npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Glasgow Courier. — 1847-10-26 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

DARING HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND ATTEMPT AT  MURDER.  The magistrate's office at Bristol on Tuesday was crowded to excess, by persons anxious to hear the examination of a min named James Venn, who has recently returned from transportation, having had three years of the time for which he was sentenced commuted by the Secretary of State, and who on Monday night surrendered himself to the police upon a charge of being the chief actor in a daring highway robbery aid attempted murder, committed a few clays since upon the person of a young lady, named Anne Loosemore. It appears that as Miss Loosemore, between five and six o'clock in the evening, was passing through a road called Old John's Lane, leading from Knowle to 'Bedminster, she was followed by the prisoner. She observed him walking behind her, but had no suspicion of his intentions until, upon her arriving at a part of the lane where it is separated into two portions by a small rivulet, the prisoner, who had got on to the opposite side of the brook from that upon which ,1 she was walking, suddenly jumped across it, and with the I large end of a walking-stick struck her a blow on the top I of the head with such violence as to fell her to the ground, and render her for some moments insensible. As soon as she came to herself she found the prisoner standing over her and demanding her money. She assured him that she had none with her, and implored him to spare her life, but he said he was determined to have money, and did not know whether he should spare her life or not. She begged him to permit her to get up, and he did so, upon which she gave him about eighteen-pence in silver, all the loose coin she had about her. He said she had more money than that, and he would have it out of her, and before she had time to say many words be struck her another and heavier blow on the head with the nob of his stick. She was rendered halfsenseless by it; and although she felt the blood flowing down her neck and person she had not power to raise her head from the ground. The fellow pulled up her clothes, tore away her pocket, and thrust his hand into her bosom to see if she had any purse or valuables there. Fortunately she had not much property about her, and he only obtained a smelling-bottle, a little silver money, and some trifling things. Having got all he could from her, he left her, threatening her that if she rose and gave any alarm, a companion of his, who was watching at a gate hard by, would attack her. After a while she recovered sufficiently to . crawl to the Totterdown turnpike house, the inhabitants of which received her, and seeing her bleeding and dangerous state sent her to the hospital in Princes Street. The prisoner, it is supposed, was haunted by the idea that he had murdered her, and he gave himself up to the police, vowing that he had given her the second blow to make her quiet, and stating that his life was a misery, and that he hoped he should be tucked up for it. The magistrate committed him to await his trial at the next Gloucester County Assize.
Glasgow Courier. — 1847-09-09 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

THE WADER OF THE DUCHESS DE PRASLIN.  In addition to the letters which we have already published, we take from Galignanis Messenger the following translations of documents connected with the prosecution of the Duke de Proslin : The first document lathe precis verbal of the examining magistrate, M. Broussais, and other officers of justice, immediately after the murder of the Duchess. After describing the position of the body, the state of the room, the marks of blood in different places and on the bell-pull, the finding of a loaded horse-pistol belonging to the Duke, and other circumstances which have already been fully and correctly related to the public, the precis verbal goes on to state that, having discovered traces of blood from the chamber of the Duchess to that of the Duke, and on his dress, the officers of justice felt it to be their duty to question him on that point. The Duke explained these marks by stating that he had got blood upon them and upon his hands by touching the body when he ran into the room on the alarm that was raised. A frock coat, on which there were marks of blood, and to which water had been applied to efface them, having been noticed, the Duke said he had attempted to wash out the marks, and had thrown the water, in which he had washed his hands, out of the window, into the garden, but no appearance of such water having been thrown out was found. The trousers worn by the Duke beingalso found spotted with blood, he was requested to change them and give them up, which he did. There were also marks of blood on the breast and on the sleeve of his shirt, which he had attempted to wash out, as it was still wet, but the Duke said that the wet was the result of perspiration. A pair of slippers also spotted with blood were found. On searching the Duke's room there were found three napkins, more or less wet and stained with blood, a cambric handkerchief in the same state, and a shirt which the Duke said he had changed the night before at half-past 11, with two drops of blood on it. Lastly, there were found a waistcoat, a cap, and a ceinture stained with blood. All these articles mere seized, and placed under seal. In the fire-place of this room were found the aslfes of papers and articles of woollen or linen which had been burnt, for the remains were still warm. Amongst the ashes were the remains of a silk pocket handkerchief, which the Duke acknowledged to be his, and which he said had taken fire by accident when he threw a lighted match which he had been using into the fire-place. On the chimney-piece was a paper containing a small quantity of gunpowder; and a knife with several blades, on the back of which was a drop of blood; in a cartonnier, over a chest of drawers, a box containing gunpowder and three balls; and in a secretary in the study, a poinard and its sheath, and a pair of loaded pocket-pistols. All these articles were seized, and placed under seal.
Glasgow Courier. — 1847-09-09 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

