npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1832-03-17 (London, England)

RECEIVED THIS MORNING ) SENTENCES OF THE WIGAN RIOTERS. James Bendy and James Parkinson, the two prisoners who were convicted yesterday of a riot and outrage, in which Sir Robert Holt Leigh, Bart., was so inhumanly beaten, were this morning brought up to receive sentence. The Learned JUDGE told the prisoners, that it was the most disgraceful riot in which they had been concerned that he ever recollected to have taken place. The indi vidual whom they had so cowardly Licked and abused, had had a narrow escape of his life, and they might think themselves fortunate that lie bad so escaped, otherwise they would have been tried for murder. He then sentenced them to he imprisoned in his Majesty's gaol of Lancaster f tr two years. James Wilding, Peter Phimah, }Marion G and a number of other of the rioters who had taken a conspicueue part in demolishing tint house of Mr. James Hodson Kearsley. breaking open the prison, and other outrages, were tried, found guilty, and sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment. Roger Apperton, who was recommended to mercy by the Jury, received sentence of six months' imprisonment. Henry Lighttown and John Rothwell, who were convicted of burglariouely stealing in a dwelling-house under very flagrant circumstances, had the sentence of death recorded against them, wi.h an intimation from the Judge that they would be sent out of the country for life. John Jenkinson, Barnaby Hook, and James East/aim, natives of Preston, stood indicted for killing and slaying Thomas Parkinson at Preston. It appeared from the evidence, that the deceased was a strenuous partisan of the Stanley family ; and the prisoners were the supporters of, and attached to the Hunt family in the recent election at Preston. The prisoners on the evening of the day laid in the indictment, went to the deceased's window shutters and annoyed him very much, by crying out " Hunt for ever," " 'Down with the Stanley's," and " Up with the Hunt's." Parkinson who was somewhat in liquor, rushed out of the house and attacked the prisoners, knocking two of them down. At length Barnaby Boole struck the deceased on the back of the neck, and threw him down, when on the ground he waskicked by all the prisoners, and upon his friends coming to his assistance, and lifting him from the ground, he was quite dead. Several witnews were called to prove that the deceased tell in aiming a blow at Jenkinson, and the surgeon who examined the body stated, that the deceased died of the concussion of blood upon the brain, which might have been caused by an excitement, combired with the fall ; under these circumstances the Jury acquired the prisoners. Joseph Longworth stood indicted with having committed a rape upon Susannah Booth, at Radcliffe, in this county. It appeared from the evidence, that the prisoner had behaved in a very beastly manner to the prosecutris, but the evidence was nut sufficiently clear to convict. the prisoner, and he was accordingly acquitted. The business in the Crown Court has concluded ; and it is expected that the labours Mr. Justice Patteson in the Nisi Prius Court will finish to-morrow.
The Sun. — 1832-07-27 (London, England)

MIDLAND CIRCE/ IT.LINCOLN, JULY 24• Mary Taylor, a young woman of pleasing appear' ance, aged 18, the wife of Benjamin Taylor, of Be' lingbroke, in the West Fen, in the parts of Lindsey, was indicted for the wilful murder of her infant child.  The prisoner and her husband came together to reside in the above village, the prisonei being then in the family way. There Ivas no imputation of any kind upon her character. They lived next door to a publican, named Harrison, whose wife the prisoner engaged to attend her as midwife in her confinement. She was prepared with her babplinen, and the other things necessary for that occasion. One morning in March last, the prisoner came into Hal' rison's house, and said that her baby had been born, but that a tramper (a travelling woman) had carried it away. She afterwards said, that she (prisoner) had laid the child across the fire, and destroyed ite Her appearance and manner were such as strone indicated insanity of mind at the time. There were no remains of the child to be seen, although it wag evident, from the exalainat ion of the prisoner's person by a surgeon, that she had been recently delivered. She spoke of what she had done as a thing of no harm ; she was alternately either singing very loud, or crying or praying, and continued to do so for 3 weeks after hercommittal to prison ; she had had a quantity of milk before her confinement, but not a dropafterwardgr and from some expressions she used, it was inferred that her delivery had taken place very suddenly. The paler said, that whilst in the gaol she had been subject to sudden transitions from loud mirth to the deepest depression of spirits, exhibiting at the same time an expression of wildness in her counts' mince, which left no doubt on his mind that her reason had heen temporal-Ay unseated. The sue' geon was of the same opinion, and accounted for the state of her mind on the supposition that, finding herself alone and with,ut succour when she was suddenly taken in labour, she became terror-stricken as that critical moment, which caused a revulsion of bl )od to the head.  Tile Jury immediately acquitted the prisoner' aid she %vas ordered by his Loidship to be die' charged.  Edward Croft, aged 35, was indicted for bur glorious!y entering the house of a farmer, named Shaw, at Frampton, in the parts of Holland. The Jury found the prisoner guilty. The Learned JUDGE sentenced the prisoner to 91% months' imprisonment, and such hard labour 0, should be found consistent with his state of health after he was cured of his wound.  William Greenfield, aged 43, was indicted 01 stabbing and wounding Robert Chantry Balderso°l a farmer, residing at Crofts, on the 16th of Apr' las', with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. , The prisoner was found Guilty, and sentenced of death recorded against him ; with an intimati° from the Learned Judge, that, as he had aireadY been convicted more than once, and been trans' ported, he must expect to leave this country nod fcr life.
