npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1830-08-23 (London, England)

CORONER—WouId you consider it warrant able practice to produce such a back in order to pre vent consumption? Witness—l should not. A Juror—Would you think a tumbler of pore wine the best composing medicine for her ? W  lieSS-It might have been very good for her, if the stomach would have borne it; but it certainly was not calculated to quiet her stomach as it then was, Juror—Did you not say she hail been murdered ? Witneas-1 did not mean murdered in the literal sense; but I believe I did say something of that kind; and my opinion was, that she had, in consequence of the treatment she received. Solicitor—You have said that the effect produced by any external application would greatly depend upon the constitution of the patient. Then Mr. Long's system, although not beneficial in this instance, migi.t be so in others ? Air. Brodie (smiling and shaking his bead)—l cannot say any thing about that.  A Juror—lf you had visited Miss Cashin Wore, and had seen the sloughing increase, would you not have thought there was danger ? Certainly. Juror—Would you have thought she was going on well ? Witness—No, I have not seen the body since the (lay she died, but I have no doubt that the sloughing was the cause of her death. The Coroner and Jury, with Mr. Brodie and Mr. Wakley, then went to view the body, and on their return several of the Jury expressed a strong desire to have the body opened; one of the gentlemen observing, that although there could be very little doubt as to the cause of her death, and although they would willingly spare the atitcted mother any further trial of her feelings, yet the case was one of such vast public importance, every possible information must be obtained. An elderly person sitting at the table, who said he was a surgeon, said be hoped the jury would hear evidence that Mr. Long had to adduce on his own behalf. He (the speaker) could bring forward testimony in contradiction of what bud been stated, and be himself knew of fifty cases within these two months in which Mr. Long's system had been tried, and not one instance of a failure. The solicitor said, Mr. Long's professional reputation was at stake, and he trusted the Jury would bear both sides.  Mr. Sweetman, brother-in-law of the deceased, said there would be no objection on the part of the relatives to having the body opened, as it was necessary for the furtherance of justice. It was then directed that the body should be opened immediately, and the inquest was then adjourned until Monday (this day). Mr. Long was in the house during the inquiry, and was accompanied by Mr. Van I3utchell, and one or two other persons of advertising celebrity.  A lobster, weighing 71114., wa found the other morning, in some shallow water, at Illark.-rock, by one of our shrimpers. It is supposed to bare remained too long among the rocks to make good its retreat. Nome small oysters, about the size of a shilling, were encrusted OA its 01,01...Pichightoit
The Sun. — 1830-04-17 (London, England)

THE CONFESSIONS OF AN UNEXECUTED FENIICIDE. Third Edition, price Sixpence. " Under this title a most extraordinary work has been recently published by Mr. APPhun, bookseller, of Glasgow. As many of our readers, after perusal, may be apt, to con= elude, as we at first did, that The Confessions of a Fenaicide' is a work of pure fiction, it is incumbent on us to explain the reasons which have induced us to arrive at a different conclusion. Mr. M'Phun is a gentleman of great respectability, and we felt convinced thrt he would not deliberately palm upon the public, as true, a horrid and appalling story, which had no foundation in fact. There would have been no excuse for such conduct, as he possessed the means of detecting the imposture, by ascertaining whether any murder had taken place in Scotland, twenty years ago, under the extraordinary circumstances described in Mr. M‘Phun's narrative. He might also, with very little trouble, have traced out the register of the alleged trial. These were the reasons that led us to conclude that the story, shockieg and unnatural as it is, could not wholly be destitute of foundation in fact. We also thought, that if the story had been entirely a romance, the author would not have ventured to make its character so thorough-paced a villain ; for, however strange the assertion airy appear, it is a melancholy truth, that more unnatural crimes have been perpetrated in reality than any writer of fiction has had the hardihood to introduce into romance. If any author were to fond a story upon the circumstance of a father cutting off b;s own head, his readers would turn with (Fsgust from so gratuitous an outrage upon feeling and probability. &Ken, however, did in reality cut off the heed of his own child ; and did that act, too, in a sane state of mind, =r we may so conclude from the Judge suffet:rse; him, after b:s attempt, to go at large. " In conclusion, we assure our readers, that the main incident related in the confessions is true. Motives of delioacy have induced the writer to substitute Stirling in place cf Glasgow, and to take some other liberties with the narrative ; but the murder was committed ; the murderer was tried, and he escaped, as related, by his servants swearing an alibi."—Liverpool Mercury.  MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS; her Persecution, Sufferings, and Trials, from her Birth till her Death. With a full exposure of the Intrigues of Queen Elizabeth ; the Conspiracies and Perfidy of the Protestant Lords ; the Forgeries of Buchanan, Maitland, and Walsingham ; and the Calumries, Misrepresentations, and Mistakes of Knox, Bindolph, Robertson, Laing, M'Crie, and Miss Benger. In a neat 12mo. 'Volt.-me, with a beautiful Engraving, price Is. 6d. ‘' The style of this book is easy and elegant. An air of singular truth runs through it, and the old letters and dialogues which are introduced give it the graphic interest of a novel, without any of its fiction."—Edinburgh Evening Courant.
