npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1910-02-16 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THREW BOILING WATER.  PRISONER DESCRIBES HER APARTMENTS AS " HOUSE OF MYSTERY."  The story of certain cirmianstances which ended in the throwing of a pan of hot water at one woman by another was told in the Borough Police Court on Monday morning, before Messrs. E. A. Beazley and A. E. Grice. A woman named Annie Wil son. of 9. Nelson-street, was charged with having feloniously assaulted Eleanor LallyPrecutris stated that at twenty minutes to twelvs- on Saturday night, February sth, I she A ent the house and was sittingl down when she heard prisoner come out with bad language. Mrs. Jones, who kept, the hones, then ran in and said "Are you there, Mrs. Lally? Do You hear what she ' has said about you?" Then prisoner came . in with a pan of water, and her husband. said to her 'Go on." Prisoner then threw the water over her. Matilda Jones corroborated. Dr. Struthers, of the Borough Hospital, said that be admitted the woman into the hospital suffering from extensive bIITI2O on the arms, the chest, breasts, and neck. She was discharged on Saturday, having made satisfactory progress, the wounds being healed. P.C. Robinson (:15A) stated that at about 11 p.m. be heard a number of screams come from prisoner's house, and he went there to see what had occurred. 110 found a woman on the floor suffering from extensive scalds about the body. It was alleged that prisoner threw boiling water over her. 14e took the woman to the hospital. . and afterwards arrested prisoner, and charged her with the offence. She said "I am guilty of doing it. If I had not, there would have been murdur between my husband and Lally." Prisoner said that on Saturday night she went to bed early with her children, and at 11.30 Mrs. Jones came upstairs muttering. Then she started drumming on the door and said she would have her (Taylor) out. She got up and thought she would make some tea, and she plaoed• the pan on the fire. Then "Lally' came up and drummed on the door. She was "of no good class." and she shouted out bed names about her (Tayilor). She did not even know her then. Then Lally shouted to her husband. Conroy, who was a '` fighting man," to come up. and he did so. They a•ll banged on her door till they got in. Conroy made for her husband, and 6126 threw the water in defence, or there would hare been. "murder." "It is a house of mystery. declared prisoner. "They are knocking at the door at twelve, one, two, and three in the morning, and the people are coming in. She is a woman of no good class." Prisoner's husband was called, and said that Mrs. Jones and the others broke their door. She knocked off the hasp with a Bible (produced), and they meant to do mischief. Supt. Parker said he knew these Plc they lived at No. 9, Nelson with Mrs. Jones, in apartments. Be made inquiries into the matter,- and had found it had arisen from a question' put to
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1910-10-26 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

HOE R IDGE.  said, "Oh, give 1 nie a knife to cut my throat. or else you kill me." Witness said, " What,ifor ? " She replied: "Oh, my poor children!" He asked how i'fie-.got the cut on her left temple, and prisoner, sobbing and crying, said "I don't know."  Cross-examined: 'ln answer to a charge of wilful murder prisoner said: "I don't know whether I didn't do it," giving witness the opinion that sho meant to say, "I don't know whether I did it or not.' He had found out that the prisoner was subject to epileptic fits. Prisoner's condition, when brought to the police station in a call, was very much improved, she having been in a very distressed and dazed condition when she had asked in the house for a knife. There were bloodstains on the brick floor in front of the fireplace, and he connected these with prisoner's injury on the temple. He came to the conclusion that she had struck herself by falling... . . .  Re-extimined If the woman had fallen with the child in her arms where the bricks were the child would have fallen away from the tire.  Acting Inspector Reid gave evidence of going to the house just after the child had been burnt. Prisoner kept saying: "Oh, my child. I loved it so. I shall never get over this." He said, "Calm yourself, Mrs. Windsor; you will be allright." She replied, It brought more luck into the house than any of them. It is the only one I have brought up on the breast" Witness also, noticed the cut over her left eye, and said: "How did you get your  FACE CUT, Mrs. Windsor ?" and she replied: "I don't know. It wasn't done last night." Asked when she went downstairs that morning, she replied, "I don't know whether I went down or not." lfae mailcart was on the right of the fireplace, and on the left was a chair with a basin of water upon it. It would be impossible for the child to fall directly from the basin into the fire.  