npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Glasgow Courier. — 1853-04-19 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

AWFUL CASE OF MATRICIDE.  On the evening of the 11th instant a most revolting and cold-blooded murder was perpetrated at Mullaglass, County Armagh, and not more than two miles from Newry. The author of this cruel tragedy was a man of the name of Hugh Rantin, a blacksmith, residing at Mullaglass, and his victim was his own mother, a poor, infirm woman, aged about seventy years. It appears that , this man had been drinking on this day at a public. house near his own house, and having spent whatever money he possessed, he went home for a farther supply from the deceased, to enable him to pursue his drunken propensities. It is said that at this time he was somewhat intoxicated, and upon being told by his mother that she had not the required amount, the inhuman , wretch commenced a terrific onslaught upon his aged and helpless parent, and beat her on the head and various parts of the body with a stick, inflicting several wounds, and battering her head most frightfully. The cruel 'wretch then shut himself up in the house, having previously turned the poor woman outside the door, where she lay some time. Sonic of the neighbours were soon at. tracted to the house, and Dr. Gray was quickly sent for. : That gentleman, accompanied by Mr. Isaac Corry, J.P., proceeded immediately to the spot, and found her outside the house in a state of insensibility. She was then removed into the house, and brandy and other restore, tires were administered, and her wounds dressed, when she was partially revived and put into bed. Hugh Raetin was then in the house. The doctor and Mr. Corry shortly after took their departure. In the space of about I three quarters of an hour, another messenger was de-1 spatched for Dr. Gray, who promptly arrived, but be: fore he reached the house the hapless sufferer had ceased to breathe. A large black thorn stick was discovered on the floor, which appeared to have been recently broken, ! and there can be no doubt hut that was the weapon with ' which he made the murderous attack. There were two girls in the house with the old woman before she was assaulted, but when he commenced to heat her they ran, and mentioned the fact to some neighbours. The accused remained in the house until after the doctor's aecond visit, when he left it The police immediately instituted a rigorous search for the apprehension of the accused, but he was nowhere to be found. On the same evening Joshua M. Magee, Esq., coroner, presided at an inquest upon the body, when the above facts having appeared in evidence, the jury returned a verdict of !wilful murder' against Hugh Rantin. It is said that the accused sad his mother had lived upon very good terms heretofore. He has continued to elude pursuit up to this time; but there is every reason to hope that he will be soon made amenable to the laws he basso heartlessly and wantonly outraged. He is • tall athletic man, and has been well known in that part of the country as a troublesome and dangerous character, lie had been in America some time ago.—Nelery Telegraph.  asiAl
Glasgow Courier. — 1853-05-24 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

SUDDEN MOVEMENT OF THE SQUADRON AT SPITHEAD. —London, 90, Captain Eden ; Sanspareil, 71, screw, Captain Decree; Highflyer, 21. screw, Capt. E. HeathCole; Odin, 16, paddle, Captain Francis Scott, are under immediate orders for departure from Spithead, their destination supposed to be the Mediterranean. The above vessels have Blue Peter at the fore. Odin under weigh, Sanspareil and Highflyer getting up steam.  We give elsewhere the details of a case of murder in the county of Galway, Ireland, on the person of a girl of seventeen by a discarded fellow-servant, and attended by circumstances so revolting as almost to lead to despair of the regeneration of the moral character of the people of that country.  Patrick O'Donohue, another of the Irish exiles, has contrived to make his escape from Van Diemen's Land to America. From the statement made in the Sydney and Melbourne papers the fact seems all but established, but how the matter was accomplished has not transpired. The effect of this violation of honour is not likely to be favourable to the comfort of the remaining convicts, but as to the men themselves we presume that there are few in this country who give themselves any concern about them.  On Thursday last the government sustained an incidental defeat on a subject which causes it to feel exceedingly sore, viz, Maynooth. In the committee of supply an item of £1,235 for repairs of that college, in addition to the £30,000 a-year, came under the consideration of the House of Commons, which decided by a majority of twenty that this left should be omitted, and in our judgment the majority were right. The question is not one of religion but of figures; nor is it possible to imagine anything more entirely secular; yet the religious element has been evoked to support this extraordinary demand, and this course has been justified by men of no less eminence than Lord John Russell and Sir James Graham. We differ entirely from these distinguished persons, and cannot but express our surprise that such a charge upon the treasury should have been brought forward ; for it cannot but seem most remarkable that an institution receiving £30,000 a year should be unable to spare as much as may mend the windows, and doors, and chimneys of the Roman Catholic edifice. Seeing the temper of the .House, and taking a useful hint from it, Lord John announced on Friday night that he would not push the matter farther.  In a desultory conversation which took place in the House of Commons on Friday last, Lord John Russell intimated, in reply to a question put by Lord Jocelyn, that though the British Envoy had been aPplied to by the imperial government of China for assistance against the rebels, that Envoy had been instructed not to interfere in a civil war, and to confine his attention soJely to the protection of British interests at the different ports. On the same evening the Income-tax Bill was read a second time without a division, Mr. D'lsraeli announcing that he would reserve his objections for the third reading.
