npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1878-11-01 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

CHARGE OF WILFUL MURDER NEAR  SWANSEA.  An inquest was opened on Monday afternoon, at the Duke Inn, Morriston, near Swansea, before Mr. Edward Strick, coroner, on the body of John Harry, a cooper, residing at Morriston, near Swansea, whose death, it is alleged, resulted from injuries received at the hands of Thomas Jones, horse dealer, Morriston, as far back as the 21st of September. The dying de. positions of the deceased were taken a few days ago, before Mr R. Hughes, J.P., of Ynistawe-house, and are to the following effect :—Deceased said—l am a cooper, and live at Graig Trewyddfa, Morriston. On Saturday, three weeks ago (21st September). I went into Swansea on the back of my pony. I met Edward Rees there, and let him ride back on my pony, and I came by the tram-car. When I came back, and when near the Duke Inn, I saw Thomas Jones riding on my pony. He was coming very fast in the direction of Morriston towards the Duke. I told him he ought to be ashamed of himself to drive the pony about Mon. riston. Edward Kees asked him (Jones) to come off the pony. I said to him, "Now, Thomas, I am the owner of the pony; come down." He came down. He had a stick with him, with lead on the top of it. I had seen the stick with him before that day. Ho struck me with the stick, with the leaden part of it, on my head. My head bled freely. I put my handkerchief to my head, and went to the doctor. I can. not say that Thomas Jones was drunk. I did not touch him before he struck me with the stick, nor afterwards. He tried to strike me another blow, but I avoided it. I put the pony between us. If he had struck me another blow it would have been all over with me, whatever it might be now. I struggled with him, and got the pony from him, and my hat fell off. My hat was off when he struck me on the head. He had got off the pony's back, and was on the ground, when he etruok me. Dr. Morgan dressed my head, and I went home, and have not worked since. I have not been able to get out or about since Monday. I was able to walk about the first week after the blow, but was unable to go to work. Croes-examined by prisoner—l did not catch hold of you at all when on the pony; I only caught hold of the bridle. I had a stick in my hand, but I did not knock you with it when you came down off the pony. Prisoner—Did you not knock me down before I knocked you Answer—No; get along with you. Prisoner said—l struck you after. In re-examination by the prisoner, , deceased said—l had only four glasses of beer that day. I was sober. The pony had been out to grass, and was not fit to ride fast.  The medical evidence WBB to the effect that the blow was the cause of death. The jury found a verdict of "Excusable homicide," because it was proved that blows were freely struck on both sides. Jones was taken into custody.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1884-01-11 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE PLAISTOW WIFE MURDER. Before M. Justice Hawkins, sitting on Tuesday at the Central Criminal Court, Henry John Billing, 29, stevedore, was indicted for the wilful murder of his wife, Elizabeth Billing, by shooting her with a revolver, at Plaistow, on December 1 huit.—Mr. Poland and Mr. Montagu Williams prosecuted for the Public Prosecutor, and Mr. Burnie, with Mr. Saunders, defended the prisoner.—The facts of this case have appeared recently. The prisoner appeared to have been a hard-working industrious man, and he resided with the deceased and three children at Plaistow. The prisoner and his wife lived on most unhappy terms, and it was stated that the deceased was a drunken, intemperate woman, and that Instead of devoting the money given to her by the prisoner to rent and household expenses, the greater portion of it was expended in drink. A quarrel arising from the habits of the deceased led to the crime with which Billing was charged. At the close of the ease for the prosecution, Mr. Burnie said he did not intend to call witnesses for the defence, and Mr. Poland proceeded to suns up the ease for the Crown. He said that he was bound to admit that the case was a very painful one, but he urged upon the jury that the evidence left no doubt that the prisoner, irritated at the coednot of the deceased woman, had deliberately resolved to destroy her life, and that the intereets of society demanded that they should return verdicit in accordance with the evidence. Mr. Burnie, in his address to the jury for the prisoner, contended that the only witness upon whose evidence they would be justified in convicting his client of the crime of wilful murder, was the daughter of the prisoner, a child only ten years of age, and that her evidence was contradicted in many important particulars by the other witnesses who were present at the time. The learned counsel concluded by arguing that, under all the drownstances, they would be justified in convicting the prisoner of manslaughter.