npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-04-11 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

EXCITING SCENE IN A COURT OF JUSTICE.  At the Central Criminill Court, in London, on Monday, an unusual cinsmistance occtured, which produced none exriu-inent for the time. Mr. Thomas Edward briarly, a very old member of the bar, appeared in court in his wig and gown, and held a casual cons ersatiou with a few of his professional brethren there who happened for the moment to be disengaged. While he was fiti inclipied, the grand jury entered and handed to the Clerk of Arraigns in the ordinary way some indictments, the charges in which they had been investigating in their private room. On their leaving the court Mr. Briarly followed close upon their heels, and in an excited mariner, and a tone of vines which attracted the attention of the Bench, was heard to say,—" A most shameful thing ; a mint unjust thing." These disjointed exam:lA.lns, among others, were audible as the grand jury :an I he lett, and caused some surprise. Presently afterwards the grail' jury returned into court, and through their toreman complained that a member of the bar hail ttmoiled them in allusive language for having, as they underatood, thrown out a particular bill, and had threatened to pulilish their names. The Recur. er: Do you mean some one who is a prosecutor in an indictment? The Foreman: Yes.  The Recorder: And do you mean abusive language used towards you in the discharge of your duty? Ihe Foreman: Yes, and he followed us out of court.  -ti;on that Mr. Briarly was ordered to be brought into court, and he presently afterwards appeared at the instance of Mr. Under-Sheriff Roche.  The Recorder, alb iressing. libu, said A statement has neen made dy the gentlemen of the grand ' the effect that you, havitig been a prosecutor iz indictue et which they, in the discharge of their duty, had thrown cut, followed them out of this court and male use of threats and abusive language towards them.  Mr. Baerly said he was nearly seventa,six years of age, and was very deaf. He was not sure, therefore, he had exactly comprehended the complaint that had been made against He had been three times before grand juries in reference to a murderous assault which had been made upon him. On those occasions be had WOW that he had been nearly murdered but on every one of them he bad faded in consequence, as be believed, of the revengeful feelings towards him of •two officers if police.' The Recorder (interposing) : Mr. Briarly, you must be perfectly aware that I cannot enter into the question whether the charge you make is true or hilse. I The grand jury were the persons to decide, and you must be aware that it is a grave contempt of Court for you to use insulting language to a grand jury discharging their duty. Mr. Briarly : I cannot for a moment doubt, after what your Lordship has said, I have done wrong, and
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-03-21 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

ENGLISH THIEVES IN FRANCE.—Thirteen Men and a Benedictine nun, named Gertrude, were burnt and women, all English, seven of the former and six of to death in the square of San Eromeo, the largest in the latter, have been brought up at the Tribunal of Palermo, in presence of a most brilliant assemblage of Correctional Police in Paris, on a charge of forming functionaries, clergy, inquisitors, etc., with the arch- part tot a band of pickpockets said to have been bishop of the place at their head. The crime of them organized and brought over by a Woman named unt,rtunate persona was heresy. As to the terrible Wilkinson, well-known to the London police. Several tribunal which ordered, after a captivity of twenty of the accused had been watched by French detectives years, this execution, it was the same holy office. At at the railway stations and other frequented places, present, M. Caetiglia, belonging to the family of and one man named Murray, when arrested after looter Gertrude, asks the Chamber to support him in attempting to abstract a roll of bank-notes from a obtaining from the Minister of Finance a discharge lady's muff, threw his cloak over the policeman's head from the payment oil an annual sum, clainaoi by the and ran MI, knocking down a man who attempted to authorities for the expenses of the judicial murder to arrest him. He was, however, followed and recap. which their ancestress fella victim. The mere fact of tured. Five of the prisoners were acquitted in consequence of their complicity not being sunieiently the event having taken place in Sicily, where so many  proved. The woman Wilkinson was sentenced to two yea.' imprisonment and the others to thirteen months of the flame punishment, with the, exception of one man, who got off-16th six inenths. The condemned were likewise place 6, for two years after the expiration of their punislinient undet,the surveitlante of the police. .SISGULAR Breanrs.r.=-A wealthy man has reeently died in Paris, leaving all his wealth to his nephew, th on condition at ha would have the di-i ceased interred at one o'clock in the morning, an arrangedient contrary tie the city regulations for funerals; hence the matter has been brought before the courts. It is not long since a very weliknown character di,d, enjoining by will to be interred, if he died during the summer, at six o'clockln the morning, and 4 if4in winter,: He died sljiring winter, and o 0 livitatsow winWisteslto h" intimate friers" to n attend thefuerli. /nip twerfty-aine canie, all of Whom signed' na es in W"n;niater.- right days afterwards, these twenty-nine faithful till death, received a letter to call on the deceased's lawyer. They did no, and each received, according to the will, £320 if a lady, and £lOO if a gentleman. The testator further directed that the names of those who received his bequests should be published in the journals, to punish those who would not put themselves out of their way to rise so early in the morning to attend his funeral  111
