npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Lancaster Herald, and Town and County Advertiser. — 1831-05-14 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

JOHN FORMBY. COMMITTED TO OUR CASTLE.  James Malang, committed by Mr. Thomas Foster, Coroner, charged with the wilful murder of William Ro at Liverpool; also, charged with having stabbed and cut John O'Donnel, at Liverpool, with intent to do him some grevious bodily harm. Richard Chnigh, charged with having stolen a gelding, the property of Richard Haythornthwaite, at Todmorden. . . . _  Wilhiaas -Mercer, charged -with the wilful murder of mate male child, at Lytham. John Gerrard, commited as a deserter from the 331. Regiment of Foot. Abraham Brimming, as a deserter from the 00th Ririe Corps. E XTRAOILDINA LT CONTEST WITH A HAwx.—A few days ago, a very large grey hawk made its appearance over the Tower of London, and seized one of the young rooks from a tree where the parent birds had built their nest, on the parade, in front of the white Tower and was making off with its prey, when the old birds (about 100 in number) attacked the falcon, setting up a loud cawing, making the air resound with their noise, and alarming the inhabitants of the garrison. The hawk had flown but a short distance when it was assailed on all sides by the rooks, who compelled it to drop tlvt young one; but before it had reached the ground, the hawk again darted upon it and seized it in its talons. The rooks had by this time increased in number, and their casvings were redoubled, continually pecking at the hawk, which twice dropped the young bird; but it was as quickly seized again, and its feathers flew about in all directions, and the blood fell WI the wharf adjoining the Thames. The soldiers on duty and the crews of the various ships in the river, who witniised this curious scene, endeavoured by their shouts, to frighten the hawk; but it ultimately flew away towards Bermondsey, with the young rook in ha claws, followed across the river by the old rooks; but they soon gave up the chase, and returned to their old haunts, and, by their noise, which continued for some time, afterwards, deplored the loss which their community has sustaitsea.-21fornin9 Herald.  Datrr Was.E.—On Monday last, as a labouring man was hacking up the earth in a corner of the garden attached to the Stocks public-house, on the Shap road, about two miles from this town, he struck his hack in a nubstancer and heard a crashing sound, as of the breaking of erockev ware; and so it was---for on further search three sets of beautiful old porcelain, delft ware, or China, were discovered deposited in the earth beneath a square flat Two of the sets were blue and white, the other white; they had on a beautiful polish, and  the finest clay. It is conjectured they had hiding place above a century, most likely  by sole careful old woman On the in in 1711 We regret to add such was the man with his hack, that only one whole, all the others being demolished . —Westmorland Gazette.  [The adjoined is from the Morsatteg
The Lancaster Herald, and Town and County Advertiser. — 1831-09-03 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

POLAND.  Sunday's Mail.—A Dutch mail arrived this morning, with the Prussian State Gazette to the 20th instant, containing accounts from Warsaw of the 10th. Field-Marshal PaskewiNch is stated to have sent two corps, consisting only of cavalry, into the provinces of Masovia and Kalisch, one of which, in the night of the sth, surprised a detachment of the reserve of the Polish cavalry, at Kolo, an 4 captured several officers: Dem_ binski's corps had again left Warsaw, and was encamped at Powonzki, on the left bank of the Vistula. We regret to observe that a special military deputation has been appointed by the two Chambers of the Polish Diet, to proceed to the Generalin-Chief, with full powers to suspend him from his command if it should be deemed necessary, and provisionally to appoint another in his room.— Courier of Friday.  " Frontiers of Poland, Aug. 20.  Wethitsday's The following authentic accounts have been received from the Russian head-quarters at Lowicz, dated the 15th inst. :--‘ The enemy has left his position behind the Rawka, and is retiring towards Warsaw. The Russian army is already on the march to follow him, as the head-quarters will leave this place in an hour, and probably go to Szomanow.  " General Giesmar, who commands the van-guard of Rudigees corps, had, on the 9th, a brilliant action at Graniza, in which he made prisoners, nineteen officers, including two staffofficers, and about 500 soldiers, and took two pieces of cannon. General Rosen is advancing by way of Siedlec towards Praga. The corps of General Kreutz must reach the Vistula on the 17th. General Skrzynecki has resigned the command of the Polish army, which has been assumed by General Dembinski.' " Thursday's Mail.—We lament to say that serious disturbances took place in Warsaw on the 15th and 16th of last month. The Patriotic Club, irritated agaifist the established authorities, proceeded to great lengths of riot and barbarity. The seven prisoners of state were found murdered in their rooms, and the bodies thrown into the gutter, or hung up at the lampposts. The rioters then proceeded to the House of Correction, in which not only the agents of the late police, but also debtors and cheats, were confined; many of them were put to death, and their bodies were hung up without much ceremony. Is this way thirty-five persons lost their lives during the first night. Among them were Generals Jankowski, I3uckowski, lliirtig Salacki, and Bentkowski ; the Russian Chamberlain Fii,tiarie; a Russian Lady of the name of Bazanow ; the Councillor of State Hanekiewicz, Major Petrikowski, and several police agents._  The Rinisians were, at the date of the last accounts, within a very few miles of the capital, which was comparatively destitute of resources, and, as it would appear from these accounts, under the controul of the mob.  Friday's Man.—A letter from Cracow states that negotiations are on foot between Rutsia and Poland, but nothing definite respecting them has transpired. The rumour of the Emperor of Russia's ill health is also revived.
The Lancaster Herald, and Town and County Advertiser. — 1832-03-24 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

CHILD MURDER.—A great sensation was created in this town, on Tuesday last, in consequence of -a current rumour, that Mrs. Smallwood, of the Pack Horse Inn, in Stricklandgete, had been secretly delivered of a child which she had afterwards destroyed or concealed. The report having reached the ears of the authorities, they immediately sent a medical gentleman to ascertain the truth of if ; and from the manner in wisich be was received, they deemed it prudent to order the premises to be searched when the dead body of a fine male child was found in a box in the garret of the house. Mrs. Smallwood then acknowledged that the child was her's. but that it had been dead-born. She was then taken into custody, until the remit of the Coroner's inquest on the body was known. About five o'clock in the evening, the coroner summoned a jury at the White Hart Inn, from whence they proceeded to view the body of the child, and afterwards adjourned until seven o'clock, in order to allow time for a post marts,* examination of the body by two of the medical faculty (Mr. Noble and Mr. Tatham). At 7 o'clock the jury assetnbled, and the inquest was proceeded with, but it was not concluded until Wednesday afternoon, (the jury having adjourned again over night,) when they returned a veldlct of manslaughter against Mrs. Smallwood. As soon as she is able to be removed, Mrs. S. will be sent to prison to take her trial at the next Assizes. The facts of the case, as they appeared in evidence are these; On the morning of Thursday week, it is supposed, Mrs. Smallwood was delivered of the child in bed; but as two girls slept in the same room, she remained in that state until they got up and had left the room, when she removed the child into a box, and took it up into the garret. She then went down stairs, and went through the domestic concerns of the house, as if nothing had happened—indeed, it appears that she was out of time house on the following day. Some of the neighbours who had observed that she was with child, noticed the sudden change in her appearance, and suspecting that some foul play had been committed, immediately gave the alarm; when through the vigilance of the authorities the whole transaction was brought to light The child, it appears, from the statement made by the medical gentlemen who examined iehad been born alive—but there was not the slightest marks of violence about it; and it is supposed, that it must have diet shortly after its birth, in consequence of its not receiving proper attention. It is upon this point, we believe, that the jury have given in a verdict of manslaughter against the unfortunate mother— the law being, that if a ehild die from negligence or improper treatment on the part of the person having it in charge, the said person is guilty of manslaughter. Mrs. Smallwood, is a widow (having been twice married), and has several children.—Kroadal Chronicle.
