npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1820-03-30 (London, England)

THE MURDERS AT WOOLWICH.  ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS RESPECTING NESBITT, THE SUPPOSED MURDERER OF MR. PARKER AND  HIS HOUSEKEEPER.  PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 28.—Mr. HUNT, the gaoler, had been dispatched to Southampton after the young woman whom Nesbitt (the supposed murderer) had seduced in France ; he arrived unfortunately too late; she had been embarked about one hour and a half for Havre, where she is reported to be gone, attached to the family of an English Clergyman. Mr Ridout, High Constable of Woolwich, arrived here on Sunday, and ou being shown to the prisoner, they mutually recognized each other. He, however, was very sullen, and said but little- to Mr. Ridout. This morning Mr. Jackson, son-in-law to Mr. Parker, arrived here ; he has fully recognized many of the things, particularly the watches, seals, teatongs, &c. anti has deposed to this effect before the Magistrates this morning, as has also Mr. Jackson's son, who would swearto many of the articles ; they are both bound in recognizances to appear. Mr. Jackson, senior, married Miss Parker 26 years since, and is a respectable watchmaker,.of Walthamstow ; he visited his fat heriu-law the last time at 'Christmas. The name of the girl with whom the prisoner cohabited here is Ann Kirby ; his strange conduct had much alarmed her, and latterly she had used every endeavour to avoid him. About seven weeks since she observed hint in the stage-box of the Theatre with a young Lady ; upon questioning; him who she was, he said her name was Butler, and that she had two brothers, Attornies, at Southampton ; that he had promised her marriage ; that she had a sister marrisd to a Mr. Booth, of London, but that be had now sent her to her friends. In a few days lie absented himself for about 3 weeks ; she first met him on his return, last Saturday three weeks (being the 4th of March) about 8 in the evening, just arrived from London : he had got plenty of money, and got change of a 101. note ; his:nephew visited hint at her lodgings, and wished to be alone with him ; they were some time together, and when they came down stairs, she observed the nephew put a letter into his hat, which they appeared to have been writing. She now observed a-very visible alteration ita him ; he could get but very little sleep, repeatedly awoke, and would jump up, exclaiming with horror, " What's that What's that ! Do you see any thing ?" His dreams seemed most terrific, and his body much convulsed ; she attempted to make out -What he said in his dreams, bitt could only make out that he• was incessantly calling out " Betsey" and " Sally." She often questioned him upon his uneasiness ; his answers were, he could tell her a geese:, but that he had already told her too much; the two' men, whom be had before told her be had killed were in duels; but with respect to the woman, he would say nothing more (bay that he struck her ; that she must not be acquainted with all his secrets. He said he lived fifteen miles the other side of London, where he had a wire and six children, and that he kept a woman it, the
The Sun. — 1855-01-17 (London, England)

TIIE FOLEY-PLACE TRAGEDY.  ADJOURNED INQUEST.-(THIS DAY.)  This morning, at ten o'clock, Mr. Wakley resumed (at the Board-room of the Middlesex Hospital) the adjourned inquest upon the body of Mr. Lambert, who was murdered on the morning of Sunday, the 7th of January; at his residence in 'Foley-place, by Luigi Bare-. nelli, now an inmate of this hospital. The fit's t witness called was  Mr. Clambers Vigars, one of the house surgeons of the Middlesex Hospital. He said, I have a patient named Baratelli under my care in Latham's ward. When I was first called to him, upon Sunday week, he was quite sensible, and had a wound in the right cheek. It had been made by a bullet. The skin was blackened round where the wound was, and the hair had been  Coroner—What state is he i ow ? Mr. Vigars—He is in a state ending to recovery.  Coroner—ls he in a state to make any acknowledgment of what has taken place, or to bear the excitement which might be caused from the present inquiry being proceeded with.  Mr. Vigars—He is composed now, but scarcely in a fit state to bear any excitement. He has been delirious until within the last three days;  Coroner—Would you advise that any examination should now take place ? Mr. Vigars—No ; certainly not. Coroner—Can you say when he is likely to be in a fit state fur this inquiry to be proceeded with ? Mr. Vigars—l cannot with any degree of certainty. I should say, not by this day week.  Mr. Burford Norman, the medical gentleman in tendance upon the woman, who passes by the name ot" Lambert, was next called in and examined as to her cc mdition. He said that he was called to the house in Foley-place upon the morning of the murder, and there saw a woman who passed as Mrs. Lambert. She had a wound through the right fore-arm, and a corresponding one in the chest—both caused by a pistol bullet, which had passed into her body. This gentleman then went on to detail the condition his patient was in ; showing, that although there were symptoms of her recovery, she was wholly incapable of bearing the excitement of any examination.  After some remarks from the coroner, the inquiry was again adjourned. Although every inquiry has been made by the police, and particularly by the detective, Smith, all attempts to discover the right name of the woman Lambert or her connections has proved unavailing, and the same with regard to the woman Williamson, who, it is said, and with some apparent degree of truth, is enciente by the murderer. With the exception of the woman Williamson no one has. called to see the murderer. Several Italians have been making inquiries, but none seem to be at all acquainted with him, and from what was told to our reporter this day by two foreigners who were having a communication with the police, it would appear that, excepting the child which has been alluded to as being at nurse down in Kent, the unhappy man has not any relative or friends in this country.
