npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1844-07-02 (London, England)

PARRICIDE IN FRANCE.—A man named Simon, ill the prime of life, was tried at the assizes of Nancy on the 23d, for the murder of his father. It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner had always been remarked for the violence of his character, and that he had on one occasion struck and severely wounded his father, for which, however, he had not been prosecuted. He entered tile, army, and on being discharged married, and took a cafe at la; neville, where he soon got into embarrassment, 9.,0d, applied to his father to assist' him. The old gentleman di' SO to a certain extent, but refused to impoverish himself by advancing all that his son required. In this state of thieg4 the son resolved upon a desperate and horrible course, and in March last wrote an affectionate letter to his father, in the name of himself and his wife, to come and pay them a visitThe old man came, but very soon afterwards he was found dead in a ditch, near Luneville, his skull having been beaten in in several places with some heavy blunt instrument. On the first announcement of the fatal news, the only feeling that seemed to enter the mind of Simon was what he was to gain by it, for he immediately sent his brother-in-law to Blainville, where his father had resided, to have the seals 0' on all his property, so that nothing might be lost. Still, °ll being brought to view the body of the deceased, Simon, in i presence of the magistrates, showed all the signs of deep on, sincere affliction. After a time, however, his conduct exciter, suspicion, and it was discovered that the deceased bn,' been killed in the son's cellar. The proofs were so irresistible that Simon at length confessed that ho was a parricide He avowed that his invitation to his father was given solely with the design of compelling him to advance money to relieve him (the son) from his difficulties. The father and son being engaged in the cellar bottling beer, the son repeatedly entreated his father to grant him the assistance ~e required, and received positive refusals. The son gave ht two severe blows on the head, and laid him senseless on 0: ground with a heavy piece of wood; but finding from the noisy the father made that he was still suffering, 116 repeated the blows till he was quite dead, and then left th: body behind one of the wine casks. The following nighd, he put it into a sack, and carried it to where it was foun a It was proved that although guilty of this heinous crime, nn, the body of his father, who had just been murdered with Ic" own hand was lying weltering in its blood in the cella. below, the prisoner was, during the day, even more gay WI usual, and was singing songs with his guests. On the me the prisoner retracted the confession which he had made, but the proofs against him were too strong to admit of:, shadow of a doubt, and consequently he was pronounced guilty by the jury, and condemned to death.
The Sun. — 1844-07-02 (London, England)

PARRICIDE IN FRANCE.—A man named Simon, in the prime of life, was tried at the assizes of Nancy on the 23d, for the murder of his father. It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner had always been remarked for the violence of his character, and that he had on one occasion struck and severely wounded his father, for which, however, he had not been prosecuted. He entered the army, and on being discharged married, and took a cafe at Luneville, where he soon got into embarrassment, and applied to his father to assist him. The old gentleman did so to a certain extent, but refused to impoverish himself by advancing all that his son required. In this state of things the son resolved upon a desperate and horrible course, and in March last wrote an affectionate letter to his father, in the name of himself and his wife, to come and pay them a visit. The old man came, but very soon afterwards he was found dead in a ditch, near Luniville, his skull having been beaten in in several places with some heavy blunt instrument. On the first announcement of the fatal news, the only feeling that seemed to enter the mind of Simon was what he was to gain by it, for he immediately sent his brother-in-law to Blainville, where his father had resided, to have the seals put on all his property, so that nothing might be lost. Still, on being brought to view the body of the deceased, Simon, in presence of the magistrates, showed all the signs of deep and sincere affliction. After a time, however, his conduct excited suspicion, and it was discovered that the deceased had been killed in the son's cellar. The proofs were so irresistible, that Simon at length confessed that he was a parricide. He avowed that his invitation to his father was given solely with the design of compelling him to advance money to relieve him (the son) from his difficulties. The father and son being engaged in the cellar bottling beer, the son repeatedly entreated his father to grant him the assistance he required, and received positive refusals. The son gave him two severe blows on the head, and laid him senseless on the ground with a heavy piece of wood; but finding from the noise the father made that he was still suffering, he repeated the blows till he was quite dead, and then left the body behind one of the wine casks. The following night he put it into a sack, and carried it to where it was found. It was proved that although guilty of this heinous crime, and the body of his father, who had just been murdered with his own hand was lying weltering in its blood in the cellar below, the prisoner was, during the day, even more gay than usual, and was singing songs with his guests. On the trial the prisoner retracted the confession which he had made, but the proofs against him were too strong to admit of a shadow of a doubt, and consequently he was pronounced guilty by the jury, and condemned to death. R.
The Sun. — 1844-07-02 (London, England)

