npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Star. — 1830-08-31 (London, England)

HALL.—On Saturday the particulars of a man named Pratt having voluntarily surrendered himself for a murder committed some years back, appeared in most of the daily papers. The man who made the selt.accusatior., was ordered to be kept in custody until enquirLs were instituted as to the truth of an individual being murdered in that part of the country where Pratt alleged it was committed. Owing to the publicity given to the circumstances detailing Pratt's confession, a man named Berry, who seems to have some knowledge of the affair, called on chief constable Hall en Sunday morning, and said that, having read an account of Pratt's appearance at this office, he (Berry) had come forward to state some facts connected with the murder of a Mr. Wood, a farmer, which was committed about eight years ago at a place called Ma le-road, near Stockport, in Cheshire. The deceased, he said, was dragged out of his cart, as he was returning home from Market, by two men, and he having resisted their attempts to rob him, they cruelly murdered him, by beating his head with a large stone that was found lying beside the body of the unfortunate victim. soon after the murder was perpetrated, a man named John Dale was apprehended on the charge, and he had not been many days in gaol before he made a full confession of his guilt; in the course of which he implicated a man named Pratt as having been concerned in the dreadful deed. Dale was subsequently tried for the murder, found guilty, and afterwards executed; but, notwithstanding the vigilant exertions of the police, for a long time, his accomplice in the crime was not taken, and it was generally believed in the country that he had made his escape to America. Berry, the chief constable's informant, declares that h, was present at the execution of Dale, and that his last words on the scaffold were expressive of his hope that Pratt would be taken. Berry, in the course of his statement, said that he had known Pratt previously to the murder of Mr. Wood, by seeing him at Stockport and other places in the same county. Chief constable Hall inquired if Berry new saw Pratt whether he should recollect him 8 The answer being in the affirmative, Berry was taken to the Cnunty Gaol, where Pratt is now con. tined, and after some hesitation with regard to identity, Bcny said. al. though the man then in custody was much altered in appearance, yet he firmly believed he was the man who was supposed to have been concerned with Dale in the murder. It is remarkable, that ever since the day Pratt surrendered himself, although he then expressed a desire to unfold the particulars of an atrocious murder, he has preserved the utmost silence on the subject. seal appears now to suffer under great depression of spirit.. Ile will be kept in custody until further inquiries are made respecting the affair, to accelerate which letters have been forwarded to the gaolers of 31ancliettct and Stockport. _  THAMES POLICE —Daniel APCarlhy was remanded, charged with plundering the premises of Mr. Brown, 1 ild Gravel-lane, Slialwell, a quantity of iron, smiths' tools, and other property.
Star. — 1830-11-03 (London, England)

TWELVE.  . Nov.  An unpleasant feeling 'pervades —ifiroughout the town in consequence of a deliberate act of self-murder committed here last night by a young gentleman, who, from papers found on his person, appears to have been a member of Worcester College, Oxford. The letters in his pocket•book were addressed to Albert Smith, Es. The general opinion here is, that the deceased, who was a total stranger at Newmarket, had previously been in desperate circumstances, and had ridden over from Gin:bride, with the intention either of winning sufficient to extricate biroself. or, as not being successful, of destroying himself. This ides is supported, as well by his conduct on the race-course as by the subtle. quest deliberation of his proceedings. He evinced great eagerness to bet against Locate for the last race, and seemed careless as to the odds being above the market piles. His engagements, however, were few; his being unknown to tke betting urea will readily account for this. Of course he lost. In the evening he dined at the inn where he was sup, ing, and seemed very anxious about his portmanteau, which it turns out contained a case of hair-triggered duelling pistols. On thie being brought into the room he wrote a letter immediately, and made the waiter accompany him to the post-office, to see him place it in the letterbox. Previous to this he had had some conversation with two persons, which does not appear to have been of a very friendly nature. Immediately on his return from the post.ofEce• he &avast the door of his room, and, as it would seem, discharged both the pistols at his head, fur two reports were heard, with a slight interval between them ; neither of them took effect, one of the bulls having lodged in the ceiling. He must then have again loaded ore of the pistols, which this time was aimed with certain effect. The ball entered immediately behind the right ear passed through the brain in its pelage, dividing the arteries, aid lodged immediately beneath the upper part of the skull on the left side. Death was inson. amass. There wee a lapse of nearly three minutes between the tint and the last dbchages. thi entering the room at the window, be was found lying on his back, and the floor completely deluged with blood. The deceased is supposed to have been connected with some respectable families in the neighbourhood of Aberystwith. His manners and fir• pesrance were gentlemanly. The races in the list for to.day, owing to the opening of Parliament. arc quite unimportant ; in fact, if the conditions of the plate would hart permitted, it would have been put off to the end oft week. Tb, match was decided as follows : Match, T.Y.C. 50 h. ft. Ilst. 51bs. each. . . Lewd Chesterfield's f. by Silkworm, d. by Waxy .• Mr. cooper's c,1.d4g7 ••• • • • • r  At Blyboreugh-hall, Lincolnshire, on the Slit ult. the Lady of Carta% Ltsard, Ill& Lamas, of s son.
