npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1862-11-04 (London, England)

PRESIDENT. Though we have not yet the returns of the most important elections, no one doubts that they have gained largely on the Republican party. If this should be so, it seems hardly likely that they will back the PRESIDENT as heartily as his own party. M'CLELLAN is, however, their General, and they will cordially sustain him. He, though ho lets nothing interfere with his duty as a soldier, is known to be personally hostile to carrying on the war as one for emancipation. Like all his party, slavery, as it was, is his decided preference. One thing is very satisfactory—wherever emancipation has been practically tried, it has worked, in all respects, well. Both at New Orleans and Port Royal the negroes have worked steadily and cheerfully for wages—and all the predictions of their murdering their masters, and indulging in wild revenge, have proved to be, what every reasonable man knew they were, mere outrageous libels on the known kindless and docility of the maligned negro. They were fictions invented sn terrorem, The Hon. NEAL Dow's testimony, who commands at Port Philip, we have twice given in The Sun, and now Mr. J. M. M`Kilt, who is conducting the Port Royal experiment, writes thus—  " The experiment has been made under the most unfavourable circumstances. The result of a military necessity, it was undertaken with inadequate means, suddenly extemporised, and has been conducted thus far in the midst of a raging and all-pervading civil war. " The Port Royal blacks are of the worst grade of their class. They are plantation slaves, the progeny of plantation slaves of unmixed African descent. Gnarled and twisted in body, uncouth in form and feature, they show in their persons the effects of a century's degradation. And yet these life-long chattel slaves, dehumanized in law, and degraded, in fact, to the extent of human power, when suddenly transformed into free labourers, go to work, and co, tinue to work peacefully, happily, and industriously. "The transition is as easy as it is sudden. There is no jar. The problem is solved. The difficulties vanish. The expediency of emancipation is proved. It is proved under our own eyes, on our own soil, and in that portion of it where it seemed most improbable. This nation can, whenever it chooses, change its system of slave labour for that of free labour without any shock to the social or political fabric."  On such facts as these we have but one observation to make. If the slaveholders of the South are determined to maintain their accursed aristocracy of skin, at the cost of enslaving 4,000,000 of their fellow-men—if they are so determined to do it, as to be ruined in the attempt—and that, when emancipation is so easy and safe—if they thus pr2fer slaveholding to life and to property—then let not England, let not Christendom pity such fiendlike tyranny if it should prove its own grave. They could, themselves, emancipate ; on their own heads be the consequence of leaving the work to others.
The Sun. — 1862-05-17 (London, England)

THE DARING CASE OF BOUSEBREAK LNG AT TRA:VIYER E.  The two scoundrels who broke into the house of Mr. Arthur, Sea Bank Villas, Tranmere, on Wednesday afternoon last, under circumstances already detailed in the Liverpool Mercury, were brought up yesterday at the County Hall, Abbey Street, Birkenhead, the magistrates on the bench being Sir E. Cust, Messrs. J. W. Harden (county court judge) R. Bryans, B. Derbyshire, J. Younghusband, and J. B. Case. Mr. Superintendent Hammond, in briefly stating the case, said that between three and four o'clock on Wednesday afternoon the prisoners were observed loitering about Mr. Arthur's house, and ultimately they were seen to enter by the back door. Information was immediately communicated to Mr. Edward Collis, joiner and builder, who went to Mr. Arthur's front floor and rang the bell. As no person answered, he went round to the back door, which was closed, but he forced it open, Upon entering the premises he discovered the two prisoners, who, without speaking, attacked him with two life preservers, and beat him in an unmerciful manner—to such an extent that he was confined to his bed, and consequently was not able to attend to give evidence, Notwithstanding the murderous treatment he had received, Mr. Corris followed the prisoners until he became exhausted from loss of blood and the pain he was suffering. Fortunately, the housebreakers were pursued by the police and apprehended—one in the Chester-road and the other in Queen-street, in Lower Tranmere. In the possession of one of the prisoners was found a gold breast-pin, which was identified as being stolen from Mr Arthur's house, and a quantity of jewellery, consisting of brooches, pins, rings, ice., was picked up near where the other prisoner was captured. The marks left on the boxes and drawers in Mr. Arthur's house corresponded with the housebreaking implements discovered in the possession of the prisoners.—Mr. Hammond added that another house had been broken into in Higher Tranmere, and there was no doubt that the prisoners were the men who had committed the act.  Miss Arthur was then called, and she stated that the house was left in charge of the servant girl, who was absent from the premises only a few minutes. She identified the articles of jewellery produced. The bench ordered the prisoners to be remanded until Monday next.  The prisoners, who are not known in this neighbourhood, gave the names of Robert James and Peter Jenkins. They are each about 25 years old, and respectably dressed. The third man, who was watching outside whilst the prisoners were ;In Mr. Arthur's house, has not yet been apprehended. We are.. glad to state that Mr. Cortis, although his injuries are of a very serious character, was mush better yesterday, and hopes are entertained that in a few days he will be able to leave his residence to give evidence against his murderous assailants. When it became known that he had been brutally attacked by housebreakers, a general feeling of sympathy was evinced in the township, towards Mr. Collis, who is an old and respected tradesman of Tranmere.  2HE
The Sun. — 1862-05-17 (London, England)

