npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1840-09-21 (London, England)

ATROCIOUS MURDER IN STAFFORDSHIRE-APPREHENSION AND COM. MITTAL OF THE CRIMINAL.  NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME, SEPT. 19.—A Coroner's inquest was held this afternoon in the Magistrates' MOLD in the Police-office, before F. S'anier, Esq., and a Jury, on the body of M'trtha Keeling, an aged woman, who was found murdered in her bed in Church-street on the morning of the 17th instant. John 'Fonse, a cabinet maker, deposed that he was at the house of the deceased on Monday night last. She told witness she had a lodger, and while speaking the man came in. [Matthew Fowles, the prisoner, was brought into the room and identified by the witness as the perion he had seen.] The prisoner told witness that he was a Northwich man.  Hannah Urine, wife of John Urine, butcher, said that she was niece to the deceased. During the latter end of last July Mrs. Keeling resided with witness. She told witness that she had saved 201. in service. Sne wore a ring similar to the one produced. Had seen in her possession a pin like the one produced.— (These articles were found on the prisoner when taken into custody.) Sarah Skellor, waitress at the Castle Hotel, stated she believed that the pin produced was the one the deceased was accustomed to wear.  Richard Lathberry Dudley, surgeon, stated that on Thursday last he was called to the house of the deceased. He found on the right side of the body a lacerated wound about three inches long, and from one to two or more wide. A complete abrasion of the skin, evidently inflicted by finger nails. The wound on the right side was moist and covered with blood. On the left side there were three and four, and two on the cheek. Was of opinion that her death was caused from strangulation by the hands. He found the lungs perfectly healthy, but darker than usual, and more collapsed. There was a considerable effusion of blood about the muscles of the throat, the cartilages of the windpipe were completely flattened and pinched, instead of being circular. A great number of other witnesses were examined. It appeared that a dressed fowl was missing from the shop on the morning of the murder, and a labourer of the name of Howes proved that on Thursday the prisoner took shelter in his house during a heavy shower, and pulled out a part of a fowl and some bread. He also pulled out some money, and began to separate it. Williams, a Northwich constable, arrested the prisoner on Friday, about two miles from Northwich, who protested his innocence. On his person were found 1/. 10s. 6d. in silver, Bid. in copper, a ring, and pin. One of the witnesses compared the ring with the third finger of the left hand of the deceased, and found an impression corresponding with the breadth of the ring. The Jury returned a verdict of .1 Wilful murder" against the prisoner, Matthew Fowls The prisoner was brought into the room, when the Coroner informed him of the verdict what he had to say. and asked him The prisoner held has head down, but did not say a word in his defence, and was fully committed to Stafford gaol for trial.
The Sun. — 1840-03-18 (London, England)

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.  OXFORD CIRCUIT.—SrArpoRn, Mascn 16. James Owen, George Thomas, alias Dobell, and William Ellis, alias Lambert, were indicted for the wilful murder of Christina Collins, by drowning her at Rugeley, on the 17th of June, 1839.  The evidonce given in support of this charge was for the greater part nearly the same as that given in support of the indictment for rape against the same prisoners at the last Assizes, of which they were acquitted. It appeared that the deceased, who was the wife of Robert Collins, was proceeding from Liverpool to London by one of Pickford's fly boats in order to join her husband. who had recently obtained employment in London. She left Liverpool on Saturday, June 15. She was seen at noon the next day, Sunday, at Stoke-upon-Trent,w•here the boat remained four hours. Owen was the captain, Dobell and Lambeth, with a toy named Musson, were the crew. Upon their arriving at Stone, at 8 o'clock the same evening, the woman complained to the canal clerk of the state 01 the crew, who were all intoxicated, particularly Owen. She went on with them, however, and about 9 o'clock the boat was met by another on its way from Stone, to the captain of which Dobell used some gross expressions respecting the woman, saying he would serve her that night as Jemmy had served her, or they would burke her. About 12 o'clock at night the wife of the lockkeeper at Hoomill-lock, which is mine miles from Stone, was awoke by a cry of distress ; she rose, and going to the window, saw the boat in the lock with the woman on the top of the cabin crying. She was sitting with her legs over the side of the cabin, and the witness heard her say, Don't attemp', me ; I will not go down." In reply to witness's inquiry whom they had on board, one of the crew said she wasa passenger, and that her husband w-as with her. This was the last time she was seen alive by arty of the witnesses except the boy Musson. The boat, pror:eeding to London, passed through Colwichlock, three milts front Roomil-lock. Thence it came to a place called Bri ndley-bank, two miles from Colwich. At this place the canal takes a sharp turn to the left ; and it was about 100 yards on the London side of Brindle), bank, and within three quarters •of a mile of Rugeley, that the body of the poor woman was after wards found.  The ev idenee was gone into at considerable length, and the Jury, ?Lite r an hour's consultation, returned a verdict of Guilty against ait the prisoners. The Learned Judge immediately passed sentence of death upon t them. They heard it without evincing any emotion ; indeed„ throughout the trial all three, especially Owen, showed little sign of being affected either by the remembrance of their crime or the danger in which they stood. The. trial lasted eight hours, and excited deep interest.
