npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1842-04-26 (London, England)

SUSPECTED MURDER. MERTHYR, APRIL 2.4.—The manufacturing town of Merthyr (in the Welch hills) was thrown into much excitement yesterday afternoon, in consequence of the discovery of the body of an old woman, of the name of Edwards, hid under a bedstead in her own house, a wretched hovel, in Plymouth-street, near the tramroad. It appears that the deceased, who was 70 or 73 years of age, resided as above, her son and his wife living wiih her, and sleeping on the bed underneath which the body was found. The old woman having been missed by her neighbours for some days past, inquiries were made et her son as to where she was, in answer to which the son stated, that she had gone a few miles into the country. On his leaving the house yesterday morning he told his wife that he was goirg to Dowlais to get his pav, and particularly ordered her not to look under the bed. After he had left, the wife, excited by, curiosity to know what it was her husband was so anxious to conceal from her, went to a neighbour's house, and told two women of it, who agreed that the wife ought to see what it was. The three women then returned to the house, and raising the foot valiance of the bedstead, were horrorstruck at observing the body of the poor old woman under the bed, partially wrapped up in a sheet, and quite dead. The alarm having been given, the superintendent of police was sent for, and from the information obtained by him suspicion pointed instantly to the son as the murderer, and the more readily so from the sort being the person who was two years since committed for the murder of a poor Irish girl, an unfortunate woman of the town. In that case, the evidence nut being deemed conclusive, Edwards was acquitted on his trial at the assizes. Information was immediately given to the Coroner, Mr. T. Davis, and at five o'clock last evening the Coroner and a respectable Jury assembled ; having viewed the body, the inquest was adjourned until six o'clock, Monday evening, in order to allow time for the post mortem examination of the body. The police are in active pursuit of Edwards, but hare not as yet succeeded in capturing him.  Lieut.-Colonel Thompson, Commanding Royal Engineers in the Dover district, having completed his tour of home service, has been ordered to hold himself in readiness to proceed to Corfu, to assume the command of the engineer department, in the lonian Islands. He will be succeeded in the command of the Dover district by Lieut.-Colonel Wells.— Dover Telegraph.  On the motion of Mr. Wilson Patten a return has been made of the amount of fees and expenses paid by Mr. Blake, the Member for Mayo, on his discharge from the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms. It appears that the Hon. Member had thought fit to visit his native isle, instead of attending to his duty in the Cardigan Election Committee, whereupon a messenger was despatched to Mayo, who brought over the runaway Member, and Mr. Blake, on his discharge, had to pay 8/. 16s. Bd. in fees for being taken into custody, and 221. 18s. for messengers' charges, in all 31/. 14s. Bd.
The Sun. — 1842-04-26 (London, England)

HALL—There is but one conversation between them you know. Mr. Maule—There is one witness who heard a c-mvercation between the female prisoner and another woman,• which proved that she was aware of it; and the conversation between the two prisoners at the George and Guy, shows that Gamble knew of it ; and another witness, the waiter at the Spotted Dog, speaks to the same effect. It is quite clear that both the prisoners were in possession of part of the deceased's property ; they deny having possession of them at first; then I say the possession of the deceased's property proves that, after the murder, Good hastened to London, and carried off the property of the deceased ; a great part of this lie took to the house of Mary Good, and, through her instrumentality, a part of it is taken to the house of Gamble ; there it is concealed, and there it is found. If I am right in the conclusions I draw, I say there is ample evidence to put these prisoners upon their trial on the charge of being accessories after the fact of the murder ; or if not, that the fact of their having the goods and denying the possession of them without being able to account for it, is in my opinion quite sufficient to warrant you in putting them upon their trial for being accessories after the fact. Mr. lIALL—No doubt it' the deceased were the wife of Daniel Good, there would he an end of the case, and if Mary Good were his wife, she could not be an accessory either with respect to the murder or the goods. A wife may be concerned in a murder jointly with her husband ; but she would be considered in law sub protestati tire. There is not however, the slightest evidence of the deceased being the wife of Daniel Good, or to show that Mary Good is, or ever was, the wife of Daniel Good. The case must, therefore, be treated as if neither of them were his Kite. The case against Gamble, with respect to his being found in possession of this property, is Very strong. He is seen on the 11 th in the house of this woman, and that is the first time we find them togethee. On the 12th, too, arid on the 14th, he is seen to go into he.. house and to come out; and on the 16th the pods are found under his bed. I do not mean to say that this implies any attempt at secrecy, because there might have been no other place of safety wherein to deposit the property. I cannot help thinking on the whole that I should have ,so in saying thatb he ought to be put upon his trial as a receiver of stolen property. Under all the circumstances I think I shall commit him on this part of the case. With respect to Mary Good, the case against her as accessory after the fact is much stronger than against Gamble.— ( The worthy Magistrate then recapitulated the principal points in the evidence, and he then continued) hese are oil very strong facts; but I think the best and safest course I eau adopt, is to commit them both as reculers of stoles pro.
