npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1865-07-29 (London, England)

PRITCHARD. Both were members of the medical profession, and of some repute in their calling, both employed nearly the same poisons and sacrificed several victims, strangely enough both destroying their wives and wives' mothers. Indeed, it is difficult to tell how many fell -a prey to the crafty designs of these accomplished villains. Both were pleasing in appearance, of good manners, and well calculated to mix in polished society. These characteristics, of course, disarmed suspicion, and enabled them to put their skill and learning to fatal uses. It is a triumph of science that such ingenious devices as these resorted to by these hypocrites should have been detected, and it is earnestly to be trusted that this second grand discovery of intricate manoeuvres and deep designs will deter, if not altogether prevent, the repetition of such fearful crimes. In some respects Dr. PRITCHARD and PALMER stand out from amidst other criminals of their age for their utter depravity and want of feeling. There can be no worse phase of murder no where in the dark annals of crime, more repulsive for the mind to dwell upon, and more inimical to the feelings of our common nature, than the deeds of which they were convicted. It is really a sort of relief to think that they have suffered for their fearful acts according to the utmost rigour of the law, and that the mistaken course often adopted in such affairs was not followed in their cases. It is difficult enough to detect the machinations of such manceuvres when they are suspected, which is also slow to occur, and the only possible manner of dealing with such offenders is to carry out the extreme letter of the law. It is the bounden duty of those who minister the law to do their utmost for the protection of the community, and the suppression of wickedness and vice, and murder ranks foremost among crimes of the darkest dye. A useful lesson may be learned from the details of these horrors, and that is, for those who may be so unfortunate as to come in contact with doubtful cases, not to suppose that it is impossible for people to be so cruel or that it is not likely for those in a good position of society to perpetrate such deeds. Experience has shown that those who are removed from the temptations of want, the debasements of poverty, and the influence of depraved horror,w companionship,h ehstartle aIl d fora a n dr capable be r mefimpress rpeesrs i bdo yf puthterother committingextent x t ande nt crimes maonr de immediate objects of interest and excitement from the thoughts of a busy world. Dr. PRITCHARD may have many to emulate him, and some who are now pursuing his dark and deadly path. It behoves all who have reasonable grounds for suspicion to be on their guard not to let such miscreants escape ; and - especially is it important for it to be clearly understood that on no pretext whatever will such culprits be exempted from their sentence when once conviction has token place.  MR.
The Sun. — 1865-07-29 (London, England)

PRITCHARD. Both Were members of the medical profession, and of some repute in their calling, both 'employed nearly the same poisons and sacrificed several victims, strangely enough both destroying their wives and wives' mothers. Indeed, it is difficult to tell how many fell a prey to the crafty designs of these accomplished villains. Both were pleasing in appearance, of good manners, and well calculated to mix in polished society. These characteristics, of course, disarmed suspicion, and enabled them to put their skill and learning to fatal uses. It is a triumph of science that such ingenious devices as these resorted to by these hypocrites should have been detected, and it is earnestly to be trusted that this second grand discovery of intricate manoeuvres and deep designs will deter, if not altogether prevent, the repetition of such fearful crimes. h some respects Dr. PRITCHARD and PALMER stand out from amidst other criminals of their age for their utter depravity and want of feeling. There can be no worse phase of murder no where in the dark annals of crime, more repulsive for the mind to dwell upon, and more inimical to the feelings of our common nature, than the deeds of which they were convicted. It is really a sort of relief to think that they have suffered for their fearful acts according to the utmost rigour of the law, and that the mistaken course often adopted in such affairs was not followed in their cases. It is difficult enough to detect the machinations of such manoeuvres when they are suspected, which is also slow to occur, and the only possible manner of dealing with such offenders is to carry out the extreme letter of the law. It is the bounden duty of those who minister the law to do their utmost for the protection of the community, and the suppression of wickedness and vice, and murder ranks foremost among crimes of the darkest dye. A useful lesson may be learned from the details of these horrors, and that is, for those who may be so unfortunate as to come in contact with doubtful cases, not to suppose that it is impossible for people to be so cruel or that it is not likely for those in a good position of society to perpetrate such deeds. Experience has shown that those who are removed from the temptations of want, the debasements of poverty, and the influence of depraved companionship, are capable of committing crimes which startle and impress by their extent and horror, and for a brief period put other and more immediate objects of interest and excitement from the thoughts of a busy world. Dr. PRITCIIARD may have many to emulate him, and some who are now pursuing his dark and deadly path. It behoves all who have reasonable grounds for suspicion to be on war their guard not to let such miscreants escape ; and teitvtoer thatbweilellseanerhlyeunnlpdriertasegtoPoedciallyis it noimportant pretext h fo on be exempted from their sentence when once conviction has taken place.  MR.