Glasgow Courier. — 1853-03-22 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

ATTEMPT TO MURDER THE CAPTAIN AND  CREW OF THE SPARTAN. SINGAPORE, FEB. 3.—The following are the parti• culars of the attempt to murder the captain and crew of the Spartan : —' The English barque Spartan, Marshall, from Amoy for Sydney, arrived here on the 22d ultimo with a number of Chinese coolies on board, having been obliged to put in here under the following circumstances :—The Spartan left Amoy on the Bth instant for Sydney, with 228 men and 26 boys, all Chinese coolies, who h-tcl entered into an agreement to proceed to New South Wales for five years. All went on well for the first nine days. On the 9th day, when off Pub o Sapatu, about 10 a.m., while the captain and the second mate were down amongst the coolies, seeing about food for the sick, and the chief mate was in the front part of the ship—the only men on the poop or aft being the helmsman and one of the seamen, who was in the mate's cabin—several of the Chinese rushed forward, seized the helmsman, and tried to throw him overboard. He escaped from them, however, and ran up the mizen rigging. Others of the Chinese rushed into the cabins and took the bayonets off the muskets, which were loaded, but they left the muskets, probably not knowing how to use them. One man went into the pantry and took a large carving knife from a Chinese boy who was cleaning it. By this time the captain and the first and second mates had taken the alarm and rushed aft. The second mate ran to the captain's cabin and was met by the man armed with the carving knife, who ran the mate through with it, and he fell lifeless at the door of the cabin. The captain and chief mate ' were attacked by two men armed with bayonets, and were both severely wounded. The chief mate fell down senseless at the cuddy door, and it was not known for some time that he was still alive. The captain wrested a bayonet from one of the men, and the other ran out of the cabin. By this time the crew had forced themselves aft, armed with sticks, and anything else they could lay their hands upon, but not without some of them receiving severe wounds. The fire-arms were then resorted to, and three rounds fired from four muskets and three pistols. This quelled the Chinese, who retreated below, and the hatches were put over them. Three of the Chinese were found on the deck dead, and thrown over the side, two were shot and then jumped over, two jumped over through fear, two were shot while trying to get in at the gun-roobi ports, and went overboard, and one man died next day from wounds, and was thrown overboard—making 10 in all. The American clipper Witch of the Wave was soon afterwards fallen in with, and kept company with the Spartan until they reached Singe, pore.- A number of the -Chinese were thee taken into custody, and the ease has been inquired into by the sitting magistrate, who has committed them for trial on a charge of piracy and murder,'
Glasgow Courier. — 1853-03-22 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

ATTEMPT TO MURDER THE CAPTAIN AND  CREW OF THE SPARTAN.  Smoaroae, Pea. 3.—The following are the parti • culars of the attempt to murder the captain and crew of the Spartan: The English barque Spartan, Marshall, from Ainoy for Sydney, arrived here on the 22d ultimo with a number of Chinese coolies on board, having been obliged to put in here under the following circumstances :—The Spartan left Amoy on the Bth instant for Sydney, with 228 men and 26 boys, all Chinese coolies, who had entered into an agreement to proceed to New South Wales for five years. All went on well for the first nine days. On the 9th day, when off Polo Sapatu, about 10 A.m., while the captain and the second mate were down amongst the coolies, seeing about food for the sick, and the chief mate iim.s in the front past of the ship--the only men on the poop or aft being the helmsman and one of the seamen, who was in the mate's cabin—several of the Chinese rushed forward, seized the helmsman, and tried to throw him overboard. He escaped from them, however, and ran up the mizen rigging. Others of the Chinese rushed into the cabins and took the bayonets off the muskets, which were loaded, but they left the muskets, probably not knowing how to use them. One man went into the pantry and took a large carving knife from a Chinese boy who was cleaning it. By this time the captain and the first and second mates had taken the alarm and rushed aft. The second mate ran to the captain's cabin and was met