The Sun. — 1842-11-22 (London, England)

PRUSSIA.  WHOLESALE INFANTICIDE. The inquiry into this extraordinary case terminated on Thursday. The adjourned inquest having been held at Ruardean on Wednesday, before Mr. John Cooke, the Coroner of the district, several Magistrates and other gentlemen of the county attended the proceedings, and the room in which the inquest was held was densely crowded. Several additional witnesses were examined, .who gave similar testimony to that which has been already published, and the only difficulty experienced was the connecting the man rhomas Yapp with a knowledge of the crime, it being a-rule of law that in no case can the confession of a criminal be made available against an accomplire, unless corroborated by other evidence. This, however, has been supplied by the evidence of a man of the name of Watkins, which shows Yapp, in addition to the circumstances of his having cohabited with the female prisoner during the last ten or twelve years, (hiring which period the murders have been committed, and the finding the bodies of five out of the six infants buried under the kitchen floor, the spot where the female prisoner says she buried them with L'app's assistifnce, to have had a knowledge of the si taxation of the female prisoner at the time she gave birth to her last child. Watkins states that about last Christmas, he being acquainted with Yapp, was in the neighbourhood of Ruardean, and having met Yapp, was invited by him to stay and sleep that night at the house occupied by him and the female prisoner ; he ;if:co-Fel-the invitation, and slept in the same bed with l'app in one room while the prisoner Frances Bennett slept in a bed in the adjoining room ; that at shout 12 o'clock at night, and from that time until between two and three in the morning, he heard a suppressed moaning as of a person in great pain in the room where the female prisoner was sleeping ; that the noise kept him awake till between two and three o'clock in the morning, after which he dropped off to sleep, and did not wake again until about five o'clock, when the male prisoner, Thomas Yapp, got up and went down stairs to get a light, where he appeared to be searching for matches, but said he could not find any. Yapp then returned up stairs, and went into Frances Bennetea room, but how long-he remained there witness could not tell, as he again fell asleep and heard no more. Witness never thought anytning more of the circumstance, but happening to he in the neighbourhood on Saturday last, he saw the female prisoner, Frances Bennett, who, in conversation, asked him if he remembered sleeping there last Christmas ? Ite replied that he did, upon which she added, "I deceived you nicely that night, for that was the very time when my last child was born." This closed the inquiry, and the Coroner having summed up the evidence in a most luminous manner, The Jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder " against both the prisoners, who were fully committed for trial at the next assizes.
