npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1863-12-02 (London, England)

WESTMINSTER.  CHARGE OF MUDERING A CHILD.—A middle-aged woman, having the appearance of a domestic servant or charwoman, who gave the name of Elizabeth Thompson, was this morning placed at the bar under the following circumstances :  Mrs. Ellen Jones, of 24, Keppel-street, Chelsea, said—l have known the prisoner twelve months. She has lodged with me. lam the landlady of the house. I thought the prisoner was in the family way. I thought so several times of late, and spoke to her about it, but she denied it. I spoke to her on Saturday week. I asked if she was not in the family way. She said she was not, but she was. Mr. Arnold—What induced you to think so ? Witness—Her size ; and then I felt confident she must have been so afterwards. Mr. Arnold—From what reason Witness— Because she grew much less in size. Other people observed it besides me. The neighbours asked me what had become of the child, and said I must know, although 1 told them I really had no more opportunity of knowing than themselves. My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Cox, came in yesterday and had a conversation with me, and 1 also saw a friend of the prisoner's, and in consequence of what I heard from them, I asked the prisoner yesterday afternoon about the child. I said, " Whatlhas become of your baby ?" She at first again denied it, she said she had not had one. I said, " You must have had one," then she admitted that she had. Mr. Arnold—Did she say what had becume of it ? Witness—She said she put it in a parcel and gave it to a boy to dispose of, and he took it away. I inquired what boy, and said she did not know.  Mr. Arnold—Was anything further said about her confinement ?  Witness—l said if she had told me how she was situated I should have been very willing at such a time to have afforded her all the help in my power, and her answer to that was, she did not like to let me know. _ _ _  Sergeant Smith, B division—lt is necessary that I should at this stage of the proceedings acquaint your worship with an important matter connected with the case. On the 24th of last month the body of a child was found, wrapped in a cloak, near Kensington-gardens. Information was given to the police of the circumstances on the 25th, and an inquest was held on the body of the child on the 28th, when a verdict of wilful murder was returned. Mr. Arnold— Wilful murder ?  • . Sergeant Smith—Yes, your worship.  Mr. Arnold—How do you connect the prisoner with the child so found ?  Sergeant Smith—When found it was wrapped in this piece of stuff (exhibiting some coloured rag), and the cor•• responding piece has been found in prisoner's box. Mr. Arnold—Do you know any:ling of this wrapper, Mrs. Jones ?  Mrs. Jones--One piece was in my room. Sergeant Smith—The prisoner has been so recently apprehended that I have not had time to collect the neces. nary evidence, and must therefore ask your worship to grant me a remand.  Mr. Arnold remanded the prisoner for a week to give the required time,
The Sun. — 1863-12-02 (London, England)

WESTMINSTER.  CHARGE OF MUDERING A6HILD —A middle-aged woman, having the appearance of a domestic servant or charwoman, who gave the name of Elizabeth Thompson, was this morning placed at the bar under the following circumstances :  Mrs. Ellen Jones, of 24, Keppel-street, Chelsea, said—l have known the prisoner twelve months. She has lodged with me. lam the landlady of the house. I thought the prisoner was in the family way. I thought so several times of late, and spoke to her about it, but she denied it. I spoke to her on Saturday week, I asked if she was not in the family way. She said she was not, but she was. Mr. Arnold—What induced you to think so ? Witness—Her size ; and then I felt confident she must have been so afterwards. Mr. Arnold—From what reason ?  Witness— Because shegre;:uch less in size. Other people observed it besides me. The neighbours asked me what had become of the child, and said I must know, although 1 told them I really had no more opportunity of knowing than themselves. My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Cox, came in yesterday and had a conversation with me, and 1 also saw a friend of the prisoner's, and in consequence of what I heard from them, I asked the prisoner yesterday afternoon about the child. I said, " Whatihas become of your baby ?" She at first again denied it, she said she had not had one. I said, " You must have had one," then she admitted that she had. Mr. Arnold—Did she say what had become of it ? Witness—She said she put it in a parcel and gave it to a boy to dispose of, and he took it away. I inquired what boy, and said she did not know.  