npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Star. — 1829-08-17 (London, England)

CONVICTION OF MR. STRATFORD, FOR MURDER.  John Stratford, 41, was indicted for the wilful murder of John Burgess, by giving one ounce of arsenic mixed in flour to one Hannah Hook, to be delivered to John Briggs, with intent to kill him, but which was afterwards, by mistake, given to one John Burgess, who partook of the said flour and arsenic, whereupon he lingered and expired. Mr. ALDERMAN, the City Recorder, stated the case, and detailed the facts. It appeared that a criminal intimacy existed between the prisoner and the' wife of Briggs, for whom the poisoned flour was delivered by the prisoner for him, he being confined in the workhouse from the effects of disease. The woman who received it from the prisoner delivered it by mistake to Burgess, the deceased, who partook of it, and soon after died. Having given an outline of the case, he would leave all further remark and comment to the upright and intelligent Judge who presided at the serious and painful inquiry. Jane Briggs, the wife of Thomas Briggs, deposed that tier husband has been confined in the Poor-house since last May twelvemonth. On March last she was pregnant by the prisoner at the bar; she communicated the fact to him long before that time ; she was brought to, bed on the 2d of Tune last ; the prisoner told her when she made it known to him, that he was sorry, and that he hoped she would not go her time ; he said something about giving her a medicine to prevent it ; he said she• should not want any thing; she carried flour to her husband every week ; she had talked of doing so to Stratford's wife in his presence ; he is a married man ; this was repeated many times both before and after Christmas ; he wished me to keep my situation to myself if I could ; the prisoner and his wife were often at my house during our intimacy ; do not know whether he was ever there when I was sending flour to my husband. The nurse, witness added, was the wife of the person deceased. The nurse told the prisoner the state of her husband's health. She said he could take plentifully, although confined to his bed ; never, except that time, sent any flour by any person-but her daughter ; employed the prisoner to do so ; was at the Coroner's Inquest upon Burgess in March last; saw the prisoner• the evening before that at her house ; he requested me to go to his shop, as he wanted to speak to me ; witness refused, but he pressed it ; he went away ; had seen him the day before in presence of his wife ; had seen her husband eight day's before this conversation. Conversed with her husband about herself on the Sunday week he said he heard I was in the family way; but did not tell prisoner of this ; her husband's diet was generally milk boiled with flour. Cross-examined by Mr.
Star. — 1829-01-20 (London, England)

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS, JAI►. 19.  OLD COURT.—Brats Mr. Justice Nag. Thomas Page was convicted of berglariously enter. lag the house of Sarah Ann Barnet, of Fritts Barnet. Robert Barton was indicted for uttering a forged check on Masterman and Co. with intent to defraud them ; and the prisoner was also charged on other counts with intending to defraud Thomas Paul. Mr. CARRINGTON stated the case to the Jury, and Mr. CLARKSON defended the prisoner. Thomas Paul was at the Office if the King's College, in Parliament-street. on the 30th of October last; the. prisoner came into the Office, and asked for a prospectus for a Mr Robert Grant, of St. John's Wood, and sent away, but shortly afterwards returned, and said that he VW directed by Mr. Robert Grant to pay' in a donation for the King's College of fire punch, at the same time tendering a check for ten pounds on Messrs. Masterman; witness gave him five pounds in change, and on presenting the check, discovered that no such person as a Mr. Kohut Grant ice, t cash there.l By Mr. CLARKSON, for the prisoner-4-11 was in a back room that the office is kept, and the weather was rather hasy at the time he received the check from the prisoner; the check is dated 80. h October, 1828. The prisoner then produced a very copious written, defence, which he was preparing to read, when Mr. CLARKSON, his Counsel, requested leave of the Court to be allowed to look over it before the prisoner read it.  