npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1882-12-15 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

DREADFUL MURDERESS.  On the 3011 November, at IS am., a dreadful woman, one Kate Nagy, was banged in Stein-an-Anger, the frontier town between Styria and Hungary. lu the annals of crime she twill occupy one of the first places, for, although she confessed to ox murders only, she was convicted of 26, and we may suppose that she committed many more. She found meats of obtaining poison firm chemists in small provincial towns by pretending to have a house full of rats. The small cakes which she sold in a tiny shop were so universally liked by old and young that she could sell poisoned cakes to the persons who wished to rid themselves of a superfluous relative without arousing suspicion. Her first murder was probably that of her own husband, and when this remained undirc wered she cernmittei a succession of ether murders, for which she was paid by the parties concerned. Her victims were men, women, and children, old and young. and although her neighbours bad drug seep cad her, still no ens dars d for sane t me to accuse her of the dreadful crime. She was believed t be very pious, and it was chiefly by her aid that the D mitnican friars of StemanrAncer were able to found a religious scciety, which gained great infirm:me in the course of years. Although she confessed to six murders, the Court of Justice c ademnel her oaly to hard labour for life but the Imp rrial C.,Utleil, appealing t the High Court, &Mined a death &atone°, which was sioril by the Emperor about the middle of last month. Eve- since the sent, nee was communicated t Kate Nagy she spent her days and nights in praying and tasting with her father confessor ever by her side. On Thursday the hangman arrived from Buda Peath. and Kate Nagy was taken to Vie p 1 ice of execution at the other end of the town. When she appeared in the street everyone was surprised to see a meek little woman of about 50 years of age, with a kind, motherly expression in her emit face. S'ie was escorted by a detachment of Imperial dragoots, and followed by thousands who had come from all parts of the country to see her. As she entered the wo3den fence which conceals the gibbett from the eyes of the public, she started, for her daughter came up to her and begged leave to enter with her mother. When she was refused, she fainted in the arms of some women who had come with her. The hangman fulfilled his terrible task in a few seconds. In the meantime the crowd outside behaved in a most shameful manner. They surrounded the murderess's daughter and declared she must be executed also, because such a dreadful woman's entire race should be extirpated cnce for all. The ruin ins would have lynched the girl had not a brave woman stood up in her defence, end by her undaunted cairage intimidated those nesr her until some dragoons came to her rescue. Kate Nagy refused to natse the persoas for whom she prepared her p risen, so that they cannot be prosecuted.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1882-12-15 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

EXECUTION AT WANDS WORTH.  SHOCKING SCENE.  Charles Taylor, 39, a carpenter, wae executed on Tuesday morning at nine o'clock within Wandsworth Prison, pursuant to his sentence. The prisoner wee tried at the November Sessions of the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his wife, Caroline Pilizaeeth Taylor, a woman about his own ego, by cutting her throat almost from ear to ear. They reel led in Tustinstreet, Old Kent-road, and the act was committe l on the 18th of August. The reason why so lug an interval elapsed between the murder and the tr;al was that the pris iner immediately after cutting his wife's throat made a desperate attempt to des.,roy himself by cutting his own throat, and f r scree time his life was despaired of. Eventu illy, however, he recovered sufficiently to be put upon his trial. The defence sat up for him was that he was insane at the time he committed the act. Witnesses were called for the purpose of establishing that plea, but the evidence was not by any newts conclusive. All the facts tended to prove that the dreadful act was prompted by a feeling of jealousy, and a belief that the unhappy woman had been unfaithful to him. Tire jury, atter a very brief deliberation, fund the prisoner guilty of wilful murder. The prisoner seems to have behaved very well since his conviction, and to have been all along prepared for his fate. He repeatedly expressed his irrow for the act he had committed. He passed a restless night on Monday, and on the executioner, Merwood, being introduced into his cell, he submitted to the operation of pinioning without saying a word, and walked without assistance to the scaff Ad, but looked very pale. He had a drop of over eight feet, and appeared to die without a struggle. The long drop given had the effect of opening the wound in the throat self-inflicted by the criminal directly after the murder, and the consequence was that the heal was nearly torn from the body. There were very few per. sons waiting outside the gaol wren the black flee was hoisted and the usual n ale es affixed to the gate.