—Mr. Justice Hawkins then summed up, and the jury retired at half-past three o'clook to consider their verdiet.—They returned very shortly afterwards, and found the prisoner guilty of wilful murder, but they at the same time strongly recommended him to mercy on account of the great provocation he had received from the deceased.—Mr. Justice Hawkins, having assumed the black cap, addressed the prisoner, and said that the jury had felt themselves compelled by the evidence to find him guilty of the crime of wilful murder, but they had added to this verdict a strong recommendation to mercy, which he would take care should be forwarded to the proper quarter. There was no doubt that he had been grievously provoked, but it would be a terrible thing for society if even such provocation as he had received was to be allowed as an excuse for such an act as he had committed. His lordship then passed sentence of death in the usual form, and the prisoner was removed.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1884-06-27 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

SERIOUS ASSAULT ON THE POLICE AT CYMMER.  At the Bridgend Police Court, on Saturday last, before the Rev C. R. knight (chairman) and Col. Franklen, Thomas Manax, navvy, of Cymer, was charged on remand with assaulting Police-constable James Evans while in the execution of his duty at Cymer, on the 15th of Jane. The defendant said he was stupidly drunk and did not know what be was doing. Police-constable James Evans, stationed at Cymer, said on the Sunday previous, between 11 and 12 o'clock in the day he was on duty between Aber Vale and Pontrhydyfen, on the side of the Swansea Bay new railway. There had been an explosion near the spot the day before. Met one of the agents of the railway company, and he asked if complainant knew how a little boy was that had been hurt. He also asked complainant to go with him to see the boy. On the way saw the defendant; he appeared to have been drinking. He called out, " You -- you are here watching me, are you 1," They took no notice, but went on. There was a river there, and they were crossing it, complainant being the last. The defendant threw large stones at him. They went into the house where the boy was, and upstairs; when there heard defendant's voice in the house down below asking if the Bobby was there, and the -- along with him. The man said " Yes, they are both upstairs." Defendant said he would murder both of them, and that they had been watching "us" in the wood. The man told him to go out, and be went. Complainant went downstairs, and as he was going through the back door saw defendant standing there; he jumped on and caught hold of the police-constable's left hand, and said, "How are you getting on, old boy?" and at the same time struck him on the side of the face with a stone he had in his other hand. It was a violent blow; it knocked him down and stunned him; bled from it from the nose and ears, and from the eye. He was leaning against the wall when he came to himself, and found his finger in defendant's mouth. A man named Cox, who had been with him upstairs called to him to let the finger go. Cox shoved him, and defendant then went to the top of the bank four or five yards off; he then threw a stone which he had in his hand at complainant. Had his arm up and caught the blow en his arm, which was bound. After throwing the stone be took up a large stick and threatened to hit the police-constable's brains out if he went an inch towards him. After further threatening complainant, defendant ran up the mountain, and some workman ran after him and brought him back, and with their assistance he was taken into custody. Thome Paynter, sinker, of Aber Vale, knew the defendant, and had been working with him. On the day 'named saw him and the complainant outside a house, and saw the defendant hit the police-constable on the left side of the forehead with a stone he had in his fist. Then beard hi. employer, Mr Cox, say "Let go his finger." The police-constable was bleeding very badly. The Bench convicted the defendant, and sentenced him to one calandar month's hard labour.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1867-05-31 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

