npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-11-10 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

THINGS WORTH KNOWING  LEGAL.  Volunteers are exempt from taking out a gun licence. A man in possession need not be found in food, firing, or a bed. Killing a person in a duel is murder, botlr in the seconds and the principal. Persons under 21 cannot marry without their parents' or guardians' consent. No cab-driver.is compelled to take the fare by time before 6 a.m. or after 8 p.m. It is a mistaken idea that a driver is bound to keep on the regular side of the road. Full age is attained on the day preceding the 21st anniversary of a person's birth. A distress to be legal must be levied on any Sunday, Good Friday, or Christmas Day. A sale of a work of art is also a sale of the copyright unless there is an agreement to the contrary. Anyone who sells exciseable goods, without a licence, is unable to recover payment for them. A landlord can distrain for all the rent due, notwithstanding a notice to quit has been given. If a pregnant woman is delivered at sea, there can be no demand for the child's passage money. Current coin includes all coin made at Royal Mints or lawfully current in the Queen's dominions. A building of wood resting on a brick foundation can be removed by the tenant who placed it there. PARTIBS taking furnished rooms -and pledging any of the articles contained therein are guilty of a misdemeanour. If a mother becomes chargeable to the parish, which she can do by receiving even out-door relief, sons are bound to support her. In the case of apartments where a tenant leaves without notice, and a bill is put up by, the landlord to let them, the tenancy continues still. It is slander to charge a person with having some infectious disorder, for that tends to exclude him from society, and is a special damage. Intoxicating liquors must not be sold to children under 13,f0r their own consumption under penalty of 20s. for a first and 40s. for subsequent offences. Divulging a telegram is a misdemeanour, punishable on summary conviction by a fine of £2O, or, on indictment, of £2OO, or one mar's imprisonment. A promissory note, unlike a bill, may be joint or joint and several. If made by two or more persons they may express themselves promising jointly and severally or only jointly. A workman must give his employer notice of an injury within six weeks, and bring his action for compensation within six months after the accident. In case of death the time allowed is twelve months. An impression prevails that a landlord is obliged to keep the exterior of a house in a sound state. Such is not the law. He may let the premises go to ruin, and yet demand the rent, unless agreed otherwise. Should the premises for which a lease is granted be destroyed by fire, the lessee will be compelled to complete his contract by the payment of rent as it becomes due, although he is deprived of the use of the building.
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-04-14 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

RUE DE LA PAIX.  BY ADOLPHE BELOT.  PART 11.  CHAPTER IV.—Continued.  "Evidently it is your pistol. Just now, in your despair, you forgot it, and I took possession of it. If, during your absence, a domiciliary visit had been paid to your residence, the discovery of this weapon would have compromised you, and I wanted to save you that unpleasantness. Oh," he continued, "it is of no use your casting longing eyes on the pistol. I am not going to give it up to you again. Times have changed considerably in the last hour. This morning I did not care one straw about my life; now, your society and this white wine have made me quite sprightly once more, and I wish to live. Have the goodness to remember that. 'What shall we have for dessert ? " be added, resuming his pleasant manner. "I propose Roquefort cheese, some almonds and raisins, and a cup of capital coffee with a dash of brandy in it. Does. that please you?" ._  "As you- like,"'was the surly reply. "But you spoke to me of two considerations which would prevent me leaving the restaurant without you. You have told nee the first— now for the second." "Oh, the second is a better one still."  "Let us have it."  "I promised that before lodging you in prison I would procure you the pleasure of seeing Soleil-Couchant. You would not wish to put it out of my power to keep my promise ? "  " Pshaw ! I value my liberty more than a woman," replied Langlade, carelessly. "That may be, but still you want to see her to cast in her teeth all the reproaches your heart has been heaping up against her for the last two hours, and which are choking you." "Yes, yes, that is it," cried the convict, who an instant before had tossed off a whole glass of neat brandy, " And when I have told her all that is in my heart I'll strangle her with these hands."  "There you'll be making a mistake," observed Vibert, taking possession of the brandy bottle. He wanted to make Langlade a little tipsy, but did not wish him to become dead drunk.  "Why should I be making a mistake ? " asked the convict.  " Because it is a stupid thing to commit murder so long as other and better methods of revenge are possible." "What are they?" .  "A day in prison has frightened SoleilCouchant. She was afraid of being shut up for ten years, nay, five perhaps, and she has split upon you. Well, split upon her in your turn. She must have been your accomplice in more than one misdeed. One word from you would send her to the Assizes, and the judges would take care to forward her on at once to some central establishment where she would betray no one." Langlacle reflected for a moment, and then said—" No. I should like to kill her, but I don't want her to suffer."  "It is evident you are not jealous, or you would have her shut up so as to make sure of her during your stay at Brest or Toulon." "I tell you I am going to kill her," shouted Langlade, as he went up to Vibert and caught hold of his hands with an iron grasp fit to
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-04-14 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

THE COMET.  in a moment of excitement and intoxication, confessed his crime to me." " Well? " asked Soleil-Couchant.  "That is not enough," replied Vibert, "the law requires details and actual proof. For these I come to you." "Oh, very well. Put your questions, and I will answer them."  "For how long had you known the man assassinated by Langlade ? " "Two days." "Where did you first meet him ?" "On the boulevards, at the top of the Rue Vivienne, about three o'clock in the afternoon."  "At the top of the Rue Vivienne, do you say? Was he coming from the Bourse ? " That was my idea." "Ho noticed you at once?" "Yes, and I noticed him, for I thought he was a good-looking fellow. There was nothing extraordinary in that;. I went out alone so rarely, and I was so continually shut up with Langlade, that all men seemed good-looking to me, little ones especially." "The man we are talking about was undersized then ? " "Medium height." ..  "What happened then ? " "My unknown followed me. Soon afterwards I left the boulevard, went down the Rue de Choiseul, and reached my own door. He came up, bowed politely, told me how pretty I looked, and said a lot of other nonsense. The end of it all was that I gave him permission to call on me the next day. Unfortunately, Langlade, whom I believed to be doing something or other out of Paris, returned unexpectedly. You know the rest, as you say he has confessed everything to you." "At what hour did Langlade return in search of you ? " "It must have been about nine o'clock," she replied. "Did he merely say to you as he came in, I have killed your lover ' ? ' "Yes, that was all."  "What answer did you make?" "None. He was beside himself, and would have killed me that night as he had killed his other victim; I never saw him so awful." "Were his hands stained with blood ? "  "No, and I was surprised at it." "It is not in any way remarkable," said Vibert ; "the blood does not always spurt out of a wound instantaneously, and Langlade fled at once after having committed the crime. Did you afterwards over upbraid him with this murder ? "  "No, I did not dare," answered SoleilCouchant, "I have already told you, air, that I trembled like an aspen before that man." "Did he ever mention the subject again."  "Never." "Do you remember the exact date when this took place ? " "It was about the end of October or the beginning of November." "I asked you the exact date." "I do not know, sir." "But surely it was an epoch in your life ? " "Undoubtedly, but I have always lived a careless sort of life, and never bothered myself about the day of the month." "Have you any idea at all of this man's name ? "  "No, I never thought of asking it." "Describe him to me as precisely as you can."  "He was of medium height, as I have already told you, dark complexioned, and had a not very thick moustache."  She sto-pped, considered for a moment, and then went on—" Upon my word that is all. I don't recollect anything more just think, it is nearly three months ago ! " she added, in the most natural way.
