npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1863-08-14 (London, England)

THE CASE OF MRS. M`LACTILAN.-official docu, meats have been published respecting the statements of the convict Jessie M'Lachlan. One of them relates to an interview between the prisoner and her agent on the 19th of June, in the presence of the Governor of the General Prison at Perth, where M‘Lachlau is confined. In the course of that interview the prisoner positively denied a conversation that she had previously had with her agent, in whioli she spoke of laudanum. When asked whether MI. Fleming was the guilty person, she said that "he did the act." On the following morning, the 20th, she expressed a wish to know why she had been questioned on the day before, and then told the Governor that she had spoken of laudanum to her agent. She had told him that she knew no mere of the murder than if he had placed a glass of laudanum " foreanent" her. Another document is a note by Miss Hislop, the scripture reader of the prison, of a conversation held by her with the prisoner. Miss Hislop says :—" I had visited the prisoner several times in my official capacity, but had never once alluded to her crime, but had spoken to her as I do to other prisoners, as being a lost sinner in the sight of God, On this occasion she referred to the crime with which she was charged, sne said her case was a very sad one. I said to her, 'You will have noticed that in all my dealings with you I have camfully avoided speaking to you of your crime; but since you have mentioned it )ourself I shall let you know my mind on the subject. I believe you to be the guilty person, and to me you seem to have acted as a guilty person throughout. You have been guilty of a deed for which you ought to have been hanged, as God has never repealed that law he gave, that blood should answer for blood, but by a very mysterious providence your life has been spared, and I would beseech you to make early and earnest application to Him whose blood cleanseth from all sin. She looked at me and said, 'Well, Aliss Ilislop, I am obliged to you for your honesty,' She sat silent for a minute or so after this and then she said, I had as little thought of it half an hour before I left my own house as you have at this moment.' I said I believed it was not a premeditated thing, but that one sin had led to soother till the deed was committed. She said, I feel sometimes if as I could go through thesespri prison walls. I often think my mind will give wa began to tell me about going out for some spirity, h s. thastni Fleming. I stopped her, and ht at the request e over it, Sheed it was no use going it, as nothing she could say would alter about f t ter my opinion u it.' She immediately added, but Fleming is not a good man.' I said don't say he is a good man, but I believe him to in innocent of that crimes'
The Sun. — 1863-08-14 (London, England)

THE CASE OF MRS. her agent on the 19th M'LACrILAN —Official documents have been published respecting of the convict Jessie`Lachla the statements M n. Ono of them relates to an interview between the prisoneracl of June, in the presence ofthacel: a l_l_overnor of the General Prison at Perth, where M,L n is confined. In the course of that interview the prisoner positively denied a conversation that she had previceai Yhad with her agent, in which she spoke of laudanum. Mr. Fleming was the guilty persoi When she saidasked whether that " he did the act." On the following morning,hadbeen the 20th, she expressed a wish to know why she questioned on the day before, and then told the Governor that she had She spoken of laudanum to her agent. had told him that she knew no more of the murder than if he had placed a glass of laudanum " foreanent" her. Another document is a note by Miss Hielop, the scripture readerpriosfthere.prmisoinaa, of a conversation held by her with the on Hislop says :—" I had visited the prisoner several times in official capacity, but had never once alluded to her my crime, but had spoken to her as I do to othero this occasion being a lost sinner in the sight of God. occasion she referred to the crime with which she wasn charged, and. said her case was a very sad one. I said to her, have noticed that in all