npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1879-03-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

IMPORTANT LETTER FROM THE OHAPLAIN OF LEEDS GAOL.  Mr Joseph Lomas, of Broughton, has received the following letter from the Rev. Osmond Cookson, chaplain of the Leeds gaol: " Hp to the present time I have carefully avoided some people may think it a disadvantage—giving any information about matters connected with Peace, the now executed murderer. I was determined to pander in no way to the morbid public feeling, which has, to my mind, been shocking to contemplate. But, as a longer silence on my part would act deteritaentally to the binging of the petition which I hear you are getting up in favour of the release of the convict Hebron, I feel I am bound to speak out. My attention has been called to an extract from the Manchester Guardian referring to the so-called confession of Peace to Mr Littlewood. In the first place, I may remark that all the information given by Peace to Mr Littlewood, and much more besides, was furnished by him tome before Mr Littlesood had his interview with him. The statement about the Whalley Range murder was made to me several times without any appreciable alteration in his statement, but the statement made to me and others differs from the liecowl furnished by Mr Littlewood in two, as it now appears to me, particulars. First, Peace never made any mention of a staff. He said Cock was about to strike him on the head with a stick. Second, he said plainly that no scuffle whatever took place, and that Cock was shot before arriving to actual close quarters. Mr Littlewood hearing the statement but once, and having so much information to carry away with him to be reproduced at a later date, and having no opportunity of making a single note of what was said at the time, no doubt took no special notice of the use of a stick, and jumped to the conclusion that as a staff is the weapon supplied to policemen, it was with such a weapon that Cock intended to strike Peace. To account for the statement about the scuffle I can only think Mr Littlewood has confused the description of the circumstances of the Banner Cross murder with that of Whalley Range. I may add that Peace made his statement to Mr Littlewood in the presence of three prison officers. Two of them whom I have seen to-day—the other has, been removed to another prison assert most positively that Peace told Mr Littlewocd that Cock was about to strike him with a stick, and that so mention of a scuffle was made. One more word. Peace, I think, never for a moment imagined that the sentence of death on him would be commuted or his execution delayed. The statement about his appeal to the sheriff or undersheriff for the postponement of his execution for an hour is simply a fabrication, which will rank with many other bare-faced inventions which have found their way into the newspapers about matters connected with Peace."
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1879-03-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

MIDDLESBROUGH. The Warwick Castle, which arrived at sslymbuth on Wednesday, brings a list of Royal Engineers happened to be working at and the river, from which we had an excel- in about twenty TOWS of skirmishers, one be- gather the blame rests not with the General." full review of all the circumstances connected o!ie supposed to have been killed at the. Drift when the engagement began. . lent view of what was going on. At a die- hind the other. They were in a semicircle A letter to the Natal Mercury says— with what is termed the Whalley Range On Friday afternoon a long meeting of the l 'nclnla. The list includes the names of 51 When thus released both the Engineers tance of three miles as the crow flies we saw round our two flank, and in front of us, and "Lieutenant Melville was found shot in the murder, of which the convict Peace owned Middlesbrough Finance Committee was held. is and 786 men but is not believed to and the mounted troops, under Capt. Wynne the Place where the camp was made. The must have covered several miles of ground. river, with the colours tied round him. Most himself to be the perpetrator, the Home Mr Alderman D. D. Wilson presided. The and Majorßarrowrespectively,rnoved forward whole spot was crowded with black figures Nobody knows how many there were of of the volunteers were with the advancing era or official. 