The Sun. — 1830-02-04 (London, England)

THE CONFESSIONS OF AN UNEXECUTED FEMICIDE. Third Edition, price Sixpence. " Under this title a most extraordinary work has been recently published by Mr. Ill'Phun, bookseller, of Glasgow. As ma,iy of our readers, after perusal, may be apt, to conclude, as we at first did, that "Ile Confessions of a Fernieiile' is a work of pure fiction, it is incumbent on us to explain the reasons which have induced us to arrive at a different conclusion. Mr. M'Phun is a gentleman of great respectability, and wa felt convinced that he would not deliberately palm upon the public, as true, a horrid and appalling story, which had no foundation in fact. There would have been no exetve for such conduct, as he possessed the means of detecting the imposture, by ascertaining whether any murder had taken place in Scotland, twenty years ago, under the extraordinary circumstances described in Mr. M'Phun's narrative. He might also, with very little trouble, have traced ont the register of the alleged trial. These were the reasons that led us to conclude that the story, shocking and unnatural as it is, could not wholly be destitute of foundation in fact. We also thought, that if the story had been entirely a romance, the author would not have ventured to make its character so thorough-paced a villain; for, however strange the assertion may appear, it is a melancholy truth, that more unnatural crimes have been perpetrated in reality than any writer of fiction has had the hardihood to introduce into romance. If any author were to found a story upon the circumstance of a father cutting off his own child's head, his readers would turn with disgust from so gratuitous an outrage upon feeling and probability. Sheen, however, did in reality cut off the head of his own child ; and did that act, too, in a sane state of mind, if we may so conclude from the Judge sufft ring him, after his attempt, to go at large.  " In conclusion, we assure our readers, that the main incident related in the confessions is true. Motives of delioacy have induced the writer to substitute Stirling in place of Glasgow, and to take some other liberties with the narrative ; but the murder was committed ; the murderer was tried, and he escaped, as related, by his servants swearing an alibi."—Liverpool Mercury.  MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS; her Perstention, Sufferings, and Thais, from her Birth till her Death With a full exposure of the Intrigues of Queen Elizabeth ; the Conspiracies and Perfidy of the Protestant Lirds ; the Forgeries of Buchanan, Maitland, and Wa!singham ; and the Calumnies, Misrepresentations, and Mistakes of Knox, R.ndolph, Robertson, Laing, McCrie, and Miss Benger. In a neat 12mo. Volume, with a beautifnl Engraving, price is. 6(1. " The style of this hook is easy and elegant. An air of singular truth runs through it, and the old letters and dialop,ues which are introduced give it the graphic interest of a novel, without any of its fiction." Edinburgh Evening Courant.