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-01-13 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

EDITOR'S LETTER BOX.  this time a worse foe—the Commune—was' doing its best to destroy what the Germane had spared, murdering those who had. fought for their country. M. de Courvillilt tried to still the increa6ing fury of the, mob, but in vain. They said, "He wished to betray the Commune, and the Commune resolve he should die." _ _  One morning his wife was sitting in the sick-room of Madame Marcel, trying to soothe her fears. "The Commune wo'uld not murder a sick woman, and was not Henri there to defend them."  _ As she spoke the door was flung open, and M. de Courville, bleeding and panting rushed into the room, saying: "1 am pursued; they will not look' for me here."  True enough voices and hasty steps were heard on the stone staircase. "I tell you Monsieur is out ! " screamed the old concierge. "We will see ; " and the steps came nearer.  "Again, I repeat, he is out; there is no one in the house but Madame and a dying  woman." "The Commune does not hurt women, but we will search ; " aid the men were in the passage. Almost thro wing her husband on the floor, Madame de Courville flung the quilt off the bed over him and seated herself on it. It might have passed for a heap of cushions. Again the door opened, but seeing Madame , Marcel, who truly looked a dying woman, the men stopped. "Is your husband here Madame 2" How should I know where he is ? My thoughts are with the dying." "We can search," said another man, as he opened the wardrobe, and looked under the bed and armoire. Madame de Courville, half dead with terror, keep her eyes on the book on her knee. Moments seemed hours. At last the men turned to leave the room, some had I passed into the next, when the sick woman —prompted by, who shall say what evil spirit—with her eyes fixed on the men, slowly raised her hand and pointed to the hidden man. In an instant the quilt was dragged off; he was murdered before his wife's eyes, and the men left the room to search for fresh victims to the Commune. ' Madame de Courville uttered no sound; she remained in the same crouched position into which she fell as the men pushed her on one side, her eyes fixed -on the bleeding corpse. Slowly she dragged herself to the side of her dead husband, passing her hands over his face and hair with emotions of one blind. Suddenly, with a quick movement she raised herself, her eyes no longer dull, but wild and gleaming; she. drew her husband's sword from its sheath and plunged it, • not into her own broken heart, but into the heart of her husband's murderess "And who denounced her ? " asked the visitor. "As soon as peace was restored she denounced herself.'  A CORRESPONDENT asked if the brow of a hill ever became wrinkled. The editor replied: "The only information we can give on that point is that we have often seen it furrowed with care."  soon as you have carefully thought it over.  We have decided under this heading. to insert 8017te Of the various Correspondence we receive from COMET Readers, on subjects relating to our journal. Readers will please mark the envelope "Editor's Box."'  To the Editor of
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-01-13 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

STARTLING STORIES.  AN EPISODE OF THE FRENCH  C 0 M MUNE .  N one of the French prisonS there is a cell occupied by a woman. The gaoler who conducts visitors over the- building, points her out as one only saved from execution for murder by the mercy of her  judge hal—  and adds thai she is no-w quite i:armfess, a melancholy form of madness has settled on. her, and she rarely moves or. speaks. The visitor glances carelessly through the narrow grating in the door at the figure kneeling. "She kneels all day," Bais,, the gaoler, "before the wooden , t-o.uc thmex ;" but should she turn her face door the visitor looks with an earnest gaze at a wonderful haunting lace he will see in his memory for manya, day. The mouth is perfect in its curves; dle lips inexpressibly sad, gentle, andsweet, like the mouth of a child in sorrow; "e eyes are those of an angel, their expres-81:Q:1. almost fixed as they rest on you, yet YOU feel. that they do not see you, but something beyond. "Can those slender White hands now raised in prayer have taken a human life ? " asks the visitor of himself. " Is there not rather some fearful mystery hidden here? That face is the index to a Pure soul, and yet she is in a murderer's cell— and for life ! " He gets the following 'explanation. from the governor of the gaol.  