Star. — 1830-09-24 (London, England)

WALTER SCOTT'S LETTERS ON DEMONOLOGY  AND WITCHCRAFT.—FAMILY LIBRARY, NO. 16. The vivacity of fancy which engages us in youth to pass over much that is absurd, in order to enjoy some single trait of imagination, dies within us when we obtain the age of manhood, and the sadder and graver regions which lie beyond it. I ant the more conscious of this, because I have been myself, at two periods of my life, distant from each other, engaged in scenes favourable to that degree of superstitious awe which my countrymen expressively call being eerie. On the first of these occasions I was only nineteen or twenty years old, when I happened to pass a night in the magnificent old baronial castle of Gleam's, the hereditary seat: of the Earls of Strathmore. The hoary pile contains much in its appearance, and in the traditions connected with it, impressive to the imagination. It was the scene of the murder of a Scottish King of great antiquity ; rot indeed the gracious Duncan, with whom the name naturally associates itself, but Malcolm the Second. It contains also a curious monument of the peril of feudal times, being a secret chamber, the entrance of which, by the law or custom of the family, must only be known to three persons at nom, via. the Earl of Strathmore, his heir apparent, and any third person whom they may take into their confidence. The extreme antiquity of the building is vouched by the immense thickness of the walls, and the wild and swag. gling nt of the accommodation within doors. As the late Earl orarlirlat rlmtewe seldom resided in that ancient mansion, it was, when I was there, but half furnished, and that with moveables of great antiquity, which, with the pieces of chivalric armour hanging upon the walls, greatly contributed to the gene al effect of the whole. After a very hospitable reception from the late Peter Proctor, F.l4q. then series. ehal of the castle, in Lord Strathmore's absence, I was conducted to my apartment in a distant corner of the building. I must own, that as I hard door after door shut, after my conductor had retired, I began to consider myself too far from the living, and somewhat too near the dead. We had passed through what is called the King's room, a vaulted apartment, garnished with stags' antlers, and similar trophies of the chase, and said by tradition to be the spot of Makolm's murder, and I had an idea of the vicinity of the castle chapel. In spite of the truth of history, the whole night scene in Macbeth's elude rushed at once upon my mind, and struck my imagination more forcibly than even when I have seen its terrors represented by the late John Kimble and his inimitable sister. Ln a word, I experienced ern. sations, which, though not remarkable either for timidity or superatidon, did not fail to affect me to the point of being disagreeable, while they were mingled at the same time with a strange and indescribable kind of pleasure, the recollection of which affords tue gratification at this moment. Sit
Star. — 1830-04-12 (London, England)

BRUTAL MURDER. • James Russell, a respectable-looking young man, was Indicted for the wilful murder of Joan TIMM a young woman, aged 22 years, at Chard, on Nov. 30. The prisoner when placed at the bar bowed respectfully to the Court ; but when asked by the Clerk of Arraigns, if he was guilty, or not guilty, he exclaimed Not Guilty in so loud a voice as to excite astonishment ; and it was necessary for the officers to caution him to conduct himself with more respect. He recovered his self-possession, and, when asked if be wished to challenge any of the jury, replied, in the mildest tone, " thank you, Sir; I have no challenge to make." Harriett White examined by Mr. Beare : I live in the parish of Chard, at Touchets. 1 know Mr. Langdon's field, the Six Acres; there is a path across the field, leading to Aveshay's-lane ; in that field, on the morning of December 1,1 found a dead body, the body of Joan Turner ; 1 instantly called a person named Somers, and his wife, who were in another part of the field.