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-03-21 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

FRIGHTFUL MURDER IN SOMERSETSHIRE.  The village of Winecombe, lying under the Afendip-hill., has last been the scene of a murder, probably committed during insanity.  On Friday a lad thirteen years of age had been employed by Mr. Hancock to keep birds from off a field that has recently been planted with corn. At about six o'clock in the evening, from a rumour that was in circulation, his friends went to the field in question, and there found the lifeless body of the lad, about ten yaii:s from the gateway leading to the high road, with a r.ghtful gash in the throat extending nearly from ear to ear. . . .  About the same time the body was discovered a young man named homes called at the lodgings of Acting-sergeant Flancoek, at Banwell, and stated that he had just killed a boy. The °unstable was at the time out on duty, but Holmes remained with the old landlady of the house until the parish constable arrived, by whom he was taken in charge, but was subsequently handed over to Police-constable Bur. rington, who conveyed him to the Axbridge policestation. .  ~ ... Prisoner stated that he was a son of Colonel Holmes, a retired offic, r of the 12th Lancers, now residing at Hoscres, Ireland ; that he had for some time past lived with one Edwin Godfrey, at Edington, near Bridgwater, Somerset, where he had been placed by his friends. He further stated that he felt he must kill some one, and he wondered how it was that he had not killed more, as he had passed several persons on the road. On coming to the field where he saw the unfortunate lad at work he could no longer resist the temptation; so, opening the gate, he went up to him, and, without speaking to him, dealt him a heavy blow on the head with a stick that he had in his hand, and afterwards took out a knife, and nearly severed the head from the trunk. The police, on making a search, found a heavy stick, marked with blood, about ten yards from where the body was found, and about six yards further on they discovered a knife by the side of a small brook that runs through the fields, at which place prisoner stated he washed his hands. There are several stains of blood on prisoner's clothes. The atrocity of the deed has caused the greatest excitement in the neighbourhood, and some hundreds of persons have visited the scene of the murder. The prisoner was conveyed to the petty sessional court at Axbridge, and charged on his own confession with having committed the murder. He was remanded. From the appearance of the prisoner it seemed pretty clear that he is not much better than an imbecile. It may, however, be stated, on the authority of the police, that he converses sensibly, and partakes of his food with manifest enjoyment.  The inquest on the body of the boy Wilkins was held on Monday. The prisoner's confessions were amply substantiated. Medical evidence ehowed that, although the prisoner was of weak intellect, yet he was a responsible being, and accountable for his actions. A verdict of wilful murder against Holmes was returned.
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-08-29 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER.  A sad case of attempted murder occurred in Leicester on Monday. A man named John Scampton, what has been twice an inmate of a lunatic asylum, has lately been under the care of a keeper, living apart from llis wife, who, with her child has resided with her father, Mr. Parr, 135, Upper Brunswick-street. During Monday morning Scamp. ton contrived to elude the vigilance of his keeper, and went to the house of Mr. Parr, where he was refused admittance. He went away, and returned about half-past twelve o'clock, anal Mr. Parr went to the th tor in answer to his knock. Seeing who it was Mr. Parr tried to close the door, but Seampton placed his foot against it, and managed to keep it a little way open. He then put one arm through the aperture having a six-barrelled revolver in his hand, and fired five of the barrels off in rapid 1411Ccession. One of the bullets passed through Mr. Pan's left arm, and broke it in two places. Another stnick Scampton's own child, a little girl three years of age, and passed through her skull. Traces of the other bullets were found on the walls and doors in the passage; one of them struck the wall, rebounded, and then passed through the back door into the yard. Three bullets were found in the passage, andone just outside the front door.  Inspector Clamp and Police-constable Buxton, of the Bow police force, happened to be a short distance off, and, hearing the reports of firearms, hastened to the spot, and found the man Scampton walking about in front of the house muttering to himself that he was prepared to meet his God and his Judge. Ile was then taken to the police-station, when he was searched, and a bullet-mould, a nipple-drawer, sonic caps and powdcr, and a Bible and Prayer-book were found on him. It is not expected that Mr. Parr, who is upwards of seventy years of age, is mortally wounded, but the child is in imminent danger, and its life is despaired of.  On Tuesday, at the Town-hall, John Scampton, who had a very vacant appearance, was charged with having shot at his father-in-law, Robert Parr, and his daughter, Elinor Parr Scampton, with intent to murder them. On being placed at the bar, the prisoner stared round the court, and on being remonstrated with by the officer, exclaimed, "Let me look about to see who's here." He appeared to treat the matter very lightly. Although the child is pro6rressing favourably, there are but very slight hopes of its recovery. IVir. Parr received a gun-shot wound in the left forearm ; both bones are fractured. Ile is going on favourably, and should inflammation not set in there is a chance of his recovery. Prisoner, on being remanded till Wednesday, replied " Very well." The court was crowded, the nature of the case and the highly respectable position of the parties having occasioned considerable excitement throughout the town.