The Sun. — 1855-08-09 (London, England)

RUSSIAN CIRCULAR.  THE MURDER OF A POLICE IVSPECTOR AND RIOTS AT HASLEMERE.  ADJOURNED INQUEST, AND APPREHENSION OF ANOTHER MAN. HASLEMERE, WEDNESDAY NIGHT. This morning Mr. C. J. Woods, the coroner for West Surrey, resumed, at the White Horse Inn, in this town, the adjourned inquest respecting the death of Mr. Wm. Donaldson, the unfortunate inspector of the Surrey cor stahulary who was brutally murdered during the riot that took place on Saturday week. The greatest excitement still prevails in the town, and no event that has taken place for many years in this part of the county has caused such a painful sensation amongst all classes here. The Learned Coroner, upon resuming the proceedings, remarked'upon the fact that the magistrates had refused to allow the men who had been taken into custody on suspicion of causing the death of the poor fellow Donaldson to be brought before the jury. He knew of no court except his own where such obstacles existed. His opinion was that the gentlemen of the jury could not be acting in conformity with the oath they had taken, by returning a verdict of wilful murder, or even of manslaughter, against persons with whom, perhaps, they had never seen, only having heard of them by name. He bad made up his mind that he would not be stultified himself by the prisoners being kept away, and he hoped the jury would not. If his officer was not to be respected when he applied for the prisoners to be brought before his court, the sooner the office was at an end the better. He had, however, two courses open—viz., to apply to the Secretary of State, or to the Court of Queen's Bench for a mandamus to show cause why the prisoners should not be produced in court to hear the evidenc&against them. As the parties implicated were not in attendance, he proposed to take the evidence of Freestone, the injured police-officer, and be would their adjourn the-case sine die. The jury perfectly concurred in the remarks of the coroner ; and they proceeded to the residence of the unfortunate police-officer, who is not yet considered out of danger. The evidence of the man having been taken (which-is only a repetition of what has previously been given in this paper), the jury returned to the inquestrootn, and the witnesses signed the depositions taken on the previous occasion, with the exception of Mr. Bisshopp, whose head was severely injured fromlthe effects of the blows he had received. The Jury said that they could not separate without expressing their thanks to Mr. Bisshopp for the manner he had acted on the occasion, and the great risk ho ran of losing his own life whilst assisting the deceased. The int:test was then adjourned sine die. , Another Man named Smith, sworn to by some of the witnesses, has been apprehended at Andover by some of the Hampshire police, in consequence of the description given of him in the Police Gazette, and he was brought to Guildford this morning. He will be examined before the magistrates on Saturday next.
