npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1856-10-29 (London, England)

HORRIBLE TRAGEDY IN AMERICA.  A horrible tragedy occurred at Bergholtz, a German settlement in the town of Wheatland, iu this county, on Saturday night last, being nothing else than the coldblooded butchery of Dr. T. C. Strange, his housekeeper, and his daughter, by some person or persons as yet unknown. Sunday morning, as one of the doctor's neighbours was proceeding along the road leading from the doctor's house south, he came upon the lifeless body lying on the road, with a pool of blood by his side. He had been murdered with an axe, having been struck four blows with it—one on the right side of the face, two on the back of the head, and one on the right side. The murderer evidently meant to make sure work, as either blow would have killed him. On proceeding to his house, a mile distant, a still more horrible sight presented itself. Upon the floor was the bleeding corpse of Uri. Barlean, the housekeeper of Dr. Strange, her head having been literally cut in two by the same instrument that had caused the death of the doctor, and a short distance from her, on the bed, was found the lifeless remains of the young daughter of Dr. Strange. The girl, like the others, had been killed by an axe. The first blow had been given on the side of the face, and before the second the victim bad raised the arm in self-defence, and received the second blow upon the elbow and fleshy part of the arm. The first blow must have caused almost instant death. So far not the slightest clue to the perpetrators of this horrible deed, or the cause which led to it, had been elicited. all neighbour of Dr. Strange, who lived close by, was up all Saturday night finishing a pair of boots which he had promised, but says he heard nothing to excite his atteodon. The general impression is, that the person or persons who committed the murder went to the house and called the doctor away on business. He had a large overcoat on, and a lantern, which he always carried when going out of nights, was found near where his body lay. It is supposed that after murdering the doctor. the assassin went back and murdered the woman and child to prevent detection. Mrs. Barlean, when found, had a candle in one hand and matches in the other, and was probably about to' make a light when she was struck the deadly blow. Dr. Strange was a man between 40 and 59 years old, and had been in this country about six years, and had resided all this time at Bergholtz. He separated from his wife about two years ago, since when she has lived in Buffalo. Mrs. Barlean was a woman about 30 years old, and has kept house for Dr. Strange since his wife left. She has a husband in Germany, whom she was expecting here daily. The other victim was Dr. Strange's daughter, a beautiful young girl, about 13 years old,—Lockport Oenriar, Oct, 7.
The Sun. — 1856-10-29 (London, England)

HORRIBLE TRAGEDY IN AMERICA.  A horrible tragedy occurred at Bergholtz, a German settlement in the town of Wheatland, in this county, on Saturday night last, being nothing else than the coldblooded butchery of Dr. T. C. Strange, his housekeeper, and his daughter, by some person or persons as yet unknown. Sunday morning, as one of the doctor's neighbours was proceeding along the road leading from the doctor's house south, he came upon the lifeless body lying on the road, with a pool of blood by his side. He had been murdered with an axe, having been struck foor blows with it—one on the right side of the face, two on the back of the head, and one on the right side. The murderer evidently meant to make sure work, as either blow would have killed him. On proceeding to his house, a mile distant, a still more horrible sight presented itself. Upon the floor was the bleeding corpse of Mrs. Barlean, the housekeeper of Dr. Strange, her head having been literally cut in two by the same instrument that had caused the death of the doctor, and a short distance from her, on the bed, was found the lifeless remains of the young daughter of Dr. Strange. The girl, like the others, had been killed by an axe. The first blow had been given on the side of the face, and before the second the victim had raised the arm in self-defence, and received the second blow upon the elbow and fleshy part of the arm. The first blow must have caused almost instant death. So far not the slightest clue to the perpetrators of this horrible deed, or th:, cause which led to it, had been elicited. A neighbour of Dr. Strange, who lived close by, was up all Saturday night finishing a pair of boots which he had promised, but says he heard nothing to excite his attention. The general impression is, that I,he person or persons who committed the murder went to the house and called the doctor away on business. He had a large overcoat on, and a lantern, which he always carried when going out of nights, was found near where his body lay. It is supposed that after murdering the doctor the assassin went back and murdered the woman and child to prevent detection. Mrs. Barlean, when found, bad a candle in one hand and matches in the other, and was probably about to make a light when she was struck the deadly blow. Dr. Strange was a man between 40 and 59 years old, and had been in this country about six years, and had resided all this time at Bergholtz. He separated from his wife about two years ago, since when she has lived in Buffalo. Mrs. Barlean was a woman about 30 years old, and has kept house for Dr. Strange since his wife left. She has a husband in Germany, whom she was expecting here daily. The other victim was Dr. Strange's daughter, a beautiful youug girl, about Who pdjourned )31%1011g baying been ouclud4 the 13 you old.—.Lockport Corior, Oct. 7.