PARRICIDE IN FRANCE.—A man named Simon, in the prime of life, was tried at the assizes of Nancy on the 23d, for the murder of his father. It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner had always been remarked for the violence of his character, and that he had on one occasion struck and severely wounded his father, for which, however, he had not been prosecuted. He entered the army, and on being discharged married, and took a café at Luneville, where he soon qot into embarrassment, and applied to his father to assist him. The old gentleman did so to a certain extent, but refused to impoverish himself by advancing all that his son required. In this state of things the son resolved upon a desperate and horrible course, and in March last wrote an affectionate letter to his father, in the name of himself and his wife, to come and pay them a visit. The old man came, but very soon afterwards lie was found dead in a ditch, near Luneville, his skull having been beaten in in several places with some heavy blunt instrument. On the first announcement of the fatal news, the only feeling that seemed to enter the mind of Simon was what he was to  gain by it, for he immediately sent his brother-in-law to Blainville, where his father had resided, to have the seals put on all his property, so that nothing might be lost. Still, on being brought to view the body of the deceased, Simon, in presence of the magistrates, showed all the signs of deep and sincere affliction. After a time, however, his conduct excited suspicion, and it was discovered that the deceased had been killed in the son's cellar. The proofs were so irresistible, that Simon at length confessed that he was a parricide. He avowed that his invitation to his father was given solely with the design of compelling him to advance money to relieve him (the son) from his difficulties. The father and son being engaged in the cellar bottling beer, the son repeatedly entreated his father to grant him the assistance he required, and received positive refusals. The son gave him two severe blows on the head, and laid him senseless on the ground with a heavy piece of wood; but finding from the noisy the father made that he was still suffering, he repeated the blows till he was quite dead, and then left the body behind one of the wine casks. The following night he put it into a sack, and carried it to where it was found. It was pYoved that although guilty of this heinous crime, and the body of his father, who had just been murdered with his own hand was lying weltering in its blood in the cellar below, the prisoner was, during the day, even more gay than usual, and was singing songs with his guests. On the trial the prisoner retracted the confession which he had made, but the proofs against him were too strong to admit of a shadow of a doubt, and consequently he was pronounced guilty by the jury, and condemned to death. MR.
The Sun. — 1844-02-12 (London, England)

PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF SATURDAY. GLOBE.—We know not whether Lord Devon's imperturbable negative on _all. remarks hazarded in the Lords on the Irish Land Inquiry is to be taken as equally pregnant with wise meaning as Lord Burleigh's shake of the head; but that the Noble and Learned Lord is wise in saying nothing of his Usk at present is evident enough. For our own part, though the language of doubt is injurious to the prestige of newspaper infallibility, we had rather say frankly that we do not quite know yet what to think •about this Commission, than come out so strong as our formidable Contemporary the Times did the other day—only to draw our horns in again. The first and second articles of the . Times have been in curious and amusing contrast. The following was the " thunder" of the Times in the first of these articles :—" Here is the case Lord Devon has to deal with :—The peasant population of Ireland are in pressing want of land to raise food for their families. The immediate possession of every given five acres out of lease is essential to, perhaps, each one of some twenty individuals, having wives and children. They bid against each other, without exactly calculating the produce of the land; they have a right to do so— a legal right. The landlord accepts the highest offer, which also, without professedly calculating the acreable value he has an undoubted right to do. We .say nothing of the moral right of either party—of the tenant to offer more than the land will pay, or of the landlord to accept it. But: if we must give an opinion on the subject, beyond all question it is as dishonest in the tenant to offer, as it is in the landlord to let the farm for, a higher rent than can be fairly made of it. But the difference is this :—The tenant is compelled by the iron hand of, htmger—tin excuse assuredly for deeper crimes than an untenable promise under pinching want ; whereas the landlord is not forced by famine, and is not to be excused by purblind cupidity, for demanding a rent which the most industrious occupier could not pay—for which no solvent tenant, and none but a perishing desperado, would have the face to pledge himself. What then happens ? The rents are not paid—ejectments are executed—the defaulting tenants are ousted, the incomers murdered in their beds. Is not this a true picture? Is anything exaggerated ? And must the reality last for ever ? . This is what Lord Devon has to deal with. Property is already outraged ; living men are sacrificed to the name of property ; yet there comes in a vociferating lawyer— 'Oh ! take care you don't touch the right of property;' hold sacred every blood-stained clod; let peasants by hundreds gasp in their own gore; let them, Lord Devon, manure the wasted soil with their bodies, but, above all things, protect the full purse—prey upon the empty stomach."
The Sun. — 1844-11-11 (London, England)

