npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, etc. — 1915-03-20 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

GAWTHORNE MURDER CHARGE.  SILVERWOOD ACQUITTED.  Absence of Motive.  At the Leeds A`ISIZeS on Tuesday, Samuel Willie Silverwood. aged Kt. a farmer. itas indieted for the wilful murder of Amy Newton, a married woman. of Cawthorne, near Barnsley, on Dee. 28th. Mr. Lowenthal proeecuted. and Mr. Mellor defended. From the opening statement of Mr. Lowenthat, it appeared that little or no motive could be suggested for the crime. Mrs. Newton lived with her husband in a terrace of oottages at rawthorne, and prisoner, who was formerly a farmer, but who for two years had done no work lived at the end of the terrace. On the erecting of Der. 28th last, Mr. and Mrs. Newton were having tea, when the prisoner's voice was heard outside, exelairalog. "Where the --- are thou E•" Mrs. Newton got up and opened the deor. and immediately she did so A gun wais fired, and she fell back on to the floor of the house. She had been shot at clew range, and twenty , minutes later she died. Just after the shot had been fired prisoner returned to his eat!tug°. and RS. he went up the yard he was ' heard to sav "That will stand twelve months." He went into his cottage, and later the sem: evening he was arrested, and in reply to the charge of murder said he was throwing the gun over his arm and it went eff. With reference to that suggestiop. coar.sel pointed out that the higger guard of the converted sot-rice rifle which prisoner used defective,was and it was improbable, if not itupossilile, that the gun could have gone off accidentally. The only evidenee of motive. that uould he advareed was that in the summer the prisoner was alleged te have remarked to a neighbouring farmer that Mrs. Newton "was no good to him." that she either "was saying something or 'skitting at him, and that he had had a lot to swallow." The evidence of Albert Newton, the husband of the deceased women, was in confirmsfirm of counsel's opening. and in crose-examination he said he did not know that there bad ever been any ill-feeling between his wife and the prisoner. Freclk Wm Legg said he remembered an occlusion last simmer when. Mrs. Newton passed him when he was talking to the prisoner. Prisoner then remarked, "That woman is no good to me. She has either something to say or she is skirting at me." Charles Bentley, a gnnsinith, of Barnsley, ears expert evidence as to the condition of the guy. which could not be fired without considerable trouble. The trigger-guard was loose, and before the trigger could be polled the trigger had to he pressed elosely to the gun stock. Mr. Mellor, for the defence, submitted that the gun had gone off by accident. . .  Hi-s-Lordship. in summing up. rommented ' upon the shsenee of motive, and upon the Sfact that the prisoner had made no attempt to run sway from the consequences of his act. His conduct wets scarcely consistent with the eonduct of a man who had just shot his neighbour's wife. The jury, after nearly an hour's absence, returned a verdict of "Not guilty," and prisoner was diecharged.
Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, etc. — 1915-12-11 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

THE DOGS OF PEACE.  The baying of the dogs of peace sounds ever louder, and there can be no doubt that the lull energy of German propagandists is directed to the creation of a peace atmosphere. It is very much to the interest of the Entente Powers that there should be neither peace nor talk of peace at the present time. The Central Powers have been too recently at the zenith of their military power—indeed can we say, honestly, that they have not commenced to decline v—and we are only just beginning to recover from the very nadir of our prospects. The tide is beginning to turn in our favour; we are waxing, while the enemy is waning. Germany has, we all believe, established the maximum of possible achievement; she has nothing more to gain from continuance of a war which is draining her of her manhood and inflicting irreparable damage upon her economic state. The present. is the most favourable juncture for the conclusion of an armistice so far as Germany is concerned. That is why peace mutterings are developing the proportions of thunder. We hear them cornin., from the Vatican, from America (whence Mr. Ford's comic-opera Peace Mission has already put forth), from Switzerland, from wherever German agents can get an opening and a hearing. _  There is even an insidious campaign proceeding here in the 'United Kingdom, and that campaign will, at the first sign of weakening in the British resolution, boldly come forward in the guise of a Party determined to compel the Government to make peace, or in the alternative to overthrow the Government and instal one that will consent to the escape of the Hohenzollern and Hapsburg criminals. Thank Heaven, Britain's courage is as high to-day. her tenacity as pronounced, and her determination as unwavering, as ever they were: and there is more in the military outlook to-day to encourage us to fight on. and to endure to the end, than ever there has been at any previous stage of the struggle. Our enemies are steadily approaching , the breaking point. The murderers of civilisation. the brigands of society, are at the point of being captured and brought to justice. What wicked folly, then, is this that. suggests that Nemesis 'should relent, and that. retribution should be restrained? "We shall not sheathe the sword,' said King George, "until our purpose is accomplished." Mr. Asquith declares that we shall not so much AS think of peace until Belgium—and, he might add now, Poland and Serbia—are restored and recompensed. "You have only to endure," said Mr. Churchill, in one of his flashes of lofty inspiration. "The enemy," says General Gallieni, the French War Minister, "is in a vice. He can only escape if our tenacity falters." Let us not, therefore, deceive ourselves with hopes of an early peace, but press forward steadily to the mark. When the Central Powers are overthrown and their br9oding menace is removed for ever from the civilisation and Christianity of the world, then shall we have peace, and shall rejoice and be glad in it.
Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, etc. — 1915-05-29 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

RMY. pletely blocking the. line, and inio the roses pay note. tune. Writing to Mr. Brown, he says, "We now_ Liar night and the two pre ' Ile nights were regular 'hot 'uns.' Both our men and tew user of bf° er'mPatlY left with Ines Be of wreckage the expreas imbed at great speed. are progressing nicely now, although we have hundreds of persons were imprisoned in the caterten been practically at a standstill all winter, the Germans started 'd firing, and it fairly received wounds in the abdomen on the 7th question discussed aswpapgie_ia. 'kERT. debris, which cangh- fire, and to the horrors awarded. azid 'Sr. Wadswovrtohr.ks;'iii.rPe"Getwaalo r - which has been a very hard one. I can tell see them spitting inst„ whilst holding a trench in the first line of manning we're added the apses, of a death oueated to ask the South you it was not very pleasant when we had to rained bullets. I could against the wall like lightning, and don't for. tinder most terrific shell fire. I saw him the t them at an early by burning. The derstib-roll is eleekoned by era. - stand in the trenches up to our knees in mud get it we, very exciting. I was glad when it night before, he having been Rent with a ""4 the railway authorities to be 158. and the list Le men and boys, apart from coat. and water. We have got over that, and are ceased, but we are getting so used to it that, we think nothing about it now. It would 60 message to the Headquarters dug-out, and although—poor boy--a bit shaken with the of injured 175. Nearly all of these victims Al di;waucts.."'snthteommate.ete. a which also applied getter!. and fillers. to edato still smiling, especially now that the nice 're soldiers. It was agreed to carry out the recommenda• weather has arrived. Well, I must say that mono of the young men who have not enlisted heavy coneu&sion of shell ire—as indeed all good to be here a bit: then they would not up there must have beene-he returned pis• Labour Party held ?heir lama' meeting tion el tle Coal Conciliation Board, and this is a terrible war. In fact, it is worse to jeer at a common Territorial, and Lastly to his company. Although I had not than war. It is simply murder the way they be ready 4ay morning. en May Day Green, advise all men and boys to attend work as There was a laere audience pre- regularly as possible, are fighting, and especially now that they they would wish they had been Territorials known your eon long I knew enough to tea 'he following resolution was supply the coal repaired for the nations' and do their utmost to. are using that poisonous gas. But our men and gont through a course of training as we have given them a surprise onee or twice. by have done. I am sure I am a lot better off lies we have lost a most promising officer _ _ and brave comrade. Allow me to offer deep T.A13017R PARTY'S having their respirators on and waiting for and proud to be a 'Terrier.' I shall always sympathy in your sad logs." '
Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, etc. — 1915-05-29 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

PROGRESSING NICELY NOW.''  IPrivate li. Willshaw writes the following interesting letter from the trenches, to Mr. 'li. Brown, 29, Albert road, Mexboro'. Pte. WHlshaw was postman at Mexboro' at the time of the outbreak of the war. He is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Willshaw, Hale 11011140, Bleasby, near Nottingham. Be had • served seven years in the army. of which six I years were spent in India with the Worcester. shire Regiment. He left Mexboro on the fith of August last year, and rejoined his regi, ment, leaving England on the 13th of August with the British Expeditionary Force for the front, and has been all the way through the campaign without meeting with any misfortune. Writing to Mr. Brown, he says, "We are progressing nicely now, although we have been practically at a standstill all winter, which has been a very hard one. I can tell you it was not very pleasant when we had to , stand in the trenches up to our knees in mud land water. We have got over that, and are I still smiling, especially now that the nice ! weather has arrived. Well, I must say that I this is a terrible war. In fact, it is worse than war. It is simply murder the way they are fighting, and especially now that they lare using that poisonous gar. But onr men I have given them a surprise onee or twice. by I, having their respirators on and waiting for , them after they have sent the gas over. We , : have not