The Sun. — 1856-06-09 (London, England)

ANOTHER ATTEMPTED MURDER ON BOARD THE STIRLING CASTLE.  PORTSMOUTH, JUNE 7. On Wednesday another attempt at murder was made on board the Stirling Castle, convict hulk, in this harbour. The person whose life bas been placed in jeopardy on this occasion was a warder, John Howarth, and mho it appears about seven or eight o'clock on the morning of the above day was unlocking the cells to allow the prisoners to go on to the upper deck. Whilst so engaged a convict named M'Donald rushed behind Howarth and inflicted a stab upon him at the back of the ear. The wound was at the same part of the head as was inflicted by the convict Jones on the unfortunate Mr. Hope, surgeon of the Stirling Castle. The wound was inflicted by the blade of a knife attached to a wooden handle. The instrument has not been found.  M`Donald, after inflicting the wound, ran up on deck, and there, mixing up with a namber of convicts, he endeavoured to escape detection. Mr. Howarth, however, had identified him, and at once proceeded to give information to Mr. Williams, a senior officer. Captain Warren, the governor of the hulk, immediately ordered M•Donald to be brought before him. This was done, on which the miscreant commenced crying bitterly, and exclaiming, "I did it." Captain Warren banded him over to the county polce, and he was taken bef,re the county bench on Thursday and committed to Winchester. Dr. Wilson was on board, and immediately took Howarth under his care. In the course of the day he was removed to his home in Gosport., where, we are glad to say, he is getting on favourably. M'Donald is 22 years of age, was convicted of felony in December, 1854, at Bolton, and sentenced to four years' penal servitude. Howarth is a married man, but has no family.  The above attempt at murder is evidently an outburst of that insubordination of which Jone,'s case was of so murderous a specimen. Both these acts of violence were cool and deliberate, without the slightest provocation existing. There would appear to be some truth in the statement thatlhas been made by more than one convict, to the effect that there is an organised conspiracy on board the Stirling Castle to take away the lives of the officers one after another. One of the convicts has re• cently told a warder that it was intended to serve three or four other officers in the same way. Capt. Warren, the newly appointed governor of the Stirling Castle, has, as far as was possible in so short a period of time, effected some improvement in the state of things on board. He has procured an additional force of warders, six having come down from Milbank prison yesterday. The warders are, however, very awkwardly placed ; they are not even allowed a stave for their own defence, and there is not a sentry on board for the preservation of peace or the protection of the ship.  A GRADUATED SCALE OF HUSBANDS,—" Two days ago," writes the Paris correspondent of Le Nord, "there died at Versailles, in complete obscurity, a personage who has a name in history—Count de Bornbelles, who, after Napoleon I. and the Count de Niepperg, was the third husband of Marie Louise." [ADvsicrissmssr.]—
The Sun. — 1856-03-03 (London, England)

CRIMINAL COURT.—(This Day.)  The sittings of the above court were resumed to-day, before the Right Hon. the Lnrd Mayor, the Right Hon. the Recorder, Aldermen Sir G. Carroll, Hunter, Sir R. W. Carden, Sir H. Muggeridge, Eagleton, and Laurence, the Sheriffs, Under-sheriffs, &e.  The first edition of the calendar contains the names of 110. prisoners.  The Recorder, on charging the grand jury, said he regretted to have to inform them that the present calendar was one of the heaviest, with regard to numbers, and to the serious nature of the crimes it contained, that he ever reoellected during the five years of his experience in this court. There were no less than five separate charges of murder, and they involved the destruction of nine 'separate individuals. Noth withstanding that fact, however, he said he was happy to inform them, that by the returns it did not appear that there was any general increase of crimes of violence to the person generally throughout the country, and there was reason to hope that the increase of education and the spread of civilisation in the country had tended to decrease crime. From returns he held in his hand that were made up to 1854, it appeared that although undoubtedly -there had been an iuerease of crime, yet it was not more than would be accounted for by the increase of population and the increase of property in this country, and it only referred to the ordinary cases of felony, there