npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1851-08-05 (London, England)

REVOLTING CASE OF MURDER. At the Kerry assizes, on Thursday, Michael and Judith Donoghue were charged with having beaten Denis Shea on the 13th of April, and with having tied his hands behind his back, and, when in that state, thrown him out from their dwelling-house at night, which treatment caused his death. Mr. Plunket said the charge in the indictment was one of murder, but the Crown did not itatend to ask for a verdict for more than manslaughter. The Learned Counsel then went at length into the details of the case, which, as subsequently sustained in evidence, were of a very harrowing character. The Tralee Chronicle thus states the substance of the case—" It appeared in evidence that the people were threatened by a printed or written notice, posted on the door of Waterville Lodge, that any one harbouring a pauper, giving a pauper a night's lodging, or allowing any of that class under their roofs, would be made pay a year's rent, and turned out of their holdings. It appeared that this order applied especially to the deceased, Denis Shea, a boy of twelve years of age, who appears to have been a lad of bad character, but who one of the witnesses swore had when treated kindly by himself not acted improperly, and who, he added, would not bo what he was it treated differently. It was alleged that his grandmother was turned out of her little holding for harbouring this boy, upon whom the brand of vagabond was so prematurely stamped, until at length he was dono to death. The female prisoner was the aunt of the deceased, and she and her husband were lodgers in the house of a man named Case, a tenant on the Lansdowne estate, who, as well as others, was cautioned against harbouring this boy. The latter fact, coupled with the precarious tenure which the prisoners had of a roof over their heads, would appear to have led to the boy's ejection from the house where he sought shelter at the hands of his uncle and aunt, and the beating which he received, it was argued by Mr. O'Hea, was given not merely to drive him away, and thus save all parties from the penalty of harbouring him, but also to punish him for a theft; the tying of his hands behind his back, the Learned Counsel argued, for the purpose of preventing him from committing any of those nightly depredations to which it was sworn he was addicted."  Tho medical evidence went to show that the boy had not had a sufficiency of solid food in his stomach for twenty-four hours. The Chief Baron, who shed tears in the course of his address, said that, in point of law, no order, however inhuman it might be, and however great a calamity it might be to have such a state of things in operation, could justify the offence with which the prisoners were charged, however it might be pleaded in mitigation of punishment.  The jury retired, and shortly after brought in a verdict of Manslaughter. Sentence—Two years' imprisonment to hard labour.
The Sun. — 1851-08-05 (London, England)

REVOLTING CASE OF MURDER.  At the Kerry assizes, on Thursday, Michael and Judith Donoghue were charged with having beaten Denis Shea on the 13th of April, and with having tied his hands behind his back, and, when in that state, thrown him out from their dwelling-house at night, which treatment caused his death. Mr. Plunket said the charge in the indictment was one of murder, but the Crown did not intend to ask for a verdict for more than manslaughter. The Learned Counsel then went at length into the details of the case, which, as subsequently sustained in evidence, were of a very harrowing character. The Tralee Chronicle thus states the substance of the case—" It appeared in evidence that the people were threatened by a printed or written notice, posted on the door of Waterville Lodge, that any one harbouring a pauper, giving a pauper a night's lodging, or allowing any of that class under their roofs, would be made pay a year's rent, and turned out of their holdings. It appeared that this order applied especially to the deceased, Denis Shea, a boy of twelve years of age, who appears to have been a lad of bad character, but who one of the witnesses swore had when treated kindly by himself not acted improperly, and who, he added, would not bo what he was if treated differently. It was' alleged that his grandmother was turned out of her little holding for harbouring this boy, upon whom the brand of vagabond was so prematurely stamped, until at length he was done to death. The female prisoner was the aunt of the deceased, and she and her husband were lodgers in the house of a man named Case, a tenant on the Lansdowne estate, who, as well as others, was cautioned against harbouring this boy. The latter fact, coupled with the precarious tenure which the prisoners had of a roof over their heads, would appear to have led to the boy's ejection from the house where ho sought shelter at the hands of his uncle and aunt, and the beating which he received, it was argued by Mr. O'Llea, was given not merely to drive him away, and thus save all parties from the penalty of harbouring him, but also to punish him for a theft; the tying of hie hands behind his back, the Learned Counsel argued, for the purpose of preventing him from committing any of those nightly depredations to which it was sworn he was addicted."  The medical evidence went to show that the boy had not had a sufficiency of solid food in his stomach for twenty-four hours. The Chief Baron, who shed tears in the course of his address, said that, in point of law, no order, however inhuman it might be, and however great a calamity it might be to h%ve such a state of things in operation, could justify the offence with which the prisoners were charged, however it might be pleaded in mitigation of punishment.  - The jury retired, and shortly after brought in a verdict of Manslaughter. Sentence—Two years' imprisonment to hard labour.