The Sun. — 1832-02-20 (London, England)

JAMAICA.—By the brig Lawrence, from Jamaica, we have been favoured with a Courant of the 30th ult., giving the particulars of an insurrection among the slaves of the island. Captain Fowler states that martial law had been proclaimed—that the slaves had burnt a number of buildings—and that —Jackson, Esq. an eminent barrister of Old Harbour, bad been murdered in his house by the insurgents. Two companies of the Sith Regiment were marched yesterday morning from Spanish .town to Port Henderson, and embarked on board his Majes'y's ship Blanche, Commodore Farquhar, which will proceed this day to Montego-b iv, to assist in maintaining order and tranquillity in the parishes of St. James and Trelawney. The work of destruction has commenced. We now see two fires, evidently in the direction of St. James's. Ten o'clock.—We have just received intelligence that the fire at Palmyra estate was extinguished, after burning down one trash-house. The head driver and three negroes belonging to the property have been secured. A company of the St. James's militia, under the command of Captain Cleghorn, moved from Adtlphi on the first notice of the fire, and remains there. We understand that the drivers on the neighbouring estates, instead of going to their overseers fur orders, as usual, this being the *last day of the holidays, have taken their mascheats and gone off, as they say, to their grounds.  Eleven o'clock at Night.--The work of destruction is going on. The whole sky in the south-west is illuminated. From our office we at this moment perceive five distii,ct fires, one apparently in this parish, the others in St. James's, and at no great distance from us. Midnight.—One fire is raging with unabated fury. We apprehend it to be the whole of the works and buildings on York estate, in this parish.—Cornwall Courier. We extract the following trom the Inquirer:— " We have received by the brig Lawrence, from Kingston, Papers to the 31st of December. Considerable alarm prevailed in consequence of insurrectionary movements among the negroes in some parts of the island, and martial law had been proclaimed by the Governor with the unanimous advice of a Council of War. According to accounts from Montego bay, the officer commanding there had thought it prudent to cali in all his outposts, and con• centrate his whole force in the place itself. On many of the esta.es in that vicinity the negroes had refused to work ; and one is mentioned on which there were 700 negroes. The parishes of St. James and trelawney were particularly in a state of excitement. The Cornwall Courier says, that at the time of their going to press, five distinct fires were perceptible, and that the whole sky in the s.iuth-west was illuminated—the negroes are said to be the incendiaries. The militia were called out, and the King's troops moving to the scene of danger. The alarm, it is however observed, is greater than any thing that had yet occurred Justified, and a full belief is expressed that the measures taken will be fully adequate to any emergency which may ensue."  (From the Second Edition of the Falmouth Packet.)
