npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1865-12-18 (London, England)

LONDON :REVIEW" ON JAMAICA.—That this country has been profoundly affected by the executions in Jamaica, no one who takes even the most cursory glance at the newspaper reports can doubt ; and there is just as little doubt that if there ever was an occasion which justified public meetings, addresses to the Government, and appeals to the country, such an occasion is to be found in this Jamaica business. We have been very loth indeed to form a hasty judgment of men who, finding themselves confronted with what at all events appeared to be a great danger, may possibly in their eagerness to stamp it out, have committed excesses which they themselves, upon reflection, would be as willing to deplore as we are. On the contrary, we have urged their claim to a patient and considerate hearing, and we do not think that any one in England, judging their conduct dispassionately, and capable of forming a candid and intelligent opinion of it, would deny that the atrocities committed by the negroes at Morant Bay, if they could be coupled with evidence leading to the belief that a general rising of the blacks was contemplated, were quite sufficient to extenuate, if not wholly to justify, a resort to measures of repression which, upon a calm retrospect of the pos4ion of affairs,• might still be held to have been too severe. But so far as the evidence which has reached us enables us to form an opinion, we cannot resist the conclusion that it is not a mere excess of just severity which is to be charged to Governor Eyre and those who acted under his authority. The example of atrocity set by the blacks has been " bettered" by the race which claims a superior humanity, civilization, intelligence, and self command ; and it is for the latter to show that they stood in the presence of a danger so great and so imminent that nothing short of the bloody ferocity with which they confronted it could have saved them and the white population whom they protected from being overwhelmed by the alleged rebellion. As yet we have no evidence of such a state of things. We only know that for a savage onslaught of the blacks, retribution vastly in excess of the provocation given was taken by the whites. Hundreds of the former were made to expiate the murder of units of the latter. And in executing this horrible retribution there was exhibited such a coolness in bloodshed, such a devilish rioting of delight in the tatting and hanging of the " niggers," that if the surviving blacks should retain any traces of civilisation, it will be in spite of the example of savagery which has been set them by the whites.  The Loss of the Barque Mary Nicholson.  British Consulate, Batavia, Sept. 30, 1865. Sir,—l have the honour to wait upon you with the minutes of a naval court held at this Consulate on the 2d inst., in order to examine into the circumstances attending the loss of the English barque Mary Nicholson, of Sydney, James Meredith, master, in Bali Straits. It appears therefrom that the said vessel was too hastily abandoned, and that the master has subjected himself to severe censure. —I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,
The Sun. — 1865-11-22 (London, England)

JOHNSON V. JOHNSON.  This was the petition of tho wife praying for a divorce by reason of the adultery and cruelty of her husband, who is a wire-drawer, living at Manchester. There was no defence by the respondent, who merely appeared, and did not make any answer to the allegations in the petition. Mr. Pritchard appeared for the petitioner.  The parties were married at St. John's Church, Manchester, in May, 1846, and lived together till 20th May, 1863. There were several children issue of the marriage, of whom only two were living, a daughter aged 12, and a son la years old. The last act of violence alleged was in May, 1863, since which time the petitioner had ceased to cohabit with the respondent. Sarah Davis said that she was a cousin of tho petitioner and proved the marriage. She remembered the petitioner coming to her place after the Whitsuntide of 1863, and was in a very distressed state of mind. Her face, legs, and body were covered with bruises, which were quite discoloured. The petitioner stayed with her afterwards, and she recollected the respondent saying to his wife in her presence that he could not blame her for anything that had taken place, and he admitted having had improper intimacy with several females, some of whom were as young as ten or eleven years old. Some of these intimacies had been going on for years. _ _ _  Mrs. Johnson, the petitioner, said that she had lived with her husband at different parts of Manchester, and that she had reason to complain of his ill-treatment two or three years after marriage. She then proceeded to detail different acts of violence, commencing in 1850, when the respondent, without any provocation on her part, seized her by the throat and nearly strangled her. She became insensible from the effects of his violence on that occasion, and some days elapsed before she recovered. In 1862 ho again struck her and dragged her out of bed by her hair, and would have continued his violence if her son had not called in a policeman. The last act of violence to her was in the Whitsuntide of May, 1863. He had been at the races, and she was obliged to get out of bed to let him in. When she opened the door he struck her several times, and at each blow said "I shill murder thee ; the police shan't interfere or come after me."  Two policemen were examined, and one of them deposed to having seen the respondent holding his wife by the throat, and also to the latter being in the habit of visiting a female named Philips, with whom the last act of adultery was charged. Ruth Johnson, the daughter of the parties, was examined, and proved to having been with her father in company with the woman Philips. The learned Judge said the facts wore fully proved, and made a decree nisi with costs. He also ordered the daughter to be kept in the custody of the petitioner until further order.
