npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Warrington Examiner. — 1876-04-22 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

THE BLACKBIIR-R CHILD MURDER.  CONFESSION OF THE MIBIDERER.  A discovery which seems to point conclusively to the murderer of the poor child Holland, at Blackburn, was made on Sunday night. The story is in all respects the most truly "sensational" that has been developed for many years. Whilst the police were ostentatiously arresting and interrogating wayfarers in all parts of the country, and searching in the fields and watercourses around Blackburn for further traces of the murdered girl Emily Holland, they had never for a moment, as we believe, relaxed in their vigilant watch over the place to which suspicion had from the first pointed; and their exertions, added by extraordinary bui most legitimate means, have been successful in unearthing distinct traces of a horrible and unnatural crime. Baffled for a time in his efforts to trace the murderer, Chief Constable Potts called in the aid of a bloodhound, and this animal, after an unsuccessful search in the fields, as taken to the shop of William Fish, barber. It ran upstairs, and " scented "up the chimney, and in the draught hole was found the partly charred skull and other portions of a child. Fish, who was present when the ghastly discovery was made, offered no explanation, and he was removed with difficulty to the police station, through a crowd which clamoured for vengeance upon him. He was guarded by police officers all the night. It will be remembered that at the adjourned inquest on the poor girl, it was stated that the trunk had apparently lain on a floor which was littered with human hair. Fi,h, is a barber, and at the inquest the Chief Constable vouched, or seemed to vouch, for his innocence; but it is not improbable that that was a ruse to ,throw the man off his guard.  • The man Fish was on Monday arraigned before the magistrates. The chief constable gave a detailed account of the remarkable circumstances attending the arrest of Fish and the discovery of the remains, and asked for a remand till Thursday, commenting on the probability that two men were engaged in the horrible crime. Fish was remanded, protesting that he was as innocent as a child. On his removal to the cells. however, he made a confession to the police that he alone was the murderer.  At the inquest on Thursday the Chief Constable of Blackburn said: The prisoner is in my charge. At 20 minutes past four on Monday last I was sent for, and from what Police-constable Parkinson, who had been watching Fish, told me, I had the prisoner conveyed from his cell to my office. Superintendents S Read and Eastwood were with me. Parkinson told me, in Fish's presence, that he had mentioned to him (the officer) that he had burnsd part of the clothing of the deceased child. Immediately upon the officer saying that the prisoner began to make a statement. I stopped him when he began to speak, and cautioned him that he was in custody on a very serious charge, and that if he wished to say anything it would be taken down in writing, and would be given in evidence against him on his trial. He had been brought before the magistrates that day.
The Warrington Examiner. — 1874-12-26 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

THE WEAVERHAM MURDER. COMMITTAL OF THE PRISONER.  William Barker was brought up on remand before Mr. Woodhouse, at the Sessions House, Oakmere, on Monday, charged with having murdered Mary Sumner on the highway between Weaverham and Acton Bridge, on Saturday night, the 28th November. Mr. Fletcher, of Northwicb, defended the prisoner. Ann Haddock, of Acton Bridge, stated that on the night in question she was standing at her door a little before eleven o'clock, her house being next door to that ef the prisoner's father's, when she saw the prisoner come from the direction of Weaverham and go into his fa' her's house. Shortly after the prisoner and his father came out to fight, and after they had finished the prisoner again went in the direction of Weaverham, towards where Sumner and his wife were found. She saw two or three other men going in the direction of Weaverham. They were neighbours of her's, and she knew them all. Witness enumerated their names.  By Mr. Fletcher.—She knew the prisoner fought with his father, as she saw them together on the floor. Superintendent Mayho deposed to apprehending the prisoner, and charging him with the murder, in reply to which he stated, "I am innocent." He took prisoner to his lodgings, and received from his sister the suit of clothes produced and his hat. Dr. James Campbell Brown, of Liverpool, and public analyst for Cheshire, having examined the clothes worn by the prisoner on the night in question, stated that he found traces of blood on the lining of the left waistcoat pocket. There were also blood stains in the left trowsers pocket, and on other parts of the trowsers. The trowsers had been very dirty, and, had been washed, aud the lining of one trowsers leg had been burned out half way up. On the prisoner's handkerchief there were three blood stains.  _ ----M'?. Fletcher, for the defence, said that from the evidence of the prosecution a case was not made out. Upon the evidence in the depositions no juryman would convict the prisoner, and no judge would allow the ease to go before a jury. He characterised it as being rather strange that the police should on the mere l:pse dixit of John Sumner, the husband, and the man last seen in the company of the deceased, and the Bret person found with her abandon the case against him, and take Barker into custody, and bring against him every bit of evidence likely or unlikely. He carefully reviewed the evidence, and respectfully submitted that a case against the prisoner had not been made out. The "rolling "in the road deposed to by the husband, when trying to get her home, would no doubt account for the injuries that deceased had received. Upon the evidence it was not at all clear that any murder had been committed. There had been no attempt at rape or violence proved, and he could not conceive any motive that the prisoner could have had to commit the murder.  The Chairman thought that there was a case, though .t was not over clear. He should commit the prisoner or trial at the next Chester assizes.
