npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1847-03-08 (London, England)

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.  ------The following is an extract from a letter addressed to Wm. Bendel!, of Linkinhorne, near Liskeard, by his father, who emigrated with his family to South Australia some years since, and is settled near Adelaide. Bendel!, it appears, had written to ask his father if there was any truth in the idle stories about the natives, &c., which the wiseacres at home terrify each other by fabricating. The letter bears date " Mount Barker, Adelaide, June 21, 1816."—" I am rather surprised at your abandoning the idea of coming out to make one of us ; I trust you will alter your mind—as for the blacks committing such acts of murder it is all false, you have a great deal more to fear from the white people than them, believe me I would not wish you to come out unless it would be for your benefit. As for Australia, we could feed all the poor in England by their only working three days a week. We want nothing from Eng!and. We have gold, silver, copper, and iron mines in abundance ; miners now get 31. per week. Now I must tell you how I get on myself. I have two sections of land 160 acres • I have just finished ploughing ; I have 100 acres of wheat, and shall plant about four acres of potatoes. I have twelve working bullocks ; two horses worth about 20/. each ; cows, heifers, pigs, &c , in fact every comfort, and I only wish you were here to enjoy it with us, which I sincerely hope will not be long first —it is no use, you must come, for I want the boy to drive the bullocks." " Wm. Tonkin has a farm to himself of forty acres, and six good working oxen." "Joseph Bull has a section of 80 acres and six working bullocks ; in tact they are all doing well, if they do not it is their own faults. Do not think I want you to come out to go mining, for I can put you in a firm, that the remainder of your life you may live in more ease and comfort. Your mother is looking as young as ever. but plenty of work tending the pigs, cows, and poultry. I could give 3ou four or five pigs, and not know they were gone, we have got so many : we have about 45, two I should think weighing about 800Ibs.; we have betn killing one every week. Wm. Tonkin has had this year about 400 bushels of wheat, and will have more next year. The rain is coming down beau•ifully as I write this."  This be it remembered is the letter of a working man to his own son—a tnan who left home without money, and realised property and attendant comforts in a colony blessed with a fertile soil and salubrious climate, and where there are thousands of acres waiting to be made productive by the labours of industrious Englishmen, who have the moral courage to adopt a step which will raise them and their families to a situation of comfort, and perhaps affluence, to which it is impossible they can attain here.—Devonport Telegraph.
The Sun. — 1847-09-09 (London, England)

CHILD. LOUTH, LINCOLNSHIRE, SEPT. B.—Yesterday an examination of a young woman, charged with the murder of her infant daughter, was resumed before a full bench of magistrates at the Town Hall. The prisoner, whose name is Ellen Tuxford, aged 24 years, is a fine, handsome-looking female. Upon being placed in the dock the following evidence was adduced : _ .  Superintendent Tracey said—From information which I received respecting the prisoner I was induced to make inquiry at the Louth workhouse, where I learned that the prisoner, who had for some time been an inmate, had there been delivered of a female child about five weeks before, and that she left the house on the 25th of August, stating that she was going to Thorby. I traced her to Thorby, but she had no child with her. Upon going to the house where she was staying she denied that she had had a child. I did not therefore at that time take her into custody. Finding that she had after. wards absented herself from the house, and secreted herself in another, I gave orders for her apprehension, and went in search of the child. The result of this inquiry was, that I traced the prisoner as far as Houghton, on the Spilby road, with the child in her possession, beyond which all trace of the child was lost. The prisoner was there seen near a pond with what appeared to be an infant in her arms. Upon the apprehension of the prisoner I asked her if she would state what had become of the child, to which she replied that it had been thrown into a pond by a man whom she had met, to account for which she said that the child had died, and that she was crying, that the man asked her the reason, she told him, upon which he said he would soon get over that for her, and then threw the child into the pond. I then went, continued the constable, and searched the pond, where I found the child ; it was quite naked, and I afterwards searched the prisoner's house, where I found the child's clothes ; they were quite wet, and spotted with blood ; they had been hidden in a coal-hole. Mr. Bogg, surgeon, of Louth, said—l made a post mortem examination of the body of the child. One side of its mouth was cut away, and a portion of the tongue had been cut out. There were several wounds in the abdomen, which had evidently been made by the scissors which were found on the prisoner. B en cthb—e le bai ml d qwu was tse ac leirvtea.i n thea t ttroinbguut ee wt•ial es immediate oyeudi the deceased would never have recovered from the injuries whilela'ete cause of death to drowning, although the which it had received. Several other witnesses were examined, whose testimony corroborated the above facts, after which the prisoner was remanded. An inquest has been held on the body, before Mr. F. Gae, and notwithstanding the above facts were sworn to, the jury returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder against some person or persons unknown."  Three early white potatoes have been dug during the week, in the garden of Colonel South, of Southlands, Heavitree, which weigh together two pounds and a half. They are very fine in appearance, and show no trace of disease.— Western Luminary.