by the man armed with the carving knife, who ran the mate through with it, and he fell lifeless at the door of the cabin. The captain and chief mate were attacked by two men armed with bayonets, and were both severely wounded. The chief mate fell down senseless at the ruddy door, and it was not known for some time that he was still alive. The captain wrested a bayonet from one of the men, and the other ran out of the cabin. By this time the crew had forced themselves aft, armed with sticks, and anything else they could lay their bands upon, bat not without some of them receiving vere wounds. The fire-arms were then resorted to, and three rounds fired from four muskets and three pistols. This quelled the Chinese, who retreated below, and the hatches were put over them. Three of the Chinese were found on the deck dead, and thrown over the side, two were shot and then jumped over, two jumped over through fear, two were shot while trying to get in at the guil-roota ports, and went overboard, and one man died nest day from wounds, and was thrown overboard—making 10 in all. The American clipper Witch of the Wave was soon afterwards fallen in with, and kr• company with the Spartan until they reached Singe, pore. A number of the Chinese were then taken into custody, and the case has been inquired into by the sitting magiattati, who has committed them for trial on a charge of piracy and murder.'  .... Kept 1 Singa.
Glasgow Courier. — 1853-03-22 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

AIJBTR ALIA. (Pros a Correspondent of the nines.) Melbourne, Nov. 26, 1852. The town has long appeared to be as full as it could hold, yet new arrivals continue to pour in upon us. Last week five or six vessels from England alone came into the barbell'. On the outskirts of the town the different colonies of tents are rapidly becoming little branch towns. Lodging-house keepersconstantly advertise vacancies, but no one knows what this means till he tries it. The overerowdieg, extortion, dirt, and vermin are so unbearable that most new comers, who do not rush away to the liggitsgs, take to • tent life as soon as possible. While oe She seldeet elovercrowding, you will Ire glad to hear that sevared sepesies of vessels arriving at Adelaide and Geelong have ressetly been fined .4.50 each for having more thou the legal somber of emigrants on board. Why, is it not Mee hers—the fine bring made proportionate to the 'numberi excess per head? It would be the saving of sway lives during the voyage. The soldiers are beginning to desert from the 40th Regiment, and are off to the diggings. Upward of 20 are gone; £25 per head is offered for their apprehension. Murders in the bush are said to be on the increase, but 1 think this is only because more bodies have bit discovered. There always have been, and there continue to be, many murders at the different diggings, and in their vicinity, which are never known. A murder is cosy anywhere—in England or anywhere in the world— the great difficulty is to dispose of the body. At the dizeings,especially among the more isolated tents, and in the olitude of the bush, there is no farther difficulty than that of digging an unprofitable hole. The ' profit' was found in the pocket or belt of the deceased. A gentleman is seldom murdered first, because he almost always makes • desperate resistance to the last drop; secondly, because he is sure to be inquired after, and his ~,,,rjesers pursued; and, thirdly, because ha is sober, and not to be entrapped into drinking--more wary, solve, armed, and better practised 141 the use of arms. They know that it is likely to be • very serious business i. murder a gentleman. But with the ordinary run of the working men diggers—especially if a single man, null Tin site to cause any vigorous search or inquiry after him—what more easy than to make hint drunk, or catch them readv drunk to their hands, and then, if he has gold about hint, he Metre to boast of it, and his murderer often follows se • matter of course, and nobody ever hears anything of the matter. The erection of the galvanised iron house to add a branch office to the Post-office is proceeding very slowly; hut perhaps not so slowly when the difficulties Of the town are considered. There certainly has not bete half room enough for the business these two months and more. Clerks have been-apes (private windows having Deco continually broken by the
Glasgow Courier. — 1853-03-29 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