Mdme. de Courville was the wife of i French officer, young, rich, handsome, and devotedly attached to his wife, who was the centre of the gayest and most fashionable circle in Paris; but, alas! soon there came War, and M. de Courville went with the array to drive the Germans out of Trance. Wounded severely at Gravelotte, he was sent back to Paris, much to the joy of himself and wife, thankful to think that he Would be with her when the siege began. Winter came on, and want reigned among the poorer inhabitants of besieged Paris. The, De • Courvilles were generous, giving food and money to the poor and hungry. Mdme. de Courville was as well known in the miserable streets of the poor as in the gay society of the wealthy. M. de Courville was foremost among those who tried to defend their beautiful city. He would never hear a word of disparagement against Napoleon, who, he said, would one day lead a more victorious army to avenge Prance. .M. de Courville finding the wife and child of one of his brother officers in Paris with but small means, the De Cour-villes received them into their home, nursed them through a malignant fever, and when the child died they buried it as one of their Own. When they, too began to be pinched for food and money they gave the best they had to Ildme. Marcel; nay, more, they Often took but one meal a day, so that the invalid might take her soup and wine more often. After five months the siege was raised, the Prussians entered Paris, and Peace took the place of war. Mdme. Marcel remained with the De Courvilles still unable to leave her bed; her husband was in Germany, a prisoner from Sedan. In June Paris was again plunged into war, but  I t4211'*% 1 , „ ty4", ,--1 rnf, .."% ' \.z.Zi &., %
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-02-24 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

RUE DE LA PAIX.  BY ADOLPHI-1 BELOT.  PART I.  CHAPTER VIII. HEN he had recovered from his surprise on hearing this decided , accusation hurled against a man whom he, a magistrate, was almost disposed to consider innocent, M. Gourbet endeavoared to persuade Julia that her grief had possibly rendered her unjust, and that her ardent desire to avenge her husband caused her to look upon everybody as guilty. To all the arguments brought to bear upon her she replied by these words: " I am not mistaken; I am sure I am not."  "Did you notice," said the magistrate, "in the prisoner's attitude, or in his look, or his words, anything which escaped me ? " "Nothing particular." "Well, then, on what do you base your convictin, for it is more than a suspicion with you ?" "On nothing, and on everything. From the moment that man entered the room I had within me an extraordinary sensation; when he spoke my whole being thrilled. Why, if he were innocent, had he such an effect on me? You have already confronted me with two accused persons, and I was calm enough then, but this man, Savari, is no stranger to me ; he is bound up intimately with my life—l have suffered through him, and I am certain, nay I swear, I am destined to suffer again." "You are an Italian, madame, and, therefore, somewhat of a fatalist." "Possibly so, but at this moment I am logical. Whence comes the deep uneasiness which I felt in the presence of this man, whom I never saw and do not know? He is guilty— I tell you he is guilty ! " And her gestures, her attitude, the sound of her voice, the lightning glances flashing from her eyes, all served to strengthen this strange accusation. She was magnificent so; she might have been a priestess of ancient Italy, denouncing to the people a profaner of some sacred shine.  Whilst M. Gourbet, rather dazzled, was looking at her and considering how best he could calm this excitement, an usher entered and handed him a paper. "Is he there ? " asked the magistrate, after glancing at the paper. " Yes, sir." "Show him in."  A.Moment afterwards the door opened, and Vibert appeared. In his letter to the Marquis de X- he has painted his own portrait, so we will not describe him afresh.  "You wished to speak to me," asked the magistrate, as the police agent made his respectful salutation. "Yes, sir, I came to place myself at your orders in connection with the Rue de la Paix murder."  - "It was you, then, who called at this lady's house," said the magistrate, pointing to Julia. "Certainly, but I was not admitted," replied Vibert, looking over his blue spectacles in the same direction. "Are you acquainted with this affair in all its details ? " "Nearly so, sir. I was one of the first to enter the room in the Rue de la Paix, a few moments after the crime was discovered."  --.476:V4Z4-• -\; 4-44,1 4.: A IA 1"1„....0r,
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-02-24 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

STARTLING STORIES.  THE VAMPIRE OF VESIIVIIIS.  HO has not heard of the daring deeds performed by Men during the "days of chivalry?' But as to the exact time when those days ended we are left to draw our own conclusions. Certain it is that the time has been when young and ardent lovers attempted desperate things, in order to win over the unwilling sire to the right view of the matrimonial subject, and to induce him to give his consent and bestow his blessing. Such an incident occurred in the city of Naples, in sunny Italy, about the year 1640. Mount Vesuvius then, as now, was an object of great interest to every stranger in the Neapolitan city, and even many of its own inhabitants had only seen the famous volcano at a distance of from four to six miles. About this time the impression went abroad that a terrible vampire occupied the mount. He did not often appear, but several prominent citizens had fallen into his hands, and been dragged by