npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1865-05-20 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

MISCELLANEOUS AMERICAN ITEMS.  The following items are taken from the telegraphic sum mary of news and from the New York journals—  Jefferson Davis ie reported to have been seen on a train between Greensboro' and Salisbury, en route for Charlotte, but finding the railroad cut he returned to Greensboro'. Another account says :—Mr. Davis is said to have passed through Charlotte, to Carolina, on the 23rd ult., escorted I.y cavalry, The Tribune says it has been ascertained that he had only 300,000 dollars in specie. Ile to reported to have taken a residence at l'orto Rico.  Stoneman's cavalry are in the valley of the Saluda river, scouting towards Augusta, with orders, if they hear of Jeff: Davis and the specie, to follow him AS long as they can,  Governor Aiken, of South Carolina, has been arrested, ant ordered to Washington. An order has been issued at Memphis, stating that after the 25th inst. the rebel soldiers not surrendered will be considered rebels, and not prisoners of war. The New York Herald, in a letter from New Orleans, alleges that there are indications of a junction of pro-slavery union men with the secession sympathisers against the unconditional anti-slavery union party.  _ _ The trial of the persons implicated in the Booth con. spiracy will commence in Wadilugton next week. Newspaper reporters will be admitted. The number of persons arrested is very large. Washington despatches announce that the government has notified to its consuls•general that criminals implicated in Mr. Lincoln's murder must be surrendered to the United States government.  Mr. Seward's health is almost restored; he has had an apparatus fixed to his lower jaw. His son is slowly recovering his strength. A gunboat and two tugs have been destroyed at Mobile by torpedoes. Numerous lives were lost. Since the capture of Mobile 10,000 stragglers have surrendered.  The guerillas depredating around Mobile entered the city, intending to shoot General Granger, but could not find him.  30,000 bales of cotton were found at Mobile. They are claimed by an Englishman. It is estimated that 100,000 bales are concealed near the city. 'I he Confederate ram Webb ran out of the lied River on the evening of the 23rd with lightning speed, and passed through the fleet uninjured. She then proceeded down the Mississippi, and passed New Orleans on the 24th, displaying the star and stripes. She afterwards hoisted the Confederate flag. A Federal steamer started in pursuit a few miles above Fort St. Philip. The Webb encountered the steamer Richmond  coming up. The Webb was immediately ran ashore and burnt, and the crew, with the exception of a man and a boy, escaped. The 11r61., was loaded with cotton, and was bound for Havanna.  The arrest of persons stppected of complicity in Booth's assassination plot continues, and a special prison has been prepared in Washington for their custody. The arrests already number 300.  Nine hundred Confederates are said to have surrendered and been paroled at Cumberland Gap on the 28th ult.
The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1864-12-10 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

CRADLEY NEW POOL.  At the Stafforrbbire Winter A 9sires, before Mr. , Justice Byles, Jame Vernool, 24, servant, was placed at the bar, charged with the wi; fat 111 order of her illegitimate child, on tlu• 214 of S..,ptember, ISM, at Kingswinford. On being called upon to plead, the prisoner pleaded guilty, but, afterwards, she asked permission —which was granted—to withdraw her plea, and i pleaded not guilty. , Mr. Motteram appeared for the Crown; and Mr. Goldsmith at the rcques:- of the learned judge, conducted the case for t Ito defenco.  Mr. Motteram open., l the ease, the facts of which are very simple. The p.-isoner was a domestic servant at llagley. and whilst i a that service she became pregnant. Site was discharged from her service on the 2.2nd of August. She became an inmate of Kingswinford Union Work)! ni,e, in which institution, on the 2Sth of August, el, • gate birth to a child. She remained in the workhouse until the 21 at of Sept ember, when she left in the afternoon of the day, taking with her certain art lea of .varing, opparol, wliielt were given to her by the matron of the workhouse, for the use of the child. What became of her until the following day was not known clearly, but on the evening of that day she went to the house of a woman whom she knew—Mrs. Jones, of Old., inf 'l.d—to whom she made a present of a portion of the baby clothes which had been given to her, remarking that she did not want them further, her child having been dead for some time, and she had got a nice little coffin for it. tSuspicion being aroused, the police were communicated with, and on theprisoner being taken into custody and interrogated, she eonfe,oted that she put her child into the new pool, at Cradley, near Quarry Bank, and tied half a brick round it. add no' that she had a good mind to have gone down with it. 