npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1852-04-15 (London, England)

THE MURDERER.  Yesterday afternoon, after a very heavy day's busi ness had been disposed of by the Hon. G. C. Norton, at the Lambeth Police Court, Thomas Cathie Wheeler, the unfortunate young man charged with the frightful murder of his mother, was brought before that magistrate for final examination. The prisoner on entering the court gazed round anxiously, and surveyed the crowd present, as if to observe if there were friends or acquaintances present, but not appearing to discover any, he assumed a thoughtful appearance. The unfortunate man seems a good deal altered since Saturday, and has evidently suffered from severe mental affliction. During.the reading of the depositions by the chief clerk, the prisoner sighed audibly and wept bitterly, and at that part where the witnesses described the state iu which they had found the body of the deceased, the appearance of the head on the table, the finding of the carving knife and hatchet covered with blood, his features quivered, and large tears rolled down his cheeks. In the depositions of the six witnesses who had been examined on Saturday, and all of whom were now present, there was nothing fresh ; and the only additional witness examined was Mr. J. Cathie, proprietor of the Lee Arms public-house, Brownlowroad, Dalston, who was brother to the deceased and uncle to the prisoner. This witness said that he had not seen the body of the deceased, nor had he seen fortnight before his sister (Elizabeth Wheeler) for a the present unfortunate occurrence, but he was aware that she lived at No. 1, Durham-place, Kennington-road, and had no doubt upon his mind that the body described by the former witnesses was that of the prisoner's mother. Witness was quite aware of the prisoner's insanity, and bad taken him himself to Bethlehem Hospital in March, 1849 ; but nine months afterwards he was discharged, though in an uncured state, at the earnest entreaties of his mother. Atter three or four months, however, he was obliged to be sent to the Wandsworth Lunatic Asylum, and there he remained until the Ist of February, 1851, when, at the urgent entreaties and solicitations of his mother, he was discharged from there. Before his discharge, however, the committee of the institution remonstrated with his mother, and told her that if anything happened she would have only herself to blame, and that the act of discharge was solely her own. His mother, notwithstanding this, persisted in her entreaties, and on her signing the printed form required by Act of Parliament the prisoner was discharged. From that time up to the present unfortunate calamity he lived with his mother, who always evinced the greatest possible affection and solicitude for bim. He (Mr. Cathie) was in the habit of allowing the prisoner a certain sum weekly, and for this he came regularly to his house. On Tuesday week he called as usual, when bis conduct was so strange that witness felt it necessary to send a message to his sister in reference to him, and requesting that she would do something with him. Mr.
The Sun. — 1852-04-15 (London, England)

THE MURDERER. Yesterday afternoon, after a very heavy day's business had been disposed of by the Hon. G. C. Norton, at the Lambeth Police Court, Thomas Cathie Wheeler, the unfortunate young man charged with the frightful murder of his mother, was brought before that magistrate for final examination.  The prisoner on entering the court gazed round anxiously, and surveyed the crowd present, as it to observe if there were friends or acquaintances present, but not appearing to discover any, he assumed a thoughtful appearance. The unfortunate man seems a good deal altered since Saturday, and has evidently suffered from severe mental affliction.  During the reading of the depositions by the chie clerk, the prisoner sighed audibly and wept bitterly, and at that part where the witnesses described the state in which they had found the body of the deceased, the appearance of the head on the table, the finding of the carving knife and hatchet covered with blood, his features quivered, and large tears rolled down his cheeks. In the depositions of the six witnesses who had been examined on Saturday, and all of whom were now present, there was nothing fresh ; and the only additional witness examined was Mr. J. Cathie, proprietor of the Lee Arms public-house, Brownlowroad, Dalston, who was brother to the deceased, and uncle to •the prisoner. This witness said that he bad not seen the body of the deceased, nor had he seen his sister (Elizabeth Wheeler) for a fortnight before the present unfortunate occurrence, but he was aware that she lived at No. 1, Durham-place, Kennington-road, and had no doubt upon his mind that the body described by the former witnesses was that of the prisoner's mother. Witness was quite aware of the prisoner's insanity, and had taken him himself to Bethlehem Hospital in March, 1849 ; but nine months afterwards he was discharged, though in an uncured state, at the earnest entreaties of his mother. After three or four months, however, he was obliged to be sent to the Wandsworth Lunatic Asylum, and there he remained until the Ist of February, 1851, when, at the urgent entreaties and solicitations of his mother, he was discharged from there. Before his discharge, however, the committee of the institution remonstrated with-his mother, and told her that if anything happened she would have only herself to blame, and that the act of discharge was solely her own. His mother, notwithstanding this, persisted in her entreaties, and on her signing the printed form required by Act of Parliament the prisoner was discharged. From that time up to the present unfortunate calamity he lived with his mother, who always evinced the greatest possible affection and solicitude for him. He (Mr. Cathie) was in the habit of allowing the prisoner a certain sum weekly, and for this he came regularly to his house. Oa Tuesday week he called as usual, when his conduct was so strange that witness felt it necessary to send a message to his sister in reference to him, and requesting that she would do something .with him. Mr.