The Sun. — 1842-07-30 (London, England)

DENMAN.) Peter Whittle, a steady-looking man, of about the age of thirty, was indicted for the wilful murder of his wife, Sarah Whittle, at Preston, on the 7th day of May last, by cutting bee throat with a razor. Mr. HULTON, in stating the case to the Jury, said that the prisoner was a married man, a spinner by trade, who bad lived with his wife in the house of his father and mother at Preston. He had two children ; and at the time of the offence charged in the indictment his wife was in a state of pregnancy. About one o'clock of that day the prisoner, the deceased, his mother and sister, were in the house together, when the prisoner, without any previous warning cr provocation, suddenly ent his wife's throat, and then his own. She died almost immediately, but he recovered, under surgical treatment, and was now here to take his trial. _ .  Ann Whittle, the mother of the prisoner, a respectable looking woman, cla:1 in deep mourning., deposed that she resided with her husband at Preston. The prisoner, the deceased, and their two children lived in part of the same house. Ou the rtay of the fatal occurrence the prisoner and his family had been tuning in their own parlour, and atter dinner the deceased came into witne:s's room, and at down by her, sewing. No di-puce had arisen, nor any unkind word passed, when suddenly she heard something fall like a broom on the ground. On turning round she saw the deceased as if fainting. The prisoner was then just going through the door into the kitchen. She called after him, " What's to do with Sarah ?" and at the same time saw the blood running down her neck. The deceased staggered to the door and fell. At the same time she heard her daughter shriek out, in the kitchen, "Oh, Peter, don't do that," and, running to the kitchen, witness saw the prisoner sitting in an arm chair, with his own throat cut. A surgeon was immediately sent for, but the poor woman died in a few minutes. The prisoner was taken to the hospital. Some other witnesses were examined on the part of the prosecution. Lord DENMAN in summing up the case, said it was one of great difficulty to him ; but if the Jnry thought that the pri. soner was not at the time in such a state of mind as to enable him to know what he was about, and to see the consequences of his own act, they would give their verdict upon that ground. The Jury retired for a considerable time, and returned with a verdict of Not Guilty, on the ground of insanity at the time. The prisoner was ordered to be detained during her Majesty's pleasure.  M‘Gill denied that any money was offered, except by the prosecutor, who wished to reward the constable for hisvertions. Mr. JARDINE said it was too serious a case to be disposed of at once. lie should therefore remand the prisoners for a few days. s•,/, The prosecutor was also bound over in the sum of 501. to appear and give evidence at the next examination.  Bail was offered for the fill ore appearance of the prisoners, but Mr. Jardine refused to release teem.
The Sun. — 1842-02-12 (London, England)

THE EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW RAILWAY.—The finishing of this magnificent undertaking is now drawing to a close. The terminus shed at Queen-street, erected by Messrs. Miller and Bank*, of Argyll-street, continues to elicit the admiration of all who visit it, and we can say for ourselves, after having seen many works of a similar description, that it is the most beautiful of them all. There is only one little thing wanting to render the station perfect, and that is the gilding of the spear-heads of the very handsome railing by which the shed is enclosed. As to the extra expense, that would be an exceedingly small affair to boggle at in such a work, and we shall he bound that the chaste lightness which this small bit of display will impart to the,build. ing, especially in the ensuing summer months, will amply repay the trifling sum of fifty or sixty pounds, which is all that would be required to decorate the stations both at Edinburgh and Glasgow. We trust this will be attended to previous to the grand start. The gilding of such railings is universal on the Continent, and every one who has been abroad knows the degree of elegance imparted by the embellishment. On paying our usual visit to the terminus yesterday we found that the workmen had already made consider. able progress in boarding in the great shed, preparatory to the gr,nd dinner which takes place there on the 18th current, and that the greatest activity prevailed in every department to forward the work, so as to be ready by the date alluded to, on which occasion we learn that twenty-five carriages will start with the company from Glasgow. After arriving at Edinburgh the party will return to dinner, accompanied by other twenty five carriages, with the Edinburgh gentlemen, making in all fifty carriages, which will contain nearly one thousand persons. It is needless to mention that all the eminent men connected with the railway, as superintendents, engineers, and managers, are assiduous in their endeavours to render the works as perfect as possible previous to the opening.