being a reduction of thirteen per cent. in charges of murder, manslaughter, and attempts to murder. It seemed that it was the same in the history ok nations as of individuals, that at certain periods there were great calamities without any apparent cause. During the last year, after forty years of peace they had been suddenly plunged into all the horrors of war, and during that period there had certainly been committed a series of the most serious crimes by persons of position and rank, and also by others of the lower orders. It was no part of their duty to speculate upon the causes of the sudden increase of aggravated crimes, but they were bound to take the matter into their serious consideration, and it devolved upon every one to do all in his power to extend education among the people, as the most certain means of remedying so serious a state of things. The learned Recorder then observed, that although the charges were of a very serious nature they did not appear to present any legal difficulties, and if the facts shculd be laid before them as they appeared in the depositions, they would have no alternative but to return true bills in all the cases of murder and manslaughter. In one of the cases of murder a question would possibly arise as to the state of mind of the person accused, but the grand jury need not trouble themselves with the consideration of that matter which could be only properly investigated by the petty jury. He then referred to other cases in the calendar, and concluded by dismissing the grand jury to the performance of their duties.
The Sun. — 1856-03-03 (London, England)

CRIMINAL COURT.—(This Day.)  The sittings of the above court were resumed to-day, before the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, the Right Hon. the Recorder, Aldermen Sir G. Carroll, Hunter, Sir R. W. Carden, Sir H. Muggeridge, Eagleton, and Laurence, the Sheriffs, Under-sheriffs, &c.  The first edition of the calendar contains the names of 110 prisoners.  The Recorder, on charging the grand jury, said he regretted to have to inform them that the present calendar was one of the heaviest, with regard to numbers, and to the serious nature of the crimes it contained, that he ever reoollected during the five years of his experience in this court. There were no less than five separate charges of murder, and they involved the destruction of nine separate individuals. Nothwithstandicg that fact, however, he said he was happy to inform them, that by the returns it did not appear that there was any general increase of crimes of violence to the person generally throughout the country, and there was reason to hope that the increase of education and the spread of civilisation in the country had tended to decrease crime. From returns he held in his band that were made up to 1854, it appeared that although undoubtedly there had been an increase of crime, yet it was not more tha❑ would be accounted for by the increase of population and the increase of property in this country, and it only referred to the ordinary cases of felony, there being a reduction of thirteen per cent. in charges of murder, manslaughter, and attempts to murder. It seemed that it was the same in the history of nations as of individuals, that at certain periods there were great calamities without any apparent cause. During the last year, after forty years of peace they had been suddenly plunged into all the horrors of war, and during that period there had certaihly been committed a series of the most serious crimes by persons of position and rank, and also by others of the lower orders. It was no,part of their duty to speculate upon the causes of the sudden increase of aggravated crimes, but they were bound to take the matter into their serious consideration, and it devolved upon every one to do all in his power to extend education among the people, as the most certain means of remedying to serious a state of things. The learned Recorder then observed, that although the charges were of a very serious nature they did not appear to present any legal difficulties, and if the facts should be laid before them as they appeared in the depositions, they would have no alternative but to return true bills in all the cases of murderand manslaughter. In one of the cases of murder a question would possibly arise as to the state of mind of the person accused, but the grand jury need not trouble themselves with the consideration of that matter which could be only properly investigated by the petty jury. lie then referred to other cases in the calendar, and concluded by dismissing the grand jury to the pelfer.nance of their duties.