STATE OF TIPPERARY.  Mr. Sergeant Howley, in addressing the quarter sessions grand jury at Thurles, on Wednerday, thus alluded to the recent murders in this county •—" I feel I ought not to pass over, without remark, the crimes—the many heavy and dreadful crimes—which have been lately perpetrated within this riding of the county. If they do not carry with themselves a strong persuasion to the welldisposed portion of the community, of the necessity, upon their part to awaken from their criminal indiffereace—l will not say sympathy with the murderers —and vigorously to co-operate in the detection of the guilty delinquents, I cannot think that any means I might employ could be more effective for that purpose. How many are there who would themselves shrink from the crime of murder, think it no harm to conceal facts which might help to the detection of offenders if promptly stated to the official authorities ? Such persons may weakly imagine that it tends to their own security not to mix themselves up with such matters—they are as foolish as criminal in thinking so. No man knows, if daring villians gain confidence from impugnity, how soon the blows may reach himself ; for every transaction of life, no matter how trivial, may lead to such crimes, and has been in this county a sufficient motive to the murderer to strike his victim and carry out his sanguinary proscription. Instances are well, known of men who have refused to impart information they were capable of giving, falling in their turn victims to that system of crime which, if they had not actually promoted, they did not at least aid in checking and putting down. It may, gentlemen, be very desirable, with a view to prevent the continuance of such violent crimes, to endeavour to trace the motives which may be supposed to have produced them—to ascertain what causes may have produced them—to see how far those causes (if proper to be removed) should be set aside, or be so qualified as not to stimulate to violence and blood the passions of the people. I will not say that those who enter upon such discussions may not be actuated by the best intentions, and with a perfect desire, by the modes to which they resort, to dry up or to exhaust the springs of crime ; but I cannot help thinking that it is not quite wise, while the act of murder is still recent, to raise up collateral discussions on the general causes of crime, or the particular motive that may be supposed to have produced the offence in question. Explanations at such a moment are too likely to be interpreted as a justification of the dreadful act, and not only to give additional boldness and confidence to the ill-disposed, but tend in some measure to keep back others from aiding in the detection of the criminal, by throwing round him the false colours of retributive justice. Whilst the pursuit is hot, the only cry should be against the murderer—and it appears to me that clinical lectures on the exercise of rights over the mangled remains of the unhappy victim, are, to say the least of them, ill-timed, and may be very mischievous."
The Sun. — 1844-11-11 (London, England)

ROBERTS U. DENIII.3I. In this case, which was tried before Mr. Baron Parke, at the last assizes for the county of Surrey, and a verdict found for the plaintiff for 8001. damages, Mr. Platt moved for a rule to show cause why -the verdict should not be set aside and the damages' reduced, or a new trial had. It was an action for breach of promise of marriage, brought by Miss Roberts against Mr. Denham, the captain of a merchant vessel. It could not be denied, upon the evidence which came out upon the trial, very much to his own surprise, and that of the gentleman who instructed him, that a proiniie of marriage had been made by the defendant. It apfeared that this young lady had been taken into the family of Captain Evans. She was an orphan, and having been introduced into the family as a sort of servant, had risen to the situation of nursery governess. It so happened that the plaintiff and the defeedant met on board ship, in a voyage to this country ; and after their arrival it,x,:this country, he renewed the attentions which were,Sotrnerly begun. Captain and Mrs. Evans lodged in the same house as this gentleman, at Southampton. Except his stating what he would do for this lady when he married her, there was not a tittle of evidence to show that he was a man of property; on the contrary, it had been shown that he had been one of a crew who had been wrecked on the Chinese coast, many of whom were barbarously murdered, and that on that occasion he had lost all that he possessed. It was very difficult in cases of this kind to lay down any rule by which the jury should be.governed ; but he thought the safest rule was to take into consideration what the injury of the young lady would be from losing the marriage. In a court of law it must be taken as a mere contract, and they must estimate the damages resulting from the breach of that contract. Mr. Baron PARKE said the defendant told Mrs. Evans that he had property, and could settle 501. a year upon the plaintiff. The conduct of the latter was exceedingly proper under the circumstances. Mr. PLATT said there was one very extraordinary part of this case: Mrs. Evans, when informed of the intention of the plaintiff, suggested to him the propriety of consulting his relations. Nothing certainly could be more proper ; because, if all tlarnsband's relations were hostile to the marriage, the wife could not expect to lead a happy While they were at Southampton, the sister of the defendant was invited to come over. She did so; and it was a most remarkable circumstance, that though the sister dined at the table of defendant and Mrs. Evans she was never introduced to this young lady. The na tural inference from this was, that the union would have been very unsatisfactory to the family. Otherwise why should the defendant's intention have been kept from her? Mr. Baton
The Sun. — 1844-05-29 (London, England)