my dealings with you haveYouca.wriel-1 carefully avoided speaking to you of your crime; ...0, but since you have mentioned it yourself I shall let you to be knowataheagu!mltyy mind on the subject. I believe per son, and to me you sum to have acted d guilty person throughout. You have been guilty of haadseen for which you ought to have been hanged, as God repealed that law he gave, that blood should answer for blood, but by a very mysterious providence your life has r been spared, and I would beseech you to make early and earnest application to Him whose blood cleanseth from all sin. She looked at me and said, 'Well, Miss Hislop, I am obliged to you for your honesty: She sat silent for a minute or so after thi., and then she said, ' I had as little thought of it half an hour before I left my own house as you have at this moment.' I said I believed it was not a premeditated thing, but that one bin had led to another till the deed was committed. She said, ' I feel sometimes as if I could go through these prison walls. I often think my mind will give way.' She began to tell me obeli:, going out for some spirits that night at the request of ~ Fleming, I stopped her, and said it was no use going o ver it, as nothing she could say would alter my opinion about it all, _ She immediately added, ' but Fleming is not a good man' , hi I said ' I don't say he is a good luau, but I believe re, to ba Innocent of that crime,'
The Sun. — 1863-08-14 (London, England)

THE CASE OF MRS. M`LACHLAN.—Ofiacial documents have been published respecting the statements of the convict Jessie 111'Lachlan. One of them relates to an interview between the prisoner and her agent on the 19th of June, in the presence of the Governor of the General Prison at Perth, where M‘Lachlan is confined. In the course of that interview the prisoner pcsitively denied a conversation that she had previously had with her agent, in which she spoke of laudanum. When asked whether Mr. Fleming was the guilty person, she said that " he did the act." On the following morning, the 20th, she expressed a wish to know why she had been questioned on the day before, and then told the Governor that she had spoken of laudanum to her agent. She had told him that she knew no more of the murder than if he had placed a glass of laudanum " foreanent" her. Another document is a note by Miss Hislop, the scripture reader of the prison, of a conversation held by her with the prisoner. l‘liss Hislop says :—" I had visited the prisoner several times in my official capacity, but had never once alluded to her crime, but had spoken to her as I do to other prisoners, as being a lost sinner in the sight of God. On this occasion she referred to the crime with which she wag charged, and said her case was a very sad one. I said to her, ' You will have noticed that in all my dealings with you I have carefully avoided speaking to you of your crime; but since you have mentioned it yourself I shall let you know my mind on the subject. I believe you to be the guilty per son, and to me you seem to have E.cted as a guilty pawn throughout. You have been guilty of a deed for which you ought to have been hanged, as God has never repealed that law he gave, that blood should answer for blood, but by a very mysterious providence your life has been spared, and I would beseech you to make early and earnest application to Him whose blood cleanseth from all sin. She looked at me and said, Well, Miss Hislop, I am obliged to you for your honesty.' She sat silent for a minute or so after thi-, and then she said, I had as little thought of it half an hour before I left my own house as you have at this moment.' I said I believed it •st ca not a i premeditated thing, but that one f,-11 had led to another till the deed was committed. She said, feel sometimes as if I could go through these prison walls. I often think my mind will give way.' She began to tell me aboth. going out for some spirits that night at the request of Fleming. I stopped her, and said it was no use going over it, as nothing she could say would alter my opinion about it.' She immediately added, but Fleming is not a good man.' I said I don't say ho is a good man, but I believe him to be innocent of that crime.'