'On the pool being searched the body was found in the place and in the manner indicated.  Mr. Goldsmith did not, either in hi, cross-examina. tion or in his address to the jury, contend that the prisoner had not put the child in the pool, but amrended that the poor woman at the bar had mnrdered her child whilst suffering front puerperal mania, and such being the ease, wa, not morally responsible for her actions at the time.  The learned Jadge, is summing up the case to the jury, remarked that there was no direct evidence at all that at the time of committing the murder the prisoner was suffering from puerperal mania—in fact there was no direct evidence either one way or the other, but still that was entirely a question of fact for the jury to consider. The learned Judge, then read and commented upon the evidence. The jury retired, and, after an absence of twenty minutes, returned a verdict of Not Guilty, on the ground that the woman was in such a state from disease, as not to be morally responsible for her acts. She was ordered to be kept in custody, during her Majesty's pleasure,
The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1864-11-05 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

BEHAVIOUR OF THE CONVICT MULLER.  When the Sheriff, left lkluller's cell on Monday morning after informing him that they had fixed Monday, the 14th of November, for his execution, he for the first time showed symptoms of his dissatisfetion with the verdict of the jury. He once or twice said he had been convicted upon false evidence, and implied that the evidence to which he referred had been adduced by some of the witnesses for the defence. From this moment the confidence which, up to the time of the judge's summing up, had so characterised the firmer,. flour of the prisoner, seemed to take possession of him again, and in the course of the afternoon he expreirsed an earnest desire to see Mr. Beard, his solicitor. He afterwards passed the day principally in reading, and slept bounder through the night than he did the two previous nights. On Tuesday Moller seemed completely restored to his wonted selfscomposure, and he appeared lees anxious and looked decidedly better than at any other time since his apprehension. In the morning he, for the second time, expreeeed a wish to see Mr. Beard. This fact was communicated to that gentleman, who, with the utmost readiness, and at some personal in. convenience, sought to gratify the wish of the wretched man. He proceeded to Newgate at three o'clock on Tuesday, and was conducted by Mr. Jonas, the governor, to the gloomy cell in which the prisoner, guarded night and day, is doomed to pass the remainder of his short existence. When the door of his cell was opened he was seated on the wooden bench inside. Ile evidently did not at that moment expect to see Mr. Beard, so suddenly was he struck with an expression of pleasure and surprise. He instantly extended his hand to his welcome visitor, and earnestly thanked him for what had been done on his behalf. He was attired in the same clothes in which be WM tend, his Lair was oarefully brushed, and he appeared otherwise to have bestowed some pains in dressing himself. He was allowed to pass into a strong room, where in the presence, although not altogether in the hearing, of Mr. Jonas, he conversed I with Mr. Beard for about twenty minutes. The purport of the prisoner's conversation did not exactly transpire, but suffice it to way it was neither a state. ment nor the " e mfeerrion of his rrime" which contemporaries have suggested the probability of his making. On the contrary, it was rather a reiteration aline innocence, and his persistence in the assertion that the hat found in the carriage never belonged to him. Ile complained also about he evidence of some of the witnesses, denouncoig that of one in particulas as almost entirely false. lie subse.piently shook hands with Mr. Beard, who promised to visit Mtn at any time and whenever Muller wished to see him. This afforded him evident gratification, which he acknowledged in repeated thanks. It is said that petitions will be signed, praying for a commutation of the prisoner's Rentence,on the ground that if he committed the murder it was unpremeditated and an act of momentary impulse.