The Sun. — 1851-03-06 (London, England)

THAMES.  Roger M'Grath, an Irish labourer, who has bee❑ twice remanded, was brought up before Mr. Ingham, charged with cutting and wounding John O'Briant, one of his countrymen, on the night of Saturday, the 15th ult., with intent to murder or do him grievous bodily harm.  The parties have been repeatedly before the Court, and their disputes have nearly terminated in murder. The prosecutor, who has been for 17 days in the London Hospital, appeared in a very deplorable condition and in a weak state from loss of blood.  It appeared that on the 15th of February the prosecutor was charged by the prisoner's wife with using abusive language towards her, and was fined 2s. without costs. As he was leaving the court the woman struck him with her fist, took up a brick and threw it at his head, and inflicted a very severe wound. On the same night, about twelve o'clock, the prosecutor was coming out of his own house for the purpose of going to market to buy a piece of meat, when he was intercepted by the prisoner and his wife at the corner of Stepney-causeway. M'Grath said he wished to be friends with O'Briant and have some beer. The prosecutor made no objection, and they walked a few paces, when M‘Gratli, who had his hands in his jacket-pockets, took from one of them what appeared to be a book, but which proved to be a small hand-axe or hatchet, with which he struck O'Briant a tremendous blow on the mouth, which cut his lips open loosened several teeth, and felled him to the ground As he was rising the prisoner struck him across the temple with the hatchet, and inflicted a severe wound, from which the blood flowed copiously. As he was falling the prisoner's wife struck him on the head, and cut it open. The prosecutor called out " Murder" as loud as he was able, and to stifle his cries the prisoner's wife put her shawl over his mouth, threw him down, and beat and kicked hira—in-a most savage manner. A police-constable, 75 K, hearing the cries of murder, hastened towards the spot whence they proceeded, and passed the prisoner and his wife, who were running away in a contrary direction, Mrs. M'Grath saying "Hurry home, hurry home."Jhe policeman found O'Briant on the ground apparently dead, end bleeding profusely from several wounds on his person. He caused him to be conveyed to the London Hospital, where be has ever since remained. O'Briant's life was despaired of for several days, and he left the hospital for the first time yesterday, and presented himself in the court in a very weakly condition. The prisoner was subsequently arrested by Potter, 212 K, and on being made acquainted with the charge, he said, " that he only struck O'Briant with his fist, and that he did so because he was a cuckold." Potter found the hatchet with which the wounds had been inflicted, in the prisoner's room.  Mr. INGHAM expressed his intention of committing the prisoner for trial; but, as the surgeon who had dressed the prosecutor's wounds was not in attendance, he remanded the case till Saturday.  REPEAL of the TAXES on
The Sun. — 1851-03-06 (London, England)

TRAMS S. Roger M'Grath, an Irish labourer, who bag been twice remanded, was brought up before Mr. Ingham, charged with cutting and wounding John O'Briant, one of his countrymen, on the night of Saturday, the 15th ult., with intent to murder or do him grievous bodily harm. 'l'he parties have been repeatedly before the Court, and their disputes have nearly terminated in murder. The prosecutor, who has been for 17 days in the London Hospital, appeared in a very deplorable condition and i❑ a weak state from loss of blood. It appeared that on the 15th of February the prosecutor was charged by the prisoner's wife with using abusive language towards her, and was fined 2s. without costs. As he was leaving the court the woman struck hina with her fist, took up a brick and threw it at his head, and inflicted a very severe wound. On the same night, about twelve o'clock, the prosecutor was coming out of his own house for the purpose of going to market to buy a piece of meat, when he was intercepted by the prisoner and his wife at the corner of Stepney-causeway. M'Grath said he wished to be friends with O'Briant and have some beer. Th© prosecutor made no objection, and they walked a few paces, when M'Grath, who had his hands i❑ his jacket-pockets, took from one of them what appeared to be a book, but which proved to be a small hand-axe or hatchet, with which he struck O'Briant a tremendous blow on the mouth, which