'The names of waggon below us, though them, but the general idea is at least 20,000. column, but of those at the camp I hear Secretary will recommend that a free pardon Press was excluded. A repent from the ' with the infantry skirmishers on the left of swarming about. Down eters and ether persons serving in capacities at the time of the disaster the latter, the whole being supported by a very hilly and broken, contained a large flat Well, to cut the account short, in half an Captain Bradstreet, Quatermaster Hitchcock, be granted to Hebron, convicted for the ram- auditors pointing out certain irregalari. at. It is feared the total of Euro. half company of Bums and a half company between us and the camp, and on hour they were right up to the camp. Swaiu, and M'Alister were killed. The last der of Police-constable Cock, and now in ties in the borough accountant's books ed will be found not much less thanwas. of the 99th Regiment, sent out by Lieut.-Col. this flat we saw three lines I was out with the front companies of the that was seen of Bradstreet was in penal servitude, a crowd ' Welman, 99th Regiment, who with the rear drawn, the one end reaching the 24th, handing them spare ammunition. of Kaffirs fighting vigorously with his sword, was received. It showed that on the 27th of the column was now coming up. camp, and the other the river. Bullets were flying all over the place, his ammtmition all expended." a -. February there was a deficit of £262 14s 9d,
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1879-03-15 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE MURDER NEAR LEEDS. At the inquest on Saturday on the body of Wm. Metcalfe, the old man who kept the lodge of Oulton Hall, near Leeds, and who was brutally murdered on Sunday night week, some additional evidence was given which strongly confirms the suspicion that John D'Arcy, the watch aril clock cleaner, who is in custody charged with the murder, is the person who committed the crime. A large number of witnesses were examined, many of whom saw the murderer in the act of committing the crime, but none of them wcre able to positively identify D'Aroy. Several of the witnesses saw the murder committed, but were afraid to interfere because the murderer held in his hand what they took to be a revolver. A man answering his description was seen in the village of Oulton by several persons on tie afternoon and evening of the murder. A few minutes before the alarm of the murder was raised a boy was passing the lodge gates, and saw the prisoner standing out on the opposite side of the road He recognised him as the watch oleaner, because, three weeks previously, the man cleaned a clock in his mother's house. Another boy passing the gates immediately afterwards saw the man go through them, and heard him knock at the door. Later on the man was seen coming out of a field by the road side by a Nam servant. The man seemed flurried. In the same field on Thursday was found a "sampler," which deceased had kept in his watch case, and which bore his initials. It also appeared that D'Arcy had made enquiries in the village as to whether old Metcalfe lived alone. Small spots of blood have been found on D'Arey's overcoat. The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against him, and he was committed to the Leeds Assizes on the coroner's warrant.  D'Arcy is a returned convict, and came to Leeds nine or ten years ago. He had tried several occupations, and lived in at least three or four different lodgings ; but in no case do the persons with whom he lodged, or for whom he worked, know him to be a returned convict; nor did those with whom he was associated in the little congregation and school at South Acoommodation-road ever suspect anything against his character. On the contrary, the active interest he took in Sunday School and Band of Hope work led to his being recently chosen tc be one of their representatives on the cpmmittee of the Leeds Sunday School Union. D'Arcy himself acted as teacher of one of the older class at the Sunday Schoo' with which he connected himself. Although he has of late turned his attention to the business of repairing watches and clocks, he was formerly employed as a joiner. It is said that a situation was found for him in this capacity, and tools provided, by the agent of the Leeds Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society, who has from time to time visited D'Arcy, and given him every encouragement to continue in an honest course of life.