The Sun. — 1856-06-12 (London, England)

MURDER AT STROUD.  The town of Stroud water was on Saturday night the scene of a cruel murder. About four o'clock on Sunday morning, a labouring man, named Hodges, and his son, were proceeding along the road leading from Stroud to the village of Nails worth, when, about half a mile from the town, they discovered the body of a man lying, weltering in blood, by the roadside. The corpse was identified as the body of Joseph Hatherill, a mason. The man's upper lip was cut open, and there was a stab in his groin, from which he had bled to death. It was evident too he had met his death by foul means, and suspicion soon fell upon a man named William Hoskins, residing in the neighbourhood. Hoskins was taken into custody on Sunday, and blood was then seen on his clothes. On Monday an inquest was held on the body of the deceased, and simultaneously with this investigation Hoskins was brought before the magistrates. From the evidence it appeared that the accused had been drinking in various places on the Saturday night ; that he was seen by a policeman to leave the town about a quarter past one o'clock in the morning, going in the direction of the murder, a man answering to the description of the deceased being just in front of him. He arrived at his lodgings about two o'clock, and on getting up in the morning told two fellow-lodgers that he had had a row overnight with a man in the road, who struck him with a stick, that he had a mind to " croak" him, and that he knocked him into the hedge, and left him there. His clothes were bloody, and in his pocket was a knife with stains of blood upon it. Along the road there were marks of scuffling having taken place, and a stream of blood for a distance of 30 yards to where the body was found. Messrs. Wethered and Gregory, surgeons, who made a post mortem examination, proved that the cause of death was haemorrhage, resulting from a wound in the left thigh, such as would be inflicted by a knife, and added that the man was healthy and appeared to have been sober. The prisoner made a statement before the magistrates and the coroner to the effect that he overtook the de :eased on the road, that deceased wanted to know where he was going, and on his refusal to tell, struck him with a stick. The prisoner took the stick, from him and broke it ; they had a " tusble" and swore at each other ; that he (prisoner) then drew his knife, and the deceased did the same; that they fought with knives, and that he left the man in the road. It should be mentioned that a broken stick was found near the scene of the murder. In the trousers-pocket of the murdered man was a clasp knife closed, 25., and a lemonade-bottle, containing about a noggin of gin. It did not appear possible that he could have used the knife; and prisoner had no marks of injury about him, except a black eye, which he admitted to have got before. The magistrates committed the prisoner for trial on a charge of wilful murder.