The Sun. — 1830-04-20 (London, England)

BARRY—The children living are both boys, one 16 years of age, the other seven. I have sometimes heard the deceased cry murder, at the time her husband was beating her. The deceased and her husband lived on the second floor. I live ou the first. Ellen Berry confirmed the evidence of the last witness, and added, that when the prisoner and his wife quarrelled, he was must violent in his manners. I laid the deceased out immediately after death ; there were marks of disco-1 louration on her head; it was my opinion they had been labouring under a bad disease ; I have frequently heard the prisoner call his wife by the foulest names. Elizabeth Brooks examined—The deceased was put to bed on the 2d of April, and died on the 10th. I have been informed that her husband turned her out of doors on the Ist. _ Sarah Brown recalled—On the day in question the deceased entreated me to go up stairs and take her part, and to protect her from the violence of her husband. When I interfered the prisoner said, " I'll serve you as I have done ber." On the day preceding her death, the deceased said, "It is impossible that I can live." This was said in the presence of her husband. He heard what passed. The deceased told the doctor that she had been ill-used and beaten by her husband. The prisoner denied that such was the ease. The deceased, however, persisted its the truth of her statement, and added, " You know that you knocked me down stairs like a bullock, and if I die my death will be at your door." Another witness gave similar testimony. Mr. John Pereira examined—l am a surgeon to the General Dispensary in Aldersgate-street. I was called in to attend the deceased the day after she had miscarried.— I have examined the deceased's body since death. There were no marks of blackness or discolouration, but when I opened the body, there appeared to have been considerable inflammation ; the stomach was also much inflamed. I consider the immediate cause of her death to have arisen from the combined effects of miscarriage and inflammation. I cannot upon my oath state the precise cause that produced miscarriage. Several other witnesses, lodgers in the same house with the prisoner, and alto some of the iseighours, deposed to the violent conduct of the prisoner towards his wife. The Jury, after a few minutes' consultation, returned a verdict of Manslaughter. The prisoner was immediately ordered up far judgment. The RZCORDRR then said—Prisoner at the bar, you have been tried by a lenient and humane jury, and they have found you guilty of manslaughter. There was evidence, perhaps, sufficient to have come to another and different verdict. But is mercy they have found that your crime was not premeditated. Your inhumac conduct, however, has made you unfit any longer to remain one of the population of this country. The sentence of the Court therefore is that you be transported beyond the seas for the term of your natural life.
The Sun. — 1830-01-01 (London, England)

MACBETH.  Every body is acquainted with the story of the witches in the tragedy of Macbeth ; and those who know any thing of the localities of the North of Scotland are aware that the spot at which Macbeth met with the witches is almost universally supposed to have been on the estate of Brodie, between three and four miles on the other or west side of Forres. Such is undoubtedly the place at which Shakspeare himself supposes the celebrated interview to have occurred. There are the strongest grounds, however, for believing that the immortal poet, and Boethius, the celebrated historian, who is his authority on the subject, were both in error in regard to the locality of the meeting in question. Macbeth is represented by Shakspeare as asking the question, when he met the witches, " How far is't called to Forres r and was on his way at the time from Fife to Inverness. It necessarily follows, therefore, that the spot referred to could not have been the place of the meeting between Macbeth and the witches, for in that case the murderer of King Duncan must have passed through Forres, and been several miles on the other side of it, and consequently could never have asked the above question. There is every probability in the supposition, that as it is distinctly stated, that the interview in question occurred on a moor, that moor is the one in the vicinity of Gateside, about eight miles from .Elgin, and four on this side of Forres. Such, at all events, was the route which Macbeth must have taken in going from Fife, to Inverness through the town of Forres, and on this hypothesis, and on no other, can we perceive the propriety of his putting the above question of " How far is't called to Forres?"  Since on this subject it is worthy of observation, that no distinctive character seems to be ascribed by the overwhelming majority of Shakspeare's readers, to the three weird sisters or witches, whom Macbeth met on his way to Forres. They had, however, peculiar offices assigned to them. " They were," says Pennant, the tourist, " the Fates, the Valkyrie of the northern nations, Gunna, Rota, and Skulda, the handmaids of Odin, the arctic Mars, and styled the Chusers of the Slain, it being their office in battle to mark those devoted to death." It would appear from several ancient and veritable authorities, that besides singling out those that were to be slain in battle it was the special office of these three witches to conduct their spirits to Valhalla, the paradise of the brave, the hall of Odin. Shakspeare seems to have been aware of this ; hence the lines : We the reins to slaughter give, Ours to kill, and ours to spare : Spite of danger he shall live, Weave the crimson web of war. Though these witches are described by Shakspeare as having been when his hero met them " withered and wild in their attire, it would appear from several historians, that " they frequently presented themselves as very beautiful in their appearance, covered with the feathers ol swans, and armed with spear and helmet."— Elgin Courier.