MURDER ON SHIPBOARD, AND SUPPOSED DEATH OF THE MURDERER. On Tuesday morning last the brig Wm. Thrift, of North Shields, L. Buchanan, master, left the Prince's Dock, Liverpool, bound for Alexandria, and proceeded on her voyage. Nothing occurred worthy of notice until about four o'clock on Wednesday morning, when the captain, having retired to rest, was roused by the mate, who informed him that a deliberate murder had just been committed by one of the crew, who had shattered the skull of his companion on the watch with an axe belonging to the cook. Orders were instantly given by Captain Buchanan to seize the person of the murderer. It was too late, however, for he had disappeared. Having accomplished his fell purpose,he had immediately cut adrift with his hatchet a small boat, which was placed upside down in the long-boat, and attempted to roll it over the side of the vessel into the water; but the boat in question being jammed he had failed in the attempt, and had jumped overboard, taking with him a studding-sail boom. In the darkness and confusion on board it could not be ascertained what was his fate; but the natural conclusion is that he was drowned. It is said that the horrible spectacle presented by the murdered man utterly incapacitated the mate for seizing the niurderer. The crew was shipped from the Sailor's Home, and both the men are believed to have come from the same boarding-house. No altercation was heard between them prior to the fatal occurrence. The vessel, with the body of the murdered man on board, has put into Waterford, and will await the holding of a coroner's itiquest.—Liverpool  Wellesley officiated at , CAMPS or liner ex ioN.—For a few days past stores tyranny when there was no hope of success.' and equipments for the fo/mation of an extensive encampment have been forwarded from the Tower Now, in the case of the Clare election, it is all but of London to Chatham, on the race.ground of which certain that if the voters had been let alone the on. place troops are to assemble for the purpose of form- successful candidate would have carried the day, and Mg a camp of instruction. Ascot Heath, and some even as it was, he was defeated by a very narrow i ground near Sandhurst, have also, we hear, been selected for the summer camps of instruction. Other majority; but in this country the doctrine would he sites suggested themselves, but a difficulty existed in considered monstrous which would interdict any man the absence of suitable supplies of water—United from going to the poll, whatever his chance of sucService Gazette. e c ss might be, and still more so that his opponepts The Times' correspondent at Paris furnishes this rumour :—' It is stated as positive that a camp is would be justified, ipso facto, in knocking him and about to be formed at Si. Omer about the Ist of [nu his supporters on the bead. Yet this is what Sir
Glasgow Courier. — 1853-07-23 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

THE CANARY ISLANDS. Known to the ancients, they were originally discovered by King Juba. On landing, he found them uninhabited ; scanty ruins told that, in former days, men had dwelt there, but their principal occupants were then large dogs, long-legged powerful animals, with a tawny hid.* sharp nose, and fiery eyes, two of which were with difficulty taken alive and sent to Rome. The abundance of the canine race caused the name of Canaria to be given to the principal island. The wise men dill, middle ages disputed the existence of the Canaries, until they were again discovered, in the fourteen century, by a vessel which a tempest drove upon their shores. They were then feunctto be inhabited, but it was impossible to ascertain the period of their population, nor was it proved, until a much more wecent date, that the Guanches, as the natives were called, were descended from certain tribes inhabiting the northern chain of the Atlas. Dr. Yvan traces a moral resemblance between the Guanches and the Kabyles—an opinion based, however, upon no perstmalebservations of his own, since the former race has long since been exterminated by the Spaniards. He speculates on the probability of a similar fate awaiung the North African tribe. 'Spain,' he says,' hoe acquired wealth only by murder and destruction; the colours of her banner tell the history of her conquests in the New World; it displays a stream of gold flowing between two rivers of blood I Will France, too, be reduced to the painful extremity of destroying the energetic tribes that reject her rule? Will the superfluity of her population replace a nation to whom our laws and usages are repugnant?' After exterminating the Carmelite, the Spaniards placed them on a lofty pedestal, and were proud to claim descent from them. 