The Warrington Examiner. — 1870-04-23 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

CONFESSION OF MURDER IN AUSTRALIA.  The man George Dyer, of Halliford-place, Islington, again surrendered to his bail, at Bow-street, Loudon, , on Tuesday, charged on his confession with having eaused the death of his partner, George Wilson, in 1858, at the Loddon gold diggings, Victoiia. Mr. Wright, solicitor, Great Portland-street,. defended. Mr. Superintendent Thomson, E. division, produced a communication, which he said had been sent from the Commissioners of Police at Melbourne to Colonel Henderson. Mr. Vaughan suggested that Mr. Thomson should read it. Superintendent Thomson said the communication was vtry lengthy, and handed it over to his worship. Mr. Vaughan asked when it had been received. Superintendent Thomson said. it arrived on Monday evening by the mail from Melbourne. Mr. Vaughan, after occupying some little time in perusing the document, said it appeared that at the time spoken of by the prisoner a murder was discovemed to have been committed, and £lOO 'reward offered for the apprehension of the supposed assassin. The remains of the murdered man were found in a water hole, about twenty-five yards from the main road, which was near the locality mentioned by the prisoner. A reward of £lOO had also been offered to anyone giving information who had assisted, but was not the actual murderer. On the body being found at the beginning of this year, sixteen wounds were discovered on the top of the skull, as if doae by a pickaxe' and the left cheek was smashed. From the position of the body, it seemed as if it had been placed in a sack and thrown into the water hole. The body had apparently been in the water five months at least before it was found. A pickaxe, with a long handle in a rough state, and marked with the letters "H. T.," had'also been discovered near the spot. It appeared from the report of the detectives at Melbourne that a person named Dyer had been traced, and the incidents connected with it coincided entirely with the description given by the prisoner himself. It was proposed to send a warrant over here to arrest the prisoner, who would be conveyed back to Victoria. Mr. Vaughan then said that under these circumstances it was his duty to remand the prisoner again. Mr. Wright said that his client had admitted striking a man down with an axe and throwing him into a water hole, but he did not say anything about putting the body in a sack. It was also alleged that the spot where the body was found was at least twelve miles beyond that stated by the prisoner. Mr. Vaughan said it was very explicit., on glancing over the whole contents of the communication. They referred to a George Dyer, who appeared to have been working with a person named George Wilson. They had lived together, and worked at the same mine, and shortly afterwards Wilson suddenly disappeared. An officer would be sent over here with a warrant as soon as possible, therefore he (Mr. Vaughan) should have no hesitation in remanding the prisoner, and should refuse this time to take bail.