The Sun. — 1865-11-22 (London, England)

JOHNSON V. JOHNSON.  This was the petition of the wife praying for a divorce by reason of the adultery and cruelty of her husband, wko is a wire-drawer,• living at Manchester. There was no defence by the respondent, who merely appeared, and did not snake any answer to the allegations in the petition. Mr. Pritchard appeared for the petitioner. _ _  The parties were married at St. John's Church, Manchester, in May, 1846, and lived together till 20th May, 1863. There were several children issue of the marriage, of whom only two were living, a daughter aged 12, and a son 18 years old. The last act of violence alleged was in May, 1863, since which time the petitioner had ceased to cohabit with the respondent. Sarah Davis said that she was a cousin of the petitioner and proved the marriage. She remembered the petitioner coming to her place after the Whitsuntide of 1863, and was in a very distressed state of mind. Her face, legs, and body were covered with bruises, which were quite discoloured. The petitioner stayed with her afterwards, and she recollected the respondent saying to his wife in her presence that ho could not blame her for anything that had taken place, and he admitted having had improper intimacy with several females, some of whom were as young as ten or eleven years old. Some of theso intimacies had been going on for years. Mrs. Johnson, the petitioner, said that she had lived with her husband at different parts of Manchester, and that she had reason to complain of his ill-treatment two or three years after marriage. She then proceeded to detail different acts of violence, commencing in 1850, when the respondent, without any provocation on her part, seized her by the throat and nearly strangled her. She became insensible from the effects of his violence on that occasion, and some days elapsed before she recovered. In 1862 he again struck her and dragged her out of bed by her hair, and would have continued his violence if her son had not called in a policeman. The last act of violence to her was in the Whitsuntide of May, 1863. He had been at the races, and she was obliged to get out of bed to let him in. When she opened the door he struck her several times, and at each blow said "I shall murder thee ; the police shan't interfere or come after me." Two policemen were examined, and ono of them deposed to having seen the respondent holding his wife by the throat, and also to the latter being in the habit of visiting a female named Philips, with whom the last act of adultery was charged. Ruth Johnson, the daughter of the parties, was examined, and proved to having been with her father in company with the woman Philips.  The prisoner said he had no questions to ask—he would plead guilty.  Police-constable Pickles, 257 C, said that on taking the prisoner into custody and telling him the charge, he said "All right ; I'll go with you." He wished the prisoner remanded, as he believed there would be another charge against him. Mr. Tyrwhitt granted a remand.