The Sun. — 1840-06-22 (London, England)

PHILLIPS—Did not subject his client to any fresh mine that might be sprung, without notice, upon him by calling upon them to put in fresh evidence. Thewhele depended upon the evidence of this :woman. She knew so little of Courvoisier that when he first called, she did not know him, and that when she opened the parcel she sends for half•a•dozen people, who all sign a sort of round-robin as to the articles found in the parcel. All that was consistent with the woman not having received the parcel from Courvoisier. They attempted to identify the clothes, but they utterly failed-, and that woman proved, if she proied anything, that the sock was not Courvoisier's. He was sure if the Jury could find i their way out of the case consistently with justice, without shedding that man's blood, they would do so. Now, supposing they ad. 'flitted everything connected with the property, that it was left there by Courvoisier, was that conclusive of the murder? He --thought net i but'it -woo conclusivssof robbery, for which he might be convicted, and sentenced to be transported to suffer a lingering death upon INTorfolk Island. Here was a golden bridge for them to pass.. over... . If they . entertained a suspicion, arid yet felt ' thernseiies , bound to acquit him, still he might be punished' for it ; and he would say, if he should have'been guilty of the murder, -which he hoped to find he was not, better, far better, would it be that he eh Inld repent, in the bitter.  111 r. JAl:nisi thought that the Learned Counsel might have lost sight of the 4th and sth of William I V., called the Amended Beer Act, by the siith Section and 7th Clause of which the police were authorised to enter any house in which beer or itirituous liquors were sold ; but if he was disposes! to decide tyon a minute point, that it was not the defendant who had opened the house, but the police, he might appear to have shrunk from his duty, and under such a circumstance it might be proper to call evii!ence, to show that a certain society was in the habit ot l uldinn meetings at the house. Major Revel proved that he had known, and was member of, the Eccentric Society, us hich held its meetings at the Sutherlandfor the last 39 years. He thought it had been ' establish fur forty years; and the objects of it were conversational and ititellecinal recreations. Every member must be proposed, anti being seconded, he is elec!ed by ballot. Three balls exclude. The ir vetings have been held every night at nine o'clock, with very few exceptions. Saturday nights were attended more fully than others, being leisure time for professional men, and persons connected with the public press. The hour of seraration vat ied, and on a full night it might be later than usual. The society. was composed of members of both Houses of Parliament, medical men, together with person/ eminent in the fine arts, and some of the most eloquent men that England could boast of have been attaches! to it. Mr. J I:
The Sun. — 1840-07-31 (London, England)

EXTENSIVE FIRE AND NARROW ESCAPE.— Between one and two o'clock, as a watchman was passing the shop of Mr. Fowler, a cork-cutter, No. 17, Little Eastcheap, Lower Thames-street, he discovered a fire raging in the shop. The man apprised the family of their danger, and sprang his rattle, when several brother officers ran to his assistance. They broke open the shop door, but by so doing the current of air forced the flames in a few seconds into every room in the house, and by two o'clock every article of furniture, stock, books, &c., were entirely destroyed. The loss is estimated at 6001., part of which only is insured in the Phcenix Fire-cffice. The family escaped without injury. On Tuesday night, a few minutes before 11, some excitement prevailed in Shoe-lane, Holborn, in comequence of cries of " murder" from the upper part of No. 59, the lower part of which is occupied by Mr. Procter, plumber. Mallett, the beadle, who resides next door, followed by several others, rushed up the stairs whence the cries proceeded, and at the top landing they discovered a man named Obadiah Whiting, bleeding profusely from several large and deep wounds in the head, face, and neck, which had evidently been inflicted with a knife. As soon as he saw Mallett he cried out, " Foc God's sake, Mr. Mallett, take me away—l am a murdered man," and in tantly fell into his arms. Having procured assistance, Mallett conveyed the unfortunate man to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, when