The Lancaster Herald, and Town and County Advertiser. — 1832-04-07 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

WESLEYAN MISSIONS.  E  vA.RI  , iday,A. . ;4- alx itak  and had _ to bike her trial  to her  before the  fact, to the  i:dost _ two months before he met his death, Ratcliffe was compelled to leave Burton-wood, and he went with his wife and family to Warrington. Whilst be was removing, merely for the purpose of shunning the man Heaton, be and his wife were heard quarrelling about Mtn. She said, " d—n thee, thou think'st thou'at fixed me now by getting to Warrington, but thou shalt never part us. I tell thee what, jack, (at same time showing him a knife or some other instrument,) I'd stick this into thy guts if I dared." "Aye, I know thou would'st," replied Ratcliffe ; "and if thou canst not do it 'thyself, thou wilt get thy bully to do it." Her answer was, "Aye, thee, and he shall do it."  The criminal connexion, width, according to Heaton's own confession on the eve of his execution, had existed between him and the priatiller for four years, was proved by a woman named Bette/kites, another of the witnesses against himself. She lived in the house adjoining that of Ratcliffe, and made a bole in the wall, through which she could see distinctly everything that occurred.  On the Monday night there was a jovial meeting of the villagers at the Chapel House. Ratcliffe was there, and John Heaton, the brother of the murderer. The latter. did not leave until two or three o'clock in the morning, and instead of going home fixed his lodgings for the night in a hay-loft. He heard somebody come into the stable beneath, and called to know who it was. Ratcliffe an. swelled, "It's me; is that thee, Jack?" John Heaton answered, "Aye, but it's very cold, thou hadst better go borne." Ratcliffe said, a I dare not go home; lamto be !arched (murdered) to-night." Heaton inquired, "Who by—who art thou afraid of?" "I am afraid of nobody but thy Will.(the murderer) and our Moll (his wife)." He stayed in the hay-loft all night. There is little doubt that William Heaton was then with his wife.  One of Heaton's relations stated after the trial, that Ratcliffe's eldest daughter had told him that Heaton came to her father's house on the night of the murder, and said to Mary Ratcliffe as he entered, Well, I've .done it;" to which the woman replied, '" That's rest." He then (as was said) went up stairs, and after a short time Miry Ratcliffe called out, "I canna get it out—it winos stir." It is presumed that, if this tale be true, she was engaged in washing some of Heaton's apparel which had, her binband's blood upon it. The dissection of Heaton's body has only just been commenced at Warrington.  Warrington, Ito bring $r bat one) with The and passed a - e A.m. Her ben !: husband. The !" is the fond of it. a pocket-book iliOrt termination of his dudillitilAtra and h.td " apprehend Iber Ratconveyed to Warrington. on the charge of howmurder of her Heaton to
Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser. — 1894-10-05 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

PRISONER BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES.  The woman Elizabeth Lofthouse was brought before the Borough Magistrates yesterday morning, Mr. E. B. Dawson presiding. She was accompanied by Mrs. Lawson, female searcher, who had charge of her. She was respectably dressed in a blue gown with a for tippet, but looked depressed, and was weeping silently. The Magistrates' Clerk read over the charge to her, which was that eh° on the 3rd October did feloniously murder and kill her son, Herbert, aged nine months.—Mr. Tilly appeared for the  prisoner. The Chief Constable said the woman was charged with a serious offence, that of wilful murder. It would be necessary to ask for a remand, and Mr. Tilly, who appeared for the defence, had oon• seated to this being granted, with their worships' consent, without calling any witnesses. The woman, as he understood, was a very respectable woman, and her husband wan a very respectable man, employed in the postal telegraph department, and residing at No. 41, DeVitre-street. She was the mother of six other children, and for some little time had been in a low state, and had been attended by a doctor. From what he could gather it seemed that the child, which was a healthy one, was in the possession of the prisoner the previous morning, and was last seen alive bye 12 year old daughter of the prisoner. The latter had a sister who was married to a brother of her husband, and who was in the habit of visiting her. On Wednesday afternoon the sister went to, see the prisoner, and after some conversation she made some enquiries about the baby. The pri. Boner said it was upstairs asleep; she had put it to bed. The sister waited some little time, and noticing that some of the child's clothing was in the room, she asked prisoner if she had undressed the child, and to this she replied that she had. After some time the sister asked the prisoner's daughter to go upstairs and see after the baby, and she did so, but though she searched in all the beds she could not dud it, and celled out to that effect. The sister then asked where the infant was, and she said " all right," but after some preesing she stated that she had drowned it in the dolly tub in the cellar. The sister went into the cellar and there found the body lying in a zinc foot or hip bath, and a dolly tub containing water beside it. The child was undressed, with the exception of a chemise. A doctor was immediately sent for, the police were communicated with, and Inspector Parkinson went to the house, and found the child id the cellar in the manner described. He took the woman into custody. Mr. Tilly thought it hest for the Bench to grant the remand without hearing evidence, as the inquest would be held that afternoon. The Bench remanded the prisoner until Monday next, and she was then removed.
Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser. — 1902-08-08 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

THE ATHENEUM.  Mr. Wilkinson has a happy knack of selecting a popular piece as a holiday attraction, and in bringing Mr. F. Denmau-Wood's company to the Athena-urn to present "A voice from the grave" he hal been just as fortunate as ever, for the packed houses each night have testified to the popularity of this new sensational drama. The plot is more elaborate than that of the ordinary run of dramas, though a greed of riches forms, as usual, the toundation upon which the whole of the villainy in the piste is built up. Dr. Crosby Granger is the uephew of Sir Charles Grainger, the latter of whom makes a will entrusting to the doctor the guardianship of his daughter, and in the event of her or her mother dying first, the whole of his wealth to belong to hint. Shortly afterwards Sir Charles dies, following on his having taken poison administered by his nephew. The latter skilfully throws suspicion upon the deceased's man's wife and ehe, in face of a mass of circumstantial evidence, is too much afraid to face a trial and escape's with her daughter. The rest of the piece is taken up the villainous machinations of the doctor and an accomplice equally as heartless. The former makes an attempt and believes he has murdered the woman and child who stood between him and , wealth, and then the will is lost. It is ho sooner found than the lost woman and her child also make a re-appearance, anti so things go on. The villain finds himself at length in the net I he has laid to trap others. His deeds are exposed, and he meets an awful but well deserved punishment. All ends happily, of course. and in the last act there is a general straight- , ening up of coniplieations which at an earlier ' period appeared hopelessly mixed. There are a number of side issues, the most interesting being a love affair, which terminates as desired, between the villain's dishonoured son and the heroine's daughter. The production simply abounds in sensationalism, and prob. , ably a more realistic piece has never been previously staged at the Athemeinti. In the first act there is a fire and • house tumbles down, whilst there is a hair-breadth escape by the inmates; in the third act real furnaces are seen at work and the smelters carrying molten metal about; whilst in the last the villain dies a horrible death in a torture chair of a Spanish Inquisition nature. In additim there are se, , oral murders, and those who want to see a thiels hours' run of sensation upon sensation should not miss this opportunity. Humour is not wanting either, and songs and incidents of the most humorous nature are sandwiched in between scenes of horror, in that remarkable way which is such a distinguishing characteristic of ! the drama. The acting is very prime and the east a long one. Mr. Victor Garden. as the villain, to very fine; Mr. Wilson Summers makes a popular hero, and Miss Grace Henderson a successful heroine.