HORRIBLE MURDERS IN BRUSSELS.  A frightful event, a triple murder, has thrown the inhabitants of this city into a state of the greatest excitement. The scene of the assassination is a large private residence, situated in the Place St. Gery, the oldest part of Brussels. It appears that about nine o'clock on Thursday night last, the male servant of M. Evenepoel, the owner of the house, returned there, in order to get some oats for his master's horses, and on proceeding to the kitchen to procure a light, stumbled over some heavy substance, which on closer inspection he found to be the dead body of one of the female servants. The next minute he saw her fellow-servant lying near her, also quite dead. Both had several wounds in their throats, from which the blood still issued. The domestic immediately gave the alarm, and the neighbours rushed into the house, with the view of effecting, if possible, the capture of the murderers. On hastily searching the house another horrid spectacle was presented to their view. In a room on the first floor lay the mutilated body of Mdlle. Evenepoel, the sister of the master of the house. It was soon discovered that many pieces of furniture had been broken open, and that a quantity of valuable property had been carried off. At the saute time the triple murder was committed, M. Evenepoel, who is the head steward or agent of the Count de Merode, the representative of one of the oldest and noblest families in the country, was in his box at the Theatre-Royal, and it was there that he first received the distressing intelligence of the murder of his sister and their two servants. The unfortunate victims were interred on Friday afternoon, after a solemn funeral service had been performed in the church of N. D. de Bon Secoura. An immense number of persons followed the funeral. The male servant, after having undergone a strict examination, has been set at liberty. Two young men, who were courting the servants of M. Evenepoel, are still in custody, as well as scabdriver. Amongst the objects stolen were gold watches and chains, diamond pins, several pieces of plate, Dutch 3 florins pieces, and a quantity of English sixpence.. The river Benne, which runs behind the garden, was dragged, but nothing was found in it. Nothing of a suspicions nature was found on the male servant, or the other two who are still in custody. One of the murdered servants was four months gone with child. She was shortly to be married. A large house-dog was also found killed, and a little spaniel cruelly injured. Judging by the marks of , footsteps, it would appear that there were three persons concerned , in effecting the murder. According to all appearancea, it seems that the servants were immediately attacked on opening the street ' door, stunned at once with dreadful blows, and coolly massacred; and that as soon as they ceased to exist, the murderers proceeded to Mdlle. Evenepoel's room, where they also despatched the unfortunate lady.
Glasgow Courier. — 1847-12-02 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

VERDICT OF MURDER AGAINST W. S. SHERIDAN. • On Friday the coroner and jury met by adjournment, to hivestigate the death of Mrs. Francis Sheridan, widow of an officer in the army, of Mare Street, Hackney. The evidence taken was precisely similar to the statements made at the previous examination at the Worship Street Police Court. Mr. Randall, the deceased's landlord, proved the frequent occurrence of the most dreadful quarrels between the accused and his mother and sisters. Mr. Evans, the summoning officer, deposed to the state of anxiety which the party refs:red to exhibited when it had been determined to make a post-mortem examination of his mother's remaini, and to his expressed desire that all publication of the-fact in the newspapers should be suppressed; and Sergeant Hawkes deposed that he found three bank-notes of £2O in the prisoner's desk at the Excisesoftice.--Mr. Baker said the prisoner was a young man of drunken habits, and attributed his late acts and those of his mother and sisters to this cause. The Coroner read from "Ray's Medical Jurisprudence " several extracts showing the effect of over-indulgence in spirituous liquors on certain minds. Among the illustrations quoted was that of the celebrated Sheridan, who "never spoke iu the House of Commons without the inspiration of half a pint of brandy." What did the jury see? A whole family immersed in the lowest depths of intoxicates, their minds debased, their morals impure. So fatal have been the effects, that the mother has died a victim of filth and disease; one of the daughters, unable to bear the last closing scene, wandered forth on the evening of her death, not knowing where she was going, and only returning when driven back by the pr ration of her physical energies. The son, instead of closing hieparenes eyes, haviog first placed the "poisoned chalice to her lips," hurried to the office in which his lire had been insured on the very day of her death, and secured the paltry pittance of £96 . ' to feed .his depraved appetite for future revels of intoxication. The learned Coroner remarked on the singular coincidence, that the prisoner, who Iva. now immured on the citarg,e of matricide, was the grandson of Sheridan. Mr. Baker then charged the jury! The jury remained in deliberation for about-half-am-hour, when it was annouimed that twelve out of thirteen jurymen had agreed to a vcrlier, of wilful Initialer, the dissentient obj, cting on some peculiar opinions entertained by himself. The Coroner said their verdict must be an unanimous one; and after solo° farther deliberation the foreman announced that they hail all agreed to a , verdict of-" Wilful murder against William Stewart Sheridan."  POVERTY OF NA TI (From the Standard.) shall write "the Hist°, moro valuable far th r of poverty is, in the ice, far more probable ver any one, we say, have little more to listorical illustrations .we will lae seen the w( pauperism—monetary 11onetary restriction, a still decreasing ter, many no more than Lnd free trade, wio
Glasgow Courier. — 1855-10-09 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