The Sun. — 1847-02-06 (London, England)

MURDER.—SINGULAR CONFESSION.—The attention of the magistrates was arrested on Saturday by the appearance of an aged man, bending under infirmities, who tottered into the court, and volunteered a confession, instancing the powerful efltets of an accusing conscience. Th 3 culprit said he was induced to tender the present disclosure from agony of mind. Their worships at first treated him as a lunatic, but were soon convinced of the truth of his narrative from its consistence and clearness. It appeared that the criminal's name was Thomas Parton, his age 64, and he was sentenced to seven years' transportation in 1818 to Van Diemen's Land, where he became free and resided some years, though latterly he had been living in the bush in this country. In his confession he stated that about 30 years ago he deserted from the Ilerkhire Militia, commanded by Colonel mavenshaw, and met with a woman, named Elizabeth Howell, at Dorchester, Oxon, who was cognisant of the fact of his desertion ; susrecting that she intended to betray him, he, in order to frustrate her purpose, at once felled her with a stick, and afterwards stabbed her; she died, and he immediately started for London ; there was no witness of the deed. Ile also confessed that he had afterwards murdered a man, named John Ilaster, at Norwood.—Port Philip Patriot of July, 1846. The amount of gold taken out by the Cambria on Thursday was just tinder 300,0001. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE —Early on Thursday morning, the Lying-in Hospital at Manchester, situated in St. Mary'sparade, was discovered to be on fire, and in two hours afterwards all the rooms, with the exception of the board-room, were reduced to ashes. The servant-girl was awakened at five o'clock by a sense of suffocation, and saw at once that the house was likely to be destroyed by fire. She alarmed the house-surgeon, Mr. Runcorn, who slept in the upper story, and he started from bed, and found that from the progress of the flames egress by the street-door was impossible. He immediately tied together two of the sheets of his bed, and lowered himself down to one of the short ladders which had been placed under his window by Mr. Hurlbutt, plumber, and by this means escaped without injury. Mrs. Horncastle, the matron, with four other women in the house, behaved with remarkable presence of mind under the trying circumstances. The smoke in her room was dense, almost beyond endurance, and throwing up the lower sash of her bedroom-window, she instructed her companions to hold their heads out in the open air to breathe. She then tied together the sheets of her bed, fastened one end to the lower part of the bottom sash, and thus urged her alarmed friends to descend in the way that the hosse-surgeon had done. Seeing that death was inevitable if they remained in the house they summoned up courage for the task, and descended in safety, the matron being the last to make the experiment, having waited to see all the other women reach the ground in safety. The flames were not subdued till about eight o'clock in the morning. The fire, it is thought, originated in the surgery. The damage sustained will amount to about 2,000/.