cut his lips open loosened several teeth, and felled him to the ground As he was rising the prisoner struck him across the temple with the hatchet, and inflicted a severe wound, from which the blood flowed copiously. As he was falling the prisoner's wife struck him on the head, and cut it open. The prosecutor called out " Murder" as loud as he was able, and to stifle his cries the prisoner's wife put her shawl over his mouth, threw him down, and beat and kicked him in a most savage manner. A police-constable, 75 K, hearing the cries of murder, hastened towards the spot whence they proceeded, and passed the prisoner and his wife, who were running away in a contrary direction, Mrs. M'Grath saying "Hurry home, hurry home.", The policeman found O'Briant on the ground apparently dead, and bleeding profusely from several wounds on his person. He caused him to be conveyed to the London Hospital, where he has ever since remained. O'Briant's life was despaired of for several days, and he left the hospital for the first time yesterday, and presented himself in the court in a very weakly condition. The prisoner was subsequently arrested by Potter, 212 K, and on being made acquainted with the charge, he said, " that he only struck O'Briant with his fist, and that he did so because he was a cuckold." Potter found the hatchet with which the wounds had been inflicted, in the prisoner's room.  Mr. INcalst expressed his intention of committing the prisoner for trial; but, as the surgeon who had dressed the prosecutor's wounds was not in attendance, he remanded the case till Saturday.  REPEAL of the TAXES on
The Sun. — 1851-06-19 (London, England)

MURDER IN THE COUNTY OF LOUTH. The Louth Advertiser of Tuesday contains the following account of another dreadful ageariun murder in that county : The excitement produced by the murder of Mr. Coulter has hardly subsided when it becomes our duty to record another barbarous murder perpetrated in the same county, and within a few miles of the scene of the former tragedy. The victim in the present instance was a young man, about 19 years of age, who bore the highest character. He was honest, industrious, and religious. His name was Bernard M'lntegart, son of a respectable man who resides at a place called Annas, within about four miles of Dundalk. The murder, like that of Mr. Coulter, was perpetrated in the broad daylight, and in a populous locality. Young M'lntegart lett his father's house about seven o'clock on Sunday morning, in company with his sister, to attend mass at Knockbridge Chapel, and, having passed through some fills, they came upon the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway. It was here, between a small cutting, that the murderers came upon him. They beat him in the presence of his sister with short heavy sticks until he became insensible. His sister, in the most earnest manner, besought them to have mercy on him, but they heeded not her cries, and when she flung herself on his body, to protect him from the violence of the murderers, oae of them struck the poor girl, and inflicted a severe would on her forehead. We may here mention that he died on Monday morning. There can bo no doubt that the murder should be ascribed to an agrarian cause. The father of the deceased had recently come into the possession of some land which had been the subject of litigation. It appeared that the land in question was held by three tenants named Put Berle, John M'Ardle, and Henry Callaghan, who were unable to pay the rent. Law proeeedings were insti• tilted against them, and they gave up possession, having received compensation for doing so. The land was then taken by Mr. Edward M'Ardle, a respectable shopkeeper, residing iu Park-street, Dundalk, who held it only one year. On his relinquishing it, possession was given to the father of the deceased, in March last, by Mr. John Woolsey, agent to Mrs. Foster, of Fair-hill, the owner of the property. But no sooner had the new tenant commenced to cultivate the lands than an attempt was made to obstruct him by several persons. They were brought before the magistrates, and some of them were bound to keep the peace, and so the matter stood until Sunday last, when the poor young fellow already named was most treacherously and cruelly waylaid."  An inquest was held on the body of the wretched young man on Monday, and a verdict returned to the effect "that the deceased came by his death in consequence of a wound inflicted on his head by a blunt Instrument by some person or persons unknown."