STRAYGE DEATH OP A LADY.  The Paris correspondent of the Express says . A few days since a story went the round of the papers about the dead body of a well-dressed lady having been found in the forest of Fontainebleau, with the face eaten off "by a wolf." As there are no wolves in Fontainebleau, and the startling intelligence, given at first with meagre details, remained for some time unconfirmed, it created little sensation in Paris, and passed as a canard. It is, however, quite true that the body of the lady was found, and that another lady has been arrested on suspicion of having poisoned her. One day last week the driver of a hacx fly, while passing along one of the avenues of the forest near a place called Franchart, saw a lady lying on the grass in a copse not far from the road, and whose face was hidden by an open parasol. The weather being at that moment extremely hot, the coachman supposed that she was resting herself, and passed on. But it happened that be had occasion to drive along the same road the next day, and when he saw the lady and the parasol in precisely the same position as before, he naturally came to the conclusion that all was not right. He got down from his box and found a dead body, with a parasol fixed in the ground so as to conceal the head. A part of the face was eaten away, probably by a stout weasel or wild cat. The coachman hastened to Fontainebleaa to inform the police of his shocking diecovery. It was found on inquiry that the deceased, together with another lady, had come a few days before to stay at an hotel in the town. They had taken a carriage for a drive in the forest, got out together, and sent the carriage back, saying they wished to walk in the wood. In the course of that evening one of the ladies came back to the hotel in a state of great apparent distress, saying she had missed her companion in the forest, and could not think what had become of her. She added that she would go back at once to Pans, hoping to find her there. After quitting the hotel, and doubtless paying the bill, she went to a jeweller's in Fontaine. bleau, and stating that she had not money enough to pay her railway fare to Paris, sold a gold brooch, giving her right name and address, which the tradesman inscribed in the books. The name of the lady supposed to have been murdered, Madame de was discovered by a wedding ring on her finger, inside which it was engraved. She was twenty-eight years of age, and had been twice married, and the ring in question was that of her first marriage. It is reported that she had lately received a large sum of money in Paris, which she had brought with her to Fontainebleau. A secret "instruction" is now going on, and it is probable that nothing more will be heard of the extraordinary case till the lady now under arrest is brought up for trial before an Assize Court.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1867-03-22 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

MYSTERIOUS MURDER OF A RUN-. AWAY WIFE. At the Stafford 'Assizes, on Saturday, before Mr, Baron Pigott, John Bednall, 46, was tried for the wil• fal murder of Mary Keeling, on Feb. 9, at the pariah of Crosall. Ur. J. 0. Griffits and Mr. Harrington conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Motteram defended the prisoner. The deceased had been a married woman for 20 , years, and in the spring of last year was with her , hueband, keeping the Anchor Tavern near Walsall. The prisoner was a plater by trade, was married, and I had a family of five children. He visited the Anchor from time to time, and eventually an intimacy sprang up between him and Mrs. Keeling, which led to frequent quarrels between her and her huebaed. On the 28th of October last prisoner and deceased were missing from Waleall, the latter taking with her nearly ..£lOO in money and other property belonging to her hueband. The runaways were traced to London, and from thence to Liverpool, where they set up some refrestiment•roome, which did not answer and exhausted their funds. The result was that on Friday, the let of February, they both name to the Oakley tollgate near Aintree, and took up their residence there with the woman's parents, the keepers of the gate. On the 7th of February they went out and remained out daring the night, returning on the following evening. The deceased appeared at that time to be suffering from a cold and sore throat. About twelve o'clock the next day the deceased partook of some greel ; the prisoner at that time was pot in the room, having left to go downstairs for a short time. Soon afterwards he dined with the old couple and a little girl, their grand. daughter. After dinner he went upstairs and remained with the deceased, whoop to that time had complained of nothing but a sore throat. Thin was between one and two o'clock. The granddaughter was downstairs cleaning the kitchen, the old woman was outside, on some part of the premises, and the old saan was at the pigstye. At • quarter to two • friend came to see the little girl, and they went together to the railway station, which was about 80 yards from the tollgate. As soon as the granddaughter got to tho platform she heard the old man calling her batik. She ran back, and immediately went into the bedroom, where she found the prisoner standing by the side of the bed, and he told her the deceised was in a fit. The old man stated that after the little I girl left to go to the station, he heard a cry of "Oh," I which appeared to proceed from a person in pain. I Upon that he left the pigstye and went upstairs, and , there saw the prisoner holding the deceased on the bed ; in his arms. The prisoner said the deceased was in • I fit, and asked the little girl logo downstairs and get . _, _