THE DARING CASE OF HOUSEBREAK ING AT TRANIVERE.  The two scoundrels who broke into the house of Mr. Arthur, Sea Bank Villas, Tranmere, on Wednesday afternoon last, under circumstances already detailed in the Liverpool Mercury, were brought up yesterday at the County Hall, Abbey Street, Birkenhead, the magistrates on the bench being Sir E. Cust, Messrs. J. W. Harden (county court judge) R. Bryans, B. Derbyshire, J. Younghusband, and J. B. Case. Mr. Superintendent Hammond, in briefly stating the case, said that between three and four o'clock on Wednesday afternoon the prisoners were observed loitering about Mr. Arthur's house, and ultimately they were seen to enter by the back door. Information was immediately communicated to Mr. Edward Corris, joiner and builder, who went to Mr. Arthur's front floor and rang the bell. As no person answered, he went round to the back door, which was closed, but he forced it open, Upon entering the premises he discovered the two prisoners, who, without speaking, attacked him with two life preservers, and beat him in an unmerciful manner—to such an extent that he was confined to his bed, and consequently was not able to attend to give evidence. Notwithstanding the murderous treatment be had received, Mr. Corris followed the prisoners until be became exhausted from loss of blood and the pain he was suffering. Fortunately, the housebreakers were pursued by the police and apprehended—one in theChester-road and the other in Queen-street, in Lower Tranmere. In the possession of one of the prisoners was found a gold breast7pin, which was identified as being stolen from Mr Arthur's house, and a quantity of jewellery, consisting of brooches, pins, rings, &c., was picked up near where the other prisoner was captured. The marks left on the boxes and drawers in Mr. Arthur's house corresponded with the housebreaking implements discovered in the possession of the prisoners.—Mr. Hammond added that another house had been broken into in Higher Tranmere, and there was no doubt that the prisoners were the men who had committed the act. Miss Arthur was then called, and she stated that the house was left in charge of the servant girl, who was absent from the premises only a few minutes. She identified the articles of jewellery produced. The bench ordered the prisoners to be remanded until Monday next. _ _ .  The prisoners, who are not known in this neighbourhood, gave the names of Robert James and. Peter Jenkins. They are each abaut 25 years old, and respectably dressed. The third Clan, who was watching outside whilst the prisoners were in Mr. Arthur's house, has not yet been apprehended. We are glad to state that Mr. Corris, although his injuries are of a very serious character, was mush better yesterday, and hopes are entertained that in a few days he will be able to leave his residence to give evidence against his murderous assailants. When it became known that he had been brutally attacked by housebreakers, a general fee!ing of sympathy was evinced in the township, towards Mr. Collis, who is an old and respectt3d tradesman of Tranmere.  211 E
The Sun. — 1862-04-10 (London, England)

MURDER OF A WIFE.  On Tuesday afternoon an inquest was hold at Comm, by Mr. J. Hargreaves, coroner for the Blackburn hundred of Lancaster, touching the death of Jane, wife of Waker Moore, tailor, of Keighley, Yorkshire. Joseph Hartley, father to the deceased, said his daughter was 32 years old. She had lived a miserable life with her husband, and about two months ago had left him in consequence of his misconduct. Joseph Metcalf, of Keighley, mechanic, said that about a quarter to twelve last Friday he met Walker Moore in Keighley, and set out with him for a walk, As they were going along the prisoner proposed they should go as far as the Hare and Hounds, at Black-lane-ends, near Colne, where his wife lived with relations, who kept the house. They found her there, and she served them with some ale. The prisoner seemed disposed to be friendly with her, but she did not seem to be so with him. He wished her to go with him. She replied, " If I can't live quietly hero I will go home," meaning to her father's house. At nine o'clock the witness and Moore went to bed, the former slept with a boy, and the latter with Wm. Wood, the landlord. He went to sleep and did not awake until next morning, when the prisoner called him. When he went down stairs he and Moore began to drink ale, part of which he mixed with rum and part with whisky. The deceased served them with it, but very unwillingly. The deceased stooped down before the fire to clean the fire irons, and the prisoner saton the long l "settle" near her. When Wood left the place to fetch more ale, the prisoner rose from his seat, placed his left hand behind the back of the deceased, and then suddenly with his right hand drew something across her throat. She got up immediately, and blood ran from her throat. She put her apron to atop the blood. Wood then returned, and, as the deceased seemed falling, caught her in his arms and laid her on the long settle. She died in less then five minutes. Moore, when spoken to, said, " I came purposely to do it." Ho had never given the witness the least idea of his intention. William Wood, the landlord of the Hare and Hounds, corroborated the statement of the last witness, The prisoner had threatened to cut his throat. Police-constable Charles Lord said that the prisoner, on his way to the lock-up, said, " Well, policeman, I will tell you all about it. Her uncle and cousin (William Woods) came and fetched her away from Keighley about six weeks since, and she has been living there ever since. I knew she was sleeping regularly with her i cousins. I asked her to go back with me this I morning, but she wouldn't, so I killed her." •He afterwards added, "It is all through William Wood, and I should h•Wire been better satisfied if I had cut his throat too."
The Sun. — 1862-07-26 (London, England)