The Warrington Examiner. — 1870-11-26 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

THE DUMB MAID, OR THE YOUNG GALLANT TRAPPAN'D. All you that pass along Give ear unto my song Concerning a youth that was young, young, young; And of a maiden fair Few with her might compare; But alack and alas! she was dumb, dumb, dumb. She was beauteous, fresh, and gay, Like the pleasant lowers in May, And her cheeks were as round as a plum, plum, plum. She was neat in every part, And she stole away his heart; But alack and alas! she was dum, dumb, dumb. At length this country blade Wedded this pretty maid, And he kindly conducted her home, home, home; Thus in her beauty bright Lay all his whole delight; But alack and alas! she was dumb, dumb, dumb. Now will I plainly show What work this maid could do, Which a pattern may be for gir s young, young, young; 0 she both day and night In working took delight, But alack and alas! she was dumb, dumb,;dumb. She could brew and she could bake; blie could wash, wring, and shake; She could sweep the house with a broom, broom, broom; She could knit and sew aml spin, And do any such like thing; But alack and alas; she was dumb, dumb, dumb. But at last this man did go The doctors skill to know, Saying, Sir, can you cure a woman of the dumb? 0 it is the easiest part That belongs unto my art, For to cure a woman of the dumb, dumb, dumb. To the doctor he d id her bring, And he cut her chattering-string, And he set her tongue on the run, run, run; In the morning he did rise, And she filled his house with cries, And she rattled in his ears like a drum, drum, drum. To the doctor he did go, With his heart well tilled with woe, Crying, Doctor, I am undone, done, done; Now she's turn'd a scolding wife, And I am weary of my life, Nor can I make her hold her tongue, tongue, tongue. The doctor thus did say, When she went from me away, She was perfectly cured of the dumb, dumb, dumb; But it's beyond the art of man, Let him do the best he can, For to make a scolding woman hold her tongue, tongue, tongue. So as you to me came Return you back again, And take you the oil of Hazel strong; With it anoint her body round, When she makes the house to sound; So perhaps you may charm her tongue, tongue, tonguo Roxburghc Collection.  A passenger train on the Greenville Railway, South Carolina, fell through the trestle work, on but many Yderwmaasu On Monday at the Police the 11th instant, near Columbia. The fall was 25 the murder of his wife. The feet. Only :.—A man of ot huAerLr Lso Ef wereG tEhDe ps leavrsilsoFeuEnsglyemrisnuLuerrEeedg.killlNe d. osuAlatLnoFngodnhapt brought beforenc aomu retd, Mr. Mart ,d, accusedaGnr da t eAileo f prisoner is a "knocker-up, and resides at 99, Tattonstreet, Regent-road. On Saturday night, for some at present unexplained reason, he struck his wife on the head with a poker. The woman's death, which has since ensued, is supposed to have been caused by injuries thus received. The prisoner was apprehended on Sunday. He was remanded till Friday, to allow the inquest and post-mortem examination to be held.
The Warrington Examiner. — 1872-03-23 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

BOLTON AT THE ASSIZES. THE Bolton rioters who, the other day, broke up a peaceful political meeting in that town, and indiscriminately bludgeoned a considerable number of the persons who took past in it, and who finally got to the length of actual homicide, have just had the benefit of a little friendly counsel from the Judge who presided over the hearing of the case at the Manchester Assizes. The manners of Bolton seem to be .of a rather wild and primitive character, and it appears as if, even at this time of day, the Aborigines of that extraordinary borough held to the old belief in the efficacy of a brickbat as an elegant form of persuasion in matters of political controversy. This certainly implies a strong attachment to the fashions of our muscular ancestors, and at a time when mechanical science exercises so much of its ingenuity in devising infallible methods for the instantaneous abridgment of human life, the brickbat, and its kindred articles of battery, strikes one as being almost as antiquated as those which might have been employed at the siege of Jerusalem. We don't say that the Bolton Conservative who besieges a room full of y ple who have the misfortune to differ with him, and knocks them on the head with such dexterous alacrity, and indeed provides employment for the coroner, in doing so—we say, we don't call him a savage. We don't think that he is even tattooed like poor Sir Roger, and the climate is hardly propitious to the costume so much in favour with the children of nature. But if he does not run wild in woods, and paint himself blue in lieu of less diaphonous raiment, his war whoop is perfect, and his appetite for the scalps of unsympathising politicians is as keen as that of his painted ancestor. Bolton must be a serene lotus eating region, "where it is always afternoon," and if it were not that clogs were occasionally worn, shod with trimmings of iron with which light sandal the wearer now and then kicks his wife or his neighbour to death, it would almost be as nice a place to live in •as the Andaman islands.  