—Jacob Somers : I live at Touchess ; I remember the day the body was found in Mr. Langdon's Six Acres; my wife and the last witness were present; it was half.past seven; when Harriet White came to inform my wife she put her arms round her neck, and seemed sinking. I ran before them and on getting to the top of the hill saw 11. e body, lying on the back, and was stabbed and cut from one ear to the other. The head was lying a little to the right, as if some one had pushed it on that side ; her clothes were drawn up, and on her left thigh I perceived the mark of a man's bloody hand ; the body was quite cold and stiff, and seemed as if it had been lying there the greater part of the night; I did not know the body at first, but after recognised it to be that of Joan Turner; (lemma worked at Mr. Rice's factory, and lived at John Rice's, a quarter of a mile from Chard ; the field is a short distance from the town ; when I covered the deceased with her clothes, I saw a piece of flesh or clotted blood near the place where she was murdered, and when I was putting it under her left shoulder, to prevent it being walked on I found the top part of a pound kid of bread; I left my wife and the first witness near the body, and went into the town to give ' the alarm ; when I arrived at the foot of Chard I cried out " there was murder;" Mr. Richards dnd several persons came to the place where the ody lay, it was then a quarter to eight; my wife and Harriet White went into the town, and 1 remained to watch the body—Witnesses were examined whose testimony went to prove that spots of blood bad been found on the stain of the prisoner's house, and other circumstances tending to connect him with the transaction.—At eight o'clock at night many witnesses remaining to be examined, the court adjourned.
Star. — 1830-01-01 (London, England)

CHRONOLOGY FOR 1829.  1. A reward of £l,OOO offered for the appreliension of Rowland Stephensone the fugitive banker. b. Verdict of of £l,OOO damages given in the Court of King's Bench against Sir William Lundey, Governor of Bermuda, for illegally imprisoning Badman, the plaintiff, and James Till, churchwardens of the parish of Bermuda. 10. The Colosseum in the Regent's Park opened to private inspection. _  15. His Majesty held a Council this day at Windsor Castle, when the Recorder made his Report, and James Coleman, for coining, and James Wheeler, for highway robbery, were ordered for execution.  is. A dense Fog at mid-day. the Metvepolls enveloped to darkness, though the heavens appeared Illuminated by a ►lase of fine.  Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Mechem of Clarence gave a grand Entertainment to the young QINIISI of Portugal at Bushy Park. The Marquis of Anglesea took his departure from Ireland, and embarked at Dublin.  23. Term commenced. The Doke of Wellington 'netted Warden of the Cinque Ports. 26. A rapid but mild thaw, after a severe frost that lasted 90010 days, when the navigation of the Thames was partially impeded by the ice. 27. Arrived a Russian Ambassador extraordinary. in a special mission to the British Court.  The King of France opened the two tegisbnisre Chambers. 28. Burke executed for murder at Edinburgh, being concerned in the murder of several persons for the purpose of wiling their bodies to the Surgeons.  u. A Council was held at Windsor Castle. when the speech for opening the Session of Parliament was submitted to the King for hit approbation. York Cathedral discovered on Are.  3. Several thousand silk-weavers went in preens/on, and waited on the Duke of Wellington to present a memorial to him respecting the state of the silk trade. The Duke of of Ireland.  gautted u Lad lieutenant  5. The King's speedo, for the opening of Parliament, was read to a party of Ministerial Peers at the house of the Duke of Wellington, and at the residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a party of Commoners, previous to the commencement of the Session to-morrow.  Parliament met for the dispatch of business. The King's speech read, recommending the disabilities of the Catholics to be taken Into consideration by both Houses of Parliament. 10. Mr. O'Connell arrived in town from Dublin. 12. His Majesty held a Court and Council at Windsor. The Duke of Korthumberland kissed handi at being appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.  19. The Duke of Cumberland spoke in the House of Lords against coocessiens to the Catholics.  20. Mr. Peel accepted the Chiltern Hundreds, having vacated his seat for the University of Oxford, and preparatory to offering himself a candidate to represent it in Parliament. 23. The Duke of Clarence delivered a speech in the House of Lords in favour of Catholic Emancipation. 24. The Bill for suppressing the Catholic and other political associations in Ireland passed the House of Lords. '27. A Cabinet Council unexpectedly summoned do meet at the Foreign 061ce. es. Mr. Secretary Peel lost his election for the University of Oxford by the majority of 146 votes.