THE ATEICA.  The Briti>h end North American royal mail steamship Africa, Harrison, commander, arrived on Saturday afternoon, kilter a rapid passage, bringing dates from Boston to the 20th oh, 223 passengers, and 8557,315 specie on freight. Four officers, two Sergeants, three corporals, and sixty-tbree private soldiers were amongst the passengers. The mail steariusr America, hence for Boston, was spoken by the Africa, on the 28th ult.  The Boston Traveller says, The Heet from Glom_ tester in the British waters this year is very large, one firm alone having twenty-six vessels, and many others having from six to fifteen each. The quantity of the mackerel brought thus far this year is not so good as in some former seasons, being priucipally  No. 2's, worth about 5,50 per barrel. There are a few exceptions, however, one vessel returning last week with principally No. l's, selling them at 519,66 per barrel, and the trip amounting to 54,200. During a sitting of the New-York municipal council, • number of the aldermen and councillors were arrested, charged with receiving bribes. The British steamship Curlew, which was recently placed on the route bet wern Boston and Halifax, had been nithdrawn, by order of the British Admiralty, the steamer being t equired fur government service.  The Harlem Railway Company bad been pronounced liable by the law courts for the frauds committed by their former secretary and transfer-clerk, Kyle. The house of Drake & Co., of New-York, had obtained a verdict in oue case of g 25,000. On the 20th a destructive fire took place in NewOrleans. The damage was about 860,000. The Bishop of New-Jersey had deposed hie owu smafrom the ministry, ea atmossat of his perversion to ft Otnatlim.  From Mexico we learn that a general amnesty for political offences had been proclaimed, and the secret police abolished. The first frost of the season occurred at Norfolk on tho 24th. The yellow fever was stili 'raging fiercely. At Portsmouth it had declined, and at NewOrleans it was no longer epidemic. A great battle took place on the ad instant, at Sand Hills, near the north fork of the Platte River, between the Sioux Indians and the entire force of United States troops under General Harney, numbering about 450 men. Major Cady commanded the infantry, and Colonel Cook the dragoons, mounted infantry, and artillery. The battle commenced early in the morning, and lasted several hours. The Indians fought desperately, but were routed. A running fight for some ten miles followed, during which the Indians made a stand, and fought with much gallantry. They were, however, defeated, with the loss of eighty men killed, and fifty women and children taken prisoners. The Indian women fought furiously. General Harney lost six killed, and as many wounded. No officers were killed. The Indians engaged in this battle were the Bride and Sioux—the same that massacred Lieut. Grattan's command, and murdered a mail party, the way-bill of the mail having been found with them. At Havana, on the 17th ult., sugars were arm, with an upward tendency.
Glasgow Courier. — 1855-05-03 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