The Sun. — 1865-07-20 (London, England)

TIIE CONVICT PRITCHARD.—The Glasgow Herald says On Monday the convict was visited by the Rev, Dr. Noiman Macleod, the Rev. Dr. Miller, the Rev. Mr.. Reid, Episeopalian clergyman, and the prison chaplain From the information we have received it would appear that the prisoner's demeanour remains unchanged, and that ho even appears, if possible, more cool as his days draw near a close. It is said that after the prisoner had remarked to one of his spiritual advisers that his confession was true, he was told that not a word of it was believed out of doors, and that he, the minister himself, was of the same opinion. The prisoner, it is alleged, then lay back, and, looking calmly towards the ceiling of his cell, expressed himself to the effect that he had often wondered why Christ, while tenuohoonnentb:eiatiocriettdwhvgb,eeserh;saidndrbeilu.asxhetpiidlstei.hnrigaleotonaaancedtf itdnei another the ministers imadl occasionn: aai nsc rt finding' ys tir ne ms ds aaeriakdl faulti tnh ea wtwwtii htat with d counsel, who, •he said, he believed was in league with the Crown authorities. On being reminded that a person in his position should not give vent to such expression; we are told that he made a remark to the effect that he could ascend the scaffold with a smile upon. his face." The Dundee Courier says; --" Some facts have come to our knowledge connected with the mysterious burning of the servant in his house in Berkeley-terrace, calculated to throw a deeper shade of suspicion over the bccurrZmce than anything in the account of it contained in the narratives of tho calamity. It is quite true that the door of the room where the servant was sleeping was locked, but it is not quite so certain that it was locked from the inside. The key was not in the lock, but was found by Dr. Pritchard, in a room full of smoke, lying on the, bed, .where the servant lay charred and lifeless: Nobody saw the key until it was in the doctor's hand, and how he could have so readily found it in so unlikely -a„plac3, amid the dense and almost suffocating smoke, remains a mystery that, wefear, .points to only one solution. On another matter—viz., the motive for the double murder of which he has been found guilty—considerable light is thrown by his relations with a wealthy heiress in Glasgow. The young lady in question had some £14,000 in her own right. Dr. Pritchard was on visiting and generally pretty familiar terms with the heiress, upon whom, simple and unsuspecting to a degree, no blame rests. Aware of her resources, the doctor sought a loan of some money. Before giving it the young lady consulted' a friend, who advised that the money should not be given. The advice was acted upon, and the refusal broke up the correspondence. The hiatus in the intercourse thus created rendered it impossible for the proht it matters all gone right, it is easy to perceive wha in which no light fell in light prosecution to introduce this episode into the trial • would have shed upon the one point in the casefnen in his court, and no light has yet a but, had confession."
The Sun. — 1865-06-08 (London, England)

SERVANTGALISM EXTRAORDINARY.-AXFON V. BEADEL.  This was an action to recover wages actually earned, and one month's wages in lieu of the customary notice, plaintiff being a domestic cook, and defendant the well known auctioneer, of 25, Gresham-street, and Romford. Plaintiff detailed the list of her grievances, and deposed that upon a certain night defendant had a dinner at his country house at Romford, and after the dinner was all over Mrs. Beadel gave plaintiff a little drop of gin, which slightly excited her. Mr. Beadel came down into the kitchen, took plaintiff by the wrists, and removed her with much force from the house. He hurt her very much, indeed, and she had done nothing to provoke him. His Honour asked Mr. Beadel if he would like to explain the matter ?  Mr. Beadel—Certainly, sir. I may state the conduct of the plaintiff exceeded anything I had ever previously witnessed. It is quite true that we had a dinner party on the night in question, and all passed off very well until halfpast 11, when the cook refused to go to bed. (Laughter.) My wifo reasoned with her, but in vain, and although her fellow-servants had retired to rest, she most determinedly declined to follow their example. I went down and reasoned with her, but she said she meant to enjoy herself. (Renewed laughter.) I gave her till 12 o'clock, and then her conduct became so outrageous that I took her by the wrists and made her go with me to the nearest police station, where, she being intoxicated, I left her in charge, handing her half a sovereign to get her a bed in some respectable place. His Honour—Then she was intoxicated? _ _ _  Plaintiff—She was indeed. Sho asked me if I had ever heard anybody scream—(great laughter)—and she said that she once screamed " Murder" in Romford Park till she was heard a mile off. (Renewed laughter.) I had no wish to have a specimen of her powers at my house, but she threatened to give me one. Plaintiff—The missis gave me a drop of gin. His Honour—That would not have affected you in the way described. Defendant—She lit three lamps and six candles, and insisted on having them all burning at the same time. (Great laughter.) Under all the circumstances I did what I considered right and proper. I gave her 10s., and have paid 7s. into court, that being more than the wages actually earned. His Honour—You have done more than you need have done.  Plaintiff—And he gave the policeman a glass of gin. Defendant—He had some trouble with you. You came to my office' about two days after the affair, and wanted to show me then how youcould scream out "murder," saying you were always good for half a mile. (Laughter.) I was obliged to tell one of my clerks to show her down stairs. Plaintiff—He said he would be master over everybody. Defendant—ln the excitement of the moment perhaps I said I must be master in my own house. His Honour—And very naturally. I think plaintiff has acted with great forbearance, and he is fully entitled to the verdict in this case. Verdict for plaintiff, who declined to accept any costs.
