who had been sent (before sunrise to collect further particulars on that distant moor. On the following day it was the turn of the other political party to rejoice. The hoax was explained, and though it did not cement a good feeling between the two !newspaper offices, it taught one person, at least, to be very cautious about accepting early copies from a rival. Sir John Herschel himself was made the hero of a hoax that had a wide acceptance among English newspapers when he was making astronomieal observations at the Cape of Good Hope. He was credited with having confirmed beyond dispute the existence of the man in the moon. The most circumstantial details were given, setting forth that with a subsidy of £lO,OOO from the Duke of Sussex, and with unlimited credit from the king, Sir John Herschel had gone to Africa to observe the transits of Mercury, "which .are especially valuable in lunar observations on longitude ! " Among his instruments was a lens weighing seven tons, with the  aid of which he was stated to be able to discover not only trees and fauna in the moon, but a "creature shaped like t man, with enormous wings capable of the sustained flight of an eagle, and gifted with the quadrumanous powers of the monkey 1 "—From " Canal's Sotto. day Journal" for May.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1890-06-11 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

FREDERICK BEDFORD. Witness, INSPECTOR Bloom."  Mr. Preston: Was he sober? Witness: Perfectly sober, sir. Mr. Preston: And has he been in your care since this time? Witness: Yes, sir. Mr. Preston; Did you notice anything peculiar about him? Witness: No, sir. I saw him yesterday morning and had a long talk with him, and took a description of him. He seemed perfectly rational, and stated that if anyone had been taken and tried for the offence they would have been tried wrongly. Asked if he had anything to say, the prisoner added, "I have only to say that I am one of the two men. I was in London three or four times before that." Thomas Brockwell, a deteotive sergeant of the Metropolitan Police, was then called. He stated that he was one of the officers engaged at the inquiry in reference to the murder, and he was fully conversant with all the facts. Mr. Preston remarked that he remembered the ease, and the statement the prisoner had made appeared to correspond with what had taken place. Witness replied that they did to a considerable extent, but there were certain discrepancies. The statements which prisoner had made in answer to witness's questions led him to believe that prisoner was not one of the two men. Eleven persons were apprehended during the enquiry, but only one was brought to trial. The withal/see failed to identify him, and he was acquitted, although the police were fully satisfied that he was one of the two persons who committed the offence. Mn? Preston: Two men were engaged in it? Witness: Yes. Two French ladies, who lived close by, saw the men enter and leave the house. The prisoner's statement was that they were in the house twenty minutes, but as a matter of fact they were out in less than two minutes. Prisoner also said there were tools in the bag, but there were not. He also said the bag was thrown into a garden; it was not. lie also described the bag as an ordinary bag with a handle. It was not; it was a plumber's bag. Witness added that ii was his opinion the prisoner wanted *cheap ride to London, as be was desirous of getting back there. There was everything to justify the police in detaining him, and his description of the first man wee pretty correct. It was also evident he had knocked about London a good deal. The lower classes became fully sequainted with the facts of the case. Mr. Preston: I hardly feel justified in discharging him. I think I had better remand him before any farther prooeedings are taken. The Detective: I can make enquiries as to what be says of himself in town, and at the end of • , week the Commissioners would reply by letter. Mr. Preston: That is the coarse I wish to par • sue. If it is an untrue statement he will have brought the imprisonment on himself. , I Shall ; remind him for • week, and if there is, after farther 6 enquiry, any truth found in his statement he will be given up for pro•ecation.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1890-08-02 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SHOOTING OUTRAGE.— HEAVY SENTENCE. George Gregg, 43, fireman, was indicted for the attempted murder of Bridget Brown, at Poultoncum-Seacombe, on the 24th Jane, by shoonng at her with a revolver loaded with ball cartridges, another amount charging him with doing grievous bodily harm to promontrix. Mr. Burke Wood prosecuted, and prisoner WWI undefended. From the evidence of Bridget Brown it appeared that prisoner, who had been staying at her house, came there and demanded a shirt and other ',UMW which he said he had left at her house. Witneu denied that she had the things, when be used abusive and threatening language to her and produced a revolver. She ran Into the house, when he Arad several times through the window, wounding her twice.—Evidentse was then given to the offset that prisoner bought the revolver in question for 65., with Ave rounds of ball cartridges, stating that he intended to sell it abroad.