The Sun. — 1856-12-13 (London, England)

PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXECUTION ON  MONDAY.  Yesterday morning, preparations were being made in the court-yard of the gaol of Nervgate, f r the execution of Robert Marley, the wretched convict who was sentenced to death at the last sessions of the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, for the wilful murder of Richard Cope, who died in the Westminster Hospital, frstia scalp wounds and a compoun ! fracture of the skull, received by him on the evening of the 28th of October last, in Parliament-street, Westminster. The only person who has visi•ed the wretched man since his condemnation and removal to the condemned celi, has been his sister, when he seemed but little moved at her presence. She promised to see him again this (Saturday) morning, for the last time before his execution.  The convict converses freely with the officials of the prison, and two warders have been in constant attendance upon him, night and day, to prevent him committing any violence or injury upon himself. He seems to be cheerful, and almost unconcerned at his awful posi tion . The Rev. Mr. John Davis, the chaplain to the gaol, has been unremitting in his devotional attention to the convict, who has frequently listened with earnestness to the rev. gentleman's discourse. Mr. John Weatherhead, the governor of the prison, received final orders last evening from Sir George Grey, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for carrying out the last sentence of the law, which will take place at eight o'clock on Monday morning next. A large body of mechanics and labourers will be occupied from six o'clock this (Saturday) morning until the afternon in fixing the usual massive wooden barriers round the front of newgate, opposite the posi. tion occupied by the gallows, which will be brought out of the Court-yard at two o'clock on Monday morning. Strong beams and iron-work will be placed along either side of the Old Bailey, from the corner of Newgate-street to the front of the Court-house, to keep bank the immense crowd of persons that is expected to be present on the awful occasion. Orders were also issued yesterday afternoon by Mr. Daniel Whittle Harvey, the Chief Commissioner f the City Police, for sections of constables to be • th e attendance at an early hour on Mondayyr thievesmorning, prevent accidents and protect the raoh occasions. The publiched to-morrow oions. from al aeerrwmgeeol ta numbersm woilbl be p anodn who generally The depredationsc e eo dattendemf h eteidne (S'inday) forenoon, at 11 o'clock, in the echappie ile.of the gaol, by the Rev. Mr. John Davis, the chaplin. Numerous applications have been made by persons of distinction, and other respectable individuals, for tickets of admission to the gaol to hear the condemned sermon, and for permission to be present at the exeecivuitioanetohferthiteieswrreetecehievdedman ; from the Chamberlain's but only a few of the _ authority for the admission Tile Sheriffs Lord Mayor will Office, Guildhall. (Messrs,be Mechi and Keats) and the on such painful occasions,lres tt to-morrow, me hear rtrhoew ;earn% customaryen.
The Sun. — 1856-03-17 (London, England)

COFFIN.—LooIt at yonder desolate little room, at the end of a dreary court : a funeral will go out from it in the morning I Enter this evening ! Rll is silent, and a small candle on the mantle-piece sheds a dull flickering light on a coffin, the lid not yet screwed down :7—besi-le it, sits, morally, a murderer : his bloated face is hid in his shaking bands : he has not 3et ventured to move aside the coffin-lid ; but, at length, be dares to do so, and to take a last look at his poor victim—his broken-hearted wife ! Poor, poor soul ! Thou art gone at lase Gone where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. "'Tie a happy release," say the friendly neighbours who have contributed their little means, to lay her decently in her coffin 1 Aye, besotted husband ! let your bloodshot eyes -look now on that white face, that wreck of a face so sweet and pretty when yon married ! Nay, man, never fear The eyes are closed for ever, and will weep, and look mournfully at you, no more. Dare you touch those limbs, which the woman who laid them out said, with a sigh, were mere skin and hone ? Dare you take hold of that cold hand ? Do you see the wedding' ring, and think of the day you put it on her finger ? Will yen remove it, or let it be buried as the badge of your breach of plighted troth, at God's altar ? Do you see 'how ,her finger is worn with the needle 1 Durieg the day, during the night, this poor starved, heart-broken creature was your willing slave, with wearied eyes, and aching heart,—mending your , linen, and that of your poor children—(do you hear their little sobs in the next room 1) and what was left of her own, which, alas, poor soul ! were nearly rags after all ! Look again, man, at the sad figure in the coffin? Do you see the scar on that cheek ? Look, and tremble ! Have you forgotten the blow that caused it ! given by your hand of drunken and ruffian violence ? Yet she never reproached you ! And when, at length, worn away with misery, starvation, and ill•ueage, she was forced to give up the struggle for life, her last—her very last act, was gently and in silence to squeeze your unworthy band ! Perhaps remorse is now wringing your heart ; and you groan— " 0, if she would but come again, I think yd grieve her so no more I"  —But no ishe will come to you no more, on earth : yet, you shall meet again ! So, man close the coffin lid ? Go to bed and sleep, sleep if you can. The funeral is in the morning, and you must follow the poor wasted body close past your favourite dram shop,— Mr. IVarren, on Labour.