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-08-15 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

OUTRAGES UPON WOMEN.  On Friday, at the Leeds As4izes, Thomas Casey was indicted for the manslaughter of Elizabeth Davies, under the following circumstances : It appeared that the prisoner had lived with the deceased as her husnand for two or three years. He was in the habit of ill-treating her, and on the flay of her death he hail threatened to murder her, and had been beating and kicking her at different times during the day, both upon the road and in the house. At last a blow was heard by some one in an adjoining room, and the deceased was heard to cry out " Ile has hit me over the head and I shall die." The prisoner said, “Oh, she's only gaming. She's in hysterics." Ile then asked some one to throw water over her. She went away down the road, and he followed her. She was afterwards found nearly dead, and she diet before the doctor came. The prisoner used the most brutal language to the poor woman. Ile defended hunsell upon his trial with great impudence and at great length. The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and his lordship Raying that his conduct was a series of brutal outrages, sentenced him to ten years' penal servitude.  John M'Cormack has been charged with the manslaughter of his wife at Manchester, on the 26th of June It appeared that the violence which resulted in the death of the deceased occurred on the Saturday following the 15th of June, on which day she was confined. On that Saturday the prisoner haring been out once or twice in the afternoon, came home drunk, while his wife was sitting by the fire, downstairs. Ile uttered seine foul language, RIO striking his wife upon the head knocked her off her seat without the slightest provocation, and we she lay upon the floor kicked her upon the side and luck, with his heavy boots. She cried out to her sister-in-law, who was with her, "Oh ! Betsy, I'm murdered," anti the latter went out to seek the police, and returned with an inspector and two officers, but as the prisoner was not then using violence they refused to Interfere, and the prisoner ordered them out of the house. Adler they left, the prisoner, alter attempting some further  violence, put his wife out Of the h—onse with7Cut ani-firther clothing on than two petticoats. She was taken to a neighbours, where she became ill, and died, without the prisoner snaking the slightest inquiry after her, and it was proved that although there were traces ci 01,1 disease in the left lung, her death was caused by recent pleurisy caused by violence, and corresponding with external Man, of injury on the side  The defence was, that it was highly probable that deceased, being a delicate and emaciated woman, had died from pleurisy arising from natural callers; but the jury convicted the prisoner, and the learned Commissioner, remarking on the extreme brutality of the case, pronounced a sentence of twelve years' penal servitude.