GLASGOW JUSTICIARY CIRCUIT COURT.  WEDNESDAY.  CHAROE OF MURDER.  The Coon t was engaged during the whole of this day hearing the case of William Kelso alias Alexander Stewart, charged with murder, in so far as, on the 26th day of November, 1854, at or near the No. 1 clay-bound pit, Kelvinside, he did wickedly and feloniously attack and assault John Welch, labourer, Marybill, in Lanarkshire, and did with some lethal weapon strike the said John Welch one or more blows on the head, face, or other parts of his person' and did otherwise abuse him, by all of which the said John Welch lost much blood, and was mortally injured, and in consequence thereof died on or about the 27th of Neve:ober, and was thus murdered by you, William Kelso. The evidence for the Crown, although of considerable length, may be thus briefly stated. On the evening in question, Welch, who was a watchman at the pit abovementioned, was more than usually late in returning home, which occasioned some anxiety at home, three miles distant. Deceased's son and daughter, and a male friend, went to the pit-head to ascertain what was the cause of his detention, and on approaching the booth or shed which he occupied they found that the door was closed, and heard something like sounds of distress. On knocking at the door, deceased asked is that you Collier Stewart, when Francis Welch replied that it was him. 'Oh!' said deceased, you' have been a' lang king time o' condo': On entering they found Welch lying upon the ground, and bleeding from the head. On interrogation he stated that it was collier Stewart who struck him with a pick, which was produced in corset, and to this statement he adhered till his death. The prisoner was last seen in the company of deceased, and succeeded in eluding the vigilance of the police for some months after the murder. De had in his possession when taken into custody a box resembling one n hich deceased had in his pocket on the day of his death, and some little money that he had ins purse was carried off In some conversation which the prisoner had with two witnesses on the Monday following Welch's death, he admitted the crime, and palliated his offence because of provocation given. Medical testimony was offered to prove that death was caused by the wounds inflicted. The panel, in his declaration, deoied that he had ever been at Maryhill, or I knew anything at all of the charge. Mr. MONCRIEFF, counsel for the panel, adduced a witness to prove that on the evening in question, the panel had called at his grandfather's house in a perfectly , calm and collected state of mind, but this line of defence was not persisted in. I Counsel fur the crown and the panel were then heard, the former asking for a verdict of guilty of murder, and the latter ' not proven.' I When we weat to press, Lord Cowan was aummii.g up the evidence.  It was announced by telegraph, on Tuesday, that the opposition of Messrs. Burns had defeated the Glasgow and South Western Midway Company in the Committee of the House of Commons—the committee having unanimously thrown out that Railway Company's Steamboat Bill.
Glasgow Courier. — 1855-06-12 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

EAST INDIES. The following Is an extract of a private letter from the Meransie Valley, in the Punjaub, dated April 11, 18.55, on the subject of the treaty, signed on the 30th of March, between the British Government and Dust Mahomed, Ameer of Cabul:—  ' The treaty was signed by Mr. J. Lawrence on the part of the British government, and by Surdar Gholans Ryder Khan, a son of Host Mahomed Khan, and heir to the " walee" of Cabul. The government have thus secured themselves against an• intrigues that the Russians might plan; and the friendly terms which now exist will tend very much to quiet the Peshawur frontier. The Dust has also gained his object, viz —the introduction of his favourite son to our governnient :Iv fh. heir to the throne of Affghanistan, with a view of our acknowledging him as such at his death, knowing Eliot there will be great contention, whenever it happens, between Hyder Khan and his numerous brothers. He also calculates that he will naturally prefer Surdar Ilyder Khan to succeed bins, he having been chiefly concerned with the treaty recently concluded, and being the person through whose agency friendship has been established. Surdar Hyder Khan, it must be remembered, is not the Dust's eldest son, and therefore strife is pretty certain; for he has no less than 30 brothers all of whom, more or lees, have sonic intention to dispute the claim This is at the present day very strong; so much so, that the party who are against Surdar Hyder Khan's succession bad made up their minds to murder a man of the naive of Poi:der Khan, who was deputed by Major Edwardes to go to Cabul, and bring the Surdar down, and thus to break off the chance of any treaty being concluded between the two governments, thinking that the embassy would no longer I e received by, us. However, Surdar Hyder Khan was aware of their intentions, and took every precaution against them. He selected a fot t for Surdar Khan's residence, and put none but his most trustworthy soldiers into it, and went as far unto have a fore* outside to prevent mutiny, besides sundry precautions against being poisoned. This will enable you to see that the friend:, terms which were then about to be established were not popular with a vast number of people. They did their best to have Peshawur restored to them, but J. Lawrence would not listen to it, and told the Surdar that lie must never hope to bane that grant. The expedition was got up with the intention of punishing the people of this valley, who have hitherto refused to acknowledge our rule, and to pay revenue for the last three years, but the force being concentrated at Rohat, and not liking to argue the point, they have cone in, and agreed to pay up the arrears. Thus we shall pay a visit to all the s illages, and see what collections can be made. It is expected that we shall have a fight or two bete e some of them give In, otherwise there is ill be nothing to speak of.'