only had narrow escapes with the , I gas, hut with their shells as well. I would just like to relate to you a little incident which occurred the other day, when we were in the trenches. We were just going to have a drink of tea when the Germans started sending heavy shrapnel shells over our trenches, and, worse luck, they wounded a i few. There was one young man the other I side of me who was in the trenches for the I first time. He got a piece of shell through , his back and head, and it killed him outright. So you see, we never know what is . going to happen. The day after we had rather an exciting time. One of our brave airmen brought a German aeroplane down, and you should have seen him turn a somersault before he dropped. I am writing this , letter while we are out for four days' rest after doing twelve days in the trenches, but we are not far from the trenches and we can still hear the big guns roaring day and night, , in fact, there are some guns behind us and . some in front; indeed, they are all round us. I We are all living in hopes of soon hearing I the last of the Germans, for I would not like to think that we had got to have another winter out here. It is terrible when we think of the lives which have been sacrificed during this great war. We must not only give credit to our brave men who have volunteered to come out to the front, but also to the women who have given up their husbands and loved ones so freely for their King and Country. All that we can do is to pray that I God will bring us all back victorious."
The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1893-10-14 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE DUTCH MYSTERY.  It is reported from Amsterdam that the judicial authorities have decided, after consultation with several medical men, that hypnotic experiments shall be made upon De Jong. The law does not forbid resort to hypnotism; but prisoners cannot be convicted on confessions made by them while in a hypnotic sleep. The object will, therefore, be merely to abstract from him information regarding the missing women which he refuses to give voluntarily. The experiments will be made by Dr. De Jong, of the Hague, a specialist on mental diseases, and Dr. van Renterghem, of Amsterdam, who will visit the prisoner ostensibly for the purpose of examining the state el his mind.  _ _ Mr Juett, father of the young lady who has disappeared, has supplied some further particulars regarding his connections with De Jong. Before the marriage the Dutchman appeared very jealous, and when he was going on his last voyage as steward he threatened his fiancee, with a fierce look, that he would kill her if she were not true to him. On his return from Calcutta, De Jong showed Mr. Juett a letter, telling him that it related to his pnrohase of the Stub; Hotel at Arnhem, that he was going to start business there on August 1, and that he wanted to get married at the earliest possible moment. Several times De Jong urged Mr. Juett to acoompany him to Holland to see the hotel, but the latter was prevented from going by business. "Had I been able to go," said Mr. Juett, "all would have been different. Possibly De Jong would have murdered me too."  After his marriage De Jong wrote to Maiden. head only once, his letter being addressed to Miss Louis Juett, his wife's sister, whom he told that his wife was ill and he begged that no more letters should be sent to the Skis Hotel. It was not on August 26, as Mr. Juett, _jun., said by mistake, but on August 19 that De Jong returned to Maidenhead, in order to announce to the family that We wife had fled with a rich American. He alleged at the time that the elopement had taken place nine days before, and said that he was going by the Italia to New York, to find his wife'. seducer, whom he resolved to kill. The man, he said, had taken off his wife's clothes in a large bag. Mr. Juett says that he has been reproached by his family for not having handed De Jong there and then over to the police ; but he explains that the story was so plausibly told, and in the absence of all proof he felt a difficulty in treating so summarily a man with whom lie had previously been on terms of friendship. Now, however, the bereaved father had no doubt whatever that his daughter had been murdered, for if she were alive she would have found some means of informing her family of her safety. The canals in the neighbourhood of Naarden have been dragged by the police, in pursuance of the search for the remains of Miss Juett and Miss Schmitz. The Laranberg and Dennenoord Woods were also carefully searched, but without result.