—The necessary inquest was held io the prison in the afternoon by Mr. Rocnieu, the depaty-cor mer.—Dr. Winter, the prism Barge in, deposed to the death of the crminal, and, in answer to qn•eitions by jurymen, said the .woun lin the throat ha I heale witn th exception of a fistulus openi .g in the windpipe. The scar was tender. The result f the ding eop in ue .rly severing the head from the b ely was no more then he expected. Death was the result ef frec:ure of the ve:tebrie and rupture of the vessels of the neck, which had caused the 'm irrhsge seen by the jury en viewing the body.—Tne jury returned the u u d verdict. While at tne eeiol elarwood received an atioeeen me letter threatening him with &aril if ~e vi,ite.l Irciaud to bang any one there. Marwood left the gaol two hours earlier than had been intended, and was &CCOM• pastied by an officer,
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1882-07-28 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE ALLEGED CHILD MURDER. To the Editor.  Sir,—Allow Inc to thank the public of Dorchester for the many ex pressions of sympathy I have received on every hand on behalf of my wife, Mrs. Arnett. It is, indeed, 'pleasing thought to know that, notwithstanding the many evil repYrts which have been spread about her, they have been disregaided, and have only tended to create further commiseration among a sympathising public on her &half. As regards Mrs. Charlotte Legg's letter which appeared in your last issue, allow me to state that I still maintain, and adhere to the statements contained in my letter of which Mrs. Legg's letter was a reply, and if such state. ments were base and lying assertions all that I can have to say on that subject is this, that they proceeded from her daughter's own lips, and I would rather believe the girl than I would any of her family, as I always found her truthful and straightforward during the whole time of her residence with us. Wheteas on the other hand, and particularly atnongst thtsa of her friends, who should have been must watchful over her, I have found treachery and deceit. _ . . . .  I will pass over the remarks contained in C. Legg's letter as t my being a slimy serpent, do., as unworthy of the consideration of any intelligent person, and as to any well-meaning and loving parent leaving a child entirely in the hands of the Lord, and omitting herself to do a mother's duty. I cannot tee how she could expect any good results to arise from such a course, as I have always understood and believed that (13c1 helps those who help themselves, and, by Mrs. Legg's own statement, being advised by her friends to exercise her authority, she failed ta do so. Had she coins round and demanded her daughter I should have hal no other coutS3 to adopt thin to order the girl to have left my house, knowing, as I did, that the law would not pot mit me to keep her against her mother's wish; but the girl clime to remain with us, knowing as she did that she had tee dyed every kindness at our hands, and to which the girl had for a long time past been a stranger to, as I have heard the girl's friends myself calumniate the girl ii every possible manner: but I wish ti say, in conclusion. that during the whole of the time the poor girl Wal with no, I have f mud her always most kind and if. ctionate, un.l 5., ially a, ttwards my chit lren, ant I 11.. 11. t believe cite %wild intentionally hurt any chiid, and it woeld b 3 a great bles•itug if some of her ne tr relations only p toseesed the trutefuluess and kindness of heart which tile poor girl always exhibited during the whole of the time that my wife and I knew her. Doreheiter, July 220(1, 1882.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1882-04-14 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE QUEEN AND THE MONTE CARLO :OAMING HOUSE.  The other day the ao rumetration of Monte Carlo wished to present the Queen with a magnificent bouquet. A person charged %sin the mission wont to Mentone, but, according to the regulations, was not permitted to enter the Chalet dos Roaters. Ho therefore called upon General Pontionby at tbe Hotel des Anglais and proceeded to make the presentation through him, but the latter, on behalf of the Queen. refused the bouquet, saying that any present from the Casino would be unacceptable to her Majesty. The local journals comment much on this incident, especially those hostile to the gaming tables.  