Mr. Arnold—Was anything further said about her confinement ?  Witness-_I said if she had told me how she was situated  I should have been very willing at such a time to have afforded her all the help in my power, and her answer to that was, she did not like to let me know.  Sergeant Smith, B division—lt is necessary that I should at this stage of the proceedings acquaint your worship with an important matter connected with the case. On the 24th of last month the body of a child was found, wrapped in a cloak, near Kensington-gardens. Information was given to the police of the circumstances on the 25th, and an inquest was held on the body of the child on the 28th, when a verdict of wilful murder was returned.  Mr. Arnold—Wilful murder ? Sergeant Smith—Yes, your worship. Mr. Arnold—How do you connect the prisoner with the child so found ?  Sergeant Smith—When found it was wrapped in this piece of stuff (exhibiting some coloured rag), and the corresponding piece has been found in prisoner's box. Mr. Arnold—Do you know anything of this wrapper, Mrs. Jones ? Mrs. Jones--One piece was in my room.  Sergeant Smith—The prisoner has been so recently apprehended that I have not had time to collect the neces. sary evidence, and must therefore ask your worship to grant me a remand.  Mr. Arnold remanded the prisoner for a week to give the required time, , •-•
The Sun. — 1863-12-02 (London, England)

WESTMINSTER. CHARGE OF MUDERING A CHILD —A middle-aged woman, h tying the appearance of a domestic servant or charwoman, who gave the name of Elizabeth Thompson, was this morning placed at the bar under the following circumstances :  Mrs. Ellen Jones, of 24, K9ppel-street, Chelsea, said—l have known the prisoner twelve months. She has lodged with me. lam the landlady of the house. I thought the prisoner was in the family way. I thought so several times of late, and spoke to her about it, but she denied it. I spoke to her on Saturday week. I asked if she was not in the family way. She said she was not, but she was. Mr. Arnold—What induced you to think so ? Witness—Her size ; and then I felt confident she must have been so afterwards. Mr. Arnold—From what reason P Witness—Because she grew much less in size. Other people observed it besides me. The neighbours asked me what had become of the child, and said I must know, although 1 told them I really had no more opportunity of knowing than themselves. My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Cox, came in yesterday and had a conversation with me, and 1 also saw a friend of the prisoner's, and in consequence of what I heard from them, I asked the prisoner yesterday afternoon about the child. I said, " What.has become of your baby ?" She at first again denied it, she said she had not had one. I said, " You roust have had one," then she admitted that she had. Mr. Arnold—Did she say what had become of it ? Witness—She said she put it in a parcel and gave it to a boy to dispose of, and he took it away. I inquired what boy, and said she did not know.  Mr. Arnold—Was;nything further said about her confinement ?  WitncsE—l said if she had told me how ahe was situated I should have been very willing at such a time to have afforded her all the help in my power, and her answer to that was, she did not like to let me know. Sergeant Smith, B division—lt is necessary that I should at this stage of the proceedings acquaint your worship with an important matter connected with the case. On the 24th of last moath the body of a child was found, wrapped in a cloak, near Kensington-gardens. Information was given to the police of the circumstances on the 25tb, and an inquest was held on the body of the child on the 28th, when a verdict of wilful murder was returned.  Mr. Arnold— Wilful murder ? Sergeant Smith—Yes, your worship. Mr. Arnold—How do you connect the prisoner with the child so found ?  Sergeant Smith—When found it was wrapped in this piece of stuff (exhibiting some coloured rag), and the cor• responding piece has been found in prisoners box.  Mr. Arnold—Do you know anything of this wrapper, Mrs. Jones P  Mrs. Jones--One piece was in my room.  Sergeant Smith—The prisoner has been so recently apprehended that I have not had time to collect the necessary evidence, and must therefore ask your worship to grant me a remand.  Mr. Arnold remanded the prisoner fora week to give the required time.