The Sun. — 1830-02-13 (London, England)

CONFESSION OF EMOND.  When Emond left the Court he remained silent till be had entered the Lock-up-house, when be begged the turnkey for a draught of water, which was given him; after which he asked for bread, which be also got, and ate greedily. He then demanded his day's aliment, to purchase pens, ink, and paper, and after some talk with Christie, the turnkey, received sixpence in' lieu of He exclaimed much against the evidence of Tait, saying, he never made such a declaration as that fellow swore to, to any person on earth, or until that moment when he acknowledged his guilt, and said he felt much relieved in consequence--adding, "I am now re.igned to my fate."--- . He ascribed his ruin chiefly to a haberdasher .in the Southside, who, he believed, was the cause of .the mischief between him and his wife ; but he had determined to publish the whole history of the case, as well as how the murders were done, and the great provocation he got. Nothing, he said, grieved him so much as the thought of his poor mother, who lives in Selkirk, and is now upwards of fourscore, as lie was sure his unhappy fate would bring her to the grave. He had also a brother, he slide for whom he was very sorry. While eating his bread he observed, " You may perhaps think I am a hardened man, but you are mistaken, I am not; and although there eau be no pardon in my case from man, there is pardon from ' the Almighty, and to that I trust."  About five o'clock on Tuesday morning, Earned was taken to the Calton gaol from the lock-up-Loose is s hackney coach. On alighting and entering the'outer gate, and appearing to be in a very cheerful and communicative mood, with a great deal of levity in his manner and bearing, he was accosted by an individual present ae follows  " Emond, I think you ought to drop that levity now." He replied, " Mr. -, I am happier now than I have been since I was in gaol." Mr. then said, " I hope you are eased of a burden by having made confession of the facts." To which he answered, " I never denied them, but have to acknowledge the justice of God in all things." _ _  Mr. then said, " fmond, are you guilty of the murders or not?" He replied in the affirmative—" lem the naan who committed the murders, for which I am so justly condemned." He several times repeated the words, "-God is just in all his ways," with reference to his own case. This took place on his way from the gate to his cell.  After the trial was over, a bed was made down for him. On his entering the cell sad looking at the bed, he said, " I supppose you have been prepared for me during the day." He was answered, " Not so; the; preparations have only been made since the trial was areluded." Ho then submitted very quietly to be ironed. During this conversation his firmness and self-possession continued en. shaken, and he slept soundly for several hours thereafter. —Caledonian Mercury.