On Sunday a farmer named Nolan, residing near Ballyduff, orth Kerry, when returning hum mass, was stopped by a man with masked face, who discharged two shots, one of which wounded him in the right arm. Nolan grappled with his assailant, who, however, eventually escaped. A daring attempt to blow up a vacant schoolhouse in course of preparation for a temporary barracks at Nally comity, was made on Sunday night, which caused great terror in the locality. Tlae explosion caused much damage to the house. No clue has yet been obtained to the perpetrators. On Sunday morning the police arrested six men near the scene of a recent murder of Mrs. Smythe. Four of them, named Arthur swords, Joseph Meeker], Michael Magrath, and William Boyhan, were remanded for eight days, and the other two were subsequently discharged from custody. The police authorities are said to be in possession of some important evidence by which they hope to bring the guilty parties to justice. Mr. Smythe, whose sieter-in-law was shot on Sunday week, has addressed a letter to his tenants on Carlaivilla estate, in the course of whica he says that most of them by their silence having assented to the deed el blood, those liable to rent would in future pay to a non-resident agent, who cuald make no further allowance nor do anything on the property not strictly required by law. He regarded many of the tenants as guilty of complicity, directly or indirectly, in the plot of murder. A party of Moonlighters, on Saturday night, visited the houses of several tenants in the klurroe district, tired shots outside the premises, and affixed threatening notices to the door posts. The Moonlighters called at the house of one tenant, but the latter, an old man over 80 years of age, armed himself with a hay-fork, and rushing in among the assailants, put them to flight. An example of the savage vindictiveness shown in some districts is afforded by the fact that on Saturday night bonfires were lighted and torchlight processions were organised at eplogher, about four miles from Boyle, to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Countable Armstrong, who on that day 12 months was killed by a riotous mob in a proc,ss-serving affray. Sixteen farmers have been arrested for taking part in the demonstration. Mr. Patrick Egan has addressed a letter to Mr. Patrick lord, the Land League leader in New York, acknowledging the receipt of over £20,000 for the Land League.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1882-04-14 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

LAMSON'S MEDIATOR."  The London Figaro says:—" Like many good people before him, Sir William Harcourt has, under stress of temptation, suffered himself to be led astray. We shall not repeat the senseless statement that the convict Lamson has been respited 'for a political purpose ;' we believe that, in acceding to the request of the President of the United States, the Home Secretary was inspired by no other motive than a desire to show courtesy to the chief magistme of the great American Republic. The case against the Home Secrete, y is that Lamson has been convicted by a jury of a cruel murder, which almost everybody in England but the ladies who presented him with bouquets of flowers, feels sure he committed ; that the attempts to prove him mad oa this side the Atlantic have completely failed; that the evidence which is now on its way from America,' might have been in the hands of the solicitor for the defence two or three months ago; that the responsible ruler of another country has been allowed to interfere—for what is mediation but jam ference— with the course of justice in this; that a precedent has been established which, if not in the present, may, on some other occasion, result in the most serious complications. But we go further than this. We assert that the evidence which is to be submitted to the consideration of the Home Office cannot possibly be worthy of attention. How can it be? Lamson has lived for; many years in Europe; he married an English lady; he practised as a physician in an English town; sufficient is known of his career in Eaglaud to enable anyone to form an opinion about him; and he is an Englishman. If even it could be proved that he was mad in America, we should reoly, he has not been mad in England. We decline to go back to, or to have anything to do with, his school days, and it is nonsense to talk about his being mad 'last summer.' The President of the United States has, in fact, no more to do with the matter than the Shah of Persia or Cetewayo. But the presumption of Mr. Arthur, and the folly of Sir William Harcourt, will aud to the wretched murderer the agony f suspense. It is not conceivable that the respite of a fortnight will be followed either by a final reprieve, or by a commutation of the capital sentence—capital punishment could not survive the scandal. Yet, there is no doubt that the convict is buoyed up with the hope that, as his powelful friends have already secured the postponement of the execution, they will, by a little more pressure be able either to obtain his liberation, or to prevent him from expiating his crime on the gallows. J3sd as Lamson is, it is to be re,reited that he should be exposed to torture of this kind—to torture nearly as shocking as the torture to which Percy John was subjected."