Mr. Justice PARK recommended k most strongly ;1 but the prisoner declined allowing his Counsel to see it, and commenced reading. He did not appear to think that it was at all necessary to exculpate himself from the present charge, ►ut entered into a long tirade against the false notions at present entertained respecting the crime of obtaining money on instruments nut beating the name of any living person. Mr. Justice PARK informed him that he appeared to be labouring under a great fallacy; that it had been, decided seventy years ego that the crime of uttering a check, bearing the name of a person who did not exist, was just as much a forgery as if his (Mr. Justice Park's) name had been used. The prisoner then compared the crime of forgery with that of murder, seduction, housebreaking, and highway robbery, and attempted to prove by the most phre stied sophistry, that it was productive but of little injury to society, either as a moral or mercantile crime. He accused the clerk of great negligence in bring so Coolish as to take a draft from a stranger. Mr. Justice PARK explained to the Jury that the magnitude of the crime, or the propriety of the present laws on the subject, were not u icier their consideration. The fact they had to try was, whether the prisoner had uttered this check with intent to defraud?  The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty. The prisoner then wished to retract the plea of Not Guilty to two oiler indictments for similar offences, and to plead Guilty. Mr. Justice PAlta cautioned him that with thrze such convictions he could not expect much mercy. The prisoner persisted, and the verdicts were recorded. Before Mr. Baron
Star. — 1829-12-03 (London, England)

ASSAM.? EPOS. • SOLICTIOE IN THE PUNT TALON. Asses ankh, a powerful man, stood indicted for violently as. sauteing, on the 4th of August last; William Heary James Conway, a solicitor, living in Castle-street, Holborn. Mr. ALLAY and Mr. STEAK appeared for the prosecutor, and Mr. C. PI it.t.trs for the defendant.  Henry James Conway stated, that on the 4th of August last he went to the Fleet Prison. It was about seven o'clock In the evening. When witness was coming out of the prison, he saw the dtfendant at the bottom of the coffee-room gallery stairs. Without saying say thing defendant knocked him down. When down defendant kicked him several times, and then kneeled upon his chest. Prosecutor called out "murder," three or four times, when several persons came to prosecutor's assistance, and dragged the defendant from him. Prosecutor went boats in a hackney coach. On the following morning he went to the prison to make a complaint to the Warden. The defendant, on seeing the prosecutor, said— " What brings you here, you b-- thief ?" adding, " you have robbed me of thousands—you have sold me." Mr. Brown or. dered the defendant to be confined in the strong room. Cross-examined—Did not have a hackney-coach ago to the Fleet Prison on the second day. Was Attorney to the defendant in fire different suits. He was unsuccessful in them all. Defendant complains of Ms conduct. Be most certainly did not use any irritating language. Defendant has paid hint £2O. His bill amounts to 1150.  Mr, Wm. Brown, the Warden of the Fleet Prison, stated, that the defendant admitted having assaulted the prosecutor. Mr. Lee, surgeon, spoke to the nature of the Injuries the prosecutor received. Witness attended him for several days. Mr. C Pnu.un addressed the Jury in behalf of the defendant, and called witnessed to show that the parties fought. The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty. The Court postponed its judgment.  Tuesday morning 25 male prisoners, among whom were some desperate ocracksmen' " were conveyed fromNewgate to Chatham, and were guarded by 3lr. Smith, the Clerk of the Prison Records, and a number of turnkeys. Upon their arrival they were put, on board the Dolphin hulk (the vessel which was lately driven (torn her moorings) preparatory to their embarkation for NC* South Wales, in which colony they have been sentenced to remain for the term of their natural lives.  Thursday se'nnight, as a gentleman, who is in a respectable mercantile house in this town, was proceeding to his residence at Kirkuk,. just beyond the boundary stone, he came is contact with a bricklayer, who was carrying a beck iron on his shoulder, by which means the gentleman bad hiskleft eye moat dreadfully cut, and remained jolt* insane:Me for some minutes afterwards. The Injury was gait* accidental, as DO attempt whatseer was made to rub or otherwise molest the geml=thq is in a fair way of recunry. The night was Very dark.-- Papp. The phrenologists have discovend that the Skull of a goose has MOOD of the bump indkatleo of wisdom than a'turkey, sakihat the shall of a genuine phrenologist very much tesembie. that of the former. , .