The Sun. — 1847-09-27 (London, England)

NAPIER."  THE PUNJAUB.  The Delhi Gazette, of July 21, has the following paragraph upon the affairs of the Punjaub " From Lahore we learn that, at seven o'clock on the morning of the 14th of July, eight murderers were hanged by order of the Durbar, and we notice the fact prominently lest that plot-inventing paper at Meerut should stuff people with the information that they were `conspirators' or political offenders in any way. The Lahore Adalut has been brought into good working order under Sirdar Khan Singh Man, we mentioned in our lest, n e convicted under sentence of d example as impressive as possioaneadlyth the an . To above n make alm possible, the gallows was erected on a rising ground opposite the Delhi gate of the city, on the road to Umritsir, and a regiment of Infantry, with 500 Suwars, under General Cortland, kept the ground. The bodies were to be left hanging two or three days in terrorern. We have every reason to believe that the approaching relief will include a second European Regiment for Lahore. It was, indeed, originally intended to quarter two regiments there; but as sufficient accommodation could not have been provided before the hot weather, an additional native regiment was sent instead. Meanwhile experience has, we are happy to learn, proved that Lahore is, after all, a healthier locale for European troops than many of the up-country cantonments, and the second regiment ordered up, whichever it may be, will have no cause for grumbling. "It affords us much pleasure to add that the delay in Colonel Lawrence's departure for Sirnlah is caused by a sensible improvement in his health. All continues quiet and is settling down throughout the country, and the most rigid economy continues to be introduced into every department of the expenditure, so that the minor, when he comes of age, will have great reason to bless his guardians. The Government which has been bestowed on General Cortland comprises the whole of the trans-Indus territory belonging to the Lahore State, extending from the boundary of Konat (the jagheer of Sultan Mahomed Khan, Barukzaie) down to Dhera Ghazee Khan, part of the Mooltan Ilakah. Each of the Doabs has now, as will have been gathered from the communications of our native correspondent, a Sirdar as Nazim to look after the Kardars, and to administer provincial justice, thus saving many a poor suitor a footsore trudge to the capital in search of redress. We will present our readers with a Punjaub Blue Book in the course of a few days. The latest letter we have received says the weather has become very hot in consequence of the rain having to all appearance ceased. The water is subsiding from the parade-ground at Anarkullee. All looking out anxiously for the steamer. The arrival of the vessel will be an era in the annals of Lahore. It is surmised by one of our correspondents at that station, that the native corps there will exchange with as many from the Jullundur, but this we apprehond is error, at least in part:"
The Sun. — 1847-09-27 (London, England)

NAPIER."  TILE PUNJAUB. The Delhi Gazette, of July 21, has the following paragraph upon the affairs of the Punjaub From Lahore we learn that, at seven o'clock on the morning of the 14th of July, eight murderers were hanged by order of the Durbar, and we notice the fact prominently lest that plot-inventing paper at Meerut should stuff' people with the information that they were ' conspirators or political offenders in any way. The Lahore Adalut has been brought into good working order under Sirdar Khan Singh Man, and the above eight are, as we mentioned in our last, only an instalment of the convicted under sentence of death. To make the example as impressive as possible, the gallows was erected on a rising ground opposite the Delhi gate of the city, on the road to Umritsir, and a regiment of Infantry, with 500 Suwars, under General Cortland, _kept the ground. The bodies were to be left hanging two ar three days in terrorem. We have every reason to believe that the approaching relief will include a second European Regiment for Lahore. It was, indeed, originally intended to quarter two regiments there; but as sufficient accommodation could not have been provided before the hot weather, an additional native regiment was sent instead. Meanwhile experience has, we are happy to learn, proved that Lahore is, after all, a healthier locale for European troops than many of the up-country cantonments, and the second regiment ordered up, whichever it may be, will have no cause for grumbling. "It affords us much pleasure to add that the delay in Colonel