The Sun. — 1852-10-07 (London, England)

LAMBETH. James Cannon, the ruffian sweep, who stood remanded for his savage and murderous assault on a police-constable, was again placed at the bar, before Mr. Elliott. Sergeant James Head, 5 I), said that he had called on Mr. Flower, the divisional surgeon, that morning, and was told by that gentleman that Dwyer, the injured constable, was not in a fit state to attend and give his evidence against the prisoner, nor would he be so for a week. Mr. ELLIOTT —llave you seen the constable Dwyer yourself this morning ? Sergeant Head—l have not, your worship, but was told what I have stated by Mr. Flower, who also gave me this certificate to hand to your worship. The Magistrate here read the certificate, of which the following is a copy °' I certify that: police-constable 135, Michael Dwyer, of the P division, is gradually improving, but will require another week before he is in a lit state to appear at the police-court. " J. S. FLOWER, Surgeon. " Camberwell-green, Oct. 6." The prisoner (whose appearance is very much im• proved by his confinement)--It's very odd, your worship, that the constable does not attend, for I sent a friend. of mine down to Camberwell, and he could find that he was walking about, and that being the case I think he might come here. Sergeant Head —That is not true, for I feel quite certain since he received the serious injuries from the prisoner he has not been out of his room. Mr. Flower himself told me this morning that Dwyer got out of bed yesterday, and for the first time attempted to walk across the room, but was not able to do so ; and therefore the statement just made by the prisoner cannot be true. Cannon—l was told that be is able enough to walk about, and I thought as that was the case he might come here. Your worship hasn't heard the rights of this affair yet, but rii tell you. I was stannin lookin into a shop windy when the policeman came up and told me to " move on ;" so I dar say I was a little saucy, when he makes no more to do than take out his truncheon and give me a lick on the back of the head, which made a long and a deep wound—look here, your worship (showing an extensive wound)— and I was smothered in blood. They then takes me to a surgeon, who sowed up .the wound, and then to another surgeon, who ripped it open and sowed it up again. Look at my coat, your worship, how it's smothered in blood. Sergeant Head—lt can be shown, your worship, that the prisoner had received the wound before the constable Dwyer interfered, and the first words he spoke to Cannon implied a request that he would accompany him to the shop of some surgeon to have it dressed. Mr. ELLIOTT remarked that in the absence of the constable it was useless to go further into the case, and again remanded the prisoner.  , L!