the demon do wn the crater into the boiling lava. So fully was this story believed that many feared to ascend the mount; and scarcely any went, save in strong parties, and fully armed. At length a young man, the son of one of the most wealthy citizens, determined to ascend the mount alone, and face this terrible fiend, if he should appear. His friends endeavoured to dissuade him from his"purpose, but they could not move him; and so, alone, and at an early hour in the morning, he set out, -armed with a small stiletto and a strong sword. The particulars of his encounter with the fiend were not known, but all Naples was thrown into a ferment when it was announced that the body of the daring young man had been found, his life-blood sucked by the monster. The body was discovered some distance from the crater, and although it had been stripped of many valuable jewels, no one for a moment supposed that the vampire would be avaricious enough to do this. He only wanted blood. The robbing of the body had been done by unprincipled wretches, who happened to come in contact with it after the murder. There might have been a few who believed differently. The family of the young man was thrown into profound grief at this sad occurrence, but it was not deemed necessary to offer any reward for the vampire, as he could not be taken. And even if he could be brough!-, down by human power, no one dare attempt such a thing. The family of Count Julius St. Pierre, the father of the murdered boy, were visited by a large number of people, all of whom condoled with them, but could give them no relief. Among this number there were two chivalrous young gallants. The one was a Spanish Don by the name of Rinaldo Fernandina, and the other a young Neapolitan, called Henri Conralli. The Spaniard was a fierce da,Tic man, and was an aspirant to the hand of Juliana, Count St. Pierre's daughter. So also was Henri Conralli; but he was titleless, and,  -ipzkoor, I
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-04-07 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

CHAPTER 111.  , VIBERT, accompanied by Langlade, went down the stairs. The convict did not seem to know what he was doing. Buried in his thoughts, his head hanging clown on his breast, he followed the detective mechanically, as a dog follows his master. Soleil-Couchant had betrayed him. What mattered anything else? cab was passing, and Vibert hailed it. Then, pushing Langlade before him, he said— "Get in first, I beg. Don't stand on ceremony." He told the driver to proceed in the direction of the Palais de Justice, and seated himself by the convict. For a moment neither spoke, each giving way to his own reflections without disturbing his companion. Soon, however, Langlade, whose nerves were being shaken by the forced inaction, gave a vigorous kick at the seat in front of him, and exclaimed— "To betray me titus—me, who have done so much for her! Have I ever let her want for anything? Never! She has had from me all she desired. I was the slave of her every whim. If she had said to me, want that shopful of jewellery,' I would have stripped the place the next night. One day, as we were walking along the Rue Vivienne, she called out, That dress would suit me to perfection.' That same evening it was in her room." "You bought it ? " asked Vibert. ironically. "No," replied the convict, proudly, "I stole it. Did I want money for myself?" he went on to say. "Nothing of the kind. A glass of of wine, a hunch of bread, and a truss of straw. I asked for no more. It was for her sake that I was bound to have money at all risks. It was to meet her expenses that I first turned thief, and then murderer." "Forsooth," said the detective, sententiously, "take any crime you like, scratch the surface of it, and you Will find a woman underneath. That idea is none of mine; it is as old as the hills. Would Adam have picked the apple if Eve had not hankered after it ? " • "The last time I was sent to the hulks," continued Langlade, following out his own train of thought, "it was her doing. Did I ever reproach her? No, and at Brest I still found means to get hold of money for her to spend. For that I made those straw boxes and cocoa-nut mannikins. But that was not enough. One day she wrote to me to say that she wanted a hundred francs. A hundred francs, how was Ito find them on the hulks? I thought of robbing three convict warders of their savings. For that I was condemned to the black hole for a month in double irons, but she got her hundred francs to pay her rent." "Men are unjust," remarked ..Vibert,  "robbing a warder merited a reward." "In short," said Langlade, continuing to soliloquise in his corner, it is for her sake that I have committed all my crimes, those that have come to light, as Well as those that nobody knows of."  Hero Vibert started involuntarily. With his head indolently resting against one of the sides of the cab and his legs stretched out at full length on the opposite seat, he had contented himself with embellishing the conversation with an occasional aphorism. The convict soliloquised on one side, and the emplbyi of the Prefecture of Police on the other—a very harm —to