The Sun. — 1865-05-03 (London, England)

NORWICII.  A town's meeting was held here yesterday for the purpose of expressing sympathy with the American people and Government for the loss which they have sustained through the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. The Mayor (Mr. C. E. Tuck) presided, and stated that apologies had been received from the Bishop of Norwich and other gentlemen, for their u9avoidable absence. The Rev. Canon lleaviside, in a long and able speech, moved a resolution to the effect that the meeting desired to express the greatest regret at the calamity brought upon the people of the United States of America by the assassination of Presilent Lincoln ; that the V meeting regarded with horror and detestation the crime by which the President's life was sacrificed, and that in the name of the citizens of Norwich it begged to offer to the Government and people of the United States the most sincere and earnest sympathy with them in the loss which had so suddenly befallen them. Mr. H. Birkbeck seconded the resolution, which was car ried ; and on the motion of Mr. Chancellor Evans, seconded by Mr. J. H. Tillett, it was agreed that the mayor should forward a copy of it to his Excellency the American Minister for transmission to Washington. The following interesting extracts from a letter dated New York, April 18, were read by Mr. Tillett  " The funeral of our good President will be religiously observed, and few hearts in this city, once so opposed to him, will fail to be sad. I never saw anything like it ; nothing is so easy of detection as insincere sorrow ; .nothing more plainly understood and felt than the true sorrow of a large community. The faces of Saturday and Sunday are never to be forgotten. . . . If the good man, good old honest Abe, could return to us, ho would ask out of his brave kind heart one change only in the present national feeling ; he would allay the deep terrible frenzy of the people against his 'murderer and his murderer's abettors. . . . The feeling is calmer now, and by the common consent of all parties Mr. Johnson has cordial support in his new and most trying position, and I firmly believe all will end well. I looked, as you know, on Mr. Lincoln as the safety-valve of that great people. He had in Mr. Seward the safest of his advisers. Mr. Seward is left to us. Of Mr. Johnson I have never said much. I respect him, however, as the only Southern senator who in 1861 did not turn traitor. He has worked manfully for the good cause ; he has been in peril of life and fortune for four long years; and it is our duty to forget his one fault and to seek only for his virtues. Confidence is generally of slow growth, but much is felt which four days ago was not felt. My fears are less and my hopes are more. By `common consent no business is done that can be avoided ; all efforts are directed to support the credit of the country, and it may be truly said that such a financial exhibit as Wall-street made on the 15th, 17th, and 18th of April, the three days following the President's assassination, was never made before anywhere under such disturbing circumstances."