The Sun. — 1863-08-14 (London, England)

THE CASE OF MRS. M'LAORr,AL—Official documents have been published me%eting the statements of the convict Jessie M'Lachlan. interview between the prisoner and terof them relates to an agent on the 19th of Julie, in the presence of the Governor of the General Frieon at Perth, where M'Lachlan is confined. In the course of that interview the prisoner p conversation that she had previously sitively denied a in which she spoke of laudanum. d Wheno with her agent, asked whether Mr. Fleming was the guilty person, She the act." On the following morning, saidthe that "he did 2 h, she ex sed a wish to know why she had beenpres t questioned the day before, and then told the Governor on that she had spoken of laudanum to her agent. She had told him that she knew no more of the murder than if had placed a glass of laudanum " foreanent" her. Another document is a note by Miss Ilielop, the scripture reader of the prison, of a conversation held by her with the prisoner Hislop says :—" I had visited the prisoner sevoral' ti Miss my official capacity, but had never once alluded to megin her crime, but had spoken to her as I do to other prisoners, being a lost sinner in the sight of God. On this occasionas she referred to the crime with which she was charged, said her case was a very sad one. I said to her, You and will have noticed that in all my dealings with you I have earefully avoided speaking to you of your clime; but since you have mentioned it yourself I shall let you know my mind on the subject. I believe you to be the guilty per son, and to me you seem to have acted as a guilty person throughout. You have been guilty of a deed for which you ought to have been hanged, as God has never repealed that law he gave, that blood should answer for blood, but by a very mysterious providence your life has been spared, and I would beseech you to make early and earnest application to Him whose blood cleanseth from all sin. She looked at me and said, 'Well, Miss Hislop, 1 am obliged to you for your honesty.' She sat silent for a Minute or so after thi., and then she said, I had as little thought of it half an hour before I left my own house as you have at this moment.' I said I believed it was not a premeditated thing, but that one sin had led to another till the deed was committed. She said, 'I feel sometimes as if I could go through these prison walls. I often think mj.. mind wi:l give way.' She began to tell me about going out for son • le spirits that night at the request of Plercin, b. I sopped her, and 11. was no use going over it, as nothing she s it.' She immediately say would alter my opinion about yadded, but Fleming is not a good man.' I said ' don't say he is a good man, but I believe him to be innocent of that crime.'
The Sun. — 1863-11-24 (London, England)

THE BENEFIT OF A DOUBT. " I do not know the law, sir. It seems tome like a prison, shutting out life and truth. But I have heard that you give the prisoner the benefit of a doubt. You even receive the prisoner's own statement, and give it weight." "It is nut given on oath," interposed the counsel. Lot us say that the evidence of a Christian woman, given on her oath in favour of her husband, may be liable to suspicion—the utmost suspicion and doubt—and be only the weight of a feather in the scale. Still, why should he not have the benefit of a doubt? Why must his wife sit silent till liar heart bursts, whilst servants and enemies swear Lis life away ? ['he lawyer replies to this with equal truth : "It is a law, besides, that really has a humane and merciful intention. Now, suppose you were possessed of evidence against your husband—just the missing link that might be necessary to convict him, and you loved hint as you do now—would it not be a painful state of things if you could be dragged into the witness-box by a subrowna, and forced to give evidence which must convict him ? But here is the law you complain of, which has been framed to shelter him and you from such an unnatural position." These two considerations—the wife's plea that she may speak for her husband as he speaks for himself, and the lawyer's threat that such a permission might compel her to speak against him—these two considerations taken together seem to afford a solution to all the difficulties of ,the case. A person under accusation is not compelled to criminate him self, but he is allowed to make any statement he pleases, his statements of course being regarded with suspicion. Why should not the same liberty be accorded to the wife of the accused ? Without being compelled to criminate her husband, why may not her evidence as to facts be listened to—as the evidence of the culprit is listened to, with suspicion and incredulity perhaps, but still with the possibility that it may serve to elucidate the truth P The readers of Mr. Wills' powerful pages, who sympathise with the cruel heart-threes of poor Eleanor, will be solicitous, one and all, for