Beverley and East Riding Telegraph. — 1895-08-31 (Beverley, Humberside, England)

THR:EAST RIDING TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, AUGUST ;31, 1895.  THE MANSFIELD TRAGEDY.  A TERRIBLE STORY.  -kti inquest touching the deaths of Mary ElizaI. h Reynolds, aged 48, William Henry Reynolds, 16, Charles Reynolds, 15, and William Peck, three years, who were found at Mansfield on the 11th August, with their throats cut, and the infant's body burnt to a cinder, apparently from being set on fire, was resumed at Mansfield Police-court, on Tuesday morning, before the Deputy-Coroner. Inspector Hopkinson was the first witness called. He said early on Sunday the 11th Wright came to the Police-station covered in blood and feathers. He carried a child named Hall, whose nightdress was on fire. Taking the child away and putting the fire out, witness noticed Wright's throat was badly cut, and took him into the guardroom. Having bandaged the throat and sent for a doctor, he proceeded to the house in Star-terrace, where Wright lodged, and found it on fire. George ' Reynolds was at the top hack window. He was rescued with a ladder. Witness entered the scullery, and saw blood under the door leading to the kitchen. Getting in the front way he found Mrs, Reynolds in the kitchen with her throat cut, her stomach open, and her thighs cut to the knees. The face was gashed, and the breasts cut off and thrown in a corner, the body being kept open with a brass stair rod. After the fire brigade came, the charred body of Peck was found in the front room with the throat cut, as were those of the two Reynolds. In the kitchen was found the razor, covered with hair and blood, two butchers knives and and a file, a woman's bodice, skirts and corset. Wright's shirt was also in the kitchen, with the right sleeve saturated with blood. The left sleeve had been apparently rinsed out. At the workhouse he charged Wright with the murders, no reply being made. Constable Steadman stated that he saw Wright at the end of Star-terrace about midnight, and had some conversation about a police case. Wright appeared sober and calm, and said it was time he went to bed.  Samuel Scott, a wheelwright, proved finding the body of Mrs. Reynolds in the kitchen corner. Mrs. Hopkins, the inspector's wife, said Wright called her into the guard-room, and said, " I've murdered four. I've killed the landlady, Charlie, Willie, and little Willie." She said, "You're a bad one, Nenty ; what have you done it for?" to which he replied, "I am; I've done it." Constable Bishop said that, while in charge of Wright at the station, he said, "It's truth. Jealousy. If I could not have her I thought nobody else should. I have killed the landlady, three children, and set fire to the house." The coroner addressed the jury, pointing out that the overtures which Wright seemed to have made to Mrs. Reynolds, and which she resented, suggested a motive for wreaking vengeance on her, but there could be no such feeling against the children.  The jury returned a verdict of wilful murdei again at Wright in each of the four cases.
Beverley and East Riding Telegraph. — 1895-06-22 (Beverley, Humberside, England)

THE BEWHOLME TRAGEDY. • A VERDICT OF WILFUL MURDER.  The inquiry into the cause of the death of the illegitimate child of Annie Fotherby (police court proceedings of which appear on page 6). and which was adjourned from the 23rd May last, was resumed at the house of P.C. Jackson on Thursday last. before Mr. H. Birkes, coroner, and i 4 jury, of which Mr. Smith was chosen foreman. Eliza Jane Johnson, who was too ill at the last inquiry to give evidence, was examined at her I house, whither the coroner and jury proceeded for the purpose. She said prisoner had been in her service for about a year and nine months. On Monday, May 21st, Annie Fotherby went out of the room about eight o'clock. When she returned about ten she was looking very ill. Witness asked her what she had been doing, and she replied, "Nothing to you," and she repeated this statement several times. Shortly after she fainted away, and witness was so 'terrified by her looks that she got out of bed, and went to the front door and shouted for help. She had been very ill herself, and had not been out of bed since last October. Mrs. Thompson heard her calls for help and came, also Mrs. Taylor; and Mrs. Wiles was sent for, who attended to prisoner. There was no other servant in the house at the time. Witness had heard it reported in the village that Annie Fotherby was in the family way, but she had never questioned her on the matter. She sometimes suspected it was true, and at others not go. Nobody else was abon ' . the house to her knowledge on the night of th 20th, but she had been told that a young man w s in the habit of comi to the }louse of an evenin g. The evidence of the witnesses previously given was read over, and no other facts were elicited. Annie Fotherby was asked if she had any statement or question to ask. She replied that she had nothing to say. The Coroner, in summing up, pointed out to the jury they would have to consider how the body was found, and the evidence of Mrs. Wiles was conclusive on this point. The next thing for them to consider was the cause of the child's death. The evidence of Dr. Johns showed that in his opinion this was due to drowning. There was no direct evidence as to who put the child in the bucket, but if they were satisfied as reasonable men that circumstances indicated it could have been done by no other person than Annie Fotherby, then it would be their duty to return a verdict of wilful murder. If they were not satisfied by the evidence that Annie Fotherby had put the child into the bucket alive, they would return a verdict of found ,drowned. After some considerable deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder," and Fotherby was handed over to the police to take her trial at the next York Assizes.