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-02-15 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

ISG6.  The Committee of thp First Swedish Chamber haa Just decided. by eight votes to seven, in fa, our of the abolition id capital punishment. That resolution was adopted contrary to the opinion of the Minister of Justice, Baron de Geer, who is opposed to any change. -  Mrs. Edward A. Pollard hats shot a Dr. Moore at Baltimore, during an altercation about the whereabouta of to r husband, who ha, been absent from her some weeks. She was committed to jaiL • •  • The Spanish government, which had already deprived the Infant Don Henry, brother of the King Consort of his privileges and decorations, has just suppressed his pension of 6,00,1 douros 51r. each on account of an offensive letter which he had addressed to the Queen. Dr. Manning, Roman Catholic Archbishop, has addressed a letter to Canon Oakley, in which he strongly objects to the adioission of women into church choirs.  Her Majesty's "Life of the late Prince Consort" is to be reproduced, in a condensed form, in einimsaed letters, for the use of the blind. The work of abridgment has been entrusted to Mr. John Plummer.  Father Fischer, private secretary of the late Emperor Maximilian, was a passenger in the Australasian steamer from New York, a hich reached Queenstown en Saturday. He landed at that port. Joseph Eisele, alias Schaefer, was arraigned for murder irk Parherseurgh recently, when he voluntarily contweed to having killed three men and premeditated the murder of a fourth, for no reason whatever except the irresistHe temptations of the evil spirit.  • A correspondent of the Irish Titne3 telegraphs from Lmishm, that a young member of the aristocracy lost the other night at one of the clubs £lO.OOO at whist. Professor Mackie is of opinion that he is not worthy the name of a man who would not stand his chance of being shot for the sake of science. Johann Stratwa is reported to be engaged for a fourmonth concert tour through America', for which he will receive the large sum of £12,000. - - - -  The Gwrduxn says it is now intend,d that 11r. acrorie shall be consecrated, not in Scotland, but in South Africa.  Prince Leopold has had an attack of hcemcare, which occasioned dangerous exhaustion; he isregaining strength. -  The youthful Prince Salvador Iturbide, grandson of the Emperor lturbide, shot in Nies' co in 1823, hu lust entered the Pontifical Zonaves. He is a yonbg man of twenty, whom the Emperor Maximilian had adopted, and the cost of whose education at Sainte.ltarbe was defrayed by the Mexican Government. A special decree of the late Emperor conferred on him the title of Prince.  All the colliers in Monmouthshire, with the exception of those at Kis,* are now on strike, haying come to the determination, after holding several meetings, not to accept the proposed reduction of 3d. per ton. The recent Royal visit to Liverpool cost the Corporation abut £3,850. It is believed in New York that George Francis train bribed the British police to arrest him. The New fork Mail is sure Train would not have had it otherwise for £l,
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1884-01-19 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

EWA. At 6.80 p.m., the gas being lit, two men, one tall, fair, and burly, the other dark and of smaller size, entered the office and asked the value of rouble.. Herr EWA named the current price, on whisk one of the strangers put his hand into his side pocket as If he were about to take out his purse. Herr Eisen looked at him, and the man suddenly threw a handful of dust and sand into his facie, which blinded him. He cried "Robber.," and ran to a glass door, leading to a smaller room, where an old Frenchwoman, nearly 80 years of age, was giving lessons in French to his young sons. One of the men rushed after him and caught him when he had passed through the door and reached the entrance into the oourtyard. Here the robber struck him with a hammer, first on the temple and then on the skull, The victim, whose left eye was destroyed, after vain erten of "Murder," fell down. The villain left him groaning on the stones and hastened to the small room, looking the door. Here he struck like a madman at the children and the old woman. One little boy of nine received a blow on the head which shattered his skull, and he fell down dead. The other, an older boy, was also struck, and his injuries may prove fatal, but he afterwards succeeded In unfasten, Ing the &or and tottering out to his unfortunate father. The old teasher suffers from the effects ol a blow on the forehead, which stunned her for a time.  The money.changer had a short time before sent a domestic servant to the cellar for a chest In which to send away come candied fruit, On returning she first tried to help her master, who muttered "The pocket. bock," and felt about, leaving the marks of his blood. tamed fingers on the wall. She was not strong enough to raise him, and she called the commissionaire from outside. At the same time the manager of a neighbouring business and a man in the employment of Herr Eisert came in, They saw what had been done, and through the glue door could perceive the two robbers. One of them had packed up the gold and silver coin and bank notes, while the other had torn out some sheets from the books, no doubt to destroy the evidenee as to the numbere of the notes, The new.comers tried to get in, but tb door was locked, and the murderers tramped throu the main entrance. A workman, while passing the Exchange Office, saw a man hasten forth, and with his bet drawn down run towards the end of the suburb, but suspecting nothing wrong, he proceeded on bit way. Afterwards. on entering a neighbouring coffee. house, he heard of these fearful crimes, and at once went to describe what he had observed to the police. Both the father and his eldest son are alive., and are better. A blow on the head has laid bare the father's brain, and he is not able, even if he were allowed, to give a complete and coherent account of what oceurred. 2,000E1. in notes and some smaller sums in coin were taken. The thieves had not time to try the safe, and were satisfied with robbing the counter,