The Sun. — 1852-06-23 (London, England)

COCII/3URN—I became a monk of the order of St. Dominic, in 1820, and took the vows. The Domiuicnns profess only a single vow, thus :—" I, Achilli, promise obedience to God, to the blessed Virgin, to the patriarch Sr. Dominic, and to you Most Rev. Father-General of the Order until death." There is nothing else in the vow. I mean to state on my oath I believe a Dominican monk does not take the vow of poverty and celibacy. I swear on my oath I did not take those vows. If it is not their interest to take those vows, Dominican monks do not take them. They were not a necessary condition to be admitted into the Order cf St. Dominic. The vow of obedience is only necessary. In the year 1824 I became a priest. Chastity is part of the obligation of a priest. I swear that during the time I was at Viterbo, from 1819 to 1832, I had no intercourse with any woman following the imputations that have been made against me.—(Laughter.) I could answer "no" to the question whether I have had sexual intercourse with other women than these mentioned while at Viterbo.  Sir A. Cocenueat—That is not the question. Witness—l could answer, but I avail myself of the privilege given by the Judge not to answer. Sir A. COCKBURN said the privil, ge of not answering could only be allowed in a criminal court. Lord CAMPBELL said ho could not compel the witness to answer the question. Witness—l never had intercourse with any woman in the sacristy of the church at Viterbo, nor in any room contiguous to it. In 1826 I went to La Quaercha of my own accord ; I was not sent ; I did not go there by way of penance. Every officiating priest in Italy has not a General power to confess like I had. In 1826, Spaletti. a priest, might have made accusations against me; I heard that these accusations were in circulation, but I did not go on a tour of visitation with Broscente to avoid them. There was not one single word against me when I left Viterbo. In 1834 there was not a charge against me of violating the person of a young woman in Cardinal Balzi's house. There might have been, but I cannot now recollect. lam not indifferent to charges of that kind, but thousands of the same nature have been made . ugainst me. When in the prison of the L quisttion I was accused of murdering a nun, and the matter was brought under the notice of the French Government. To obtain letters of seclurazition, I must have a patrimony. The letters mention vows in the plural, but I still persist in saying I only took one vow as a Dominican monk. I obtained the patrimony from my uncle shortly after the letters of secularization were granted. In 1831 I did stay for a portion of the month of October at the house of a lady named Gentilli, the widow of one Christoche; the house is in the country near Rome. The servant in the house was not the woman Valenti, I don't recollect ever seeing her face before. I have gone out shooting while there, with Spaletti, the vicar of the bishop. Sir A.
The Sun. — 1852-03-18 (London, England)

STREET PREACHER IN ROME. A couple of casks, covered with a few planks, served for a pulpit. A ragged audience, consisting of about a hundred men and women, were listening with open mouths to a sort of ecclesiastic, filthy and sunburnt in his appearance, who was gesticulating away on the top of this primitive erection. He was holding forth upon the Passion. "It was," said he, " the sin of our first father that brought on the death of our beloved Saviour. Consequently, as we are a!! tainted with the original sin, we aro all a party to this assassination. Yes, my brethren, we are all of us the murderers, the executioners of our God, and we shall be punished as such, unless we do penance." . So saying, he opened the top of his tunic, and seizing hold of a stone, prepared for the purpose, he fell on his knees, and lacerated his breast most cruelly, muttering prayers all the while in a sort of frenzy. Fired by his example, his audience Jikewise fell on their knees. Some struck themselves violently, at the same time uttering frightful yells; others sobbed aloud, and threw themselves on their faces. Men, women, and girls seemed alike a prey to the most violent despair, or the deepest repentance. But, what is almost beyond belief, mothers, in their anxiety to make their children participate in the good effects of this exhortation, were whipping them without mercy. The preacher, covered with blood, at length gave over, and the people as suddenly ceased their wailings. The scene now changed. Pale as death, gasping and foaming at the mouth, the fanatic preacher cast a threatening look around him. Ho perceived Fernando and myself observing him from afar; and quick to take advantage of this incident, he extended his arms in our direction, exclaiming, " This is the way the apostles of the Lord get treated! Heretic foreigners say to each other, Let us go and see what that priest is after, and make game of his sermons, since the season for laughing at the buffooneries of Punch and Harlequin is now over 1' " I was unable to learn the conclusion he drew from this apostrophe, as my friend, fearing that this holy maniac mightincite the populace against us, took me by the arm and drew me away. I could not recover from my surprise. Less struck, however, by the preacher's address than by the tears of his audience, I observed that, no doubt, the fruits of this sermon would rejoice the„ hearts of all honest folks. " You labour under an error',s interrupted Fernando, the religion of the Romans i of the nature of saltpetre that evaporates as t explodes;basks than and these fanatics will have no sooner turned their than they will go and drown all those fin feelings in liquor, or fritter them away scorineev alter violentie quarrel."—Rambles through Rome, bg the L Chatelain. compunctious  The Ceylon Examiner states that lon the 13th of January, about six, P.M a large whale was seen disporting himself off Galle, at the distance of about time miles from the shore. It is very unusual for these monsters of the deep to be found in Indian latitudes.