The Sun. — 1832-08-27 (London, England)

LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, SATURDAY, AUGUST 25.—There has been a steady basin sa transacting in cotton daily throughout the week, the sales amounting to 12,550 bags. In prices generally there is little or no alteration. The discoloured middling and inferior descriptions of Alabama cotton offer in rather larger quantities than the demand requires, and to effect sales a little reduction may, in some cases, hare been submitted to ; but, on the other hand, the good fair to good qualities, both of Uplands and Orleans, are daily bt coming scarce, and realize higher prices. In Brazils there is no change. The public sales of Sea Islands went off very heavily, only 610 bags having been sold, and at a decline of id. per pound on the prices previously current by private contract. The imports of the week amount to 22,375 bags. The sales of cotton are estimated at 2,500 bales, at the current prices of the week, and comprise 809 Brasile and Egyptian-, the farmer in Pernsms at 91-d- a Babies 7d., and Maranhams at Sid. and 7i-d. ; upwards of 1,500 in American descriptions from 6id. to Sid; Yorkshire Assizes commence on Monday next.—Halifax Express.  FERRY INN REGATTA (WINDERMERE). —This regatta, took place on Wednesday I.st, and notwithstanding the day was somewhat unfavourable, a goodly assemblage of people attended. The sports afforded a good deal of amusement, but were marred towards the conclusion, by the melancholy death of a man named Cowman, a boat-builder, belonging to Bowness, who was unfortunately drowned by the upsetting of his skiff, whilst contending fur one of the prizes. Every exertion was made to save the man, but without (ff,ct, as be was never seen after the boat capsized. Two young collegians narrowly escaped the same fate, by a similar accident. Kendal Chronicle.  There were lately found in the bed of Margy river, at Ballycastle, a woodcock's head and neck corn pletely petrified ; the hill and head are of the same colour as originally, and the joint of the hick of the head move: in the same way as when the bird was in existence. Thi, curious article is in possession of Mr. JOLLY, of Drumakeel, near Ballycastle, who intends presenting it to the Belfast Museum.—Ballycastle Chronicle.  On Tuesday last, while the workmen at the Brodie quarry, near Nairn, were removing the earth above the rock, they found the skeleton seemingly of a woman in a complete state, about 18 inches from the surface. As this is on the sea beach, and no habitation near it, it is thought very likely that the person was murdered, and buried here.—lnverness Courier.  Some labourers employed in the drains of the Tuileries, near the Orangerie, lately found a great number of gold coins and other medals ; they appear to be of the time of the Roman Emperors. The workmen, without making the discovery known, took possession of them, but the police having repaired to the dwelling of five of them, there seized a great number of the found pieces. —Le Cercle.
The Sun. — 1832-03-21 (London, England)

HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND DESPERATE ASSAULT. Simon Frost, aged 20, and Walter Aston, aged 14, stood in. dieted for having, on the King's highway, feloniously assaulted John Day and robbed him in all of twenty-four pounds in cove. reigns, a five pound note and some silver and halfpence. John Day examined—l am a carpenter, and live at 31elford. I was in Bury on Tuesday, the lath of December. 1 was In the Sword in Hand public house. 1 was in the kitchen, and soon after the prisoners came in and we talked and drank together. At the time Frost came in he said he had been working, and I asked him to drink. We had another pint of beer and a pot. I paid for it. I had twenty-four pounds in my purse, a five pound note, nineteen sovereigns and some silver. I took out my purse and got a sovereign to pay for the beer. Frost could see me do so. After I had paid for the beer I said I would find my way to Melford if I could. The two prisoners heard me say so. I was a little fresh when I left the public-house, but I knew what I was doing. I left the house just after six o'clock, and went past the gaol towards home, and went just to the turn of the hill, about a mile and a quarter out of town, when Frost came up to me from the right hand side of the road, but whether he came over the hedge I could not tell. I had a stick in my hand (stick produced, and was a tolerably stout one;, when Frost asked me, " What's o'clom, Old Cock 2" and he immediately seized my stick. Whilst was scuffling with him I received a blow on my head from some one that cut my head open. Frost had a stick which he dropped when he came up and seized mine. I fell from the blow on my head, and then Frost got my stick. As soon as 1 was down, Frost put his knees on my stomach, and struck me with my own stick three times on the head before I was " un. sensed." I couldn't help myself. Frost turned to the boy that was with him and said, "Shall I murder him ?" I begged wonderfully hard, but he struck me again on the left side of my head, and said, " your heart.•' His right hand was in my pocket when he struck me. After that I remember nothing more. It was as bright a moonlight night "as ever I seed," and I am quite sure that Frost was the man, but lam not equally sure of the other prisonler. The boy was of the prisoner's size.  Other witnesses corroborated part. of this testimony, aftet• which the Jury returned a verdict finding Frost Guilty, and Aston Not Guilty. His LORDSHIP then passed the awful sentence of death upon Frost. He gave him no hopes of mercy.