'Like all nations who have perished in 41411100 of their independence, the if Guanches hare t name in the Canaries, lispecially anion folo *bleb, lit all countries instinctively admirl heroic resistance. Thus, in ' Teneriffe, it is demised a great honour to reckon Guanches amongst one's ancestors; not that there is ,much recollection in the island of the decree of one of the kings of Speln which granted hereditary 'nobility to the descendants of all those indigenous families who submitted to the Castilian rule, but because everything gigantic or supernatural is there attributed to them. If the plough chance to turn up the colossal bone of some unknown animal, though it were that of a lamentine or a whale, the peasant of the Canaries immediately shpposes it to have belonged to one of the former inhabitants of the country. Yet more remarkable is the fact that their valour is still celebrated in popular songs; so that, after three centuries, they are tbg heroes of an opopee which should have recountecrbut their reverses. One day, perhaps, the French shepherds, leading their flocks to pasture in the meadows of Kabylia, will chant, in like manner, the virtoes and intrepidity of the race their fathers have destroyed.—.Revicts of Dr. Yvan's Voyage, in Black wood's Magazine.
Glasgow Courier. — 1853-05-12 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

DREADFUL MURDER AT BACTON, NEAR STOWMARKET, SUFFOLK.  BACTOK, MAT 9.—One of the moat foul and horrid murders ever perpetrated occurred on Sunday last at the quiet and retired village of Becton, near gtowtnarket, in Suffolk. The victim of this fearful crime, Maria Stag gall, was the aged housekeeper of the still more aged rector of tTre.parisli, the Rev. Mr. Barker, and the deed was accomplishedduring morning service, when the poor woman w. left in the house alone. It appears that the re.. gentleman, who is 83 or 84 years of age, left at the usual time to perform the morning service on his pony, his housekeeper being then quite well. On his return home he found the front door ajar, which was a most unusual circumstance, as it was generally kept chained. Ile at once went into the kitchen, and there found his unfortunate servant lying with her head in a pool of blood, her skull fractured, and her throat cut. She was still alive, though insensible. Messengers were immediately sent off for medical assistance, and Mr. Freeman, of Stowmarket, being met in the road, was speedily on the spot. Three others followed shortly after, but the poor woman was insensible and dying. She lifted up her arm and groaned painfully, but could not utter a word. She died twenty minutes after Mr. Freeman arrived at the house. It appears that when Mr. Barker was leaving the house he saw a can of beer, and asked who it was for. The poor woman answered it was for the servant who fetched the pony. When discovered the can was lying on the floor near to the body, and a supposition arose that she must have had it in her hand when the murderous villain commenced his assault. The blows on the head appear to have been effected by kicks with a heavy boot; and a distinct bloody impression of the large-headed nails of a labourer's high-low' were left upon the floor. The wound in the neck, though extensive, was not deep, and did not involve any important bloodvessels. The windpipe Was untouched. There was a large wound, however, extending across the back of the cheek from the fracture in the skull downwards. The unfortunate woman was in her 70th year, had lived for 40 years with Mr. Barker, and was a most faithful and valued servant. The house did not present the •ppearance of much disorder, but the poor woman's room had evidently been carefully searched, but it is not known what money she had in her possession. Three pounds and some silver were taken from the housemaid's room. The house is 'Roasted at some distance from the church, in a somewhat lonely situation; it is seen on the right of the railroad, soon after leaving the Hanghleyjunction station for Norwich. With regard to the perpetrators of this horrid murder, we believe we may that as yet no clue has been obtained. It would not, therefore, be proper to make any allugion to suspicions which may be entertained by the police authorities, who, under the direction of Superintendent Jukes and Inspector Locke, are making the most diligent inquiries.