LORD COTTENH.A.M'S DEBTOR AND CREDITOR BILL. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) There is a disease of the nervous system which is most prevalent in the luxurious and refined periods of civilisation ; it produces such a weakness and effeminacy of mind, as renders the patient unable to bear the sight of immediate pain and trouble, and causes him to sacrifice some of the most important permanent matters, either to himself, or his family, or his country, for the remission of a little present suffering. The affectionate and caressing sympathy which is lavished on horrible murderers, sometimes even by ladies of rank and education, is the most inveterate (but not very uncommon) form of this disease, but its symptoms are generally shown in the anxiety to relieve various classes of evil-doers, as incendiaries, felons, larceners, and insolvent debtors, from the ancient penalties awarded to their several transgressions ; with regard to this last class of evildoers, these diseased persons have been so eminently successful, that they have succeeded, after some thirty years' labour, in giving almost complete impunity to all insolvents, no matter what may have been the conduct, :wilful or involuntary, which has caused their insolvency. A public document, on which a legislative measure now in progress through the Lords is founded, is a striking example of this disease, and of its obliterating effects on the moral sense and the judgment. The report of the Commissioners appointed to investigate the Bankruptcy and Insolvency laws, 1840, says page  xxiii, " The arrest of a debtor who is wholly insolvent is of no direct use whatever" (observe the crafty introduction of the word direct—the question is, as to its use, and its indirect use may be very great. If by direct use be meant compensation to him who is injured, scarcely any evil inflicted on the wrong-doer has any direct use), " and of this nature are the greater number of arrests in execution. An honest debtor who can pay, will do so before the costs of an action are added to his debt" (such a sort of debtor none but a lunatic or a wicked man would sue by law, therefore this remark is only an irrelevance or worse); " or if he be under temporary difficulties, and have his liberty, he will exert himself to procure the means of payment" (and such an one would be rarely pursued by his creditors). " A dishonest debtor will probably avail himself of the facility which the laxity of the present law affords him, to dispose of his property before the hostile creditor is able to seize it," (and, therefore, he will not dispose of his property under a law more lax, such as has lately been made, and under one proposed still more lax. under the Commissioners' recommendation !) " The practical effect of the law of arrest or final process, combined with the insolvency law, is the imprisonment of numbers merely to be discharged, without opposition at the end of a few weeks," (and, tnerefore, don't imprison them at all, intimates this remark—would it not be more salutary, how
The Sun. — 1844-05-29 (London, England)

COLONEL STODDART AND CAPTAIN CONOLLY. Captain Grover Ilia received a letter from Dr. Wolff, dated Meshed, March 24th, 1844. The Doctor strangely enough fell in with Saleh Mahommed, called ,Akhoondzadeli, whose statement of what he said people had told him of the execution of Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly was published in all the papers, and on the faith of which, her Majesty's Government erased the name of Lieut.-Colonel Stoddart from the list of the army, and the East India Company that of Brevet Captain Conolly from their list. The latter officer has, however, it appears from the last. accounts from India, been promoted to a troop in the 6th Light Cavalry. The Doctor thus writes : " Saleh Mahommed -told me, that the two persons who were put to death, and of whom he gave a circumstantial account to Colonel Shiel, may have been two other persons, and the executioner who told him the story may have belied him. Besides this, I must confess that two things are suspicious to me in the extreme : he, first of all, told me that the executioner Who told him the story had been the executioner of Stoddart; on another day, when I asked him again which of the two executioners had put Stoddart to death, he replied that he did not know. He, more over, makes a claim upon Colonel Shiel for 120 tomauns, which I have learnt from different quarters he has received from Major Todd." •-• Dr. Wolff takes presents to the King of Bokhara, to the value of between 500 and 600 gold tomauns ; and he,appears to have acquired the good wishes and assistance of all the people with whom he has been brought in contact. He thus relates a remarkable ,circumstance "I have written a most respectful letter to the Ameer of Bokhara, which I shall deliver myself ; in this letter I remind his Majesty of the hospitable reception he granted to me, when at Bokhara twelve years ago, and of myiboldly having defended him in England, and throughout Europe; when I heard him accused of being the murderer of guests. I also petition his Majesty most humbly to allow ire to take back my friends to their native country ; or should they have died on account of some fault committed, to inform me of the nature of their crime, and to permit me to carry their corpses to England, to be buried by their relations. I gave this letter into the hands of the Sheik at Islam of Meshed, who read it in the mosque of Gowker-Shah, in the presence of 5,000 people there assembled." The Doctor also says : " A caravan arrived here some days ago from Bokhare, and ask whom you please, the invariable answer is—they may be alive, for nobody has seen them executed; and the Goosh Bekee, or Prime Minister,. who for five years was supposed to have been put to, death, has suddenly come forth alive and well from prison. " The chief of the caravan of Bokhara, Mullah Kereen by name, who leaves that city every two months, and has a wife there, told me two days-ago, that if any one asserts that he has seen the execution of the two elchies (ambassadors), he is a liar."  THE JUNE NUMBER OF  C 0 L BURN' S NEW MONTHLY MAGAiINE AND HUMORIST,  Will contain the following int :Testing articles