some amelioration of the law which may render such a case as her's an impossibility. To strengthen the force of his appeal, and exhibit the unnatural anomaly of the law, Mr. Wills has introduced an episode of peculiar painfulness. Eleanor has a child, a little son of seven years old, who, by a sad fatality, had slept in the room in which the murder had been committed. The boy had been aroused after the murderer had left the room, and had beheld his father with the instrument of death that he had wrenched from the murderer's hand. This boy, unknown to his mother, is cross-questioned by the servants, and placed in the witness-box. His guileless, inconsiderate evidence seals his father's doom, Here is a glimpse of this powerfully written and most heart-rending scene :
The Sun. — 1863-05-15 (London, England)

THE MURDER BY A SAILOR IN LIVERPOOL.--In further investigations which took place yesterday before the Liverpool coroner and borough magistrates, a young Spanish sailor named Jose, of the brig Papita, was clearly identified as the man who stabbed Harrison and Cohen, two English sailors, in Oldhall-street, on Tuesday night. Antonio g Bar as and his wife, who keep a boarding. house near the scene of the murder, stated that the prisoner came into their house shortly after nine o'clock on Tuesday night, and said that he had had a row with three Englishmen in Oldhall-street, and that in self-defence he had stabbed two of them. Mrs. Cook, the wife of a stationer in Oldhall•street, saw the quarrel between the prisoner and the three English sailors. She identified the prisoner as having a knife in his hand, as she vainly tried to hold him as he was running away. The prisoner was remanded in both courts. Cohen, one of the men stabbed, still survives, but yesterday he was in a most critical condition, and it is almost impossible for him to survive the wounds he has revii ved  A second paper was then read by Mr. Bollaert, "On the Past and Recent Populations of the New World." Mr. Bollaert strongly maintained the doctrine of the primeval diversity of human origin, and especially of the distinctiveness of the aboriginal American races. B e commented on the rapid diminution and approaching extinction of the red man of the New World by the introduction of the vices of civilised life and by mixture of different breeds. He pointed out the d'stinction between the terms " criolls," used in South America, and " creole," the former signifying an individual descended from Spanish parents born in America, who might be of pure blood, and the latter denoting r, mixed breed only. Much confusion has arisen from the similarity of these terms, which have entirely distinct signifleations. Mr. Bollaert drew a very dark pbture of the free blacksand mixed breeds in South America, where he had resided several years. A mutinou, negro or an insubordinate Indian might, he said, be controlled, but it was imposfale to control a rebellious :zarnbo. Sterility was stated to be nearly a constant rule among the mixed breeds in America, especially among the mulattos (white and black) and the limbos; the latter being a mingled race of white, black, and red. The "maroons," or fugitive blacks, were described as being in a very savage state, and they sometimes commit the most frightful atrocities. Mr. Bollaert considered the population of the United States to be undergoing a slow course of physical deterioration, and that it is only maintained ethnically healthy by the constant influx of fresh blood from the Old World. An interesting discussion took place upon the reading of the paper, in which Dr. Seeman, Mr, Carter Blake. Mr. BouveriePusey, Mr. Bendyshe, and the president took part. IL was announced that 25 new members had been elected, making a total of 185 members since the 6th of January, The meeting was adjourned till the 26th inst.
The Sun. — 1863-05-15 (London, England)

THE MURDER BY A SAILOR IN LIVERPOOL.—In further investigations which took place yesterday before the Liverpool coroner and borough magistrates, a young Spanish sailor named Jose, of the brig Papita, was clearly identified as the man who stabbed Harrison and Cohen, two English sailors, in Old hall-street, on Tuesday night. Antonio Barges and his wife, who keep a boardinghouse near the scene of the murder, stated that the prisoner came into their house shortly after nine o'clock on Tuesday night, and said that he had had a row with three Englishmen in Oldhall-street, and that in self-defence he had stabbed two of them. Mrs. Cook, the wife of a stationer In Oldhall.street, saw the quarrel Setween the prisoner and the three English sailors. She identified the prisoner as having a knife in his hand, as she vainly tried to hold him as he was running away. The prisoner was remanded in both courts. Cohen, one of . the men stabbed, still survives, but yesterday he was a most critical condition, and it is almost impossible for him to outlive the wounds he has received,  A