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1882-03-03 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

MORE MURDERS.  A murder, which is directly attributed to the Fenian organisation, was committed in Dublin late on Saturday night. A constable, bearing groans in Skippers•alley, a squalid thoroughfare near Cookstreet, went thither and found a man lying on the pavement bleeding from severe wounds in the head. He was removed to the hospital, but died on the way. A medical examination showed that be had been shot through the brain, a second shot having fractured his cheek bone. He was subsequently identified as a labourer, named Bernard Bailey, aged 35, who gave the police information regarding the storage of arms by Fenians, the murder being in revenge. At Ballyhaunis. on Saturday, Martin Cunnane, secretary of the Lake Behan Land League, his son Patrick Cunnane, Patrick Finn, and three brothers named Brennan, were arrested in connection with the murder of Joseph Freehy. Other arrests are expect. d. The murder was perpetrated at a place called Balydrehod. The victim's father was a member of the local branch t f the late Land League, and a popular man in the neighbourhood, until it lecame known that he had paid his rent. The fate se h'ch has met the un• fortunate young man was apparently not intended for him, as the party broke in the d• or, and, it is said, shouted for the " Traitcr who paid his rent !" They then trent into the room where the young man was sleeping with two young broth's, and, not finding the father, they seized the son, dragged him outside, and But jected him to the vilest usage. He then made his escape into a house, where he was followed, and once more dragged tut, when two shots were heard, which must hal, e instantly put an end to the life struggle, I. r the Bev. J. Kennedy, C.C., who was promptly on the scene, found him lifeless, with a large wound in his right breast, The neighbourhood has hitherto been remarkable for tranquillity.  It is stated that the Government are in possession of inhumation which leads to the belief that a conspiracy of a serious character has been lot ou_ ht to Ught in the diet net of Tulle. Fourteen arrests for treason-felony have already Leen mt de, and it is stttted that an inft rmer has supplied the Government with full infrrnation as to the doing of the alleged conspirators. 3lotte arrests are expsc'ed to follow. In view of an antich Wed attack on he county Lime' ick gaol, the military guard stationed there has been increased. Within the prison and also outs ide, by tiny and night, military ssntinels are on duty, and the whole pris. Fe is closely watched by the mil ary. The constabulary are actively engaged in different districts of Limerick and Clare searching for ems, but up to the present their labours have not been attended with any result. Private information has been given to the Government that an immense quantity of alms are secreted in places named ; tut whether it is that the infoimation is a hoax, or that the suspected pencils were apprised before the advent et the (A4l- nu Arnui Can be found.  ,E11I0)('S A LLEGtATIONS AGAIN,T A CLERf
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1882-01-20 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE WIMBLEDON POISONING CASE.  The adjmrned inquest on the body of Percy Malcolm john was resumsi on Jriday, before Mr. G. H. Hull, coroner, at the Drill Hall, Wimbledon, which ii almo3t immediately opposite the scene of the poisoning. Mr. St. John Wontner was present on behalf of the Public Prosecutor; Mr. Gladbtone appeared fur Dr. Lamson.  Dr. Stephenson was the first witness called. He said he received on the 9th of December from Dr. Bond pills, powders, and the contents of the stomach of the deceased for analysis. The cake, sherry, and capsules, with the medicinal wafers s-nt to him by Dr. Dupi 6, were free from poison, as were also some quinine pals. He fouild aconitine in three of the quinine powders. lie believed as the result of his examination of the viscera, &c., of the deceased that death was probably caused by the action of the aconitine. Aconitia caused death by varalysing the heart. One-sixteenth of a grain was sufficient to cause death.  