The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1864-06-18 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE EXECUTION. The gate of the prison was thrown open at a few minutes to G. and the crowd outside became suddenly silent. La Pommerais, with a paleto, thrown over his shoulders, was seen to mount the steps of the scaffold, supported on one side by the Abbe Crow, who held up the crucifix before his es es, and on the other by one of the gaolers. The cord which bound his feet did not present him from moving, and he advanced with a steady step, but with his head bent, towards the fatal instrument. He paused for an instant, once more embraced the priest, gave himself up to the executioner, and was laid on the plank. The cord that held the machine was cut, the ponderous blade rushed down, and, exactly as the prison clock gave the last stroke of six, human justice and the inhuman curiosity of the mob were satisfied.  The same correspondent, in commenting on the probable effect of • commutation of Pommerais's sentence ou capital punishment in Prance, says : Had Pommerais's sentence been commuted, the penalty of death must have disappeared altogether from the Code, Now that the wretched man has paid the penalty of the crime of which he was found guilty, not to speak of others of which it is said there were strong auspicious, I may say that public opinion was unanimous as to his guilt. The humanitarians theurel yes, who are trying to get up a movement for the abolition of capital punishment, have not a word to say for this man. Among all classes the conviction is the same—that he bail committed a foul murder under circumstawrs most aggravating, and for vile purposes. A comrnutatirei in his favour would have roused bad blood among the lower claeses. They knew that only • few clays am) a butcher's boy who had murdered a man at Versailles, and mutilated the body of his victim to conceal his crime, suffered death on the scaffold. Were mercy shown to one who had far less to plead in his favour, it would have been attributed to his position in society; and not a working man in France but would have said that the one had no mercy shown him because he wore a blouse ; while the other escaped the guillotine because he spoke and dressed like a gentleman. The Emperor's kindness of heart would have inclined him, had there been any fair pretext, to save the criminal from the ignominy of a public execution, out of regard to the prayers of the father and the tears of the wife. But the fact that the jury, who are ever ready to avail themselves of a trifle to add the saving clause to their verdict, detected not a single extenuating circumstance ; that the Court of Caseation, after long and anxious deliberation, absolutely negatived his appeal; that only a minority of the jury would sign the petition in his behalf; and that the majority of the Ministers urged
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1876-09-02 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

FATAL COACH ACCIDENT.— Ga/ignani reports Gauldeanar, one of the Soloman Group. Having granted. When Shannon returned he again asked a sad accident which has just happened in the Grisons. come up with the schooner, Captain Woodhotiee, Moore if he was readyebut, received no answer; he The coach from Landguart, when near the baths of accompanied by 12 of his crew (principally -natives), aence more !asked the qtrestionsandreceived no answer, Zerneus, met a cart, laden with planke;coming down. boarded the Dancing Ware, and found that the vessel but Shannon brought his rifle into firing position, as The driver alighted went to the heads of the horses had been ransacked from stem to stern; the natives also did Moore. The shots were almost simultaneous, and drew up his vehicle close to the edge of the road, had murdered the captain and all his crew, excepting and Shannon dropped dead, shot through the heart, on the side of which was a precipice. As the cart desWilliam Broad, and the man Harm and had . pil- Shannon' made a ' good ." line 'shot," bat his cended, one of the wheels unfortunately struck upon a laged the whole place. Near the mainmast the head aim was too high, the bullet passing closely over heap of stones, and the shock made the load shift. The of one of the native crew was found. From Gnat- his antagonist's head. A meeting of the citizens planks fell upon the horses of the coach, which, with deanar the schooner was brought to Savos, where miners of %Crook City was at once as. the vehicle, were hurled down the abyss. The animals Captain Woodhouse appointed his chief officer. R'chard sembled, and a special sheriff and a coroner were were killed and the coach smashed to pieces. One to  ity )n, a in  carriagt._ • several thousand  and  Davis, to take comnd of her and bring 'her on Sydney as Boon as he could obtain a sufficient crew. From Savoa Mr. Davis sailed to Rabiana, when he met the steamer .Ripple, from which he • enlisted a couple of European men and some natives to come on to Sydney with him. He arrived there-on the 4th of July. Tne inhabitants of the Solomon Gronp are cannibals, avid Mr. Davis states that when bartering with the natives he has always exercised the greatest possible caution, as they can never be trusted, and that the moment at which they may appear to be on the most friendly terms, is the very moment at which they may be expected to turn round and make free use of their weapons."  appointed. A jury of twelve men was then summoned and -swain by the coroner "to render a true verdict according to the evidence." The testimony of four or five witnesses was reduced to writing, when the case was given to the jury. After a short deliberation, they brought .in a verdict of justifiable. homicide. The verdict,lths Said, gives universal satisfattion. Shannon was known to have frequently been engaged in shoot. big affairs, and it is said he stabbed two soldiers to death in Bismarck. : I .1 • W. 6.4
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1876-04-08 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