The Sun. — 1852-03-25 (London, England)

TALFOURD.) William Gildon was indicted for the wilful murder of John Finch, on the sth March, at Marychurcb. Mr. Collier and Mr. Carter were counsel for the prosecution, and Mr. Cox for the prisoner. It appeared that the prisoner was a wheelwright, living near Torquay, occupying one of a row of houses. In the course of last summer he married a young woman of the name of Ann Finch, who, before her marriage, had an illegitimate child by a person of the name of Thomas. It was part of the arrangement that this child should live with them after their marriage. On the sth of March a Mrs. Stier, the former mistress of the wife, came to see her old servant, and shortly before she left the prisoner came in, and at that time the child was well and ceeerful; it was undressed and put to bed. The prisoner's wife went out with Mrs. Stier, to see her a little way on the rJad. They left at seven o'clock. The wife returned at eight o'clock, and during her absence the child had met with an injury, from which it died at five o'clock the next morning. On the surgeon, who had been called, making a more particular observation, he found on the back part of the head, just behind the ear, a mark showing that the child must have received a most violent blow, and he was of opinion that that blow must have caused the death. The prisoner accounted for this appearance by stating that the child had fallen out of bed. , The surgeon, however, did not believe that the injury could have been so received. Blood was seen upon the prisoner's hand and trousers. The prisoner had since said that, had it not been for the long tongue of his wife, the neighbours would have known nothing about it.  . .... _ __ Mr. Cox urged that there was no motive shown for the prisoner taking the life of the child, and that it was possible it might have died in convulsions by knocking itself about in those convulsions. _  Mr. Justice TALFOURD summed up the case to the j ury. Mr. CARTER suggested that his Lordship bad not stated to the jury that if they did not think the prisoner guilty of murder, they might convict him of manslaughter. Mr. Justice TALFOURD said he did not know how he could suggeit such a thing. The jury, however, appeared to have heard this remark, for they returned a verdict of Manslaughter. Mr. Justice TALFOURD, in paaing sentence, observed that the jury had come to a decision upon a mere case of possibility. It was, indeed, a mere possibility that this could have been manslaughter and not murder. In his opinion all the circumstances tended to the conclubleu that the more serious crime had been committed. He should pass upon him the most severe sentence the law allowed—that he should bo transported for life to a penal settlement. BUSINESS OF THE ClRCUlT.—Notwithstanding the judges are sitting till a very late hour every night, the business is so very heavy that they have been compelled t 3 postpone the commission day at Bodmin from Wednesday till Thursday.  MIDLAND ClRCUlT.—Warwick, March 24. (Before the Lord Chief Justice JERVIS and Specia Juries.)