The Sun. — 1830-02-18 (London, England)

THE CONFESSIONS OF AN UNEXECUTED FEMICIDE. Third Edition, price Sixpence. " Under this title a most extraordinary work has been recently published by Mr. M'Phin, bookseller, of Glasgow. As many of our readers, after perusal, may be apt, to conclude, as we at first did, that The Confessions of a Femicide' ix a work of pure fiction, it is imetimbant on ns to explain the reasons which have induced us to arrive at a different conclusion. Mr. llPPliun is a gentleman of great respectability, and we felt convinced that he would not deliberately palm upon the public, as true, a horrid and appalling story, which had no foundation in fact. There would have been no excuse for such conduct, as he possessed the means of detecting the imposture, by ascertaining whether any murder had taken place in Scotland, twenty years ago, under the extraordinary circumstances described in Mr. Itl'Phan's narrative. lie might also, with very little trouble, have traced out the register of the alleged trial. These were the reasons that led us to conclude that the story, shocking mid unnatural as it is, could not wholly be destitute of foundation in fact. We also thought, that if the story had been entirely a romance, the author would not have ventured to make its character so thorough-paced villain; for, however strange the assertion may appear, it is a melancholy truth, that more unnatural crimes have been perpetrated in reality than any writer of fiction has had the hardihood to introduee into romance. If any author were to found a story upon the circumstance of a father cutting off his own child's head, his readers would turn with disgust from so gratuitous an outrage upon feeling and probability. Sheen, however, did in reality cut off the head of his own child ; and did that act, too, in a sane state of mind, if we may so conclude from the Judge suffering him, after his attempt, to go at large. " In conclusion, we assure our readers, that the main incident related in the confessions is true. Motives of delioacy have induced the writer to substitute Stirling in place if Glasgow, and to take some other liberties with the narrative ; but the murder was committed ; the murderer was tried, and he escaped, as related, by his servants swearing an alibi."—Liverpool Mercury.  MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS; her Persecution, Sufferings, and Trials, from her Birth till her Death With a full exposure of the Intrigues of Queen Elizabeth ; the Conspiracies and Perfidy of the Protestant Lords ; the Forgeries of Buchanan, Maitland, and Walsingham ; and the Calumnies, Misrepresentations, and Mistakes of Knox, Rsndolph, Robertson, Laing, M'Crie, and Miss Benger. In a neat limo. Volitive, with a beautifnl Engraving, price 7s. t3d. " The style of this honk is easy and elegant. An air of singular truth runs through it, and the old letters and dialogues which are introduced give it the graphic interest of a novel, without any of its fiction."—Edinburgh Evening Courant.
The Sun. — 1830-03-06 (London, England)

SPRING ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.  HOME CIRCUIT.—HERTFORD, Marken 5. This being the day appointed for the trial of Jangi Franklin for murder, at an early hour of the morning twu Fat approaches to the Court were crowded to excess. Fe trials have excited more interest in the Court, and so go°l a sensation has not been prodaced since the trial of Tilt°. tell and his accomplices. The prisoner is highly, reepeet' ably connected. A number of his friends and fell', tradesmen were present. At nine o'clock Mr. Justice BAYLEY took his seat 1111 the bench. Mr. RYLAND opened the indictment, which obarge the prisoner with the wilful murder of Mary Franklin, be! wife, at Bishop Stortford, on the 12th: of December last., The lion. Mr. Law, for the prosecution, prefaced statement by informing the Jury that the prisoner he e been married to the deceased for more than twenty year' and was the father of eight children, whom he had brougll up with such credit as justly to entitle him to the reape and esteem of his fellow-townsmen, and the inhabitants of the neighbourhood in which he lived. George Webb sworm—l am nine years old on the 10 of December. At a little past six o'clock in the eveniel I went to sell some oysters in the tap-room of the Cut' tiers' Arms. The deceased and prisoner were quarrelliA 5' when I went into the house. I opened five or six oyster" and then directed my attention to the bar. I saw the dr ceased draw some beer. As soon as she had done it 01 57: prisoner hit her on the side and took bold of her by hair, and dragged her out of the bar into the passage. 're deceased fell on the ground, and the prisoner stamped upe° her with his feet. James Ball—Was the son-in-law of the prisoner. 19, was in the tap-room of the Carriers' Arms on the nigh. in question. Witness saw the deceased getting up from the ground. She walked down the passage and went olti - of the front door. One of the children was with her', Witness went back again into the tap-room and the pl.!' goner soon after came to him, and said it was impossible, for say man to live with that woman, and that he wool"! not after that night. In a short time Mr. Quilter can't and told the prisoner that re had kilted his wife. Prisoner! said, " You don't mean so, de you ?" and we went int°. Quilter's house. The deceased was sitting in a c 10" there. Prisoner asked her to kiss him, and she did 10,' The deceased was carried home, and put into her own 10' In the course of the evening the prisoner told witness that the deceased had aggravated him beyond bearing, addini that he had the night before gone to the White Horst t° avoid her. Cross-examined—Witness saw the deceased before tli° scuffle. He thought she was much the worse for liquor. By the