—_ Mediml evidence as to the nature of the wounds teal next given, the doctor at the hospital to which prosecuria wits removed stating that they caudated of • superficial f(fla• of the forehead and a unions wound tle al6iuuaou. Whet' the iujurod wOlllll4 was brought to the hospital she was so prostrated by the t  shock that the bullet could not be extracted from the abdomen, but the operation was afterwards conducted sisocessfully, pieces of cloth being also removed. When prisoner was arrested be said "I hope I have killed her. If I have it is all right. If not, I have made a gross mistake. She would not give me my shirt, tobacco, and things."—Prisoner now pleaded that he had been drinking for a week when he went to Brown's house. When he asked her for the things he had left there she abused and threw stones at him, when he fired twice through the window to frighten her and "to have one of her arms off, so that she wouldn't throw stones any inore."—The Judge said that the case proved what he had said to the grand jury—that it was a very improper and dangerous thing for a person to carry about a revolver without a legitimate purpose. If his advice were taken, a man would be liable for the forfeiture of the revolver and a heavy fine when he carried such a weapon without legitimate need for self-defence. Ono could hardly imagine s more ferocious set than for a man to fire a weapon like that at a woman's head. It was no thanks to him but to the revolver—which was a cheep weapon purchased for 64., and was dear at that price—that he bad not killed the woman. He could not conceive how a man could discharge a weapon at so near a distance at a woman without at least intending to do her grievous bodily harm. As the jury had intimated by their verdict of guilty that be was not to be treated as an insane man, he could not pass a less sentence upon prisoner than penal servitude forvieven years.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1890-01-08 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

DOMESTIC SERVANT CHARGED WITH STABBING. A WOMAN OF VIOLENT HABIT. -- -  - ----• Jane Denson. (24) servant, was charged with having on October 29, maliciously wounded James Green. Mr Douglas appeared for the prosecution and Mr. Yates for the defence. Evidence was given by prosecutor and others to the effect that on the night in question during the course of a street row, the prisoner stabbed him over the left eye, inflicting • wound about an inch long and deep enough to reach the bone, with • table knife. For the defence it was contended that in the row which was taking placo at the time of the assault, it was impossible for any one to swear who had dealt the blow and that (no one had seen the prisoner strike. The Recorder summing up pointed out that if no one had actually seen the prisoner strike the blow several witnesses spoke to geeing her running away with the knife in her hand. The jury after a few minutes diliberaticgo brought  in • verdict of guilty, with • recommendation to mercy. The Recorder: Why do you recommend her Ole mercy? The foreman replied because they thought the nee was committed without forethought or malice. The Recorder replied that had there been malign in the act the prisoner would have been indicted for wounding with intent to do grievous bedily harm and in that case she would have been tried at the suss Addressing the prisoner the learned Recorder raid in s moment he agredwit ohti passion. jury,ion. 1111 Id, might thoughtjgtb. b shsas sba oad hsetedb.4 received some provocation, but at the mom time she had need • knife against a man who was not threatening her or taking part in the quarrel. He (the Recorder) found she was • person of violent habit. In 1882 she had been convicted of assault, in IVA again of assault, and in the same year (October) she had been convicted of stealing a watch from the person—a serious offence. On all these occasions she had received light sentences—fourteen days, • month, a month, and then in Aagust lest, for being drunk and disorderly, 2s. 6d. and costa. Hs would remember that she bad been waiting her trial for ten weeks and take that into consideration in passing sentence upon her, but the case was • serious one. When the knife was used the case meet be • serious CUM and not like email petty larcenies. In that calendar they had Orse such cases, and he Gould not pass them over without some mark of his feeling in the matter, and expressing his fall determination to pot down the use of the knife in quarrels. It was • merciful thing that the prisoner had not iudictel much more pion/ions harm on the man. Had she struck him on the eye she might have killed hinuauel then she would have been tried for murder. He could not pass upon her • sentence of lees than four months' imprisonment with hard labour.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1890-12-24 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE AIIEGED INHUMANITY AT TUE W4)RKHOUBE.  WHAT THE °MEDIANS HAVE TO SAT.  THEY ALBO DEMAND AN ENQUIRY.  