The Sun. — 1856-06-03 (London, England)

JAS. M‘GREGOR wished to make some observations on the present state of Greece, and he.thought that question, involving as it did the payment of 47,0001. a year out of the national Treasury, was somewhat germane to the question of going into committee of supply. It was to diplomacy alone that they had trusted for many years to release this country froth the guarantee into whioh it entered on behalf of Greece, the hope of such a release being founded on the possibility of a better administration of the public funds by the Greek Government. As long ago as 1845, Lord Aberdeen, in replying to a question put to him in the Rouse of Lords by Lord Baaumont, said that that guarantee gave this country a right to interfere in the. affairs of ,Greece, and he deseritled the country as  a scene of murder, robbery, and violtnee. Diplomacy had done little to improve the condition of Greece as thus described up to the time when the war with Russia began. Since the war commenced the allies had taken military possession of the Pirmus. The question was what was to result from that occupation ? Were they, through the icstrumentality of this military possession, to be relieved from the paymentof the 47,0001. a-year ? Was the court of Greece to be supported by the noble lord opposite (Lord Palmerston) in carrying on a system of government which was described by himself as destitute of administrative talent ? The hon. gentleman then read an extract from a speech of the noble lord in August, 1851, in reply to a question from Lord D. Stuart, to the effect that the Government of Greece bad been entirely unmindful of its obligations to the guaranteeing powers, notwithstanding repeated remonstrances from them. The hon. member said he hoped he should succeed in eliciting from the noble noble some explanation of the policy or coercion which he intended to bring to bear on the government of Greece. That government had as yet made no progress towards establishing the constitution which the noble lord no doubt designed that they should establish, and he believed the noble lord would be doing the greatest service to Greece itself by exercising a degree of coercion which, by improving the system of administration, would enforce the fulfilment of existing obligations. He was quite aware that he mightibe met by a declaration that no policy could be so distinct as the occupation of a country by a military force, but he hoped to hear from the noble lord that the definite object of that occup Alan was to compel the court of Greece to lessen its extravagant expenditure and to discontiuueits corsupt practices; or if this object could not be secured, he hoped the noble lord who had made the King of Greece, would feel it consistent with his duty and with the interest of this country, to reduce him again to the position in which he found him—namely, that of a German prince. He was sure the noble lord's explanation ou this subject would be received with much interest by the house and by all who paid any attention to the affairs of Greece. Lord
The Sun. — 1856-03-17 (London, England)

MURDER, ON MAKER HEIGHTS.  One of the most shocking murders that have occurred in the West of England for many years was perpetrated on Thursday night in a field adjoining the camp ground at the Maker Heights, about two miles from Devonport, on the Cornwall side of the Tamar. On Wednesday last the 3d Jager (rifle) Regiment of the British German Legion arrived here in the Alps, and after staying a short time a portion of the regiment was ordered to Maker, to occupy the accommodation recently used by the South Devon Militia. Amongst the men so disposed were C. Jacobi and Hans Hansen. On Thursday these two men were drinking together in Mil'brook, and on Friday morning it was discovered that Jacobi had been mur lered. Jacobi is said to be a surgeon by profession, and of very respectable connexions, although serving as a private. They called at the house of a Mrs. Palmer, and bought two penny buns and some penny loaves of bread at about 8 o'clock, and they were then both the worse for liquor, but Hansen the more inebriated of the two. They were subsequently seen going towards the barracks, Hansen carrying a large stone under his arm, He did not, however, arrive at the barracks until 12 o'clock, when he was immediately placed under arrest for being out of quarters without leave after hours. On Friday morning, on calling over the musterroll, Jacobi was missing, and shortly afterwards information was received at the barracks that the dead body of a soldier had been found by a man named Gregory, in a turnip field near Maker Church, on the heights. A picquet was sent to the spot, and the body found was at once identified as that of Jacobi, although he had been brutally mutilated, especially about the bead. There were three superficial wounds on the left side of the head Ivy the ear, of the several lengths of 2 inches, 1 inch, and inch. The scalp was separated from the skull about 2 inches, thoush the skull was not fractured externally. On the skull being opened some extravasated blood was found on the brain, and on removing the brain the base of the skull was found to be fractured through that part of the temporal bones which contains the organs of hearing. About two or three yards from the place where the body was found a large stone was discovered bespattered with blood, and to which some human hair was attached. The stone was nearly 161 b. in weight. On Hansen being arrested by Capt. Ignace de Zfemicki that officer observed souse spots of blood on his jacket, and on his attention being called to it, he started back and said, "I did not kill the man," and afterwards said his nose had been bleeding, and that some of the blood had gone about hie clothes. The deceased had a short time previously received 40/. from his friends, but the only money found upon the body was 3s. A. coroner's jury has returned a verdict of wilful murder against Hans Hansen. The prisoner will be committed to Bodmin gaol, and I tried at the Cornwall assizes, which commence on Saarday next.  -14 i  ,  - 09  -- 9i  Ap  ••• 2i - 24(1