The Sun. — 1832-04-03 (London, England)

GEORGE 111., persons were burnt alive, by that pious monarch, for coining, whilst ii► the last twenty-one years, out of 114 persons convicted, only thirteen have been executed. In the seven years ending in 1817, one in 66 was put to death for this offence, whilst, under the reign of the ultra Tory Sai►►ts, five persons out of thirteen suffered the last extremity of the law. In the first 14 years of the 21, we find 11 executions for high treason—anglice, low treason—for the traitors were as low, and their notions as impracticable and as little dangerous or contagious, as Lord SIDMOUTH himself could imagine. Under the feudal system, and when the barons of England were as dangerous in arms as they are now mischievous in counsel, high-treason was really an offence most disastrous to a community ; but to hang such pot-house, small beer traitors as we have seen executed in the present state of society, is to hang men upon NERo's principle of firing Rome—that the favourite of the gods might fiddle and enjoy the sight.  In the London calendar for the same period we are sorry to see that the Government has increased, instead of decreased its severity : we especially allude to the executions for coining, larceny, breaking open letters, &c. In the country the pardons for murder are as 50 to 373. In London, there have been forty-one convictions and forty executions for murder.  People are too prone to write and talk about the abuses of the Church, the revenues of the Bishops, and even about the bigotry, narrowmindedness, and political corruption of these wealthy and clerical aristocrats. It is but fair to point out the logic and high moral sense which are displayed by our Prelates. If a member of the Bench be accused of four or five offences, some worthy Prelate proves that he is innocent of one or two of the charges, and proceeds to anathematize his mendacious accusers. There is another art peculiar to these political Christians, of proving that whoever is attacked in their profession is the very acme of all perfections, human and divine. One would imagine that no man attacks a member of the Church, except he be a concentration of all the virtues, and a physical repellant of the deadly sins. Last night the Bishop of DURHAM asserted that his brother of St. David's had given up a very good thing fur one of inferior value, and that the Bishops of BRISTOL and CHESTER had done precisely the same. He next said that the Duke of WELLINGTON'S brother, Dr. WELLESLEY, intended to quit the flaunting town, and to resign all the charms of Hampton Court, with the Duke of CUMBERLAND'S society, and to devote himself exclusively to his Prebend of Durham and the Rec. tory of Bishop-Wearmouth. The Catholics have a proverb, that a certain place is paved with good intentions ; and we suspect that this place is the English House of Lords. We now find, according to the Bishop of DURHAM, that one Mr. THORPE accepted "an Arch-deaconry which carried with it a Rectory, but Mr. THORPE would not have one sixpence more by being an Archdeacon," nor we suppose by being the Rector. Excellent Mr.