All this, however, is beside the question. Having, as we have seen, besieged their neighbours quietly assembled in public meeting, and half beaten some of them into what they would call "a mummy," killing one of them outright, the matter came before a jury. The jury—or rather one of them—fortified no doubt by Serjeant Ballantine, conduced to the acquittal of the prisoners. Here is a triumph for the Conservative party now in the full flush of preparation to receive the great leader whose sympathy is always with "the most sacred of causes." The unsympathising Judge very unkindly hoped that "the prisoners would not return to Bolton with the idea that they had gained any triumph ! " Why, if it is not a triumph, what is it? The Bolton Tory will begin to think that it is of little use murdering his neighbour for the good of his party if his prowress is to be criticised in terms of magisterial ingratitude. ,
The Warrington & Mid-Cheshire Examiner. — 1893-08-12 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

AWFUL TALE OF POISONING.  WOOLESALE MURDERS FOR GAIN.  American papers report the arrest in Detroit of Dr. henry Meyer, and his -supposed wife Mary,which brings 9,nt a shocking story of the poisoning of men and women or the purpose of collecting insurance upon their lives. hi ' the light of the facts collected by the detectives the Irian appeare as a cruel and calculating scoundrel, who has not hesitated to kill a number of persons for money, and the woman is portrayed as a second Lucretia Borgia. The man's career of crime is said to have begun in `-'lllnago in LB7B, when he poisoned his first wife. Be had been graduated a year before at the Chicago LiomceoPathic School, but had not been able to obtain much Pr.actice as a physician. After getting rid of his wife he Poisoned a man named Gederman, in order to marry Qedertnan's widow. Then be poisoned the woman's Child, and later the woman herself. Another woman rho fell into his toils was taken to Toledo, and poisoned rar the insurance on her life. The woman who has tely been known as his wife formerly lived in Indian!Pelis,and accompanied him to Chicago a few years ago. She became his willing tool in the poisoning of men for roney. Associated with them in Chicago was Ludwig ___r!ndt, a German, who had made a precarious living by riting stories for German papers and magazines. A !nerd cf Brandt named Winimer also became interested lan the insurance frauds. Under assumed names Brandt end Wirerner would have their lives insured in several _unipanies. Then they would fall sick, taking poison in !mall doses at the instigation of Dr. Meyer, in order to :7,_ece Iv e physiians who were called to attend them. At re proper time the corpses of other men were obtained `lalld Passed off as the bodies of the men whe had been 13,15 i The bodies would be buried with a show of grief rs. Meyer, who posed In turn as the widow of prandt and of Wimmer. She 'would also collect the Insurance money. In order to get bodies to pass off as ' those of Brandt and Wimmer the poisoners killed Germans whose appearances tallied closely with that of the , accomplices. It was for the supposed poisoning of Brandt, under the name of Gustav H. J. Baum, in New York, that Meyer, and his wife were arrested in Detroit. Under the name of Baum, Brandt had .his life insured by four companies on August 13, 1891.. The polices were obtained.at offices in Chicago for the following amounts: --New York Life, I,ooodols, 'Etna Life, I,ooodols. ; Mutual Life, 3,500d015.; and Washington Life, 3,000d01s s_The man declared that he was soon to be married, and had the policies made out in favour of his wife. The grand jury found an indictment for murder in the first degree against Henry Meyer., alias William Reuter, alias rie.nry Meyers, alias Henry Maylor, and Maria Meyer, 4148 Emilie Baum, alias Marie Mums, for giving thirty Lrains of antimony to Gustav H. Joseph Baum on March 1892. Dr. Meyer's wife was taken to an hospital in Detroit, where she gave birth to a child.