EXECUTION AT MAIDSTONE.  Thomas Fordred, aged 43, who was convicted at the la!t Maidstone assizes of the murder of a young woman name] Mary Ann Bridger, was executed at nine o'clock on Tuesday morning within the walls of the county prison at Maidstone. Since histhat ""'""-- th A _ , elionoi- he wee e 'eide of cne wornan's death, yet he had no wilful Intention. During Monday night he slept soundly, and woke at about five o'clock on Tuesday morning. He paid earnest attention to the ministrations of the chaplain, and expressed regret at the bad life he had led. Shortly before nine o'clock the convict was delivered into the hands of Marwood, the executioner, who pinioned him in the condemned cell, and on the completion of the process the procession to the scaffold started, it being preceded by, the governor of the gaol, the under sheriff, and the chaplain, the latter reading the Burial Service. On arrival at the scaffold, Fordred, who exhibited remarkable firmness throughout, was placed under the drop, and the bol; was quickly drawn. There were some slight movements of the body for two or three minutes after the drop fell, but the man appeared to die easily. The execution was witnessed by a number of the gaol officials and a few representatives of the press, and immediately afterwards the black flag was hoisted over the main entrance to the prison. But very few people congregated outside the gaol.  The chaplain had a final intery ew with the condemned man on Tuesday morning, and in reply to his exhortatlon9 the oonvict made the following solemn declaration : .  ------"The poor woman must have met her death through my means, but I never bad the slightest intention of killing her. I know that a denial will be of no service to me now, and that if I lie I shall destroy all hope , f future happiness. I soh mnly declare with my last breath that I never once either kicked or struck her. I admit that I was cross with her for nut coming along. I httcd ner up roughty and fell with her several times ; and that is I) iw she came by her (leach. If I had wanted to kill htr, I c cid have 'mix:lied her almost to pieces." _ .  The circumstances of the murder for which this.,:nn-happ3eman suffered are briefly as follows :—lt Way be remembered that Fordred and the deceased, Who lived on terms of Intimacy, left Margate, after drinking in several publich6u2eA, in the direction of a farm on whioh the man was employed. This was late on a Saturday night, and the woman was carrying some vegetables for the next day's dinner. Fordred was heard to swear at her and was subsequently seen to pull her rudely off the pathway. About eleven o'olot:ic Fordred went to the farm and took the waggoner back with him to a spot where the deceased was lying almost nude. She died shortly after being rempved. to the farm, and the prisoner accounted for :the, wounds which were discovered upon her head
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1876-04-22 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

CAWFES•DE-VISITE,  Bri-ain. London was denonnced in unmeasured t,.rms as a den of assassins," and the gallant colone!s of the French army went on to say— ' ns'tbe w-der, Sire, and we will pursue ti.i•s, wretches ioto their hiding-place." Now, th publicati.ni of this nienacinc2 language in a t.a •••• ~nder he control of the French Govern:, %\ I h s:•n.• i 11 ; Ot.“ 5..11 1., 110ifis .ii•' I 4,1.1.1111 of a t;epatel. how Count Walenski, Lord Palmerston's G..v.rmbent, one of the strongest of modern times, brought in a bill to make more stringent the law of Conspirac3 to murder, it was driven from power. British law could not be altered at the dictation of a foreign State which had adopted the threatening attitude of France; and we began instinctively to look to our ' &fences. The feeling of insecurity was still further increased by the menace addressed by the Emperor Napoleon to the Austrian Ambassador on the Ist of January, 189; and by the time the campuiim in Lombardy was over in the to:lowing June, the English people w,re flocking on all kinds to the Volunteer standard. The ruler of France had ei t red Paris at the head 0f.1ii74 victorious legions ; it was felt that these legions might require to be kept in active occupation, and that a descent upon England would rot be at all unpalatable to them. Whether there ever *SS any such intention on the part•of .the late Emperor, no one can ever know. It is sufficient to be aware that the English people believed there was, and this feeling spread throu,gh all classes. It found expression by the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston himself, in the House of Commons, who warned his fellow, countrymen against "our immediate neighbour across the Channel, professing friendship with one hand, and with the other grasping the hilt of his sword." Seventeen years have passed away since the Volunteers as a force were called into existence. The cynics, who always laughed at the idea of invasion, have pointed to its abtenee as a reason why the Volunteers have nevi r been wanted;: while the friends of the movement declare that had there been no Volunteers, there would inevitably have been an invasion. There is really no necessity to argue the point at all. What we have seen for years past ought to be satisfactory, even to the cynics. With time far more valuable than it ever was before, we have seen year after year, tens of thousands of able and intelligent men making sacrifices of time and consequently of money in the service of their country. They cannot be actuated by so f-seeking nor by avarice; ambition can scarcely enter into their calculations; and as to emolument, we all know how much, or rather bow little of it, falls to a volunteer. Then p,:ople, could they be canvassed, would heartily acknowledge our cilizeh "army us a valuable auxiliary of defence, °lie thoroughly entitled to the thanks of its countrymen, a-well-disciplined and patriotic body, which deserves and has the gratitude of the people for its services in a noble cause.