By the Judge: It was possible though improbable that if anyone fell on the bricks with a baby in her arms, the baby might go into the fireplace. Mrs. Susan Hughes, 130, New Chesterroad, Birkenhesd, said she had known prisoner for the last three years, during which she had seen prisoner in three fits. Witness had been in prisoner's house when she had had a It. The last occasion she saw her in a fit was twelve menthe ago. She saw her on the day before the burning when prisoner was a bit livelier than she had been. All the week.  Croft-examined: Prisoner might have had other fits of which witness was not aware.  Dr. Preece spoke of how prisoner told him the had been reading of a case of a young girl who had been sentenced to death in Liverpool for the murder of her child, and she could not get it out of her head. •He had been told she had been subject to epileptic fits, and from what be saw in the house be thought she had had a fit that morning, and any act done then by her would have been done in the
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1910-10-19 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

INVALID JELLY.—Take 1113. of lean beef, the girls as no /mei could hear even the Ilb. of lean mutton, and Ilb. of veal; cut lowest of women spoken to, and---! jitter. rather small and place in a covered jar with fered. He was drunk, Margaret—blind a little salt and pepper, and, if liked, a drunk. Ile turned on me in * fury—in a pinch of powdered allspice; place the jar ir mad, unreasoning fury. He went for me a saucepan of water and boil slowly for siaj like a tiger—and I struck him down. He hours, filling up the saucepan as the watei fell—my God! he fell, smashing down like waetes, strain into a basin or mould, anti a log on the floor—and be never moved when cold, take off the fat and turn out Isgain. I came away—l think I was mad If not required so strong add just a pint of with it all—l—think—" He looked round water with the meat before boiling. him with dazed eyes. "I walked for hours SAVOURY Ries.—Two ounces of grated —I don't know what I did. Then—l went cheese, fib. of rice, half a pint of milk, some and changed—and came to you. Soon— breaderumbs, pepper, salt, dripping. Wash they will arrest me—for—murder !" the rice thoroughly and cook it with the "Not murder," she said slowly, her hand milk and a half pint of water until tinder .Islill touching his dark hair that was so stir in half the cheese, pepper and Walt tc thickly strewn with grey. "Not murder, taste. Well grease with drippieg a pie-dish, dear. At the worst you did it in sell. sprinkle in some breadcrumbs, put in the defence." rice, scatter rest of cheese on top with 80111 f "Why arc you so toed to me?" he cried. more breaderumhs and some small bits of "Why don't you shake me off like dust from d,rkping. Bake in a hot oven twenty your feet? How often have I failed you? . Serve hot. And yet—when I collie back to you—when I IMilies SAVOURY FlE.—This is a delicious and come back to you—eou forgive. Why are economical dish. Beat tale egg, and add to Y9u so heavenly gooil to me? " it half a pint of milk. Pour over 4oz. of "Because I love you," she answered breadcrumbe and leave it to soak for anlsimPlYi her deep eves luCking full into his hour. Take 1113, of cold meat, or poultry, miserable ones, 'because I love you—dear." chop it very finely, season with pepper, saltind then for A many minutes there was a a little chopped herbie and lemon peel. Addlsiknoe between them—s, silence only broken the mince to the bum readerbs he , and at all kr the fluting notes of the blackbird that sat together. Line a' piedish with short crust.mutside cee the crimson hawthorn tree and pour in the Mixture, put a few bite 4.1 whistled ell the glory of spring. butter on the top, and bake till the pastryi "Margaret," he whispered; after that is cooked, or the meat brown. Ham is aleilenee. "if—l could—escape? If I could great improvement to either meat ordeet away—even now before they arrest me— poultry. if I could get across the sea—would ru
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1910-11-30 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