CROWN COURT. (Before Mr. Justice Ke a ting.) THE PRESTON MITRt IT ;R. John Cox, 39, labourer, was ind Hcted for the wilful murder of Adam Stapleton Par Ikea, at Prestoncum Sutton Pointz, on the Bth Jul: 9Mr. Stock and Mr. Bere w‘atO counsel for the prosecution ; and Mr. Turner, at, the request of the Judge, defended the prisoner. The deceased, Adam Staples ;on Puckett, was a surgeon and apothecary, residing at Broadway. He was also the union doctor for a certain district, in which the parish of Preston ' Suttc‘n Pointz was situated. In this parish were t• wo villages, the prisoner living in the village of Preston. The house in which he resided was a poor cottage, consisting of only two rooms, inhabited by the father, mother, the prisoner, and his two brothers. Previous to this sad event, the prisoner hadd been in a state of ill health, and for weeks had been attended by the deceased Dr. Puckett. From :he state of the cottage and the prisoner's heals h, it had been deemed by the deceased advisable to remove him to the Union Workhouse for the i ecovery of his health—a proceeding to which the prisoner was greatly opposed. On the afternoon of the Bth of July, Mr. Puckett, and %Mr. White, the relieving officer went over to Preston for the purpose of removing the prisoner to the unionhouse. By the gate of the garden, they were met by the father of the prisoner, and had some converse.tion with him. Mr. White then proceeded to the Ship Inn, in the adjoining village, to procure a horse and cart for the purpose of taking the prisoner to the union, while Mr. Puckett went into the house to see the deceased, az: d to prepare him for being removed. The next deer neighbour seeing Mr. Ptickett go into the house. and knowing what his misilion was, had the curiosity to go to her back window to listen to what was going on. She there heard a very loud discussion going on between the prisoner and the deceased. At length the prisoner got very violent. She then went out and saw Mr. Puckett holding the door. She saw two of her neighbours, and fearing the violence of the prisoner they went back into her house and looked out of the window. IThey then saw the prisoner striking the deceased with a stick several times. He next went to a ieighbour for some brandy, which was given him through fear, and he then returned to his house, nroeuied a saw, and cut off the hand, head, and foot of i.he deceased surgeon. Having done this, he took a somewhat circuitous route through the fields to Osmington. He went away in a somewhat curious garb, having no trousers on, but which he took away with him in a bag, and subsequently put on. At Osmington he was token into custody, when he admitted that he had committed the mur. der. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, on the ground of insanity. The judge then ordered that the prisoner be kept in safe custody during her Majesty's pleasure. The prisoner, who appeared thoroughly conscious of his position during the proceedings, mani' fested the greatest satisfaction with the, verdict of the jury, and ran down the steps wail' the greatest agility.
The Sun. — 1862-07-26 (London, England)