second paper was then read by Mr. Bollaert, "On the Past and Recent Populations of the New World." Mr. Bollaert strongly maintained the doctrine of the primeval diversity of human origin, and especially of the distinctiveness of the aboriginal American races. He commented on the rapid diminution and approaching extinction of the red man of the New World by the introduction of the vices of civilised life and by mixture of different breeds. He pointed out the d'stinction between the terms " criolls," used in South America, and " mole," the former signifying an individual descended from Spanish parents born in America, who might be of pure blood, and the latter denoting a mixed breed only. Much confusion has arisen from the similarity of these terms, which have entirely distinct significations. Mr. Bollaert drew a very dark picture of the free blacks and mixed breeds in South America, where he had resided several years. A mutinous negro or an insubordinate Indian might, he said, be controlled, but it was impossible to control a rebellious :zambo. Sterility was stated to be nearly a constant rule among the mixed breeds in America, especially among the mulattos (white and black) and the sambos ; the latter being a mingled race of white, black, and red. The " maroons," or fugitive blacks, were described as being in a very savage state, and they sometimes commit the most frightful atrocities. Mr. Bollaert considered the population of the United States to be undergoing a slow course of physical deterioration, and that it is only maintained ethnically healthy by the constant influx of fresh blood from the Old World. An interesting discussion took place upon the reading of the paper, in which Dr. Seeman, Mr. Carter Blake, Mr. BouveriePusey, Mr. Bendyshe, and the president took part. It was announced that 25 now members had been elected, making a total of 185 members since the 6th of January, The meeting was adjourned till the 26th inst.
The Sun. — 1863-07-18 (London, England)

THAMES.  MURDEROUS OUTRAGE.—Cornelius Collins, an Irish  labourer, was brought betore Mr. Woolrych, charged with being concerned with others in a murderous outrage committed on the 11th of June last.  Thomas Wooton, a police-constable, No. 252 K, who has been suffering from the violent assault committed upon him, stated that in consequence of repeated complaints from the inhabitants, of men and boys lying about the footpath and obstructing the thoroughfare in the East India-road, he was directed to interfere and remove offenders. On the 11th of June, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, he proceeded to remove persons lying on the footpaths. The obstructions on that day were so extensive that passengers on foot were compelled to walk in the roadway. Every person who was spoken to removed except the prisoner, who said "I'll be hanged for you before I move an inch." He remonstrated with the prisoner, and said, "You had better go away, my good man." If the prisoner had been his own brother he could not have been more civil to him. 'I he prisoner would not leave, and his countrymen called out, " Don't go away, kick the life out of him; kick his guts out." The prisoner then struck him a violent blow with his fist on the eye. He seized the prisoner, who kicked and struck him several times. A severe struggle ensued, and the prisoner was rescued from him. He ran after the prisoner, who struck him again and aim) kicked him. The bystanders called out, " Kill the -." ln his def-nce be had to use his truncheon, and struck the prisoner. Directly afterwards a heavy stone was thrown, and it struck him on the head, billed him to the ground, and rendered him insensible. He lost a good deal of blood, and was carried into a public-house. Re was unable to do any duty for a week afterwards. Itober M‘Master, a constable in the service of the East and West India Dock Company, confirmed the latter part of Wooton's statement, and said he assisted the disabled constable into a tavern, and it was some time before he recovered.  The apprehension of the prisoner by police-constable, No. 493 K, yesterday (Sunday) afternoon was proved. Mr. Woolrych said the prisoner was concerned with ethers in a cowardly outrage on the constable, and committed him for trial.  Baldassarre's Re-awakened Memory.  There are few passages of subtler literary grandeur in Etigiish romance, says a writer in the Spectator (who pronounces "Romola" to be "one of the greatest works of modern fiction ") than that which paints the electrifying effect of a thrill vindictive passion on Bdidassarre's paralysed memory, in recalling once more his full command of Greek learning, and the sense of power which thus returned to him :- "He leaned to take up the fragments of the dagger; then he turned towards the book which lay open at his aide. It was a fine large manuscript, an odd volume of Pausanias. The moonlight was upon it, and he could see the large letters at the head of the page :