Lawrence's departure for Simlah is caused by a sensible improvement in his health. All continues quiet and is settling down throughout the country, and the most rigid economy continues to be introduced into every department of the expenditure, so that the minor, when he comes of age, will have great reason to bless his guardians. The Government which has been bestowed on General Cortland comprises the whole of the trans-Indus territory belonging to the Lahore State, extending from the boundary of Konat (the jagheer of Sultan Mahomed khan, Barukzaie) down to Dhera Ghazee Khan, part of the Mooltan Ilakah. Each of the Doabs has now, as will have been gathered from the communications of our native correspondent, a Sirdar as Nazim to look after the Kardars, and to administer provincial justice, thus saving many a poor suitor a tootsofootsotrudge to the capital in search of redress. We wireil present our readers with a Punjaub Blue Book in the course of a few days. The latest letter we have received says the weather has become very hot in consequencer of the rain having to all appearance ceased. The water is subsiding from the parade-ground at Anarkullee. All looking out anxiously for the steamer. The arrival of the vessel will be an era in the annals of Lahore. It is surmised by one of our correspondents at that station, that the native corps there will exchange with as many from the Jullundur, but this we apprehond is error, at least in part:'
The Sun. — 1847-07-15 (London, England)

CLERKENWELL.  John Ramsay, a young man of respectable appearance, was charged upon his own confession with the wilful murder of Mr. Henry Williams. The prisoner, who was described in the police-sheet as a cheesecnonger, residing at No. 1, Matilda-place, Caledonian-road, Islington, on being put into the felons' dock, was in a very dejected state. Mr. Henry Williams, the deceased, who was alleged to have been murdered, was formerly an _ee' and he attorney,_xisw p hose rincipal practice was in the Customs and E resided in Constitution-row, St. Pancras. About two years and a half ago be had to conduct a case professionally in the Customs, and at its conclusion he accompanied some friends to a tavern in the Sparrow's-gate, near Towerhill, where they indulged freely, and the deceased left the place. He was afterwards found in the Minories insensible, and bleeding from an injury immediately over his eye, and at an early hour in the morning he was driven up to the door of his residence in Constitution. row. He was quite insensible, saturated with blood, as was also the inside of the cabriolet. He was unable to sp .als; and, after having been put to bed, Dr. Fogarty, of Acton place, Bagnigge Wells-road, was sent tor, who promptly adopted every means that medical skill could d vise, but Mr. Williams died shortly afterwards, in consequence of the injury he had received. A coroner's jury was called, and, after an adjournment, Inspector Penny traced the deceased to have been put into the cab and seen to the door of his house by a man named Strickland, who immediately afterwards left him. Strickland and the cabman were brought forward, but they could not give decided or satisfactory evidence as to the cause of the injury or death of the deceased, and the subject being involved in mystery, the jury came to no decided verdict, leaving the matter open for the pro duction of further evidence and future ievestigation. The injury over the eye must have been inflicted by a stick or umbrella. Ralph Rtee, 248 G, now deposed, that on Tuesday night last, about treks o'clock, he was on duty in Bagnigge-wells station house, when the prisoner knocked at the door, which beieg opened by witness, he requested to speak with him He was drunk at the time. Witness admitted him. and he said he had come there to deliver himself up for a murder which he had committed two years and a half ago. Witness took him iato the charge room, when he said he had hit a man on the head with a stick. He was in his company with another man named Strickland; and ever since he bad committed the crime he had not been able to rest. He said the deceased's name was Williams. An inquest had been held upon the body at the Silver Cup public-house, Cromer street, St. Paitcras. Mr. Anew:D.—ad he seem serious when be made this statement ? Witness answered in the affirmative. He gave his name and address, John Ramsay, No. 1, Matilda-place, Caledonian-road, Islington, cheesemonger. He maintained the same sullenness all night that he now preserved in court, and was silent. Inspector Penny gave confirmatory testimony as to the statement made by the prisoner. Mr.