The Sun. — 1848-12-27 (London, England)

LANCHOLY OCCURRENCE AT THE VICTORIA THEATRE. LOSS OF TWO LIVES. i•t, night a catastrophe occurred at the Victoria •-0, by which two lives were lost and many persons ~sly injured. Many exaggerated statements were •elation, and owing to the great confusion which .ied in the neighbourhood it was impossible, until a ,iur, to obtain anything like correct particulars. The rollowing account was obtained at ten o'clock last night from parties who were eye-witnesses of the melancholy event, and who were at that time lying in the surgery of Mr. Sewell, in the New-cut. It appears that during the afternoon an immense num. ber of persons had congregated at the gallery door of the theatre, anxious to see the pantomime, and the instant the place was opened a general rush to the top of the gallery-stairs took place. The consequence was, that in a few seconds the entire stairs were crowded with men, women, and children. . For some time they remained packed together without evincing any riotous disposition, but at length they felt the inconvenience of being so closely wedged together that they could scarcely breathe, and the parties on the upper part of the stairs made an effort to get out, when the weaker portion were thrown down and trampled upon. The of "murder" end " save, oh! save us," at this pei became most appalling. Those who were at the !,- -)in of the stairs, not liking to lose the position they 1 taken, refused to move an inch backwards. The vd above cried as loud as they were able to those beto let them get down, but without avail, when all of -ridden the pressure from above forced those below --inst the hand-rail, which gave way, and about 30 -ons were thrown down upon the crowd standing were. At that time the clearance of the lower stairs caused those above to descend; a general movement from the top to the lower part of the stairs followed, and two persons were thrown down and trampled upon at the landing, just above the spot where the hand-rail was forced down. One or two men who were on the stairs, on seeing the people fainting from the want of air, handed them down as well as they were able, and they estimated the number thus rescued at nearly 30. They were forthwith taken to Mr. Sewell's surgery, when it was fouid that two of the unfortunate sufferers were quite dead. They were both lads, apparently about the ages of fifteen and sixteen. They were forthwith removed to the vaults of St. John's Church, to be identified.  The other sufferers were also taken to Mr. Sewell's surgery, and were attended to by That gentlemen, and also by Mr. Brookes and Mr. Fairbrother, two other surgeons living in the vicinity. Every assistance was rendered to the parties, two of whom were sent home, although suffering from severe bruises. Two others, at ten o'clock, were still at Mr. Sewell's' one suffering from concussion of the brain, and in great danger.
The Sun. — 1848-03-20 (London, England)

LEFT SPEAKING.)  ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. WESTERN CIRCUIT.—Exeter, March 18. The Commissions for the county of lllev3n, and the city and county of Exeter, were opened here on Thursday, by Mr. Justice Wightman and Mr. Baron Platt. The Learned Judges were escorted into the city by the High Sheriff, John Sillifant, Esq., and his train, with the usual formalities. Yesterday both the Learned Judges attended Divine service in the Cathedral, after which they proceeded to the Castle, and the business of the assize commenced.  The cause list is unusually heavy for this county, there being thirty-one causes entered for trial in the county, and three in the city of Exeter—of these nine are to be tried by special juries. The case of the Queen on the prosecution of the Bishop of Exeter v. Latimer, the editor of the Western Times, for libel, is again entered for trial ; but as it is entered to be tried in the city, it cannot be taken until after the county venues are tried, and therefore there is a great probability of its again being made a remanet. Through the kindness of the clerk of arraigns, we have been enabled to see a calendar, and give our readers hn analysis thereof; but it is worthy of umiak, that such is the parsimony of the magistrates of this county, under w hose direction the calendar of the prisoners is printed, that only a sufficient number to supply themselve., the judges, and the officers of the court is allowed to be printed. The bar, the attorneys, and other persons connected with the business of the court must obtain any information they require in the best way they can. We are happy to say, that this is the only county in this circuit where such a state of things exists. The number of prisoners in the calendar is 71, and the crimes charged are, for the most part, of a serious description. There are —murder, four; manslaughter, two; rape, three; unnatural, one ' • cutting, with intent to murder, four ; concealment of birth, l ; assault, with intent to rob, four ; burglary, eight; arson, five ; bigamy, three ; stealing from the person, three; sheep-stealing, four; night poaching, two; threatening letter, one; sacrilege, one; embezzlement, one ; false pretences, one; larceny, 23. In examining the calendar to see the amount of education stated to be possessed by the prisoners, we perceive that a considerable amount of ignorance appears to prevail, showing the sympathy between crime and ignorance ; out of 71 prisoners there is not one possessing superior education, only two can read and write well, 38 can do so imperfectly, while 27 can neither read nor write ; of four there is no account. Since the calendar was printed ten mere prisoners have been brought in for trial. _ _  NOthing. of the slightest interest has been taken in the Nisi Prius Court up to this time (Saturday evening). _ _ _  March 17.