The Sun. — 1802-04-15 (London, England)

PRISONER'S DEFENCE.  The prisoner being called on for his-defence, said, that he had no hand in mnr&rilig the Captain, but assisted in throwing him overboard. he requested Lieutenant Southcott to be called in again ; when the prisoner asked him— _  Q. Did you see.me in the Captain's 9abin with the rest of the mutineers ?—A. Yes, many limes. Q. Did you see me with arms before your cabin door ?—A. Yes, you had a cutlass, I am 'certain, and. another weapon •; I heard you say you had assisted to murder the whole of the Officers.  Having nothing else to offer in his behalf, the Court was cleared, and in less than an 'hour it was re-opened, when the following Sentence was pronounced :  " That the Court was of opinion the Charges had been proved against the said David Forrester, and did adjudge him to suffer Death, by*being hang.. .ed by the iiecleon board such -Ship of His Majesty at Spithead, or in Portsmouth Harbour, and at such time, as the Com Missioners for executing the offi:e of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or any three of them, for the time being, should dire Et. He was executed accordingly, as ,stated in a former Paper. He was• attended by the Rev. J. Davis, Chaplain of the Garrison, and Rev. J. Hall, of the Royal Hospital, Hadar, to whom, just before he was launched into eternity, he made the following' confession :  That he went into the cabin and forced' Captain Pigot overboard through the port, while .he was alive. He then got on the quartei-deck, and found the First Lieutenant begging for his life, saying he had a wife and three children totally depending on him for support ; he took hold of him and assisted in heaving him overboard alive, and declared Ile did not think the people would have taken his life had he not first took hold of him.--7A cry was then heard 'through the ship, that Lieutenant Douglas could not be found ; he took a lanthorn and candle and went into the gun-room, and found the Lieutenant under the Marine-Officer's cabin ; he called in the rest of the 'people, wllen they dragged him on deck and threw him overboard. He next caught hold of Mr. Smith, Midshipman, a scuffle ensued, and finding him likely to get away, he struck him with his tomahawk, and threw him overboard. . The general cry next was for putting all the Officers to death, that they might not. appear as evidence against them ; he .seize a on the Captain's Clerk, who was immediately put to .death. These, he said, were The whole oihis actions during the murdering of the Officers. He called God to witness, hoped he would forgive him, and said his mind was easy after making the above confession.  It is stated in the Decade Philosophique, that the Voyage of MARCHAND round the World, lately published by Fleurieu, of the National Institute, (a translation of which has lately been published by Messrs. Longman and Rees, both in quarto, and
The Sun. — 1802-04-17 (London, England)

LIVERYMAN.  COUNTRY NEWS.  N,t WC ASI LE, APRIL 104  On Monday; night last, about ten o'clock, a most alarming fire broke out in a stable belonging to Mr. Matthew CuMy, at Wark, near Coldstream, in Northumberland, which raged with uncommon fury, communicating to the byer, barn, bake-house, &c. adjoining. Ten, excellent draught horses Were burnt to death, fifty others being with difficulty saved ; in the byer. five milkr-cows were also Burnt, and eight saved. The whole of the beasts, young cattle, and calves, to the number of so; were saved, but several are since dead. The contents of the barn, consisting of beans; &c.. were also destroyed ; together with two hay-stacks and one corn-stack in the yard, to, which the flames had spread. On the fire being perceived, a great number. of the neighbouring people 'repaired to the spot, by whose unabated exertions alone the numerous cattle were rescued from the flames, which continued to baffle their united efforts till near three o'clock. in the morning, when the fire was happily got under. The premises were covered with rough thatch, and uncommonly dry, when the accident happened, which, it is conjeaured, had been occa— sioned by the snuff of a candle falling unperceived on some loose straw or hay. Mr. and Mrs. Culley were from home. it the time of the accident.  