AFTER XX V I.—(Coa t It *as an easy guess that be-falltire to find what he hod sought so drastically would put him in a. very ugly mood, and even his belief in my death would not flukes to ease his mind. So long as that evidence of his c. jnet reibained in exf!itence, It was liable to fall MO the ban*- of some one who would be able to use it with disastrous results to him.  —I would hive given much to know the the story he had 'old to Althea. lie would hot say ii word about, my supposed death. and the ser.ants' references to the warrints (Or_ my arrest suggested the line he had taken. 11. sould seek to prey upon her fears both for her father and myself, and pose as being etill in a position to save us both. If he had done that I had no doubt that he would drive tier to sentient to marry him; and soy fear was that, exasperated by not having found w)at be sought and needed RO desperately, be would rush matters to a (Asia At Once. . . .  I hurried at once to von relsen's hangs, but only to find it shut up. I knocked and ran several times Without result, and in the end had to tarn away bellied and a prey to fresh leers and apprehension. Where to look for him I had no idea, nor where to look for Althea of course. I had felt certain of finding them both at the -house that the sting of the disappointment was all, the more disconcerting. It flashed across my thoughts that pos. sibly Althea Might have gone back to her (WTI house, or might have communicated with Chalice in some way during My absence and acting on the impulse, I jumped back Into the cab and told the man to drive me there.  .On the *ay another thought occurred to ale: Hagar Ziegler. She might know where to tell me to look for von Pelson and I was putting my head out of the window to give the driver the fresh direction, when we pulled up at Chalice's house. As I should lose no more than a few minute 6 In seeing her, I ran up to the door, and when the servant opened it I sprang up the stairs without wasting the time to be announced, dashed into her room, and, without an apology for my abruptness, asked if Althea oad been there.  Chalice jumped to her feet on my entraece, stares at me as if I were a lunatic, and then backed and laid her hand on the bell-pull. "Why do you come here? I can't help you, Reit Bastable. You meet know that." " You can answer my queetion ob any rate. Fritulein Althea is missing frbm my house, and lam searching for her. Has she been here  She fixed her eyes on me with an expression of bewilderment. "She can't help you to escape; and of all the houses in Berlin this is the last you should have come to." " For Heaven's sake do give me an answer. Dan t you see I am on fire with inipatience ? Every minute may mean ruin to her." She bent toward me, and came *step or two forward. "Do you mean you don't know? You must not stay here. It will ruin me if you are found here. Do you mean that you don't know ? " "Know what ? " I cried angrily in my exasperatiOn. "Good Heavens! Why that you are accused of the murder of Hagar Z104161'11 father I"
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1904-11-09 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

CHESTER ASSIZES.  SEVERAL OASES FROM BIRKENHEAD.  The Cheater !liaises were opened on Satnrclay morning at Chester Castle before Mr. Justice Bray. There are thirty-five came in the oalendar, and of them nine are from the Birkenhead and Wallseey district.  In his charge to the Grand Jury, Mr. Jostine Bray said they had a somewhat heavy calendar, but no heavier, he hoped, than was usual there. Although there was a good deal of serious crime ther was no very grave csee except one, a ewe of murder. In this John Foote, a labourer, aged 25, of Lie:lard. was charged with the murder of his little ohikl. They would see that there was no question about the facts at all; it was a clear cafe, but there was a good deal of doubt about the man's sanity. That, however, they had not to deal with. It was a matter of defence. Assuming Kim to be insane, if the evidence showed he was guilty they must find a true bill against him. In another case two Crewe men, a licensed victualler and a oommeraial traveller, were charged with having committed perjury in ' the course of a betting prosecution. He was sorry to say there was a great deal of perjury in his Majesty's Courts. Nobody could have practised there without eeing this great evil, and ne was afraid it was an increasing evil. It was not easy to secure a conviction in a CAMS Of perjury because the promGann had not only to prove that what had been sworn to was untrue, but they had to show that it was wilfully untrue—in other words that the man when he gave his evidence knew he was stating something that was untrue. In another case there was a pretty clear case.. Henry Campbell, a grocer. of New Brighton, WAS charged with obtaining from Samuel Browne the sum of Brow-ne answered an advertisement, and Campbell in reply required a security, which he believed irBB quite usual, of and told him he was opening a shop at Seaoxalic, and also opening other shops, his office being in Liverpool. It transpired that Campbell had no money, that the only money he had in his banking account was this .€5. If those were the facts it was absurd to suppose he could have opened a number of shops and eet up a business. Possibly there might be some answer, but probably the Grand Jury would think the circumstances justified the returning Of true bill. Florence Price and Mary Ann Lacey, of Birkenhead, were charged with having by a secret disposition of the dead body of a child, endeavoured to conceal its birth. The only question was whether there was a secret disposition, but when they came to consider that it was done at night, although in an alley where there were several doors open, and took into account all the circumstances, he thought they would probably find there was sufficient evidence of secret disposition to justify them in returning a true bill.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1904-11-09 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