Star. — 1829-01-03 (London, England)

PERUVIAN BANDITTI.  The vicinity of the capital is occasionally infested by banditti, carryiug on operations in open day with so much system, that all who chance to travel at that time ate sure to be relieved of their valuables. Th. se robbers I are composed chiefly of free mulattoes, and others of a mixed race. The evil has existed from time iminemorial, and is of purely Spaoish origin, for Indian honesty. in retired villages, is so great, that when the family for a time leaves its cage like hut, the latchless wicket is left ajar, a brush is placed at the sill. and it would be worse than sacrilege for any one to cross the threshold under any pretence. It has happened, that the brigands, sell armed and well mounted, have assembled at distant and uncertain periods, within a mile of Callao. Tney direct their course towards Lima, stop all whom they meet, and having very civilly light coed them of their purses, oblige the robded t laccompan! the robbers until all arrive near to the city gate, when the bandits disperse. Some ride boldly in.o the town, many conceal themselves amongst wild cares; whilst others cut across the country, and recut n quietly to their nomes to enjoy the spoil, or follow other occupations. The banditti, on such extraordinary re-unions, amount to twenty or thirty in number, and it has happened that they have had above twenty cart i ages, besi,les persons dismounted, in their train, regularly brought up by a rear-guard, whilst the advanced scouts pushed 4u to secure fresh booty. They seldom commit murder; and whenever it is possib!e, they avoid robbing offi4its of the army, or civilians in the employment ot Goveinment. Neither do they, witen acting in smaller patties, attack persons of note. Foreigners and strangers are in general their usual victims. In 1822, two Ciiilenol Gentlemen, named Errazuris and Maras, sere stopped. Errazaris told the chief bandit that the horse on which he rode was a borrowed one belonging to an officer of the army, and so valuable that he could not replace it. He therefore entreated that the animal alight not be taken. Toe robber answered, g. We cannot give it up at present, as good horses are exactly what we are most in need of, being on the eve of a distant taut.ion; but say where you live, and the horse shall be seturned." A few mornings alter it was found in the court of the house of Donna liosita Co, tes (a descendant of the celebrated Cortes),where Errazuris had taken lip his residence. The oilier Gentleman, from whom I they took a tow thousand dollars, perceiving that the ieque,t of his friend was so readily complied with, told 'the robbers that he had no mote money than what they had taken, and begged them to return him enough to subsist upon in Callao. They asked him how much he wanted? He answered a few doubloons; upon which the robbers refunded a hundred dollars; and all parties took polite leave of each oth r.—From a MS. by Gen. Miller, in the Ist N of the Ovited Setvice Journal..
Star. — 1805-12-17 (London, England)

NITSGG•LLUS.  The following fubjeas are propofed for the Chan. Mines Prizes at Orford, for the year enfuing, viz. For Lein Verfes—Trafalgar. For an End Effay—Poitionnous Fame. The Vice Chancellor has received a donation of zol. to be given to the Author of the bet compofition in Englilh Verfe on the following fubjed : Travels of Diftovery into the interior of A:riea. The firs and lea of the above fubjefts are intended for thole Gentlemen of' the Univerfity who have not exceeded four years frorn the time of their matriculation ; aiid the other fcr fach as have exceeded four, and not completed (even years. An altercation took place'on Friday evening in the Green-room of Drury lane Theatre, between a favourite iterefs and a , dittinguithed daneer, on the fubjeft of iirdettemy, which, but for the ringing of the promptet's bell, was very near occafioning a battle royal among his Majtyfs Servants. At one of the Mock A 01;1-ills, in the Strand, a Otrewd Iranian looked in a day or two fence, and after withering for fame time their wartauvres, he called out to the man with the hammer " Pray, Sir, may I bid what I 'deli 11--" Y es, sir," was the reply of the complaifant Auftioneer Why, then," lays Pat, 44 I bid you-1 good morning The ladies, during the perioti of the Ufurpation of Cromwell, were great politicians, and extremely active with their favourite weapon, the tongue. The following is an extra& from the Journals of the Houle of Commons at that time : .4 Ordered, That the Commander in Chief (of the 17,.rees), and the guard that do guard the Houfe from time to time, do keep the clam( nrous women from coming up the (lairs leading .to the Houfe of Commons' door,and from coming ran, and clamouring about IVellminfter Hall, on the Speaker, and the Members of the Houfe I" Cnisreit CHacratCLit.—" Jofeph Green, a work. man at the Wire mill, at Ainn Wen, near Caerwys in the county of Flint, has obtained a pecuniary premium from the oyal Humane Society, for hazarding his life in tekuitig a boy from a watery grave, that had fallen into a pool twelve feet deep. The boy was taken up fenfelefs, and apparently dead, but by the London Humane Society's plan, his life was puled:), reined." A true bill has been found again[ a Mr. Junts and a perton of the name of MtsGAIY, for ea aiult do Mr. H. JoHnironi in the boxes of Covent Garden Theatre. A ferjeant of the Devon Royal Miners is committed to Exeter gaol, charged with the wilful murder of another ferjeant of the fame corps. They had been drinking together, with fume comrades, near Whitechurch Down, and on their recut,: I. me a quarrel took place, and there being, it is fappofed, an old grudge between them, the letjeAnt focidenly drew his (word, and ran the other fejeant through the body. He inflantly expired. Smithfield exhibited the full ft Chrifimas Market, both for Cheep arid-cattle, that has been known for many years ; and in confequence all kinds went of ily at much lower pi ices than the preceding .1 ket : there was a large thew of capital c>,:ll, cirlarly_ of the Hereford sod Welt Country.'  •  a  f  •JJ 1111 I ' 1 111, It/ • 1 I t 1' I .