Star. — 1830-09-13 (London, England)

WORSHIP.STILEZT—R. Wilson, alias " Brighton Dick," was finally examined before Mr. Broughton, with a man named Austin, on , a charge of breaking into and plundering the house of a lady named Stayley, at South lancing, Sussex. [ Armstrong and Attfield, officers of this establishment, have lately found some of the articles pledged at various pawnbrokers' shops in Walworth, by a girl who gave her name Margaret Wilson, 1, Ptinces. row, Walworth. . .  Mrs. Mary Foster, a pretty and very showy-looking little woman, stated herself to be a married person, but said that about 10 years ago, she became acquainted with Wilson, and lived with him till lest June. About the 25th of March, Wilson had been away from home for a day or two, and at two o'clock in the morning she heard a knock, and found Austin and another man at the door, with a tilted can, containing a quantity of furniture, which they brought into the house. Wilson re. turned bow a day or two afterwards, and said be supposed they had got the things all right. Witness had a daughter about lb years of age, who was sent with Austin to pawn some of the articles. Witness continued to live with Wilson, in Prospect-row, till the 17th June, when he absconded with her daughter, whom she had never since beard o£  The prisoners were onnmited for the burglary, to be tried in Surrey.  COURT OF JUSTICIARY, GLASGOW, Septaaber 8.  ir• Feat, porter, was charged with the rnur..er of his wife, Maxwell 11,11 inlay, or M'Feat, in so far as he did, on the 24th of April, in a house in klinspeon's-land, Shuttle-street, Glasgow, strike her several severe blows on the head and other:parts of the body, with his fists, and with kicking and trampling on her belly, and with stabbing her with a pair of scissors ; in consequence of which she was deprived of life, and auelly murdered. Witnesses proved the manner in which the demand came by her death. She was drunk, and singing and dancing in the street, with a child in her arms, and a crowd round her. They went home, a great noise began, such as swearing, &c. Mrs. M'Feat was crying, and witness heard her say more than once, " 0 Goo Almighty I" Witness heard more than one fall in in the house. In the course of the squabble witness went to the door and knocked. She then saw Mrs.ll•Feat !ruing on the floor in front of the bed. One of the daughters opened door. Mrs. M'Feat did not rise, and the husband was close by. He laid hold of his wife by the legs, and threw her with her feet to the door. In drawing her bee clothes were drawn up, and pan of her person exposed. She did not observe any marks of blood at that time. Mrs. was thrown with violence, and the door was shut in witness's face. There was a noise after that similar to what had been before witness went into her own house. A Mrs. Ogilvie came in, and in consequence of what she said, witness went again to West's door, and saw Mrs. M'Feat lying in front of the bed. Wiest was smoking by the fire. Witness went to the bed-side, and put her hand on her; she soon after left the house, and went away on a message. On her return the police were there, and all was over..