The Sun. — 1848-01-06 (London, England)

FATHER M'DERMOTT'S DEFENCE.  TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMAN.  We, the undersigned Roman Catholic inhabitants, of the town and vicinity of Strokestown, having rev!. with the utmost surprise and indignation the caluulnious statements and assertions contained in some ,of  the public prints, and reported by the newspapers to have been made in the Houses of Lords and C( ern.  mons, against the unsullied character of our belc,•.'ed and revered pastor, the Very Rev. Michael Mq:Per• mott, the venerable Archdeacon of Elphin, feel •it to be a duty incumbent upon us to come forward o o. the present occasion, to offer the most unqualified el enial and contradiction to the facts which are fa Isely and malignantly put forth as the foundation of: these calumnies. The gratuitous accusers of this most respected, dignified, but calumniated clergyman, have Exst asserted that he denounced the late Major Maho rcon the Sunday before his death from his altar, a,14. Lord Farnham is reported to have certified in the House of Lords that in denouncing Major Mahon he xnade use of the following words : " Major Mahon is worse than Cromwell, a,nd yet he lives." It appears that when the maligners of our pastor found by his own letter that the charge of denunciation was untenable, as having been. made on a Sunday, they turn round and state, with a degree of matchless effrontery, on the authority of a nameless Peer, that the denunciation of Major Mahon took place on Monday, the day immediately before his death.  Now, we hereby declare, without fear of contradiction, and hold ourselves in readiness to confirm this our solemn declaration by our sworn affidavits  in any court of justice, that we have been invariably in the habit of attending at mass on all Sundays and holidays in the year in the chapel of Strokestown— that we have a distinct recollectip of our having heard mass in the chapel of Strokestown, on Monday, the Ist day of November, called All Saints' Day, being the day before Major Mahon was murdered, and that the Very Rev. Michael M'Dermott, our parish priest, did not open his lips to address one word to bis flock on that day. We further unhesitatingly declare that we never heard the Very Rev. Michael M'Dermott, on Sunday, or holiday, or Saint's day, or any other day, on which he ever addressed his- flock from the altar, to denounce the late Major .Mahon, or to express the words attributed to him in the reported speech of Lord Farnham, or any such words, or any words of a similar import or meaning. Luke Carlos, grocer, &c. Nicholas Fahy, dealer. Francis Kenny, rope dealer and manufacturer. Thomas Casserly, slater and plumber. John Smith, farmer. Patrick M'Greeny, farmer. James Cruise, private gentleman. J. F. Callaghan, woollen draper, &c. Daniel Hughes, farmer. Michael O'Beirne, wine and spirit merchant. Patrick Dolan, woollen draper, &c. Patrick Macmanus, woollen draper, &c. John Lynam, grocer, wine and spirit merchant. Hubert Croghan, wine and spirit merchant. Peter Henry, wine and spirit merchant.