The Sun. — 1865-05-03 (London, England)

NORWICH.  A town's meeting was held here yesterday for the purpose of expressing sympathy with the American people and Government for the loss which they have sustained through the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. The Mayor (Mr. C. E. Tuck) presided, and stated that apologies had been received from the Bishop of Norwich and other gentlemen, for their unavoidable absence. The Rev. Canon Heaviside, in a long and able speech, moved a resolution to the effect that the meeting desired to express the greatest regret at the calamity brought upon the people of the United States of America by the assassination of Presilent Lincoln ; that the meeting regarded with horror and detestation the crime by which the President's life was sacrificed, and that in the name of the citizens of Norwich it begged to offer to the Government and people of the United States the most sincere and earnest sympathy with them in the loss which had so suddenly befallen them. Mr. H. Birkbeck seconded the resolution, which was car ried and on the motion of Mr. Chancellor Evans, seconded by Mr. J. H. Tillett, it was agreed that the mayor should forward a copy of it to his Excellency the American Minister for transmission to Washington. The following interesting extracts from a letter dated New York, April 18, were read by Mr. Tillett  " The funeral of our good President will be religiously observed, and few hearts in this city, once so opposed to him, will fail to be sad. I never saw anything like it ; nothing is so easy of detection as insincere sorrow; nothing more plainly understood and felt than the true sorrow of a large community. The faces of Saturday and Sunday are never to be forgotten. . . . If the good man, good old honest Abe, could return to us, he would ask out of his brave kind heart one change only in the present national feeling ; he would allay the deep terrible frenzy of the people against his murderer and his murderer's abettors. . . . The feeling is calmer now, and by the common consent of all parties Mr. Johnson has cordial support in his new and most trying position, and I firmly believe all will end well. I looked, as you know, on Mr. Lincoln as the safety-valve of that great people. He had in Mr. Seward the safest of his advisers. Mr. Seward is left to us. Of Mr. Johnson I have never said much. I respect him, however, as the only Southern senator who in 1861 did not turn traitor. He has worked manfully for the good cause; he has been in peril of life and fortune for four long years; and it is our duty to forget his one fault and to seek only for his virtues. Confidence is generally of slow growth, but much is felt which four days ago was not felt. My fears are less and my hopes are more. By common consent no business is done that can be avoided ; all efforts are directed to support the credit of the country, and it may be truly said that such a financial exhibit as Wall-street made on the 15th, 17th, and 18th of April, the three days following the President's assassination, was never made before anywhere under such disturbing circumstances,"
The Sun. — 1865-05-24 (London, England)

INTERVIEW WITH GENERAL JOHNSTON.— Gen. Johnston's camp was a very plain one, scarcely as respectable as a division general's in the Union army. The tents were old, and scattered about without much regard to regularity. The general's tent was a plain wall tent, not much better than the rest. In front of this General Johnston and some five or six officers of his staff were sitting. On the lid of a mess chest near them were the remains of a very plain frugal supper. Johnston is a man of about five feet nine inches in height, rather slight, but muscularly built frame. From appearance I should take him to be about 50. Only that his hair and beard are so grey you would not think him so old. He is evidently a man of great reflective powers, schooled y, combined with untiring into energy. th e greatest test conversation s u bse r i e isn so natural, dignified, and easy that you at once feel at your ease, though at the same time you are conscious that he is reading your thoughtsrefined ease and n lie possesses much of the penetration and firmness of a soldier. Ile conversed freely. A solpegenanes book.of a gentleman with the remark was made on the hopelessness of the South contending against the North with her vast wealth and unbounded resources, both in men and means. While this war has depopulated and devasted the South the North was never so flourishing, nor never had so large a population. "True enough; yet we did not fail so much from the want of men and means as from mismanagement. Had we your Government, sir, the result might bo quite different." Ho thinks the mass of the people will quietly return to their homes and conform to the new state of things. He was bitter on the murder of President Lincoln. " Lincoln, sir," he said, "was a good man and a conservative man. His death placed in power a man of radical principles—a —Southern man—a man, I fear, of strong private prejudices, who will not try to heal up the wounds of the nation. The scoundrel Booth was a hot-brained man, full of a kind of tragic desire of immortality. He was no friend to the South. If at any time such an act could complicate the Federal Government it is not now. Even should the President's death help our cause for a season it would be sure to bring a curse upon it ; for never did a cause flourish by assassination. All good men and true soldiers deprecate the assassin. I hope he may bo taken alive, in order to come at his accomplices." General Johnston spoke in very flattering terms of General Sherman's abilities ; but was very bitter on Jeff. Davis—in fact, attributing the whole failure to his bungling administration.—New York Ilerald. The subscription list of the A Stock of the Metropolitan Extension Railways of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Company is to close on Saturday next for London, and on Monday for the country.