it was ascertained t at he had received no less than eight differelit wounds, some of them of a most dangerous and painful description. Among the rest was that of the nose, which was nearly severed from the face. On inquiry this morning at the hospital it was ascertained that he was going on as well as could be expected, but he is by no means considered out of danger. The origin of the attack arose, it is said, as follows :—Whiting discovered that his wife had become acquainted with a woman whose character he did not approve of, and he suggested the rropricty of discontinuing such acquaintance. She, however, refused, an:l last night, as he was proceeding up stairs he met his wife's acquaintance, who had evidently just left his room. She spoke to him as she passed; he, however, said nothing in reply, and passed to his room, where he discovered that she had left her bonnet behind, when he became so enraged that he thrust the bonnet into the fire, and his wife instantly commenced her attack upon him ; he, however, feels assured that he had more than one assailant, but is not positive, as the light was put out at the onset. In consequence of the competition on the road hence to Ramsgate, the fares are reduced by coach, 23 mires, to 2s. outside and 3s. inside passengers ; also the stages hence to Margate are at present running at half price, and by the omnihusses as low as 3d. each passenger.—Dover Chronicle.
The Sun. — 1840-03-25 (London, England)

MURDER AT ISLINGTON.  HAT7'ON-GARDEN POLICE COURT. (TIIIS DAY.) The examination of Richard Gould alias Arthur Nicholson, and Mary Anne Jarvis, charged with the wilful murder of Mr. J. Templeman, was this day resumed at two o'clock. The female prisoner, who appeared rather depressed, had not her child with her as on former occasions. The following additional evidence was then gone into :  John Bush, :3, Goodwin-street, Barnsbury-park, is a carter. Knew the late Mr. Templeman, who wished to purchase witness's cottage about seven months ago. He offered him 12.:5/. for it. rile cottage he wished to purchase is situated in Poeock's-fiefs, and is the next cottage to Allen's. Witness wanted 301. for it, and he said he would give no more than 25/. This conversation took place in the morning at Mr. Templeman's own gate. Does not recollect seeing any woman by at the time. He did not show any money, nor ever said he had got any. He made the offer twice in the same day, which witness refused. Witness has never Leen the female prisoner ; has seen Gould going round with beer. This offer was nothing of any secret between the deceased and witness.  The prisoner Gould said this evidence could not affect him, as he was a hundred miles away, at Norwich, seven months ago.  Richard Bradshaw, policeman, No. 20—On Tuesday the 17th instant, about a quarter before three in the afternoon, witness was standing near Jarvis's cottage door, and saw Mrs. Jarvis come home. She came from the direction of the Barnsbury Castle, from town. There were a great number of people assembled about. Saw her enter her cottage. Witness went to the door. She came out, and was cutting some wood to light her fire. Witness asked her if she knew any thing of the old gentleman who was murdered ; and she said " Yes , it was a very shocking thing. and she had seen him last night, and he told her he had been collecting rents ; and was very tired, and would go to bed early." Witness said the old man must have had money ; she said, Yes.; this cottage (meaning her own) was his, and he sold it for 151. She heard he was going to buy it back again. She said she knew nothing of the murder until she came home, for she had been out with her sister to borrow a screw.  The prisoner said the words she used were, to fetch a screw.  Witness continued—About four o'clock the same afternoon she went from the cottage in the direction of town, passi g by Capriani's cottage in her way ; witness watched her as far as he could ; she was absent about three-quarters of an hour; she had no one but her child with her on either occasion.  Gould said that if he were not at Norwich seven months ago, he was at Clerkenwell ; at all events he was not at Barnsbury-park. The female prisoner said nothing. Gould asked if he could not have bis shoes given him, which were taken from him ? Mr. COMBE said he could not have them.  Gould—Then I suppose I must put up with the old ones I have got (alluding to the shoes he wore, which had been lent him by the officers of the prison.) Mr.