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1883-04-28 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

EDITOR. For such high dignitaries of the ( 1 nitric acid averaged from 1201bs. manager giviug security and rendering accounts. Intelligence from Ravenna Italy, levees - make the gravest possible charge a the sulphuric 1701ba. to 2001ba. —Mr A. Grey moved that the manager should ..e. . ~ , , Par body of iirofeestuttt Christians nu is delivered next day. On receive such remuneration as should be agreed "'mars ex a sensational murder, of w ich tifriat hundreds of th s, and to refuse city has just been the scene It appears that a ' two carboy e of nitric and upon between him and the official receiver, celditor of the . stantiate the charge by facts, is worse -e sent, and a further lot of "provided that the court may, on the applies: nd four of sulphuric were tion of the special manager or the official re- written,. and pu . 'shed an article strongly con- Found to the "General" for the next rout Thitehead on the 14th ceiver or trustee, increase or diminish each nerninn _ g the mismanagement of a local orphan A increases public sympathy in a quarter March Whitehead had remuneration ; but no such application shall be 1 1 arty um. The director of the ests.b- too much has already been wasted. wo of sulphuric, and made by the official receiver or trustee unless I eirahment t umbrage at this strong Their lordships of Oxford and Hereford -boys of each acid. the creditors shall by resolution at an ordi- theism, and, armed with a revolver, performed a kind of comic duet of the "0 laid Signor Zirardini the editor, ~ and shot carboys of nitric nary meeting determine that such applies waylaid hrou his it possible ?" order over the "Army" am sixteen carboys tion shall be made. On receipt of such resolu- _in. t f g the body. Signor Zirardini imme- . One can imagine the two Blab 'lbs. tion, the official receiver or trustee shall make 9 un ia,. y ell, crying out, " I die willingly for reeedings -, olding up their hands in horror as each ex lok place. such application accordingly."—This amend- 6 ir lee, honour, and the good of mY a country.' munieated (4 the other "what he had beard,' 'le central merit was negatived without a division.—Mr e was carried tO the local hospital, where be 4.he 6th of Chamberlain moved the omission of the sub- expired shortly after admission. The crime , THE gisnoPs' DUET, I be a section enabling the person appointed as special has caused much emotion in the city, where "The Army," says Oxford," the Church now mist rnard manager to be eligible for the office of trustee, the murdered man was well known and For cr the pranks that they play would mu use- and this *as agreed to, and the clause, as popular Hottentots blush' to amended, added to the Bill. Clauses 12 and 13 wle Miss Booth, when she prays, always stands outs '1 were also agreed to, with is few unimportant
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1883-02-10 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DOUBLE MURDER BY POACHERS  IN SCOTLAND.  A double murder was committed on Saturday evening last on the farm of Auchinleck, about two miles from Port Glasgow, the victims being Robert Fyfe, gamekeeper, and David McCoughtrie, assistant gamekeeper to Mr Richardßichardson, of Ralston. It seem s that early in the evening a gang of poachers were observed on a hill behind Port Glasgow, several of them having guns in their possession. A number of shots were heard fired, but it was not until nine o'clock at night that it was discovered there had been foul play. The body of Fyfe was I found in a field close to a private road leading to the farm. He appeared to have been either shot through the mouth, or received a blow with a sharp instrument. He was lying on his face, and had a large single-barrelled pistol firmly grasped in his righthand, with which he appeared to have been trying to defend himself, there being every appearance of a struggle having taken place. In another field, at a spot about fifty yards from where Fyfe's body was found, McCoughtrie's body was discovered lying in a pool of blood. He had been shot through the , forehead. The Renfrewshire police are making great efforts to track the murderers, and about nine well-known poachers are in custody, several of whom have been identified as those seen on the hill on the night of the murder. Fyfe, who was about 54, leaves a widow and young family; McCoughtrie was about 18. In addition to the nine men apprehended at Port Glasgow, seven well-known poachers are in custody at Greenock. One man in Port Glasgow says he saw three poachers, whom he will be able to recognise again, poaching on the hill behind the town, and he informed Fyfe and his assistant, whom he met. They proceeded to the spot, and that was the last that was seen of them alive. It is expected that the murderers will be caught before many hours have passed, , if they are not among those already apprehended. It is alleged that Fyfe was particularly disliked by poachers.  " HALF AS MIJCH AuArg."—The extra tax imposed on some articles in daily use, owing to the quality being inferior, although the price appears to be low, has given rise to loud complaints: consumers say "hail as much again" of the cheap tea is required to make a beverage with any strength at all, and even then there is no pleasure in drinking it ! The remedy is simple: Horniman and Co., London, always ensure full value by selling through their Agents (Chemists, Confectioners, and °there) Tea at Axed prices, and guarantee the quality "; their import is wholesome, strong, delicious, always good alike, aud has been in constant demand for 50 years. Hortumans Ageuts.—Middlesbrough : Middleton, 13, Cleveland-terrace; Taylor, Linthorpe-road ; Hall, Marton-road. Stockton: Clarke, chemist ; Pickersgill, confectioner:Co-operative Society. South Stockton: Stonehouse,chemist. Stokesley : Scotson,bookseller. Redcar : Cooke, chemist. .Brotton: Walker, chemist. Skelton: Ellis, chemist. North Ormesby : Gray. stationer Whitby: Brooks, chemist
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1883-04-21 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE STOCKTON ANI) NORTH ORMESBY MURDERS,  MR JUSTICE KAYE ON THE CRIMES.  Mr Justice Kaye, addressing the Grand Jury at Leeds Assizes on Thursday, remarked that there were two cases of murder, and in one the prisoner was itemised of a very brutal murder indeed—the murder of his own child. so fer as he could gather from the depositions the motive for this murder—supposing it to be brought home to the prisoner—was that he was embarrassed by having the care of so young a child. His wife having left him, the crime might have been done partly to be revenged on her, but probably was more for the purpose of disem. barrassuig himself of the care of the child that ! he destroyed the life of the child by drowning. The evidence was altogether circumstantial; no one saw the deed committed; there had been no witness of it. but from the circumstance the ; evidence was of a character which perhaps the Grand Jurywonld take as rather strong. Amongst it was this one material fact—the man said he i had sent the child away- to a relative of the name of Cooper, at a place called Schole, in Norfolk. Now Schole was not at all a large ! place. It happened that the Judge had s particular knowledge of it, it was near his 0• All country home. The prisoner told some one who was making enquiries that he had got a letter which he purported to have received concern. ing the well-being of the child, saying tAt the child had arrived at its destination, and was reconciling itself to the change, and, speaking of one person in particular, who was quite making friends with the child. Now the letter, according to the evidence, was dictated by the man himself to s boy he got to write it for him, and whom he told to put his own name to it. There were other letters of a similiar kind, the origin of which was not so clear. The body of the child was folnd not far from the father's house, I tied to it was a bag or sack, in which s portion of a brick was placed, for more readily affecting the drowning of the child. The sack WM said to be similar to some used by ' prisoner in his occupation. These facts the Grand Jury might probably think went very far to show the guilt of the prisoner. Enquiry had been made at Schole, the village in Norfolk to which prisoner said he had sent the child, and no person named Mary Cooper, to whom he (prisoner) represented he had sent the child, could be found there. The village (as he had said) wee not a large one; it was quite a country village—one of those places where everyone was acquainted with all his neighbours, and no one there had any knowledge at all of Mary Cooper. The other case of murder was a very sad one, in which, so far as he (the Judge) could see, it was difficult to perceive any motive why the man should have destroyed his wife and child. It appears that he had been for sometime under medical treatment, and that he was suffering from softening of the brain. The case the Grand Jury would have to consider here was chiefly the state of the mind of the man.