The Sun. — 1865-05-24 (London, England)

THE TRIAL OF DR. PRITCHARD.—WC learn that the trial of Dr. Pritchard, on the charge of murdering his wife and mother-in-law by means of poison, will take place at Edinburgh, for certain, between the 15th and 20th of June next—that is, if it does not commmence on Thursday the 15th, it will on Monday the 19th, or Tuesday the 20th. The Lord Justice-Clerk will judge the case and take notes of the evidence, although two other Justiciary Judges, who have not yet been fixed on, will also be on the bench. The Lord Advocate will conduct the prosecution.—Glastiow Mining hurnal.  The Paris Savings' Bank received, during the fortnight ending 22d inst., deposits amounting to 748,102 fr., and reimbursed the sum of 782,755 fr. During the same period the payments made into the Caisse de Retraites for the Aged were 104,341 fr. The bulletin of the Paris Observatory gives the following as the atmospheric state of Europe yesterday : "The considerable barometrical decline which had taken place on Sunday morning on the Channel produced a storm which last evening crossed the north-west of France. At six the  weather was rough at Havre ; at nine lightning gleamed over Paris ; and at half-past ten the storm burst over the capital. The barometer is continuing to fall on the north-west of Europe, but is rising over Spain. A squall is passing over the north-west of England, and fresh storms appear to be passing over France from the Bay of Biscay towards the North Sea." Yesterday afternoon at three, in Paris, the thermometer marked 261 Centigrade (10 Fahrenheit). About seven in the evening some flashes of lightning were visible with thunder, but at a great distance to the north-west. A letter from Athens states that a serious accident has happened to General Vlachopoulo. While standing on the balcony in front of his house, the balustrade suddenly gave way and he fell into the street, dislocating one of his feet, cutting both his hands, and giving his whole system a most violent shock.  BOURSE, May 23.—There is little in the aspect of the market to-day to call for particular notice— business having been conducted at about yesterday's closing rates. Threes, for the Account, remain unchanged at 67f. 35c. Mobilier Shares have fluctuated between 775 fr. and 767 fr., the latter being the ruling quotation at this hour. The Stock of the Mexican Loan and Italian Five per Cents. have slightly improved, the former being negotiated at 47fr. 25c., and the latter at 40fr. 90c. The market has not maintained the attitude it assumed at the opening, and transactions in the two principal Securities have taken place at lower rates----the following being the closing quotations : _  _ 4-} per Cents 95 a ltalian Loan 65 95 Do. end month — Do. end month 65 82 3 per Cents. 67 20 Ditto Threes 66 20 Do. end month 67 221 New Mexican Credit Mobilier ... 762 50 Russian —  Do. end month ... 765 Austrian  Bank Shares 3620 Spanish Threes ... --Credit Fonder 1270 Home Debt — Roman 75 50 Deferred
The Sun. — 1865-01-26 (London, England)

CHARLES A. WINCHESTER, Consul (Signed) and Coroner. Speaking of the funeral, the Japan Herald says : —We could scarcely be expected to note a descriptive account of this heartrending ceremony, but have since obtained the following particulars : The coffins, which were on artillery carriages, drawn by the men of that corps, were first followed by Lieut.-Col. Browne as chief mourner ; the pall of that enclosing the remains of Major Baldwin being borne by Colonel Penrose, R.M.L.I. ; Major Miller, 67th; Major Ord, 20th; Major Wray, R.E. ; and those of Lieutenant Bird by Lieutenants Fraser, Webster, Wahal, and Barlow, all of the 20th. The firing party consisted of 240 rank and file of the 20th, under command of Captain Rochefort. We must not, however, omit to add, for the information of the friends of the deceased, who will doubtless desire to acknowledge for themselves the considerate condolence, that not only were there present, as we have said above, the ministers, consuls, and naval and military officers of all foreign powers, but that a detachment of 150 men of H. I. M.t.s Semiramis, under command of Lieut. Mict, formed a part of the mournful cortege. And now, having " buried our dead," we rejoice to be able to add here intelligence which will we doubt not be received with universal gratification. We know, from the best authority, that Sir Rutherford Alcock is resolutely determined by every means at his command, to urge and, if necessary, compel the Japanese authorities to do their utmost to discover