The Sun. — 1851-04-16 (London, England)

CHINA. The Advices from China are to the 27th of February. The following is a letter, from HongKong, dated Feb. 27 The mail-steamer arrived here on the morning of the 15th, bringing us dates_from England to the 24th of December.. "Her Majesty's ship Enterprise, Captain Collinson, ono of the vessels which left England in January, 1849, in search of Sir John Franklin, arrived here on the 15th instant. She made the ice in June last, but quitted in August. She sails from this again early in April for the Polar Seas. The Investigator was seen on the 4th of August by her Majesty's sloop Plover westward of Point Barrow.  " The noted pirate Chin'APoo, who was the chief instigator of, and actor in, the murder in February, 1849, on this island of Lieutenant da Costa, of the Royal Engineers, and Lieutenant Dwyer, of the Ceylon Rifles, and for whose detection a reward of 1001. was offered, was brought on board the Phlegethen steamer, lying off the factories at Canton, and arrived here on the 16th. He has been sufficiently identified, and is now in goal, awaiting his trial next month. " Pirates still abound in the neighbourhood, interfering greatly with the native trade. " On the 22d Major-General Stavely, under warrant from Prince Albert, invested his Excellency Governor Bonham as Knight Commander of the Most Hon. Order of the Bath. " Major-General Stavely, Commander of the Forces, leaves by this steamer for Bombay, to assume the important command which has been assigned to him in that presidency. " Since the Chinese holidays there has been little activity in import business either at Canton or Shanghai. " Our advices from the latter place are not later than to the 14th of February. A vessel that was to have left on the 20th inst., with the Shanghai mail, has not arrived.  " In both places there has been more demand for black tea, and an advance of 1 to 1i taels has been paid. There is at present less inquiry. The tots' export from China, iof all descriptions to date, s 52,376,0001 h, against 47,100,0001 b. last year. " Of silk from China the total is 16,300 bales, against 12,000 the previous year. " Freights still continue very low. First class American vessels are loading for Engliad at 21. ss. Many fast sailing American vessels are expected this season, and unless British shipbuilders arouse and exert themselves, and produce vessels equal to compete with them, the carrying trado will in a great measure fall into the hands of the Americans. Her Majesty's ship Cleopatra sailed to-day for Manilla. " In Harbour--Her Majesty's screw-sloop Reynard; her Majesty's ship Enterprise, and the surveying-vessel Royalist repairing. " Her Majesty's brig Pilot is at WhmPoa; the steamer Phlegetbon, at Canton; her Majesty's brig Serpent, at Amoy; and her Majesty's brig Contest, at Shanhai. ‘4 Our latest dates are—from England, Dec. 24; United States, Dec. 13; Calcutta, Jan. 17; Bombay, Jan. 18; Singapore, Feb. 5 ; Sydney, Dec. 5 ; and Manilla, Feb. 11."