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1883-04-07 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

PARK 111JRDERS.  I THE APPROACHING TRIALS. ' The trial of the men charged with the rourdei of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr Burke will be commenced on Tuesday next, and it is likel3 to last four weeks. Joseph Brady, who has been identified by several independent witnesses and informers as being in the Park on the 6th I of May, will be the first prisoner placed upon hie trial for the capital offence. The case for the I Crown will last about throe days, and that for the defence, an alibi, for one day. At the conclusion of his trial, should a disagreement occur, the trials will be all postponed, and then the Crown will apply for a change of venue in the oases to Belfast. Should the conclusion result in a conviction, Timothy Kelly, the youngest of the prisoners, will be tried. Then Patrick Delany, Few, the two Glianlons, Curley, and "Skin the Goat" will bo each tried separately. Before the termination of these trials for the murders of the Chief Secretary and Under Secretary it is likely that it compromise about challenging the jurors will be entered into between the Crown and the prisoners, and that the remaining batch of ten or eleven will be tried together for conspiring to murder. This trial is likely to last about four days. Revelations of still stronger character than those deposed to by the approver Care.: will be related. It will be proved, or, at least, an attempt will be made to prove, that money was paid to different parties connected with tile case for the purpose of assassination, the parties paying the ,money well knowing it to be for assassination purposes. Several attempts at asssssination of officials will be stated, and several hairbreadth escapes of the officials will be deposed to. A number of witnesses who will be produced for the defence have been examined by Mr Curran, with the view of rebutting their evidence if necessary. Bight prisoners in all will be charged directly with the murders.  On Saturday evening one of the Invinciblea, John Dwyer, was dischaxgod from Kitinaintuain Prison. The evidence against him at the recent investigations was to the effect that he was waiting to murder Mr Forster as a signal man. The evidence was not very conclusive against him, and report says that he was discharged on the ground of ill-health. Immediately after Ws liberation be was taken charge of by his sister, and driven to their residence in Chatham-street. He may be arraigned with the other prisoners, but this is not likely. The statenieut that Jo er Mullett and James Mullett had become informers is entirely without foundation. The informers at present are the two Carey's, Kavanagh, Farrell, and Lami. The Crown does not intend to accept any more Queen's evidence.  John Walsh, accompanied by Messrs Donovan, Buckley, Casey, and other friends, left for New York on Saturday by the steamer France. Another Irishman, whose name has transpired, but who has been -closely watched for some time past, managed to elude the vigilance of the French and El:108h detectives, and sailed by the same steamer.
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-03-13 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER AT  HAS WELL.  PRISONER COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. At the Castle Eden Police Court on Saturday, before Mr C. Burden, William Cowans, a pitman, was charged with attempt. Mg to murder hi wife, Emma Cowans, and his four young children, John Henry, Thomas, Richard, and Emma, at Haswell, on Sunday, the let just, under circumstances already briefly reported. The prisoner's wife, on being _sworn, was accommodated with a seat. She gave her evidencs with great reluctance. She said: I have been married to the p:isoner nine years, and during our married life we have lived in Haswell. Ou Sunday morning last about four o'clock, be got out of bed and made the fire on. I said to him when be Came back—" Bless me, what have you got up to make the fire on so 8)011 for ? ' and he replied, "It will get burnt up." He got into bed again and stretched himself out, which rather alarmed me, and I asked him what was the matter. He replied—' It is allover; it is all over." I asked him, "What is all over ?" and he answered—" I am tired of my ; every person is frowning upon me." I said to him—, God for;;ive you for saying you are tired of your life when there is a young family dependent upm you." I got up and lighted the lamp, and then returned to bed again. He immediately got up, went to a desk bedstead, and got from the top of it a rolling pin (produced). lie struck me about twenty times with it, principally about the head. I struggled with him as best I could, 1 and, shouted, "Murder." Tao children, who were n a bed in the same room, commenced crying, and he went towerds them with the rolling pin, but what he did to them I cannot say, as I es2sped into a neighbour's house. I saw the children about twenty minutes afterwards, and they were all cut and bleeding about the head. The night dress produced all smeared with blood is the one I was wearing at the time. I had not noticed anything peculiar in my husband. He had not been drinking.—George Henry Cowans, eldest son of the prisoner, aged eight years, said : On Sunday morning last I was awakened by a noise, and saw my father striking my mother with a rolling pin. I cried, and so did my brothers and sister. After he struck we he struck my brother Richard three times on the head, and afterwards struck Emma, Tom, and me. We all bled very much. The rolling pin (produced) was broken in two places by my father striking my mother over the head and shoulder.—Other witnesses having been examined, the prisoner was charged in the tumid way, but made on reply. He was fully committed to take his trial at the next Durham Assizes on the charges of attempting to murder his wife and his son Thomas. The other charges were with. drawn.