and deliver up the murderers; let none therefore imagine that in that quarter there can be any irresolution, torpidity, or disinclination sincerely to follow this matter to its end ; we believe Sir R. Alcock would value this discovery—this retribution, more than he ever valued any honours or praise which have been showered upon him ; we believe his heart is in it. We rejoice, too, to be able to say that we have the best authority for believing that the charge which we have so often heard generally made, even in official as well as in far less influential quarters, that " the Japanese authorities make it their policy to shroud and conceal offenders against foreigners" is now, this time at least, being most satisfactorily disproved. ,The Japanese authorities are, we know, professing to do their very utmost to bring the assassins to justice ; we have good ground for the belief that they are sincere in their professions. The Overland China Mail, of Dec. 15, has the  • following remarks " The question that arises is simply whether or not Sir Rutherford Alcock, who has always been sufficiently pugnacious, if not more so, will avail himself of the very powerful armament now at his command in Chinese waters or on shore at Shanghae, Hong Kong, and Japan, to ' strike a blow' at the Japanese authorities, which will suffice to remind them that the lives of Englishmen are respected by their Government. The question of the assassination of foreigners in Japan has now, we think, comto a Lead, It is many years ago since we pointed
The Sun. — 1865-07-01 (London, England)

THAMES.  ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A WOMAN BY HER PARAMOUR. —Henry Smith, a dock labourer, aged 49, was brought before Mr. Partridge charged with attempting to murder a young woman named Esther Cooke by stabbing her on the neck with a knife.  It appeared that the prosecutrix and the prisoner had lived together as man and wifo. Their quarrels had been frequent, and she was subjected to great violence from him. He was a very brutal fellow. They separated 12 months ago, and the prisoner since that time frequently annoyed and threatened the woman because she declined to renew the connexion which formerly existed. She obtained a comfortable living as a charwoman. Last night she went into the tap-house of the St. George Brewery, Churchlane, with a female acquaintance, and they remained there two hours over a pint of beer. The prisoner was there, he did not exchange a word with the woman, but he occasionally nodded to them and laughed at them. He left the house a quarter of an hour before them. When they left the beerhouse he was on the opposite side of the way. The prisoner asked Cooke to come across the way to him. She went to the edge of the kerb stone, and stood there. The prisoner came across the road to her, and she leant against the beerhouse door. The prisoner said, "Are you going to stick in there," to which she replied, " Yes ; I have no other place to go." The prisoner said, " I'll be hung for you." The woman said, "I do not care." He then put his hand in his pocket, opened a clasp knife, and stabbed her on the throat. The blade of the knife went through her bonnet strings, and sho was soon covered with blood. The prisoner ran away. She pursued him a short distance, with the blood gushing from the wound, and called out "Murder, murder, stop him." She soon fell from exhaustion, caused by the loss of blood, and was raised by the bystanders, who carried her to the stationhouse in Leman-street,Whitechapel, to charge the prisoner. Ile was captured by George Foster, a police-constable, No. 207 11, as ho vas running across the High-street. Foster said the prisoner made a laugh of the affair, and gloated over what he had done.  Jane Withenall, a married woman, confirmed the statement of Esther Cooke as to the occurrences of the preceding night in every particular, and added that a week ago, in a conversation with the prisoner, he said, in speaking of the prosecutrix, " I'll be hanged for her. I'll do for her. I'll stab her."  Mr. John Connley, surgeon, of High-street, Whitechapel, said he dressed the wound of the prosecutrix at the station house. She lost a largo quantity of blood, and had been very ill and weak all night. A severe wound had been inflicted just above the neck bone. It took an oblique direction, was an inch and a half in depth, and threequarters of an inch in width. Had it not taken the direction it did the wound would have been fatal. The prisoner said ho would reserve his defence, and Mr. Partridge committed him for trial.