The Sun. — 1851-12-16 (London, England)

SUSPICION OF MURDER.  At the Manchester Borough-court on Monday, a rough-looking fellow, about thirty years of sge, named William Thompson, an engine-fitter, residing at 15, Pall Mall•street, Vine-street, Hulme, was charged with the murder of his wife on Saturday night. _ _  The evidence disclosed the fact that the prisoner and the deceased had been married about six years, but had not lived happily, in consequence of the female having a strong liking for drink ; for the last month, however, she had been a total abstainer, and on Saturday night was quite sober. She was at the house of her sister, Maria Mather, of 18, Lloydstreet, from about seven o'clock up to nine o'clock ; going there, she said, to avoid her husband, who had threatened to beat her. She deposited nine shillings with her sister, saying she would be back that night; and at nine o'clock she left. A female named Jones proved that the unfortunate woman went home between nine and ten o'clock, and finding that a key she had would not unlock the door, she got into the house by way of the back window. About half-past eleven o'clock Jones and her brother heard a noise, as of some one falling down stairs, in the house, but they did not notice any other disturbance. About a quarter past one on Sunday morning the prisoner went to Maria Mather's house, knocked her up, coolly said his wife was dead, and then went away. The sister immediately proceeded to the house, and found that the statement was true. The corpse of Mrs. Thompson was on b chair in the kitchen. Just before Mather arrived, Thompson's father, an old man, who lodged in the house, let himself in with a latchkey, and, while groping about for a light, found the dead body on the chair. Before he could get a light Thompson walked in, on his retnrn from Lloyd-street, and the old man said, " Bill, why dost let the wife sleep there?" Thompson, to the old man's utter dismay, replied, " She's not asleep, she's dead," and then left the house. A medical man (Dr. Wilkin son) was called in, but life was extinct, and, with all due attention to decency, the neighbours proceeded to undress the corpse and perform some of the last offices for the dead. It was then discovered that there were several marks upon the throat and back of the head which indicated foul play, and the police, being informed of the circumstances, apprehended the man at a beer-shop in llulme. His account of the matter is, that he did not see his wife alive after he went to his work on Saturday morning ; that he went home at night and went to bed, woke in a fright early in the morning, went down stairs, and found his wife dead at the foot of them ; he took her up, fixed her on the chair, and then went to tell her sister. He was remanded for further examination.
The Sun. — 1851-01-03 (London, England)

HORRIBLE MURDER IN PARIS.  On New Year's eve a horrible murder was committed in an apartment in the hue Bourbon Chateau, Faubourg Sc. Germain, occupied in common by two old ladies, one named Ribault, aged 60, and the other Lebelle, aged 74. The former has published several works on education, which have obtained well merited success; but she has Laterly devoted her time to writing articles for periodical publications, and more particularly for the Journal des Demoiselles. The directors of this publication are always in the habit of sending one of the clerks to settle the monthly accounts of the parties who contribute articles to the work. A man named L 45 years of age, who was on this occasion sent to settle the old lady's account, had some months since a violent altercation with har, he having made a mistake on his own side of 51. On Tuesday the amount due to Mme. Ribault was 400 f., when L— offered her 200 E, saying that she had already received 2001. on account. This she denied, R hen the clerk presented her with a receipt for that sum with her name affixed to it, but which signature she immediately declared to be a forgery. On this a violent altercation ensued, when the clerk suddenly attacked Madame Ribault, and struck her several blows en the bead and chest with a sharp instrument, which he had concealed about him. She fell to the ground senseless and apparently dead. The noise of the fall attracted the attention of Madlle. Lebelle, who was in another room, and she hastened .to ascertain the cause of it. The moment she entered the room the clerk flew at her, seized her by the throat, which he pressed so tightly that in a few moments she was lying on the floor a corpse. The murderer, thinking both his victims were beyond the power of revealing what had taken place, then left and returned to his residence at Montmartre. Fortunately, however, he was deceived. Madame Ribault, after some time, recovered from her state of insensibility, and although exhausted from loss of blood, managed to crawl to a table on which was a small bell, and with which, not knowieg that her companion was lying dead beside her, she hoped to bring her to her assistanee. The noise of carriages in the street prevented the bell from being heard, and it was not for some hours after that some persons ascending the staircase heard the bell, and entered the apartment. The commissary of police was immediately sent for, and received from the lips of Madame Ribault a recital of what had taken place. A warrant for the arrest of the murderer was immediately issued, and he was taken to the office to which he had gone as usual, in the belief that no one could appear against him. He was taken to the Prefecture, where he is kept in close confinement, and has not yet been informed that one of his intended victims has escaped the fate he intended for her.—Galignani.