Star. — 1830-09-09 (London, England)

BOARD THE LOWTHER CASTLE 41 INGLIS EAST INDIAMEN. VsiatiFflay titling the day appointed for the examination of the four seamen, at theiThanies Police-office, charged with mutiny on board the above-named vessels, during the homeward bound voyage, the Office, and every avenue thereto, was crowded to excess. On Mr Bacr.axxixt and Captain RICIIBELL, the Magistrates, taking their seats, Jaynes Hawkins, a seaman of the Lowther Castle, East indiaman, Captain Rattle, commander, was charged withmutinous conduct. and attempting to stab Mr. John Hayward, the third officer.  Mr. Robert Barton, the fourth officer, stated that on the 27th of June last, the ship was lying off bt. Helena ; he was in charge of the deck, when the prisoner hailed his Majesty's frigate Ariadne, lying near, and made a noise. He immediatily ordered him aft, and the prisoner walked as tar as the gangway, and exclaimed with an oath, that he would go no further, and attempted to come forward. He lad hold of him, and attempted to force him aft, when the prisoner drew his knife, and was about to open it. when he seised him close round the neck, and a struggle took place between them. Witness struck the prisoner, and made his nose bleed, and Hawkins called out " Murder, murder !" Mr. Gilman. the chief officer, then came on deck, and assisted witness to secure the prisoner. The master at arms was then sent for the irons, and the psi. roller said he would not go into them, and drew his knife, and exclaimed that he would kill the first person who laid hold of him. After a det. rmined resistance, witness and the other officers secured the prisoner, but not before he made several attempts to stab Mr. Hayward, the third officer, who came up to assist. Mr. Ballantine.—What object had the prisoner in hailing the Ariadne ? Witness.—He wanted a boat to be sent for him to go there. Mr. John Gilman, the chief officer of the Lowther Castle, stated that he was informed there was a disturbance on deck, and on proceeding above saw Hawkins struggling with Mr. Barton, and heard him making use of abusive language. Mr. B. complained that the prisoner had been hailing the Ariande and making a great noise. Witness ordered the prisoner aft, and repeated the order several times. When the irons were brought he desired Hawkins to go into them, but the prisoner re. fused, drew out his knife, and exclaimed " by the GOD that made me if you attempt to put me, in irons I'll stab the first person who committer me." Other assistance then came up, and the prisoner was laid down. A struggle took place, and the prisoner made three stabs at Mr. Hayward across the loins and cut his jacket open. Witness has no doubt but that for the buckle and strap which Mr. Hayward was wearing he would have been killed. Other assistance then came upon deck, and she prisoner was eventually placed in irons. Mr. John Hayward, the third officer, partly confirmed the evidence of Mr. Barton and Mr. Gisman. The Solicitor for the prosecution said that was his case. Mr.
Star. — 1824-06-21 (London, England)

CORONER'S INQUEST.  OXFORD, JUNE 19. Yesterday an Inquisition was taken by W. MACRT, Esq. Coroner, at South Lawn Lodge, in the Forest of Wychwood, in this county, on the body of James Millin' assistant keeper to Lord Churchill, the Ranger of the Forest, who was found shot, and in a dying state, on Tuesday evening last, between nine and ten o'clock‘ in a copse called Hensgrove. Mr. Young, a farmer of the neighbourhood, deposed, that at the time above mentioned, he heard the report of a gun, and that immediately afterwards a person called for assistance.—He hastened to the spot, and found the deceased lying on the ground, and bleeding profusely from a wound in the left thigh. He immediately went to Astall for assistance. When he returned, he found Millin in the same situation, with his brother and two other persons by him. He then appeared sensible, called for water, and said that he had been shot by poachers, although he did not see them. Joseph Millin, the brother of the deceased, Lord Churchill's keeper, deposed, that on the same evening he was going his rounds, when he heard the report of a gun, which appeared to come from Hensgrove Copse. In going towards the spot he met with Henry Pittaway and W. James, who were going the same way, in consequence of having heard the report of the gun. They asked Joseph Millin, if he had shot? he said he had not, but some one else had. They said they heard a shot, and the cry of murder, and from the voice they thought it was James Millin. They proceeded onwards, and found the deceased as before described. They carried him to South House Lodge, the residence of Joseph his brother, where he expired about eleven the same evening. Since the death of James, his brother Joseph, the deponent, examined the spot where deceased had been shot, and plainly discovered the place whence the gun had been discharged, by. the marks of powder on the leaves and branches of the trees, about ten yards from the place where deceased fell. In a direct line was found a leaden bullet, which bad ploughed up the ground, and was found, in the presence of deponent, buried therein. James could give no account of the person or persons who shot him. Mr. Batt, surgeon of Witney, proved that the wound was from a gun shot in the inner part of the left thigh, which divided the femoral artery, and produced hemorrhage, which caused his death. Verdict— Wilful Madea against some person or persons unknown. Two persons suspected of the murder were taken up and examined, but no evidence being adduced against them they were discharged. It is conjectured that James was shot by mistake, as he hAd been only a short time in the service of Lutd Churchill, and that the murderers imagined it was his brother, who has been very active in the detection of poachers. The deceased has left a wile and one child, and was a remarkably sober and steady mars.  Tro ma