On Thursday Mr. George Cram, son of Mr. Cram, of the "Three-mile Bridge, was -unfortunately drowned, as he was crossing a sluice near Jarrow Slake, at the upper end of South Shields. On Friday se'nnight, the following most distressing accident happened between Monkwear_ mouth and Whitburn :—As Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Shipley (aged near 70), aunt to Mr. Gray, ship owner, of Monkwearinouth, were enjoying an airing in a gig, on the above road, the horse suddenly took fright, owing to the noise and fluttering .of a number of ducks -in a pond, when one of the wheels unfortunately came off, and the Vehicle was 'overturned, whereby Mrs. Shipley had her skull dreadfully fraEturel, one of her arms broke in three places, and was otherAse'shockingly bruised. The accident happened about one o'clock, and Mrs. Shipley' died, in consequence thereof, the next morning.—Mrs, Gray also received considerable injury, but we are happy to hear is in a fairway of ttcovery. This Week the body of a young woman, a servant 'in Gateshead, was taken out of the River here : she had been missing for several days. The body 'of a young man, a shil,-wright, who had been married- only three -days, was 'also found this week in the River, the throat being cut from ear to ear.— It is conjeaured the above person had been robbed„ murdered, and thrown over into the River, as 'he had parted from some friends, and had 'to cross the Bridge at a late hour, on the evening the affair is supposed to have happened. Last week was landed from a vessel arrived at Sunderland, on its way to Scotland, sent by an Of.ficer of our. Army in Egypt, a young Ass, of uncommon beauty and form, between 14. and 15 hands high, and extremely lively, notwithstanding the length of the voyage. Its ears measured near zo inches in length. '
The Sun. — 1821-01-06 (London, England)

ROBBERS.—The house. of Mr. DoLny, a Gentleman of respectability in Spencer-street, Doswell-street-road, has of late been attempted several times by some desperate ruffians. Last week,. Mr. and Mrs. Dolby .being out upon a visit till two o'clock in the morning, two men knocked at the door in the early part of the evening. The servant answered them from the area, which was secured by iron railing, asking what they wanted. They desired her to come up, as they had a hamper far her -master ; which she doubting, told them she would not take any thing in at night, and,that they.must bring it in the morning. They went. away and returned again about 12 o'clock, demanding her to come up and open the door, muttering somethino-' to 'each other that they ,would•,open the door themselves. The girl suspecting their intentiml, with great promptitude and presence of 'mind, ran up into the passage, in order to make the street:- • door more .secure, and, to her great surprise,discovered that in the short interval of her leav- • ing the area they had opened the door to the extent of the chain. She immediately closed the • door, bolted it, and on descending to the kitchen fell exhausted, severely hurting her head. In this state she laid till one o'cloclk before she was recovered. We understand the robbers have had the audacity to attempt to enter the back part of the premises twice since, but on Mrs. thilby's springing a rattle they decamped without effecting an entrance. The depredations hi this quarter of the town have of late been so frequent that the more respectable part of the inhabitants have • associated to pay additional watchmen, for their security against these nocturnal plunderers. _ _  ATROCIOUS MURDER AND IfIGHWAYROWIERY. A few evenings ago, a most shocking murder, accompanied by the equally heinous crime of robbery, was committed on the person of a man named Timothy Nivel], by a. gang of ruffians, in Rosemary-lane. The object of this sanguinary deed was a native of Ireland, and resith:d at No. 14, Brooke's-court, Vine-yard, Horselydown.- On Tuesday morning, about 11 o'clock, he left his house for the purpose, as we understood, of receiving a sum of money from his Club, in Rosemary-lane ; he dial not return again, nor was any thing heard of him till between nine and ten o'clock at night, when the people of the house were alarmed by some one moaning on the stairs; they listened, and heard a voice, which they knew to be the deceased's, exclaim'" 0 God, will no one help me.!" The deceased informed his landlord that he had been. knocked down, robbed, and left for dead, a short distance from the Anchor and Hope public-house, by a gang of men, one of whom threatened to blow his brains out. He died the following morning.—After a momentary connitation, the Jury returned a verdict of " Wilful. Murder against some person or persons at present W unknon."—The deceased was a single man, and 3c, years old. •