The Sun. — 1856-11-05 (London, England)

CONPISSSION OP A FILLIBUSTER.  --(From El Niectraguense, Sept. 20.) At 5 o'clock on the evening of Friday, the 19th inst., Second. Lieutenant Jennings Estelle suffered the extreme penalty of the law by being shot on the Plaza for the murder of Second-Lieutenant Charles Gordon, in the guardhouse, in the city of Granada, while acting as ofli• cer of the guard. Eptelle had been previously arrested for shooting Thos. Edwards, and was, when he committed the unfortunate act for which he suffered death, a prisoner confined to his quartna. He had a fair and 4mpartial trial, and the gentlemen who sat in judgment upon him gave him every opportunity to establish a defence, and in this he utterly failed. The deed was committed with Out any provocation or without any aggravating circumstance. He was sentenced to be hung, but the Commander-in Cbiefcaused it to be so far mitigated as to allow him to be shot. There was a large concourse (gathered to witness the execution. Estelle walked with a firm step by the side of a rev. father of the church, who prayed with him and for him from the guardhouse to the place of execution. When he arrived at the spot where he was to breathe hh ei s wishedlast he requested address' that th e his crowd. hands mightT r bee q untied,request h e i nags of unfalteringthe efu ee rvsosi voice. In soldiers ehri ss sgpreaencthedh,ehae asked dke in a firm, forgiveness Voices respondedfrom the of the Nicaraguan army. crowd, "God forgive you ! While in prison he wrote the following address, which he requested to have pabliEhed  " Granada, Sept. 15, 1856. "These are the dying declarations of Jennings Estelle  "I was born in Marshall, Tennessee, in the year 1833,.. and was raised from my infancy in Hinds County, /VialsAippi. I started to California in 1852. On the road I had a difficulty with 'a man of the name of Howard, and shot him. I afterwards shot a man of the name of Hays, but the wound did not• happen to prove fatal. In the same year I had a difficulty with Chas. Robinson, and stabbed him in three place. 4, ky last two difficulties, while in California, occurred at the State Prison, where I had been for the last two years. After getting in the last scrape I came to Nicaragua, and abut Thomas Edwards. I afterwards shot ChArles Gordon. I must say that in all my diffieulties I WAR not once in my right mind. Twice I had been forgiven, and I hope to be forgiven for them all. I think there •is a God in Heaven that will and can forgive, and He kno;vs, and I know, that it was not I that killed Charles Gordon. It was whisky and my crazy mind that did it. I can saythat I was not in my right mind when I did the deed, and God knows it. Forgive ine, officers and scidiero, and I can die a happy man.,,
The Sun. — 1856-04-12 (London, England)

THE BOOMERANG.—LIVERPOOL, April 11.—The fol. lowir, appears on the slate in the underwriters'-rooms : —" Further particulars have been received relative to the loss of the Boomerang. It appears that her masts were cut away, but it was of no u=e as she was settling down. All the crew were taken off by the Helen, except the mate and carpenter, and four men (belonging to the Helen) were drowned in endeavouring to save theme ' The Helen remained near the place two hours."  "The inquest was opened on Wednesday. One witness only was examined—a girl, who was working in the field when the assassination occurred, and was actually in conversation with Mrs. Kelly when the murderers approached her. The witness said there were about 12 girls and two men in the fild picking stones. Mrs. Kelly came into the field about 4 o'clock, p m., with Mr. Campion and Mr. George Strevens, her nephew. Mr. Gimpion left the field by directions of Mrs. Kelly to settle some accounts, as he was to go Dublin next day. Mr. Strevens went to where the men were picking stones, and Mrs. Kelly came over to witness to ask if her mother had made up the clothes she had given her, as she (witness) was to be sent to a situation in Dublin, procured for her by Mrs. Kelly ? Just as they were talking, about five yards from the ditch, two men came into the field through the gate, 150 yards from where they stood. They had women's clothes on and black cloths over their faces with openinrs, through which she (a itness) coo d see one eye. When Mrs. Kelly saw them she appeared to be much alarmed and caught holi of the witness, who said 'Don't be afraid, Mrs. Kelly ; they