The Warrington & Mid-Cheshire Examiner. — 1893-01-07 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

STRONG PROTEST OF INNOCENCE. Mrs. Macrae yesterday received the following letter from her husband "Dearest w ife,—Knowing as I do how truly innocent I am of the crime for which I have been condemned, I cannot but feel how awful it would be if such a miscarriage of justice should take place as my having to suffer the extreme penalty of the law for an offence which I have never com•t.i-ttnl. The greatest reason I should not do so is because I am sure sooner or later the mystery will be cleared up by the. supposed murdered person returning or friends hearing from her. For my own part, for aught I know, she must be alive and well. I have no doubt of this as far as I am concerned. The jury went into the box prejudiced against me, with their minds made up as to the verdict. They took not the slightest notice of the judge, who was decidedly in my favour, and would, if left to him, have acquitted. The judge pointed out many doubts. as a most just and merciful judge, and I hope he will do so again. The evidence of many of the witnesses was very untrue. The evidence of the witness Elliott as to the clothes worn presumably by Annie Pritchard en the night when last seen is entirely false. Instead of having a cloak and serge skirt on, she had on a jacket, black skirt, and serge bodice. She never went to or ever saw the warehouse. She left that same evening for London to meet Anderson from Castle Station, Notharopton, at 8.35. She took with her all she thought necessary. I did not see her again, but on the day following I received a few lines from her telling me not to send the things left, but to sell them to help to pay the several little things which she had left. Thus I clit4 so without fear and openly. She was in communication with this man, and on the 19th July told inc she had received a letter from London, part of which she read. He said that he should come for her on Thursday. Thus her determination to go at once, so that he should not come over and find out. She begged my protection. believing she could join him on his return, and I was weak enough after a time to give way, more out of kindness than anything else. Thus far only have I sinned. I hope you have forgiven me this lon ago. Both yon I knew .of Guy Andersen. He g was in Birmingham at the end of Novernhser last year. Pritchard knew all about him, and of their sister going to his home. This they kW, back. She had no claim upon me whatever, so that I had no motive for such a crime, which I could not possibly commit. What I did was out of kindness to an old and esteemed friend, and for this I have to suffer if I die. I shall die innocent, and that being so I beg for justice. Fondest love. "
The South Staffordshire Examiner. — 1874-09-19 (Wednesbury, West Midlands, England)

MURDERS AND BRUTAL ASSAULTS.  The papers contain shocking accounts of fresh eases of murders and brutal assaults on the person. A quarrel concerning a debt took place between two men in the eastern district of Glasgow on Saturday evening, and a fight ensued. One of them, mimed iltobert Fair. Icy, finding that he was getting the worst of it, took up a poker and struck John Gaines a blow on the head which killed him. Fairley escaped through a window while the police were endeavouring to effect au entrance into his house.—An attempt was made at Atherton early on Saturday morning to arrest a young man named Peter Campbell on the charge of being concerned in the murder of Richard Morgan in Tithebarn-street, Liverpool. The police traced him to ii house in Ather. ton, and, having effected :in entrance, two of the officers seized the first two men they could lay hands on, neither of them, however, being the murderer. A struggle ensued, the light was extinguished, and during the im'lee Campbell walked out of the front door, whieb heel been left unguarded, and escaped.—The police of Newcastleupon-lyne likewise apprehended a Blau named John Lawson Taos on the charge of causing the death of his wife by brutal violence. Vass was the brother of a man who was executes! at Newcastle in 1803 for the murder of an old woman.—Thomas Radband was on Saturday committed for trial on the charge of attempting to murder his sweetheart, Ann Faulkner, at Bridge Norton, in Oxfordshire, on the 27th alt. Since his arrest the prisoner fibs frequently expressed a wish that the girl was dead, am' SoSSUISsti an air of indifference as to the result to himself.—George Macealluia was sentenced to death at Perth, on Saturday, for the murder of Peter Sharp Mason on the 7th of March last. The murder was accompanied by robbery, but the jury, by 14 to one, recommended the prisoner to mercy OD the ground of non.premedilation. The charge against the prisoner's mother, Mary Reid, of being au accomplice in the crime, was withdrawn.—A Shocking murder was committed at • Aldershot on Saturday morning. On the previous day Thomas Smith, a private in the 20th Hussars, was awarded seven days' punishment drill by Captain J. I). Bird, the officer commanding his troop, and while at ball practice at the ride range, Cursor's Camp, on Saturday morning, Smith deliberately shot the captain, who died almost immediately.—A woman named Ann Elizabeth Guy was apprehended at Sheffield on Tuesday night, charged with having caustd the death of Mary Moore. The women lived as a lmlgiug house in Silver-street head, one of the lowest dean in the town, and it is alleged that they quarrelled whilst drank, and Guy pushed Moore down stairs, at the bottom of which she was found ahortly afterwards dead. A girl swears that she saw the prisoner push deimased down stairs; and a surgeon who was called in believes that death resulted from the skull being fractured.