The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1893-07-29 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

WORMWOOD SCRUBBS MURDER.  OF 000 KS.  Police.oonstable Cooke wes executed at Newgate at 9 o'clock on Tuesday tn, rning, for the murder of Maud Merton, at Wormv.ood Scrubba. A large number of persons had assembled in Old Miley some time before 8 o'clock. At 20 minutes to 9 awarder made his appearance on the rpof of the prison, where the black flag was hoisted. When the sentence was known t ) have been carried out, the crowd, among whom not a word had '.een uttrxed against Cooke, hooted. The convict went to bed about 10 o'clock on Monday night, his usual hour, but thronghont the night he was very restless and slept Ittle. He got up shortly before 7 o'clock, and quickly dressed in the clothes which he wore at his trial. Breakfast, which consisted of two eggs, and bread and butter and tea, was brought to his cell soon afterwards, but he ate very splringly. During the brief interval the convict spoke cheerfully with the warders, whom he most heartily thanked for their kindness. The chaplin remained with the unhappy men until within a few minutes of the time fixed for the execution. Colonel Milman, the governor of the gaol, Dr. Gilbert, the medical officer, and Mr. Under Sheriff Hales, arrived at the prison a short time before 9 o'clock. The passing bell of the Church of St. Sepulchre commenced to toll at a quarter to 9. At three minutes to the hour Billington, the executioner, was introduced into the condemned cell, where, in the presence of the governor, the Under Sheriff, and Mr. Gilbert he proceeded to pinion the arms of the culprit, an operation which was quietly and expeditiously carried out. Cooke offered no resistance, nor did ' he make any observation during the process. On leaving the cell a procession was started for the scaffold. The way was led by a warder, behind whom came the chaplin, reciting a short service taken from the Service for the Burial of the Dead. The convict, who walked between two warders, is said to have borne himself at this trying moment with remarkable fortitude. He did not falter in the least, but walked with a firm step to the scaffold, which is situated within a very few paces of the condemned cell. The final preparations were very quickly carried out. The convict, who stood nearly six feet, and weighed about 12 stone, was given a drop of over six feet. Death was said to have been instantaneous, and the execution to have been carried out in all respects satesfactorily. Cooke is understood to have died penitent. An inquest was afterwards held on the body of Cooke. Colonel Milman, the governor of the prison, and Dr. Gilbert, the medical officer, gave formal evidence as to the execution being performed satisfactorily. The cause of death .was stated to be dislocation and fracture of the neck. The drop allowed was 6ft. 3in. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the esidenoe.
The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1893-07-29 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

APPEAL FOR MURDERERS.  SINGULAR CASK.  Tile Lord Chancellor and other members of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council have given judgment in the case of Makin v. the Attorney General of New South Wales, which SVAIS a baby farming case from New South Wales.—The appellants were John Makin and his wife. On toe 20th February last an, indictment was filed 6y the Attorney General of the Colony, in the Sydney gaol delivery held at Darlinghurst, charging John Makin and his wire, Sarah Makin, with the murder, on the 29,6 of June, 1892, at Redferu, New South Wales, of various children, and at the same time awl place with the murder of a male infant wrose name was unknown. The prisoners pleaded "not guilty."—Tuey were tried in Marc before cute of toe judges of the Supreme Court and n Jury, and were convicted and sentenced to be hared on the second count of the indictment. In th... ciurse of the evidence, and after the Judge had coarged the Jury, certain points were reservea and objections were taken by the prisoners' counsel for the consideration of the Supreme Court of the Colony. The special case came ,u for hearing before the Supreme Court on March 23, and seven days later it was ordered that to- conviction should be sustained. The prisoneis submitted that the judgment of the Supreme Court was erroneous, on the ground that the evicieuue of the finding of the bodies other than the body of the child alleged to be Horace Murray was wrongly admitted ; that the evidence of certain witnesses was wrongly admitted, and that there was no evidence of the death, or csuse of death, of Horace Murray, or that he was murdered at all. The prisoners, therefore, prayed that her Majesty in Council would be pleased to order that they should have special leave to appeal, and be at liberty to prosecute their appeal from the judgment of the Supreme Court of New South Walez ; and that in the meantime all further proceedings ehould be stayed. —Mr. Fullerton, on behalf of the appellants, submitted that the evidence referred to must have affected the minds of the jury, and he suggested that the practice of the English Courts was to exclude evidence of the kind.—Sir Edward Clarke, for the respondent, submitted that the evidence was admissible, and urged that no person could suggest that the jury could come to a different conclusion upon the evidepoe.—Mr. Fullerton pointed out that at least ten children were found in charge of the prisoners, the whole of whom, on being taken to the workhouse, were found to be suffering from narcotic. symptons.—The Lord Chancellor, after the Committee had conferred in private for some time, said they had decided to advise her Majesty that the evidence in question was admissible, and that the appeal should be dismissed. They would give the reasons to her Majesty that had induced them to arrive at that decision. In the meantime they made the intimation.—The date of the prisoners' execution is fixed a week hence