At the usual fortnightly meeting of the Board of Guardiane, held yeeterday, the chairman, Mr. William Gilley, said he wished to bring before them the verdict of the coronet's jury who had last week held an inquest on the body of spoor unto:Duette MAD (who had lately been an inmate of their workhouse) named Henry Gunning. The verdict was "The finding of the jury is, that Henry Gunning died of natural ceases, accelerated through the gross neglect of duty by Dr. McNeill, as medical officer to the workhouse hospital, and that the master did not exercise sufficient discretion in this case. Therefore, we are of opinion that they deserve the severest censure. We would recommend a Poor Law Board enqeiry into all matters tronceruing this case. Also, the jury is of opinion that great credit is due to the police authorities for the humane manner in which they have acted in this matter." He (the Chairmen) had attended the inquest and heard the *eidetic* given before the jury. He did not want to criticise the rerdict, but he certainty thought more evidence might have been brought before the jury, because he knew of several 'sautes.' who were downstairs, but who were not called. He also thought before a verdict of that sort was arrived at, the jury should have allowed the medical officer of the workhouse to make whatever statement he had to put before them. Dr, MNeill, he was sorry to say, had not been allowed to make such • statement. It might—he did not say it would, but it might—have altered the verdict, of the jury considerably had they heard Dr. M'Neilti evidence. In _English law it was always uudersto Al a man should be heard before he was condemned. and even the man guilty of murder was always asked what he had to say why sentence of areas should not be peered upon him, But the matter lie wished to bring before the Board was as t • Court of Engniry. The Guardians should have • full free seatehmg enquiry into the matter, without bias and favour. If officers had done wroutr,.- then those officers mast take She responsibility; if they bad done right then they must be oho we to have does riglik 15 was also necessary an enquiry should be held on be half of the ratepayers, cud of the relatives of the poor man, as well as on behalf of those DOW in the workhouse and echools, for they could not,be allowed to be ill-governed. The Court of Harintry might be composed of the Board, or the Board might write down to the Local Government Board asking them to send an inspector down. The latter course was the one he was of opinion would be the better of the two. Since coming to the meeting that morning he had bad • letter put iuto his Lauds, and it was to the following effect:— Union Workhouse, December 23rd, 1890. To THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OP THE BIRKENHEAD
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1890-01-22 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

USEFUL GUIDE. "How long is this loch?" "It will be about twenty mile." "Twenty miles! surely it cannot be so much as that?" "Maybe it will bo twelve." "It does not really seem more than four." "Indeed, I'm thinking your right." "Really, you seem to know nothing about the matter. "Troth, I canna say I do."  It behoves the high for their own sakes to do things worthily. Patience will overcome all things. Having done all that is possible, we should submit with patience. We like to find fault ourselves, but we are never attracted to another man who finds fault.  No cord or cable can thaw so forcibly or bind so fasts. love can do with only a single thread. Nothing so much increases one's reverence for others as a great sorrow to one's self. It teaches one the depth of human nature. In happiness we are shallow, and deem others so. Every man in his ago has not a breast of crystal for all men to read their thoughts through. Men's hearts and faces are so far asunder that they hold no Intelligence together. "No, doctor," said the musical critic, who nan been discussing the development of the divine art In Australia, we have no great composers in this country." "I beg pardon, sir; bet I believe we have one great composer." "The name, please?* "Chloroform." '  "Brown's wife weighs over two hundred pounds. When Brown asks her, shall I help you over the fence, my dear?" she replies demurely: " No ; help the fence."  Love is followed by disappointment ; admiration by mortification, and obligation by ingratitude. Imagination Is to love what gas Is to the balloon —that which raises it from the earth. When we meet with better fare than was expected, the disappointment is overlooked even by the scrupulous. When we meet with worse than was expected philosophers aloe* know how to make it better.. - _  Where would the very stones cry out?—ln a howling wilderness. A hen is a very superior creature, but she never could lay a corner-stone. Why is coffee like an axe with L dull edge?— Because lb requires grinding. Jones (contemptuously): "I wouldn't be a fool if I wore you."—Robinson (emphatically): "That's a fact, but how do you propose to take advantage of it?" Jack: " What I are you smoking cigarettes?" Harry: "Yes, dash it all! Cora refused my offer of marriage last night, and I don't care now what becomes of me." _ .  An old bachelor says, "It is all nonsense to pretend that love is blind. I never yet knew a man in love that did not see ton times as much In Lis sweetheart as I could. - .  Does hanging prevent murder? It is a nutter of history that cases are rare when a man is known to commit murder after having been thoroughly banged. A country paper as In an obituary, " Mr. X was an estimable citizen. He lived uprigthly • he died with perfect resignation. He bad Leen recently married."