The Sun. — 1832-04-17 (London, England)

CHILD MURDER.  Last night, pursuant to adjournment, the Coroner's Jury re-assembled at the Coal Hole Tavern, Fountain-court, Strand, before Thomas Stirling, Esq., Coroner, to inquire into the cause of the death of a female infant child, which it was alleged had been murdered by its mother.  Sarah, wife of R. W. Simmons, a lighterman, residing in Off-alley, Strand, knew the mother of the child, Maria Coulson, who was cook at the Coalhole Tavern ; about four months ago witness taxed her with being pregnant, and she denied it, and abused her for having suspected such a thing; on Friday last, about two o'clock, witness was informed that something had happened to Maria, and she went to the attic, and observing her situation, she said, " Oh, Cook, what is the matter with you ?" She replied, " Nothing," and desired witness to leave the room; after that she said she would tell the truth—she had had a miscarriage; witness proposed helping her on the bed, but she would not let her; witness asked her where the baby was ? She replied that she had no baby ; witness said, " Nonsense, Cook, you must have a baby somewhere ;" and she replied, " No, I have not, Mrs. Simmons, and leave the room ;" witness then left the room, and informed the proprietor of the house of her suspicions, when he directed Elizabeth, the housemaid, to go with witness to assist the cook and search for the child ; the cock was then sitting on the bed, and, from certain appearances, Elizabeth left the room to fetch a doctor, and in the interim the cook said to witness, " For God's sake clean up the room before the doctor comes !" A surgeon came, arid, after some conversation, witness again accused her of having had a child, which she again denied, and gave a similar denial a third time. Mr. Rhodes sent a message to the cook, that if she did not tell where the infant was, he would send for an officer ; she replied that she did not care for all the officers in the parish, and she would not open her box till to-morrow morning ; on Elizabeth going down stairs, the cook got from the bed and said, Mrs. Simmons, call her back, I have a baby ;" and she unlocked her box and took out a child, which she placed on the carpet ; she then went to a drawer near the window, and from thence took a pair of scizzors (produced to witness) and cut something in the bundle which the child was in ; witness called out, " Ob, Cook, you have hanged the baby ;" witness said this in consequence of hearing the scissors snip, and the cook exclaimed," Hush, you will hang me; and for God's sake shut the door, keep it as secret as possible, and don't tell master." Elizabeth heard this and screamed, and surgeon Jones came up ; he examined the child, and took a piece of tape (produced by Mr. Thomas) from under the child's neck, which was bloody, and appeared to have been tied round it.  Elizabeth Emmerson confirmed the statement of he above witness.  After some other evidence, the Jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against Maria Coulton ; and the Coroner issued his warrant for her committal to Newgate to take her trial.
The Sun. — 1832-12-03 (London, England)

GURNEY. The calendar contained the names of 46 prisoners; but with the exception of the three cases of which we here subjoin an account, and which were tried on Saturday, their offences were of a trifling character. Sarah Thomas was charged with feloniously setting fire to a house in the occupation of William Hampton, at Aspenden. Mr. YORKE prosecuted, and Mr. DOWLING defended.  The Jury, after hearing evidence, returned a verdict of acquittal, without permitting the Judge to STIII Sup.  Jonathan Wacket was indicted for a violent assault. The prosecutrix, Harriet Curtis, was in a field about eleven o'clock on the morning of the 10th of September last, gathering sticks, when she was accosted by the prisoner, whom she had known before, and was asked by him to shake hands with him, which she refused, and he then threw her down in the field and committed the offence.  From the evidence of Mr. Evans, the surgeon, it appeared extremely doubtful whether the offer ce had been completed.—The prisoner was acquittA d. Win. Johnson was indicted for the wilful murder of Samuel Poulter, on the 29th of September, at the parish of Redbourn. Thomas Peacock called—l am a sawyer, and lye at Redbourn. On Saturday, the 29th of Septem her, I was going from St. Alban's to Redbourft when I overtook the deceased, Samuel Poulter. He was an old man, abot 60 years of age, and had a hump-back. We walked together about a mile, when we met the prisoner and another man. They joined him, and told him to take the child off his hack (meaning his hump). The deceased made no answer, and the prisoner then struck the deceased on the head with a rabbit skin he had in his hand. The hat of the deceased fell on the ground, and he picked it up. The deceased said it was a shame for the prisoner to strike an old man so. The prisoner threw away a shovel which he had in his hand, and struck the deceased on the face with his fist. He fell with his face against the footpath. \%e then lifted up the old man, and at first he was sensible. He tried to walk, but he could not. He then became insensible, and we laid him down between the palings at the sule of the footpath, James ain a waggoner. About six o'clock on the morning of Sunddy; the, 30th of September, I saw the body of the deceased lyii4 at the read-side. He was quite dead, cold, and stiff. Richard Webster—l am a surgeon at St. Alban's. I examined tha body of the deceased at the workhouse. The lower jaw was broken, and there were several bruises on the side of the heads near the temple.  The Jury, after a few minutes' conversation, returned a verdict of Guilty of Manslaughter. Mr. Justice LITTLEDALE said the sentence of the Court was, that the prisoner should be transported for the term of his natural life. The prisoner heard the sentence quite unmoved, and walked away from the hat with perfect coolness.