Dr. Dupr4, who assisted Dr. Stephenson in the analysis, confirmed that gentleman's evidence. The amount of aconitine found was, he had no doubt, considerably more than sufficient to cause death. A tenth of a grain was usually considered a fatal dose, but the witness was of opinion that the deceased must have taken considerably more than a grain of aconitia. In answer to a juryman, Dr. Dupr said in one of the powders they founki sufficient for eight fatal doses. The coroner said his summing up would be very short. He should point out that Dr. Lamson would obtain money by the death of the deceased through his wife. It was clear that he had attempted to take the life of the deceased by pills and powders, and,, finding they had no effect, he must have gone down himself, evidently intending to see that the poor boy did take the poison. It was proved that he bought two grains of aconite, that he did go down to IN imbledon, and that he gave to the deceased a capsule containing sugar and undoubtedly aconite as well, because very soon afterwards the boy was taken seiiousiy ill, and died with symptoms which the medical men desc,ibed as those of aconite poiQoning. All the evidence pointed to one man, and to one man alone. If they believed Dr. Lamson did put aconite in the capsule on the 3rd December, they had hut one verdict to return, namely, that he wilfully and maliciously murdered Percy Malcolm John. The jury returned the following verdict :--We find a verdict of wilful murder against George Henry Lamson, and we wish to express our sympathy with Mr. Bedbrook, and we regret that such a sad event should have occurred in the establishment which he bee o long and so honourably conducted. The coroner handed his warrant for the committal of Dr. Lamson to take his trial at the Central Criminal Court to the superintendent of police, and the proceed. in ga closed.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1882-06-16 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY.  On Sunday afternoon, a shocking tragedy was perpetrated at the village of Crosby, near Liverpool. Arthur Golding, au estate agent, gave himself up to the police, stating that he had accidentally shot dead his servant, Mary Craven, aged 20. Upon the police arriving at Golding's house, they found the deceased lying on the kitchen floor with a bullet wound in the centre of the forehead, and the brains scattered about the place, death having apparently been instantaneous. Golding's statement was that he loaded a rev elver in the morning, but for what purpose has not transpired. It would appear that the prisoner and deceased were alone in the kitchen, and that Mrs. Golding, hearing a report, ran downstairs cud met her husband, who told her be had shot the girl and was going to the Policestation. On Moadav, at the Magistrates' Court, Liverpool, Arthur G lding was charg,d with the wilful murder of Mary Craven, who had been in his service as domestic servant. titipt. Web.h said that on the previous afternoon the prisoner went to the police-station at Crosby. having in his possession the revolver produced, which was loaded in five chambers. The eivth chamber had evidently been recently discharged. He said to the sergeant who was on duty there—" I was standing at the scullery-door conversing with my servant, Mary Craven, waiting for my shoes to be cleaned, when she said to me 'What would you do if they went to shoot you first?' I put my hand to my hip-pocket and pulled out my revolver, which I purchased, and which I had a licence to carry for selfprotection, from my next-door neighbor; and pre• senting it towards her, nut thinking at the time it was loaded, I raised the hammer and fired, killing her on the spot. I immediately went upstairs and told my wife I had shot Mary, aud that she was dead. It was quite an accident, as I would not have laid my hands on her for anything." In consequence of this statement the sergeant took him into custody, and at once proceeded to the h itise. He found the deceased lying on the scullery floor dead. The sergeant shortly afterwards charged the prisomr, and he said in reply—" I must reserve my defence ; it was purely accidental." Subsequently to that the prisoner made another and Important statement, which needed enquiry into, and, if true, showed a motive for the murder. It would be shown that he loaded the revolver on the previous day for the puri.ose, as he alleged after the murder, of shooting a dog. After hearing formal evidence, the magistrate remanded the prisoner. The inquest was opened at Crosby on Tuesday. Superintendent Walsh deposed that the prisoner stated at the police-atation that he bought a revelver to defend himself against two neighbours. Witness found in deceased's box seven letters from Mrs. Golding bearing strongly on the case, and the enquiry was adjourned until Tuesday next to admit of their reproduction.