Star. — 1805-06-07 (London, England)

RADCLII FY—he heard fame difpute refpeeing•rent which the Plaintiff owed the Defendant, and alfo that the Plaintiff was taking away his furniture without payingthat rent. Second witnefs—Pierce Butler—Examined by Mr. BETHEL, proved that he went to the watc% houfe on the :hove occation, and offered to go bail for the Plaintiff, which was refufed in confequence of the charge being that of robbery. On being afked by Mr. Bethel what fituation the Plaintiff was in, he defcribed it as a dock with iron rails, which is each'. lively for the lower order of /dons or other =Valor,. Here the tale doled on the part of the Plaintiff. The defence fet up by the Defendant was a very ingenious fpeech by Mr. RADCLIFFR to evidence. The Learned Judge charged the. Jury in a mild and conflitutional manner, recommending moderation at to the quantum of damages. The Jury found a verdict for the Plaintiff—tol. damages, with cons of fuit.  . Benjamin Oldrnyd, who has been refpited fince laft Affixes, was executed at the new drop, York, Monday fe'nn;ght, for the wilful murder of Jofeph Oldroyd, his father. On the morning of the execution, Mr. Brown, the Chaplain, requefted him to attend to prayer ; but he obilinately refuted, exclaiming, a It was wilful murder to hang an innocent man !" On the platform he paned in his innocence, refuting to join in the offices of devotion ; and, whiltt °niggling with the officers, who wi(hed to place him on his , knees for that purpofe, he fell on his face with coat. derable violence. His body was on the fame evening taken to the Infirmary for ditreftion. To alleviate the fufferings of Scurvy, of Seto' phula, and various Difeates of the Body, the late FRANCIS Svit.satisv devoted much of his time and attention. His fuccefs is now before the public. His Difpenfary has been opened at all fcafons to the poorer claire!, whole circumfiances did not reach the priof of his remedy. Fond of Medicine and its purtui,, he invented the Patent Antifcorbutic Drops, a rrld diaphoretic, without weakening the fyitern, hut giving it vigour by prommingall its natural fectetions. There who are compelled to retort to the tonic powers of mi nerals, if they with to of ll their cffift on the nerves, no medicise is better calculated for the purpofe than the Drops. Another recommendation, the dote is fmall in quantity, And taken without refiraint of diet or exercife. _  Mr. SPIIMIURY is not acconntaMt fnr any mixture fold, unlefs the words 13y the King's Patent" are inferred at length in the bill of dii e •trans, bottle, and wrapper ; the 'lamp alto (the King's duty) is printed in black ink inflead of red.—Bottle: gr. 6d. tot. alai 25. duty included.  .11 1 Del pay pen C9l7td C Au titn kilo 1 t ill • raid . . w fad I a qi and twin the 'loci dan thei to t i whi ble h loch mat fort and of f reql vier ing fend ther who t offci into r T t!. fern pen: pre f end: fa& vim cmb their en I Cull ;an ( whit crew the I I, was thor, atini mit The Del Del ... the goo flea bou pros plac did 1 Off this t this bad I fata the hou ii)c ..,. , hou stpo gar4tie: N dart ty 0 the as a coat to co ti .". ' it,
Star. — 1805-02-23 (London, England)

WATTS V. COSTSAILOW. The plaintiff is under age, and is apprenticed to the Defendant, who is an Intirumental Performer at Drury-lane Theatre.  Mr. Easels' a. for the plaintiff, Paid his client was the fon of Mr. Watts, a retpatable Chemin, in the Strind. The plalntiff raid he had been cruelly beaten by the mailer, by whom he ought to have been cherinsed ; the defendant had the confidence to affert, he applied only moderate chaffifemenr; and the former meant to try the point of law or fa&, it; when, receiving mufical inflruaion the crime of being out of tune cis to be punifheci by knocking the delinquent down ? In confequence of tome violent blows the boy had received, he was &glided with a dange' rout abfcefs, and Medical Gentlemen of the fira refpediabflity could prove the existence of the difeafe. Lucretia Davis and Maria King, tvio female (Cr. vants of the defendant, depofed to tome violent treatment. The latter laid, the defendant dragged the Plaintiff from under the piano•fotte; and faid," you d—d rafcal, you are fo ffrong, you are altnoff too prong for me; I have a great mind to murder you, you villain," Dr. Boyce, Mr. Edward Ford, a Surgeon, and reveral other gentlemen, depofed to an abfcefs in the fide of the boy, which they conceived to arife from Tome external violence.  