HORRIBLE CASE OF PIRACY AND MURDER, AND BURNING OF A SHIP.  Yesterday the subjoined correspondence was received at Lloyd's relative to a most atrocious case of piracy and murder off the coast of Spain on the 9th  inst. :  " Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade, Marine Department, London, July 24, 1862. " Sir,-1 am directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade to transmit to you, for the information of the committee for managing the affairs of Lloyd's, the accompanying copy of a despatch from her Britannic Majesty's consul at Malaga, relative to an act of piracy on board the American barque Reindeer, of New York, and of her destruction by fire.—l am, Sir, &c., " J. H. FARREL "To Capt. Halstead, R.N., Secretary, Lloyd's." " British Consalate, Malaga, July 14, 1862.  - " Sir,—l have the honour to inform you that a most atrocious act of piracy has been committed in these waters.  " ' While the American barque Reindeer, S. W. Hewett, master, of and for New York, with a cargo of salt, from Cette, was purstiing her voyage on Wednesday last, the 9th inst., at one a.m., being then about 30 miles to the south-east of Malaga, two Spanish seamen of her crew surprised and murdered the second mate, the carpenter, the cook, and another seaman; wounded the master, chief mate, and two others ; plundered the ship of some 400 dols. in specie and a watch, which were in the cabin, and stove one of the boats and absconded with the other ono, having first, with unexampled malignity, set fire to the Reindeer fore and aft.  At 8 a.m. two passing vessels—the American ship Minstrel, Capt. Clifford, and the English brig Susannah, Capt. Grove—hove in sight, and, observing the Reindeer's signals of distress, proceeded to her assistance. These two shipmasters, with part of their respective crews, were engaged until nee/ four o'clock in the afternoon endeavouring to extinguish the fire; but finding their utmost efforts to be ineffectual, Capt. Hewett and the surviving individuals of his crew were transhipped on board of the Minstrel, which happened to be bound to this port from Accra. At six p.m. they abandoned the Reindeer, and very soon afterwards she was enveloped in flames. The Minstrel arrived here on Saturday, the 12th inst., in the afternoon. '6 I have since ascertained that two of the victims of this nefarious act of piracy were British subjects, the second mate, John H. Hansom, a native of Liverpool, and the seaman, Henry Frost Jones, a native of Cardiff, both of whom were murdered in their berths; the bodies were left on board, and went down with the burning ship. "'The boat in which the rates quitted the Reindeer has been found on the beach, a few miles to the eastward of Malaga. The authorities aro using all. the means at their disposal to procure the capture of the criminals ; and I have forwarded a description of their persons to the governor of Gib a ltar, in order that they may be apprehended there in the event of their proceeding to that garrison.— I have the honour to be, &c., cs c Wm.
The Sun. — 1862-07-26 (London, England)

THE PRESTON MURD] ',R. Sohn Cox, 39, labourer, was ilia cted for the wilful murder of Adam Stapleton Puci 'ett, at Preston' curn-Sutton Pointz, on the Bth July. Mr. Stock and Mr. Bere were co unsel for the prosecution ; and Mr. Turner, at the request of the Jud ge, defended the prisoner. 'The deceased, Adam Stapleton Puoi:, ett, was a surgeon and apothecary, residing at Thwoae !way. He was also the union doctor for a certain d istrict, in which the parish of Preston Sutton P ointz was ~situ aced. In this parish were two village s, the pri,soc,3 r living in the village of Preston. The house in weich he resided was a poor cottage, consisting • two rooms, inhabited by the father, mother, of only the pri, loner, and his two brothers. Previ ious to this sad eve' it, the prisoner had been in a t date of ill health, and for weeks had been attenc led by the deceased. Dr. Puckett. From the st ate of the cottage and the prisoner's health, it had been deemed ,')y the deceased advisable to r move him to the Union Workhouse for the rec' very of his health—a proceeding to which the 'prisoner was greatly op-nosed. On the afternoon of the Bth of July, Mr. Puckett, and .tiMr. White, the relieving officer went over to Preston for the purpose of removing the prisoner to the unionb ouse. By the gate of the garden, they were met by the father of the prisoner, and had some conversation with him. Mr. White then proceeded to the tilhip Inn, in the adjoining vilhige, to procure a her 5e and cart for the purpose of taking the prisoner to the union, while Mr. Puckett went into the I louse to see the deceased, and to prepare him for ,being removed. The next door neighbour seeing 3.1 r. Puckett go into the house, awd knoiving what his mission was, had the curiosity to go to her back window to listen t o what was going on. She then) heard a very 10,1 d discussion going on between the prisoner and the deceased. At length the prisoner got very vinicot. She then went out and saw Mr. Puckett holding the door. She saw two of her neighbours, and fearin,c; the violence of the prisoner they went back into her house and looked out of the window. They then Baw the prisoner striking the deceased with a stick several times.. He next went to a neighbour for some brandy, which was given him through fear, and he then roturned to his house, procured a saw, and cut off the hand, head, and foot of the del. eased surgeon. Having done this, he took a some what circuitous route through the fields to Osmin gton. He went away in a somewhat curious gar b, having no trous era on, but which he took away wia him in a bag, a.nd subsequently put on. At Osml7.ngton he was takon into custody, when he admitted that he had committed the murder. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, on the ground of insonity. The judge tl:en ordered that the prisoner be kept in safe custody during her Majesty's pleasure. The prisoner, who appeared thoroughly conscious of his position during the proceedings, manifested the greatest satisfaction with the verdict of the jury, and ran down the steps with the greatest agility.  CO