—Glasgow Constitutional.  We find the following in a letter from Athens, of the 20th ult. :—A horrible murder has just been perpetrated in this city. The house of Monsieur Negroponte was forcibly entered at night by msassins, who stabbed him through the heart, while in bed with his wife. N. cause has been assigned for this diabolical act ; the victim had only recently returned to his family from England, where he had resided as a Greek merchant for some years, and was justly esteemed for his amiable disposition and upright dealings, This is the third assassination which has occurred in Athens during the last month, and with shame be it said, with impunity, as the police are too much occupied in espionage for political purposes to And time to look after such trues,  .4!... 't. :.•' . . 44 y I:4'44lrqk' , ~cb‘4 „, " ,•:, -*0....Nz1ir%iat.6,10.,--, -' t  f_iirA, ,_.,. ..1.11 it. ' Ult 4
The Sun. — 1842-01-03 (London, England)

JULY. 1. Death of Sir Thomas Edlyn Tomlins, author of a law dictionary, &e. 3. The office of Guardian to the Queen of Spain declared vacant by the Cortes, by a majority of 47 to 23. 4. The King of Hanover dissolves the States. 5. An abstract of the net produce of the revenue shows a decrease of 524,640 L on the year,.and 3,6611. on the quarter. 150 persons are drowned at Rotherham, by the upsetting of a boat on b2ing launched into the water. 7. Execution of Rudolph Kuhnupfel, the murderer of the Bishop of Ermeland, at Fraucnberg, by breaking on the wheel. 8. Carmona lays siege to the town of Carthagena. Formation of a new Greek Ministry at Athens, of 'which M. Mavrocordato is Premier, on which occasion M. Mavrocordato announces his course of policy. 9. Renewal of the disturbances at Toulouse. 10. M. Arguelles is chosen by the Chambers guardian of the Queen of Spain and of the Infanta. 13. A treaty is signed between the Ottonian Porte and the Emperors of Russia, Prussia, and Austria, and the Queen of England and King of France, by which the passage of the straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles is closed to all foreign ships of war as long as the Ottoman Porte enjoys peace. 14. Debate in the Court of East Indian Proprietors on 'the Raja of Sattara's case. 16. Death of Lord Feversham, aged 76. 18. Coronation of the Emperor of Brazils. 19. Queen Maria Christina de Bourbon addresses a protest to the Spanish nation against :a decree of the Cortes, depriving her of the guardianship of her daughters, Queen Isabella 11., and the Infanta Maria Louisa.  The Spanish Government agrees to sell to Great Britain the islands of Fernando Po and Amaobona, for the sum of 60,000/. 20. The Court of East Indian Proprietors negatives the motion for a Committee to inquire into the case of the Rajah of Sattara. 21. Death of Lord Dufferin, aged 46, from taking an over dose of morphine. Tahir Pacha defeats the remaining body of the Greek insurgents in Candia. 24. Prince Albert lays the foundation stone of the new Infant Orphan Asylum, on the Wanstead estate. Lord Campbell, after three weeks' sojourn in Ireland as Lord Chancellor, takes his departure for England, Medhurst, a prisoner confined fur the manslaughter of a schoolfellow, is released, on the ground of ill-health. 26. Her Majesty and Prince Albert visit the Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey. 28. Espartero issues a decree complaining of the violation of the rights of national sovereignty by the Pope of Rome.  The Duke do Bordeaux is thrown from his horse, near Kirchberg, and fractures his left thigh. Conflagration of the Hebrew quarter at Smyrna, when 3,000 houses and eight synagogues are destroyed, leaving destitute the greater part of the Jewish population. 29. Her Majesty and Prince Albert visit the Earl and Countess Cowper at Pansanger, Herts. 30. Several smart shocks of an earthquake are felt at Aberfeldy, Comrie, Auchterarder, Crieff; and other parts of the counties of Stirling and Perth.