The Sun. — 1848-05-23 (London, England)

THE MURDER IN SPITALFIELDS. i Since the investigation before Mr. Baker, the Coroner, into the circumstances connected with the murder of Henry Lazarus, aged 6i years, who was found about seven o'clock, on the morning of Tuesday last, in the • yard at the back of the house, No. 16, Tenter-street, Spitalfields, Mr. Inspector Scott and Sergeant Teakle, of the H division of police, have been indefatigable in their exertions to trace out the person or persons implicated in this mysterious affair. They are of opinion that the unfortunate child was barbarously murdered in one of the houses leading into the yard, there being six in communication with it, and not that it was taken when dead from the street, and placed in the spot where it was discovered They say it is impossible that the body could have been carried through the streets at that time of the morning, and that, therefore, it must have been concealed in ono of the houses during the night, and that the death of the poor child ensued in a very short time after it left its home. Mr. Gilbert states that death was the effect of strangulation, and that in the contents of the stomach there was nothing to show that it arose from any other cause. It is believed that the clothes have been removed in order that it might be supposed that the object of the murderer was the robbery of the clothes. It is thought that the intention of the person or persons who have taken away the child's life was, by doing so, that they were desirous of concealing some act of turptitude which they were fearful might be brought to light through him. As yet no clue has been obtained of the disposal of the clothes, notwithstanding the publicity of the descriptionthe metrboepomliadtane for them in the cesspools connected with the houses journals. o fllth iesmi nttheantdhedasthb been n a givene a r search should above referred to, adjoining No. 16, Tenter-street. The dress the deceased wore on the day of the murder he received from the Jewish Free School, Bell-street, Spitalfields, at which he was an attendant. Throughout the whole of Saturday, Sergeant Teakle was in the neighbourhood, making inquiries. There is a strong suspicion in a short time this mysterious affair will be brought to light. The members of the Jewish persuasion have manifested a most intense desire to afford the police every assistance to its elucidation, and on Saturday night a committee sat for the purpose of devising steps to offer a reward for the discovery of the person guilty of the horrible transaction, A communication has been opened with Sir G. Grey for a similar object, and an answer has been received from the Secretary of State, intimating that pending the investigation before the Coroner, no interference could take place, and that, in the event of the jury returning a verdict of " Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown," that the usual mode ewroimuAledDmb jeigoabdut be oßptNebdE;eDeinglbNotrcitde justice. order that perpetrator of the Yesterday, at eleven o'clock,tiE Mr. O N W. THEBaker,
The Sun. — 1848-05-23 (London, England)

THE MURDER IN SPITALFIELDS. Since the investigation before Mr. Baker, the Coroner, into the circumstances connected with the murder of L Henry Lazarus, aged 6i years, who was found about seven o'clock, on the morning of Tuesday last, in the yard at the back of the house, No. 16, --Tenter-street, Spitalfields, Mr. Inspector Scott and Sergeant Teakle, of the II division of police, have been indefatigable in their exertions to trace out the person or persons implicated in this mysterious affair. They are of opinion that the unfortunate child was barbarously murdered in ope of the houses leading into the yard, there being six in communication with it, and not that it was taken when dead from the street, and placed in the spot where it was discovered They say it is impossible that the body could have been carried through the streets at that _time of the morning, and that, therefore, it must have been concealed in one of the houses during the night, and that the death of the poor child ensued in a very short time after it left its. home. Mr. Gilbert states that death was the effect of strangulation, and that in the contents of the stomach there was nothing to show that 'it arose from any other cause. It is believed that the clothes have been removed in order that it might be supposed that the object of the murderer was the robbery of the clothes. It is thought that the intention of the person or persons who have taken away the child's life was, by doing•so, that they were desirous of concealing some act of turptitude which they were fearful might be brought to light through him. As yet no clue has been obtained of the disposal of the clothes, notwithstanding the publicity of the description of them that has been given by the metropolitan journals. It is intended that a search should be made for them in the cesspools connected with the houses above referred to, adjoining No. 16, Tenter-street. The dress the deceased wore on the day of the murder he received from the Jewish Free School, Bell-street, Spitalfields, at which he was an attendant. Throughout the whole of Saturday, Sergeant Teakle was in the neighbourhood, making inquiries. There is a strong suspicion in a short time this mysterious affair will be brought to light. The members of the Jewish persuasion have manifested a most intense desire to afford the police every assistance to its elucidation, and on Saturday night a committee sat for the purpose of devising steps to offer a reward for the discovery of the person guilty of the horrible transaction, A communication has been opened with Sir G. Grey for a similar object, and an answer has been received from the Secretary of State, intimating that pending the investigation before the Coroner, no interference could take place, and that, in the event of the jury returning a verdict of " Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown," that the usual mode would be adopted, in order that the perpetrator of the crime might be brought to justice.  4eYesterda