The Sun. — 1852-12-08 (London, England)

DAY.)  Jeremiah Tooley, of No. 2, Suffolk-place, Suffolkstreet, Clerkenwell, a labourer, was placed at the bar before Mr. Corrie, charged with assaulting and wounding Alexander Downes, at the same house, with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm, of which wound he died. The first witness called was - •  - • Mary Downes—She stated that she was the wife o the deceased, and that he went last night at the back of his house to feed his dogs ; that was about half-past eight or nine. Hearing a noise in the yard from the dogs, she went out and saw. the prisoner making an attempt to cut her husband's throat. She afterwards saw him draw the razor across her husband's throat, and blood was pouring from the wound. She, lost her sight and senses for a few moments, but when she recovered she found the prisoner holding her husband down, and pulled him off and called " Murder." The prisoner here said the witness was always calling him names. _  ------Mrs. Helen Goodwright said list night she heard cries of "Murder" proceeding from the last witness, and ran out of the door. He caught hold of her ;he could not speak. She saw the deceased taken to the surgeons, where he expired a few minutes after. Denis Shear, a labourer— I heard cries of " Murder" from a woman, and heard the dogs bark. I looked out and saw the prisoner having hold of the deceased, who was trying to keep the prisoner from running away. The prisoner pulled himself outside the door, when I saw the blood gush from the deceased over the prisoner; his coat was covered. At the same time, Downes made an attempt to speak, but failed in the attempt. I laid hold of the prisoner, and the dying man kept his hold also. " You, thief," said I, " you have murdered the man ;" when the prisoner said, " Yes, I did, and will again too." The prisoner tried to get away, but I held him until the police arrived. I did not know what he did it for.  Police-constable Cotten, N 15, said—l saw the wounded man taken to the doctor's. I went to the house and took the prisoner, when a razor was given to me. The prisoner said they wanted to poison him, for they had made two horns grow out of his head. The prisoner, on his way to the station, said the deceased was not satisfied with his own wife, but wanted his also. He repeated this several times on his way to the station. Mrs. Downes, in answer to Mr. Corrie, said she took the razor from the dusthole, where she had previously seen the prisoner put it. Mary Gavey saw the prisoner mu n rderig Mr. Downes in the back-yard She ran away, and cried " Murder." She saw the prisoner holding the deceased down. Mr. W. Butler, surgeon, said deceased was taken to his shop last night. He reeled against the counter, when he caught him, and laid him on the ground. About two minutes after that he died. He had a cut in his throat from the left ear through the carrotid arteries, jugular vein, and other injuries. The man died from loss of blood. The knife had gone through the spine. The prisoner having said a few words in defence, in which he stated that he was out of his mind, was committed to Newgate for trial.
The Sun. — 1852-05-28 (London, England)

OVER THE PASSIONS.  Some years ago, Juan Antonio Garcia, aged between 35 and 40, was executed for murder at Buenos Ayres. lie was a person of some education, rather remarkable than otherwise for the civility and amenity of his manners ; his countenance was open and handsome, and his disposition frank and generous ; but when the north wind set in, he appeared to loco all command of himself, and such was his extreme irritability, that during its continuance he could hardly speak to any one in the street without quarrelling; before his execution hi' admitted that it was the third man he had killed, besides having been engaged in more than twenty fights with knives, in which he both gave and received many serious wounds; but, ho said, it was the north wind, not he, that shed all this blood. When he rose from his bed in the morning, he told my informant ho was at once aware of its accursed influence upon him; a dull headache first, and then a feeling of impatience at everything about him, would cause him to take umbrage even at the members of his own family on the most trivial occurrence. If he went abroad his headache generally became worse, a heavy weight seemed to hang over his temples, he saw objects as it were through a cloud, and was hardly conscious where ho went. He was fond of play, and if in such a mood a gambling house was in his way, ho seldom resisted the temptation ; once there, any turn of ill-luck would so irritate him, that the chances were he would insult some of the bystanders. Those who knew him, perhaps, would bear with his ill-humours; but if unhappily he chanced to meet with a stranger disposed to resent his abuse, they seldom parted without bloodshed. The account the wretched man gave of himself was corrohorat,d by his relatives and friends.—Sir Woodbine Parisk's Buenos Ayres.  NATIONAL BANK OF bigLaND.—The seventeenth annual meeting of the proprietors of this company was held at the office of the bank, 13, Old Broad-street, on Wednesday; Mr. Octavius Ommanney in the chair. After the usual preliminaries, the secretary read the report of the directors detailing the operations of the bank for the year ending December, 1851. The motion for the adoption of the report having been seconded, Mr. Dennehey went into a long statistical comparison, to show that the resources of the company had never been properly developed, and concluded by appealing to the directors to use their best exertions to raise the bank to a level with its rivals in Ireland and in this country. Mr. Cartlan combated Mr. Dennehey's statements, which he charged with omitting all reference to the disastrous influence of the potato famine upon the National Bank, and from the pressure of which its rivals in the north of Ireland and in Dublin were comparatively exempt. The report, was then unanimously adopted, and after the vacancies in the direction hrid been filled up, the meeting separated.