The Sun. — 1847-11-22 (London, England)

CURRENCY PER IMPERIAL MEASURE. Wheat—Essex & Kent, Malt—Chevaller...... 620 to 635 Red. ........ 44s to 51 s Oats— Yorkshire and Ditto,White, New 43s .57s Lincolnsh., Feed. 22s 245 Norfolk and Lin- Potato coin, Red. •• • • 44s 49s Y ough al and Cork, • Ditto, White ... • 48s 54s Black . Irish, Red .. .•• • • • —s —s Cork, White •• •. 243 27s Ditio,lVhite ••• • • • —s —s Scotch, Feed •• • • 263 2ss Rye—Old .... —••• • • • —s s Beans—Tick ........ . 363 455 New. •••••. • • . . • • 32s 35s Pigeons .... 37s 44s Barley—Grinding. •• • • 2;s 29s PeasijGrey ..........403 433  . 30s 32s Chevalier .... . • . 33s 31s Malt—Suffolk and Norfont ...... .5Ss COs Brw.vn ........... :54s 56s Kingston and Ware Gils 62s  Maple. ••••• • • • • -37 s 42; White ... ••.• - - • • 42s 45, Boilers • Flour—Town-made .• • 4I s 46. 5uff01k..........Cs 40: Stockin & Norfolk Ws 40;  arviiTnrxmLis.  During last week the following imports of live stock took place into London : :From whence. Beasts. Sheep. Rotterdam :Harlingen .. 139 ... 2,072 Tonningen ..... 86 ... 176 Hamburgh  Total Bl7  Lambs. ... 31  3,580 ...  when he attempted to murder her. :In this case there was little more for the grand jury qo consider than the identity of the party presented be fore them. There was another very serious case. It lo ias that of a large quantity of property taken by a femaLle servant, and there were two other persons charged. with receiving the stolen property ; one of them, -was th,e father of the woman, and the other was a. perare in a superior condition of life, with whom it., apneared she was intimately connected. It would be .for the jury to say whether there was sufficient evidence of guilty knowledge on the part of this. -person to put the case in train of further inquiry. All they had to consider was whether there was a p rims facie easeagainstthose twoindividuals. There wlas a case of murder of a peculiar and melancholy charm cter. The party accused was a boy, twelve years ix f age, who was alleged to have caused the death e his grandfather, by administering poison to him. It WAS necessary :or him (the Recorder) to tell tile jury that, although they might think that such sal act could not he committed by a boy of that tenth tr age, unless his reasoning powers were defective, thrit was not a matter for thir consideration. There was a tribunal expressly appointed by statute to deter' nine that part of the question. The grand jury had only to consider whether there was sufficient evidence as to the act to send the matter for further i aquiry. The Learned Judge concluded by expressing his regret that they had the prospect of heavy duties.
The Sun. — 1847-04-09 (London, England)

DANGEROUS SPORT.—On Thursday, two lads, named Haliwell and Harvey, who are in the employment of Messrs. Tebbutt, Hawes, and Coy, Back King-street," were placed at the bar of the Borough Court, on a charge of firing a cross-bow the day before, by which th,.• lives of certain persons were endangered. Thu crossbow, which was produced in court, is a powerful instrument, and fitte to do execution not le-s deci,ive than a musket or pistol. It appeared that the lads had got hold of this bow, which Mr. Tebbutt said he kept in his private office, and were almost daily in the habit of amusing themselves with it. On this occasion they used pieces of lead about the weight of a common pistol bullet, and fired the bow in the direction of Cross-street. According to their own confession, each fired a shot. One piece went through the top pane of the window of the Scottish Widows' Fund Insurance Office (Mr. Boothman's), and then through the glass partition which divides the shop from an inner "office, and striking against the opposite wall rebounded into the middle of the room. Mr. Boothman's clerk was in the room at the the time, but fortunately a little to the one side of the window, and e,ealed unhurt. The distance of the shot was about 100 yards. The other lead was fired in the same direction, only a little higher, into the office of Mr. Petty, solicitor, in the flat above. Mr. Petty has his desk right in the middle of the window, and had been sitting there just before the shot was fired, but had left his seat for a few moments. Inspector M'Mullen was sent to make inquiries, but the culprits at first denied all knowledge of She matter, and only confessed when he discovered the' bow in a room she was sure her brother had no evil intent ; but Mr. Maude said that that was no excuse whatever for lads case, for nobody could like them taking up a dangerous instrument, and firing up stairs. A sister of one of them said recklessly in the centre of a crowded town. They had' had a narrrow escape from being brought tip on a charge of murder, One getiO, being seated in the direction of Anan , this shot just a moment before it was fired. Thoughtlessness would not be any excuse whatever in such a pretend ignorance of the consequences likely to ensue from firing into the heart of a crowded thoroughfare. He hoped this would be a warning to them and others to be more careful in future. He fined them in 10s. Gd , the value of the broken glass, and 10s. each besides, ne expressed a hope that such a dangerous article would be kept out of the reach of boys like them. Mr. Tebbutt said ho had already discharged them, and would take care to do as Mr. Maude had suggested. Ile had no idea that they were able to get at the bow, which having been paid thw prisoners were discharged.—Manhe kept in his own room. The fine chester Examiner. Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial Office from the Governors of the West India colonies. Despatches were sent off last evening from the Colonial Office for the Governer of West .Australia. .