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1867-03-29 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

PROSECUTION OF EX-GOVERNOR EYRE, Market Dray ton, as described by the "Star." The special oorrespondent of the Star, writing from blarket Drayton the Saturday previous to the exit. I;ination before the magistrates, says Market Drayton two market days are held each week. Wednesdays and Saturdays are devoted to the business which, einoe the cattle plague 'swept the broad acres of Salop, Stafford, and Cheshire bare of stock, is scant indeed. On the last day of the week, etrange to say, the lamer amount of traffic is usually dealt in, and during the recent epidemical season this quietest of country towns was wont to resume as early as three o'cloak on the Saturday afternoon its normal garb of almost rural loneliness. Bat Market 'Drayton saw another sight to-day, undreamt of in the philosophy of its shrewdest inhabitants; for, out et the old jog•trot pace in which its four thousand inhabitants have been treading the eluggish way of agricultural pursuits, have they suddenly galloped into the arena of public affairs, and after one of the most exciting as well as important topics that has grown out of recent events in the his. tory of England's rule. The appearance of the town itself is in keeping with the habits of the people; is quiet, unobtrusive, yet not wanting those signs of prettiness and taste which save it from actual gloominess. Every feature of the place, therefore, is calculated to bring oat in strong contrast to the even tenor of its way an amount of popular excitement which in other towns would attract little if any attention. In order to explain this change in the public life of Market Drayton, it may be stated, as generally known, that Mr. Eyre, whose governorship of the island of Jamaica is of unhappy memory, has been for many months residing at Adderley-hall, a distance of some three or four miles from this town. Almost immediately after the committal of Colonel Nelson and Lif uteaant Brand on a charge of the wilful murder of George William Gordon in Jamaica, a correspondence passed between Messrs. Sheen and Roscoe, solicitor's to the Jamaica Committee, who prosecuted in the case, and Mr. Rose, solicitor to Mr. Eyre, the result being the publication of a letter by Mr. Rose to the effect that, when required to appear in answer to any charge preferred against him, Mr. Eyre was quite prepared to do so. Something over a week since Mr. W. Sheen wrote to Ur. Rose, referring to the public pledge the latter had given on Mr. Eyre's behalf, and informing him that he had applied to the magistrates of Market Drayton district, who had fixed Monday, the 25th instant, for hearing an application to grant a warrant against Mr. Eyre on a charge of having been an woes. gory before the fast of the murder of George William Gordon, and asking whether Mr. Eyre was prepared to appear in answer to the charge, and so obviate the necessity for the application. To that communication Mr. Sheen received no reply, and three days ago he sgaim wrote to Mr. Rose, calling attention to his former letter, but making no complaint.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1867-10-25 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

ANOTHER POLICEMAN SHOT.  On Sunday morning, between two and three o'clock, a most determined attempt was made in North-crescentmews, Button-crescent, to murder Police-constable George Saunders, 153 of the E division of the metropolitan police. He was found lying wounded and insensible by police-officers who were going their usual round. They conveyed him at once to the police-station in Hunter-street. He was there examined by Dr. Paul, the divisional surgeon, who found that he was suffering from a severe gun-shot wound in the thigh, and also Irons partial concussion of the brain. Several large and deep wounds found on the back of his head, which bore the appearance of having been inflicted by some heavy blunt instrument. Sergeant Wheeler, 18 E, the acting inspector on duty, immediately proceeded to the spot where the outrage had been committed, and instituted a thorough search round the mews. He found a pistol, a ball, some powder, and a sharp-pointed knife, such as those used by shoemakers in their healmess. On returning to the station it was found that