The Sun. — 1840-03-21 (London, England)

NORFOLK CIRCUIT—CamnRinGE, MARcIt 19. The assizes for this county commenced this afternoon, with 38 prisoners for trial, and 23 causes in the nisi Arius court. In the calendar are two cases of manslaughter, three of sheepstealing, one of rape, one of arson, one of maliciously stabbing, and several of highway robbery. The civil causes are understood to possess considerable interest, although the two tried to-day did not justify the understanding.  OXFORD ClRCUlT—Sizierwssußr, MARcit 19. These assizes commenced at noon to-day, the Learned Judges having arrived from Stafford at six o'clock last evening.  John Rodgers, aged 20, and Henry Roberts„ alias Linewo, aged 22, were indicted for the will's! murder of Patriot; G01e,5.4., at the parish of Ileague, on the lith of October last. The Jury found a tree bill for manslaughter only. It appeared that the prisoner and the deceased were erire. ployed at work on the railway. On Saturday evening, tio 12th of October, they and several other railway workrre were drinking at a public house at Heague, %Tien some qm.r.rclling took place. Rodgers and a man named Mann fo.irs. several rounds. The latter (who Was a friend of 'he deem= had the worst of it. The deceased wrestled with another r•.-t, and was thrown. The prisoners left the rublic-house tuge i about nine or ten o'clock, and the deceashl followed in tw,-.•!"; minutes afterwards. At a quarter to eleven o'clock the y.',soners entered the house at which they lodged, at nelper.y.,": stated their belief that they bad killed the deceased, adrri•-8; that if they thought they had not killed hint they would go br and finish 'him. Shortly afterwards the deceased entered t' house and upbraided them with their treatment of him, ui.0.3 which the prisoners declared that they thought they had k:•. him, but that they would nuw Briisli him. The however, interfered, and sent the deceased out of the hoes.. He said he appeared then to be in a dying state, and the prisoner Roberts boasted that he had put the toe of skis shoe into the side of his head. The nszt Inornin.g deceased came into a neighbour's house, and complained of the usage he had received, from the effects of whidtk, he found, he never should recover. That night he Dacame insensible. He afterwards partially recovered, leis( ultimately died on the Tuesday. On examination of The body it was discovered that he had received a wound behind tlts ear, as if from the blow of a brick or the kick of a shoe, wiiioh fractured his skull, produced concussion of the brain, 43 4 caused death. The prisoners, when taken up, stated that they had left the public-house because there was a party there too strong for them ; that the deceased followed, overtook, and tried to detain them until his friends should come up, as Rodgers had nearly killed the man with whom he had boors fighting at the public-house ; and that in endeavouring to gait away from him they knocked him down on a heap of stones. They were found Guilty, and sentenced to eighteen iso.intils' imprisonment with hard labour, the sixth and last month to be kept solitary.