POLICE COURT.  It the Birkenhead Borough Police Court on Monday, before the Mayor (Mr, A. E. Grits) and Mr. G. H. Cox, a well-known character named Anthony Kehoe, of no stated address. was charged with having been drunk in Grange-road, with having been drunk on the licensed premise; of Joeeph Henry Rogers. of the York Hotel, Grange-road, also in the George and Dragon, Grange-road. and the Tradesman's Arms, Grange-road: further with having been a reputed thief loitering in Orange-rood with intent to commit a felony. P.C. 4A (Taylor) said that about ten past six OD Saturday evening be ;law poisoner drunk in Grange-road. Police-constable Robinson informed witness that prisoner had just been turned out of the Tradesman's Arms. Witness followed him along Grange-road and saw him go into the York Hotel. Witness went to warn the licensee. but prisoner was out in the street again before he came up. Witness still followed I Prisoner, who, when he got opposite Mr. Bell's. the clothiers, beano lianaling a coat which hung by a string outside the shop. He turned it over and looked at the other side, and then gave it a sharp pull, but I the string did not break. Prisoner afterwards walked farther along Grange-road,and went into the George and on. Witness : took prisoner into custody, and When charged at the police office he said "I want to see the Superintendent or a doctor. If lett don't bring them to me tell the magistrates all about it to-morrow." Prisoner (to witness): Did anybody see me go into the York besides you ?—Yes. Prisoner Who ?—P.C. No. 8. Oh he'e a policeman (laughter). Liceneees, barmen, and P. C. 8A (Robinson) gave corroborative evidence. In his defence prisoner said: The fact of the matter is in years gone by I have been a bad character, but of late I have improved, and some of these police officers, knowing antecedents flaughter)—'well, it is like a feather in their cap to have any sort of a charge against me that theyean get up. Now You gentlemen are inWiligent (renewed laughter), and have been listening to the cress-examination. You have heard what has come out. Since last August I have been ill in the hospital. I only came out of the Workhouse last Friday morning, and I heard that my brother John was very ill, and I -wanted to see my brother Mike. I went to two or three public-houses where I knew he gees to have a drink. I asked for no drink. and I went out when I was told. The officer mine in just behind roe. I wondered what he wee wanting, and then he got hold of me as if I had committed a murder, by the neck. I aan't walk the street but they grab me. I have now told yon the truth. Prisoner was sent to gaol for three months with hard tabour for loitering, and for having been drunk in the three poblic-houses was fined 108. and coots (or seven days) in each case, the eentences running canteentively.  Sir William Rammrt's will has last been proved. the mom value of hls mbate being 4•186,795 4s. Id.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1882-03-25 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

BOOK THE SECOND.  credulously. "But you are right— knowing your character as I did, it was indeed strange that I joined you." " Inexplicable," he sneered. "No, not altogether inexplicable. In those days I was headstrong, impetuous —mad, I believe," she said bitterly; "and when I heard awful tales of the cruelties practised upon weak and innocent people by the Goverment of the Czar, my blood boiled within me; I felt that I would willingly give my life to see that hideous despotism overthrown. Then I gladly, eagerly, joined you. I cared little for your true character, for I realised that a bad man might be useful even in a good cause. Ah," she went on, reflecting and sighing as she spoke, "I would have given my life then if the bang it would have done the cause any good."  . ... "And pray what has changed you ?" he asked superciliously. . _ .  "Your own inhumin acts—the brutal murder of that poor old man on that fatal Sunday morning." Pougatchieff laughed, and cried "You are becoming squeamish." "What good has that crime done you ?" she cried; "you are farther from your end than ever. You have alienated the sympathy of every right-thinking man. Humanity can have nothing to do with the apostles of the knife or the priests of dynamite." "You talk like what you are," said Pougatchieff coarsely—" a sentimental fool. Glasgow has curiously changed your ideas" "It has. I hated it when I first entered it, and I cannot say that I love it now, but, thank Heaven, it has won me from your godless creed. On the Continent there were some frivolous amusements every hour, and I had no time to think. Here, instead of seeing hosts of idle men and lotus-eating women, all is activity—industry. I have felt very much alone here—the one drone in the busy hive, and my desolation has led me to God I"  Pougatchieff regarded her now with genuine surprise. "You have succeeded in astonishing me," he said. "I know that you could not act the hypocrite, and I must believe what you tell me, but I shall expect the devil to turn saint next. Will your suddenly-acquired piety permit you to break your solemn oath 2" "I did not say so." "That is well. Then we will despatch this business quickly; we shall gain nothing by talk, I can see that." 'Nothing. Tell me what you want, and I will answer you whether I can obey the orders of the Grand Council."  "Your father is now dead—you are your own mistress. We need funds. By your oath we can claim all you possess." "Is that all you want from me 2" "That is all," answered Pougatchieff, in a surprised tone. that said plainly that he thought it enough. "Then my answer is that you have come too soon." " Too soon !--how so 2"  "My father is dead, but he did not leave me complete mistress of my wealth."  i• What? Be careful; do not trifle with me." "Until I come of age I cannot touch a penny of my money without the sanction of my trustee." And who is your trustee?" Mr.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1882-05-13 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

MURDER QUIETLY.Take a young lady and tell her that she has a very pretty foot. She will then wear small thin shoes, go out in the wet, catch a cold, the cold will become a fever, and she will die in a month.  A fellow once attended :a masked ball without a mask or domino. The lady of the house a little piqued at this slight, approached him and said, "And pray, sir, what character do you assume ?" " I appear as a gentleman," said he. " Ah, a capital disguise !"—and he made himself scarce.  A wan= arrives at a station three minutes before train time. She has to kiss seven persons, say "good-bye "to thirteen others, send her love to twenty-two rela,ives, and see to four parcels. She accomplishes it all, and hail forty-one seconds to spare to tell a dear friend how to mix seven different ingredients into a mince pie. Shortest time on record.  Miss Maud Annie Jones, who had just finished her education at an establiehment where young ladies were taught "the higher accomplishments," being asked her opinion on the temperance question, said she could not deceive how it was that young men could drink to such a recess when they knew it was conjurious to their institutions.  A Missisiippi boatman with immense feet, stopping at an hotel, asked the poi ter for a bootjack to pull off his boots. The coloured gentleman, after examining the stranger's feet critically, broke out as follows :—" No jack here big 'nuff fur dem feefs. Jackass couldn't pull 'em off, mesas, 'dont fraktring de leg. Youse beater go back about tree miles to de forks in de roads, and pall 'cm off dar."  A gentleman in want of a housekeeper recently tried an odd experiment. He advertised on Monday for a lady of education and elegant manners, qualified to act as companion as well as housekeeper, and was overwhelmed with replies. The only requirement in the advertisement of Wednesday was that the lady should be plain of features and a good housekeeper, but not a solitary applicant appeared to answer that appeal. "William, look up and tell us who made you. Do you know?' William, who was considered a fool, screwed his face, and, looking thoughtful and somewhat bewildered, slowly answered "Moses, I s'pose." "That will do. New," said Counsellor G., addressing the court, "the witness says he supposes Moses made him. This certainly is an intelligent answer—more so than I supposed him capable of giving, for it shows he has some faint idea of Scripture. Bat submit, may it please the court, that it is not sufficient to justify his being sworn as a witness qualified to testify should give." "Mr. Judge," said the fool, "may I ask the lawyer a question ?" "Certainly," replied the judge; ask him any questions you please." " Wal, then, Mr. Lawyer, who do you s'pose made you?" . _  " Airon, I s'pose," said tho counsellor, imitating the witness. _ _  After rhe mirth had. somewhat subsided, the witness exclaimed, " Wed, now, we do read in the good book that Aaron once made a calf; but who'd a thought that tuned critter had got in here 7" _  The poor counsellor was laughed down."