Saunders had recovered COTISCIOUntIeRg. Ile was allowed by Dr. Paul to speak, and give a short account of the way he sustained the injuries. He said that some time after he went on duty on Saturday night last he had observed a man loitering about the North Crescentmews, in what he thought a suspicious manner. About two o'clock on Sunday morning, on arriving at the same spot, and seeing the man still loitering there, he felt it to be his duty to question him, and asked him what he was doing. On this question being put, the man at once drew a pistol and shot him in the thigh. This he followed up by attacking him with some blunt instrument (impposed to be the butt end of the pistol), and striking him in the most brutal manner about the bead until he was rendered insensible. Saunden is 24 years of age, is unmarried, and lives at the police - station in Hunter - street. The follow. leg is the description of the assailant as given by the injured man :—Age apparently about 30, height 511. 10in., complexion and hair fair, a abort tuft on the chin ; be was dressed in a blue pilot coat with two rows of buttons, dark trousers, Blucher boots, Fenian hat. lie had no collar, lint wore a handerchief round his neck. Sqme surprise has been expressed that Saunders should be been made the victim of such a munlerous attack, as he is known to be of a most inoffensive disposition. It is Rama-048ft by the police that the MU WAS connected with a gang of burglars who were endeavour. ing to operate on some house in the neighbourhood, and that he being on the watch for them, and fearing discovery and apprehension, had taken this means of effecting his escape. Several officers in private clothes are at present most actively engaged in tracing him. Saunders' W0111,1i9 are very dangerous, but hopes are entertained of his recovery.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1867-09-13 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.  The Diamond Steam Navigation Company's screw steamer United Service, Captain Thos. Wilson, arrived at Falmouth on Friday morning, from Algoa Bay, July 80; Table Bay, August 3; and Madeira, August 31. She brings forty passengers, among whom are Major Francis, 20th Regiment, and lady, and a portion of the wrecked crew of the ship Knight of Snowdon; 11 bags mails, and a full general cargo, including 2,400 bales of wooL At the Cape bad news had been received from the Orange Free State. The Basutos seemed resolved to drive the Burgher farmers off from settling on the conquered and ceded territory allocated to them. Some of the families that had attempted to occupy the lands had been driven off, and some of their members murdered by the Basutos, who had interfered in force. President Brand had summoned a special meeting of the Volksraad for the Bth of August to appeal to the patriotism of the Burghers. It was felt that the Free State would yet be called upon to do its very utmost for defence against the aggressive movements of the Basutos, and that a very serious contest was impending on the frontier. In the Cape Colony more diamonds had been discovered, and the Cape Town people had made what was expected to be even a still more important discovery. At about two miles from the Town-house, a large bank of mineral bitumen, or solid pretroleum, had been hit upon at a depth of only five feet from the surface. It had been tested as to its quality, and one hundred pounds weight of the material had been found to yield two gallons of oil. Further explorations were being made to ascertain the extent of the formation, and with the expectation of finding petroleum springs. What has been discovered was generally thought to be of considerable importance to the colony. Preparations continued to be made for the arrival of the Duke of Edinburgh, who, if all the contemplated plans of the colonists were carried out, had no small amount of work mapped out for him, the number of visits alone prepared for his Royal Highness being very numerous. The Legislative Council had refused to endorse the proposal of the House of Assembly to increase the rate of the inland postage. The House of Assembly was about to negotiate the obtaining of the lines of telegraphic communication throughout the colony, like the postal communication, entirely in the hands of the Government A resolution had been passed requesting the Governor "to communicate with the board of directors of the Telegraph Company in England, or with the local manager, in order to ascertain upon what terms they would be willing to transfer the existing lines of telegraph to the Colonial Government." There bad been some severe weather on the coasts of the colony. Several vessels had been abandoned. The troop-ship Euphrates arrived out in Simon's Bay on July 24, and the Jumna on Aug. 3. lier Majesty's ship Speedwell was left at Madeira.