The Sot;ict rot Gam t tot. faid, it was quite obvious that this was a fabricated Rory by the Plaintiff's father or by his advifers ; that it was an after-thought; at leak it was certain, that if the child receivedtreatment from the Defendant in the month of Fe. bruary, it was not the caufe of his terrible affliaion in the month of Oftober.  Williatp Hether, a fellow-apprentice with the Plain tiff,. at the houfe of the Defendant, depofed to the humane treatment the former received from the latter, and to his acknowledgment of it. It was nct expetfted of the Defendant that he fhould provide the Plaintiff with his Sunday's dinner : the Plaintiff frequently raid to the witnefs, that he had rather remain at the lionfe of the Defendant without his din net thin go to his own father to obtain one. Mr. Young, a furgeon, gave it as his opinion, that it was extremely improbable that, from a blow in February, the difeafe thould lay dormant fix or eight months, and that the patient fhould exhibit the fyinptoms he obferved in the month of Oaober. the boy had acknowledged to him, that he conceived the complaint to have atifen from being expofed during the whole night laying on a box. Mr. Easaiws-44 There is fuch a thing, Sir, as laying on a box, and lying in a box."—(Alluding to the witnefs.box.) Several other witneffes were called, after which Lord ELLEIIIIOROUGH rammed up the evidence, and the Jury. after having retired for half an hour, brought in a verdia for the Plaintiff—Damages tsol. [Three trials by Special Jury were poftponed until this day .t and his Limit:hip gave information to the Bar, that he fhould continue to fit in WeltmintlerHall on Monday next.]
Star. — 1805-10-03 (London, England)

GRAHAM. the Magillrate, refumed his invelligalions at the Public Office, Bow-ttreer, touching the murder off Mr. Blight, when three perfoas were examined, who had not 1341nre been called on ; but this, as well as the former examinations, being quite private, nothing was (*offered to tranfpire. • About two o'clnck Mr. GRA HA m accompanied by Mr. STAI FORD, fa off for the houfe of the deceafed, at Greenland Deck, which they examined with the' greated care and citcumfpeftion ; after which they proceeded to examine witnefles. Mrs. Blight, a Mr.' Overton, and a woman (who had been called in after the murder), were amougft them; alto a boy, who was paffing by the gate of the houfe of the efeceafed, at the very time the pillol or gun was fired that (hot Mr. Blight. Mr. Patch and the woman remain in cnflody : feveral private examinations, it is raid, will yet take place preparatilry to the public one. Lad night fume children at play in a court called Sot's Hole, near Windmill beet, in the Haymatket, found the body of a new born infant, not quite cold, foppofed to have been Ilrangled, as its neck-was very black; and it had a wound on the bead, apparently by being thrown down. The children on entering the t lace met a man %s hit a balker. who told them not to be frightened at any thing they might fee.— The body was taken to St. James's Workhoufe. A barbarous murder was on Thorfday fe'nnight committed near Kilccck, Ireland. An unfortunate harveft man had by his induitry accumulated a turn amounting to one guinea, which attrat9ed the avarice of two of his companion', who, in order to plunder the wretched man of his little fore, aaually cut his throat from ear to ear with their tickles. On Monday lad, an inquifition was taken at Newbury, before ST EP II F m lisstrrso, Efq. on view of the body of a child about five years old, fun of Francis Lewis, a labouring man, who, on the preceding Sa• turday, while playing with fume other children, fell into the river Kennet; the body was not found till the next day.—Verdift, accidental deAdt.  BIRTHS  Tilt Only, St Salifbury, the 1 ady of the Per. 7.4 t. Price. Peek.. of Durham, Dud Canal o! Salifbury. of a fun.  Tutftloy Ltt, the Lady of noiuks Ofbourr.e, Eli. of near Hall, of a fon. Sunday morning. Mrs. Flyn. Lady of Captain Flyn of ore of 1c.5 Majelty's packets, at Harwich. at a daughter. On the ad inftart, ti: I...tdy of :I:0 Hun. James Ahereromby, of a daughter, at hii houfe in tit w-ftrect, e;rlng Gardtns. Thurfday, at the Barracks, Hyde o.wk, the lady of Catena. Bradfhaw, Firft I.ife Guards, of a daught,r• Lately, the Lady of Edward Stephens. Efq of Briftol, of twins. On :he t 3th ult. at Rattalgan. cour.ty of Kildare, the Lady uC Jolltua Finn, Efq. of A .11 and heir. • In Drogheda. the Lady of MI had Bird, Frq. of a daughter. At Haywood, near Ciaumel. the La.iy of Charles Riall, Erg. of a daughter.