are only coming to frighten the children' (meaning the girls, who were picking stones). Mrs. Kelly then ran over towards the ditch, and fell ; the murderers f :Bowed, and, while she was lying on the ground, one man stooped, and fired at Mrs. Kelly's head, what witness thought was a pistol, and then stepped aside, upon which his companion did the same. Mr. G. Strevens, who was about 10 yards off, began to shout. The two assassins then went over towards him. Reran away, and did not stop till he arrived at the house, where he informed Mr. Campion that Mrs. Kel'y had been shot dead. The two assassins went back through the gate by which they came in, and no one saw them'aiterwards., The inquest was then .silj-,urieed until nextTuesday,in order that Dr. Mathews might make a post mortent examination. The jury then proceeded to where the murder took place, which is fully half a mile from the house, on the top of a hill, from which there is a view for a mile all round. One of the gentlemen sent for a spade and dug underneath where the brains of the unfortunate 'aly lay, and there found a ballet eight inches deep in the ground. " The body of Mrs. Kelly was removed to Dublin by the first up-train this (Thursday) morning, in charge of Mr. Campion, but her nephew (Mr. Strevens) remains here in lodgings, in charge of two policemen. " I need not say that the dreadful event has created the most intense sensation in this neighbourhood."
The Sun. — 1856-11-29 (London, England)

REMARKABLE TRIAL FOR MORDER.  An extraordinary trial for murder, at the late Toronto Assizes, has excited a very strong feeling in Canadian society. Mr. Thos. Henderson, an attorney, had seduced the wife of Mr. George Brogdin, of Port Hope, a member of the same profession, Brogdin and Henderson were young men ; they had been schoolfellows and pupils in the same office. Brogdin, who is now 25 years of age, was married two or three years ago, and has one child. Henderson was paying his addresses to Mrs. Brogdin's sister ostensibly, but in August last he persuaded Mrs. Brogdin to elope with him, and afterwards, in letters to his friends, boaste t that he ha made her his mistress He also told several persons that he always carried arms, and that Bregilin was a poor fool and coward, who did not understand the use of them, and that if they chanced to meet it would ho the worse for Brog.lin. These remarks came to the hearing of Brogdin; indeed, the affair had got into the local newspapers, much to Henderson's glorification. Some weeks passed over before they met. Henderson had pistols about him whenever he went out, and often talked Of fighting with Brogdin. Arrangements were made by Brogdin, after his wife went away, to settle an income upon her, as he said he loved her too well to let her die in a ditch, which she would do if she continued with Henderson. When Henderson heard of this he said he did not care for anything Brogdin could do after that, because he was perfectly satisfied that such conduct towards h, r would preclude Brogdin fro.rt getting a verdict against hien in an action for ennt. co,t. On the very next day, Sept. 23, they met accidentally on the steamboat wharf. Henderson nodded insolently to Brogdin, . and said, George Brogdin immediately drew a pistol from his pocket, and shot Henderson dead. These were the facts proved in evidence, without contradiction, and the Chief " flow d'ye do, Justice told the jury that ho could not imaeino " a plainer admit that Henderson's conduct was any excuse for case of murder." "The law (said his lordship)' does not murder." The jary, however declared that Brogdin was not guilty of the murder. The' Toronto Globe comments upon the case in the following terms :—" This was the form of their verdict, but we all know that their moaning was— ' Guilty of the killing, but it was justifiable.' It would have heart better if the jury had returned a verdict of guilty, with a strong recommendation to mercy. It is an alarming precedent to declare a man innocent of all crime who has taken the life of a fellow creature. But this is not the feeling of the community generally. There is a strong, healthful detestation in the public mind of the seducer. There is no redress against him as a criminal by law ; and when the injured relative of the victim takes the law into his own hands he has the sympathy of the community. The jury at the trial wore, no doubt, influenced by this reasoning."  Sporting Intelligence.