The Sun. — 1840-04-21 (London, England)

ALTERNATIVE." What is submitted in reply to this is, that there is another resource besides the alternative asserted— and that is, to allow men to enjoy their old spheres of industry, their old homes of comfort, their old regions of peace, by abolishing the unjust legislation which now prevents it. No class of men have a right to snake a country untenable, and then take credit to themselves for offering the means of transportation to the inhabitants. " The land we live in, and may those who do not like it leave it ! " may be a very good toast for the hedgehog in the fable, but not for the softer inmates upon whoa-. the prickly abomination had chosen to quarter himself. Suppose we say we won't leave it, and we won't let them make it untenable either. This is the operation the people of England have now in hand ; end they will perform it too, in despite of any temporary diversions made by getting a part of them to cry out for the abuse. _ _  But there will be more than this. The working classes are getting their eyes open to the mystery of the Corn Laws, and they will next get them open to the other mystery, which is that the Colonial system in general is only a mode of supporting the oligarchy at the expense of the community, by a process like cutting boots into shoes. The North American colonies, for example, are only a machinery for taking away so many millions annually of the produce of the country's industry, to give a per-tentage of it to people in power and their friends, and throw the remainder into the sea, by making the public buy bad timber at the price of good. The West Indian Colonies perform precisely the same operation in respect of sugar. They arc all only so many " plants" (as the police phrase appears to be), of thieves too big to be hanged—national larcenies—picking of pockets by Act of Parliament—" higher class" frauds, founded always on the pillage of the humbler. And then the Government of Colonies—is what no wise man would submit his dog to if he loved him. The supporters of the Emigration Gazette may think they are to be better than the rest ; but who is to answer for them twenty years hence ? A Colony must either be kept under a perpetual tyranny, or it will cease to be a colony. All honest men in colonies live like toads under a harrow, till they can throw off " the baneful domination of the mother country ;" and simply for this reason, that the whole system is organized for serving the interests, not of the honest men, but of somebody else. And then come the murders, the throat-cuttings, the massacres of prisoners by honourable assassins paid out of our purses. All this is what you are invited to go to, for yourselves or children ; and all lest the landlords' steam-engine should blow up at home. Once more ; stay here if you are wise. The time cannot be far off, when industry shall be free, and the man who works shall be allowed to sell the fruits of his labour, without going to the colonies for leave.  Cremain, dear Sir, yours very sincerely, T.
The Sun. — 1840-05-15 (London, England)

DUN-002.18E, on Wednesday evening, from agricultural labourers at Foothill, Wiltshire. They stated to the Honourable House of Commons that their wages were nine shillings a week, and that they are totally unable to support their families in consequence of the high price of provisions. They had amongst them 2kd. a day per head, which is less they say than the cost of the keep of a dog. Under such circumstances warrants had been obtained to distrain on them for Poor-rates, which would find nothing but tattered garments. Such pictures have now so frequently been brought before the public and the House of Commons, that- powerful as may he the effects of iteration, it seems almost useless to dwell on them. Cases of fictitious distress, cases of distant suffering among strange people, cases which appeal only to the national generosity, and make no claim or. right, command attention and obtain relief . but cases of real and home-bred suffering: which carry with them a reproach, and demand relief as a right, cause the mind of the runner classes spasmodically to close, lest by concession' the commission of injustice should he aehowleciged, and the small end of a wed,,e be admitted, which the great and the rich continually fear may be driven home.  Reports had likewise reached the Porte that a On this principle even the terrible poverty and conspiracy for the murder of the Frank population distress of the Jumper-fed agricultural population of was formed at Adrianople, to revenge upon the Ireland have only roused in the Corn-law-makin, Christians the proclamation of the Hatti Scheriff, classes a conviction that they must not be relieved, v; hick the Mussulmans regarded as the concoclest their wants should absorb all the property of tion of :he Western nations. their masters. T AKIFF PACIIA, of Nicomedia, has been deo point out any danger to come graded from his rank, after having been proved to be from such a population is like terrifying the inha. ....guilty of the most horrible atrocities. He had for bitants of the sunny vineyards at the base of Ve. his prosecutors before the SULTAN two hundred surius with predictions that the volcano will burst o. f the inhabitants of the Pachalick, who produced forth and destroy them. That would only disturb w inh court the bloody garments of innocent persons present careless enjoyment by evils which may their n-he had caused to be murdered. This AKIFF the spreoepinhgesythe of i it was by whom Mr. C bastinadoed. Besides degradation, he was scaCHURCH ILL was so cruelly never come to pass.  ceedings amongst Honourable Members ; and ! effect, therefore, which such pictures of distress as Mr. SPEAKER had no remedy to suggest but l and suffering have on the minds of the Corn-lawthe ballot, Mr. O'BRIEN gave notice that making classes, it seems a waste of time to dwell he would move this day, that the Members cle- much on them. eirous of giving notices should ballot for priority to 'We know, too, having a distinct recollection of give them. Mr. BENETT'S speech on the Corn-law question, In answer to Sir S. CANNING, Lord