The Sun. — 1842-12-21 (London, England)

IRELAND. SHOCKING MURDER NEAR DUBLIN. DUBLIN, DEc. 19.—At an early hour yesterday morning the body of a man was found in ambiluornisinign lime-kiln, at Miltown, near this a extremity xem, tc rpieetr flock. residingiiletnye doeThedlvfhtnihdacebeihasorcuioseti ses villagerisyz was made by a boy, named Patrick Tynam, stohne,se-mhrpidlog3e-m, employment theof awdeasitreyrinli oofelolcikltoinwtnh.e morningi He stated t to the hli immediately adjoining his master's premises, for the purpose of warming a quantity of brewer's wash for the cows over the fire with which it was filled. There was, at the time, no appearance of daylight, and he perceived no trace of any persons near the kiln. After giving the wash to the cows, he again went out of the stables, when he immediately perceived a strong smell f burning flesh proceeding from the kiln. He thatinto stohnoi efi or fire, hisan demployer's atdonneckesmight occurredil a vteo accordingly hastened towards the door of the kiln, on opening which he was horrified at beholding the body fahlilmen of a dead man, with the throat frightfully cut, stretched on the top of the burning mass. Assistance was instantly procured, and the corpse taken from the fire, in which, from its appearance, it could not have been lying many minutes. The boy asserts positively that not more than a quarter of an hour elapsed be• tween his first and second visit to the kiln, and in the interim he heard no noise and saw no persons passing near the place. The remains have not yet been identified. They are those of a young man, apparently about twenty. five years of age, five feet seven inches in height, and with lass black curled hair. He had on Oxfordgrey trctuers, red striped cotton shirt, and shoes, but the remainder of his dress appears to have been stolen or lost. When found, the body Was lying on the right side, which was partly discoloured from the smoke. The fingers of the right hand, and the right foot, are much burned, but the head and trunk appear to have sustained but little injury from the fire. The wound on the throat extends from the windpipe to the right ear.  Dr. lkilearthy, Coroner of the County Dublin, was in attendance during the day, and signified his intention of holding an inquest on the body at eleven o'clock next morning. A party of the City police and constabulary were also early on the spot, but, notwithstanding the most active inquiries on their part during the day, no traces that could lead to an explanation of the fearful deed have been discovered. The general impression among the speetators is, that the murder had been committed at some distance away, and that the body was afterwards conveyed to the lime-kiln with the intention of having it consumed before any discovery could take _place. The spot where the deceased was found is not far from the place where Garlibardo, the Italian boy, was murdered. An inquest was held this day, and the inquiry is now in progress. A man who works in a factory in the vicinity has been arrested upon suspicion. It is said that the deceased was a tailor, and that he has been recognised by some persons in that trade.
The Sun. — 1842-03-05 (London, England)

NOTICES OF MOTIONS.  Mr. FERRAND gave notice that on Tuesday next, when the Honourable Member for Salford should move for the returns of the names of individuals or firms mills, who paid the wages to s instead of money, or who supplied their provisions upon the truck system, ktheeerrin glacboott4urners flax in he should move that the following words be added— , or soilokd g " returns of the names of manufactures of printed works, or proprietors of coal works or iron works ;" and also after the word " truck system," he would move the followin c, words—" A return of the names of all such owners of cotton, flax, silk, or printed works, mills, or iron or coal works, who compelled their workmen to reside in cottages, the property of their employers." Mr. WODEIIOUSE gave notice of a motion for a return of the names and salaries of the Commissioners who had been at various times appointed to inquire into the hand-loom system. Sir G. STAUNTON gave notice that, on Monday next, he should move for all communications received from Captain Elliot relative to the affairs of Canton, and our relations with China. _ _  Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice, that on Monday next, on the Order of the Day for a Committee of Supply being read, he should move for a return of the names of all persons who had registered arms in the county of Down, in Ireland. He would also take the opportunity of putting a question to the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Elliot) respecting the trial of parties who were tried for the murder of a person of the name of M'Ardle. Sir V. BLAKE gave notice that before the passing of the new Corn-law Act he would move that, in consequence of the unusual depression of the trade of the country, a clause should be inserted suspending the payment of all duties upon corn until January 1, 1843. Mr. ELPHINSTONE gave notice that on Tuesday next he should move for certain returns relating to the legacy duty, in continuation of the papers laid before Parliament last year. Colonel SIBTHORP gave notice, that in the Committee on the Bill for the Importation of Foreign Corn, he should move that all duties payable on the importation of corn or wheat flour, after the passing of the Act, should be levied and paid at the period of the importation of such corn, instead of at the time of its being taken out of bond.  Mr. STAUNTON moved for certain returns relating to the issuing of letters of marque against China (as we understood) which were ordered. Mr. F. FRENCH, in moving for certain returns relating to the sums levied on the different counties for the improvement of the River Shannon, gave notice that on an early day he should move that the Commision for the improvement of the river Shannon be abolished. The Honourable Member also moved for certain returns, relating to vaccination in Ireland, which were ordered. Mr. SHIEL postponed to Thursday, the motion of which he had given notice, relative to the production of the communications between the Earl of Aberdeen and the French Ambassador, on the subject of the French occupation of Algiers.