npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1885-12-26 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

MURDER IN KILLARNEY.  Joseph Rahilly, the victim of a murder perpetrated Within 200 yards of the town of Killarney, was a caretaker on an evicted farm about two miles from the town, in the townland of Knockasartnett, and the farm which he was protecting bounds that owned by another man named Daniel Leahy, who was also murdered in his own house about two years ago. Rahilly was the sole support of five children. The farm under his care was occupied about three years ago, kind for a long time previously, by a tenant named dohn Sullivan. He was evicted, and a man named Mahoney wan placed on the lands as caretaker at the Instance of the landlord, Mr. J. R. Leahy. Mahony Only remained in possession a short time, in consequence, it is alleged, of his having received threaten bag notices. Rahilly, the murdered man, then rm. corded him as caretaker, and held tne farm up to his death. During this time it is alleged that he received threatening letters, and was partly under police pro. teetion. They did not accompany him in his daily rounds, but frequently paid patrol visits to his house during the night. On the fatal morning, between 142 and 11 o'clock, he left his house to attend mass at Killarney, and also for the purpose of calling on a doctor for advice, as he was suffering from some chest ailment. He remained in town for some time alter mass, and shortly after three he was seen making his way In the direction of his home. The road to his house passed by the workhouse, along the northern side. About 50 yards on from the corner of the workhouse wall is a bridge, and between Vase two points there is a bend of the road, and here Rahilly's dead body was found. The police had the body conveyed to the Killarney Workhouse. In the house of a labourer near the spot was an old woman, who states she saw a scuffle, but took scarcely any notice of it. The road is one of the most frequented around Killarney. Upwards of 70 police are in Killarney, and three of them are in lodging about 150 yards from the scene of the occurrence. Four arrests have been made, one being a son of the evicted farmer, Sullivan, who is living in Killarney, and another a poor-law guardian. The police, looney. ing the parties who committed the murder ran away through the fields, have found some boot-marks, of which they have taken impressions. An inquest seas held in Killirney Workhouse next day concerning the death. The medical evidence on the post-mortem examination showed that the victim had died from a severe compound fracture of the skull, the bone being smashed in many plaees, and the brain much lacerated. The face was also fearfully crushed in • manner which might be produced by a heavy stick. No other marks of violence were found on the body. Death was probably instantaneous. The jury found a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. Magisterial proceedings followed.
Cradley Heath & Stourbridge Observer. — 1864-04-02 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

LYNCH LAW IN TNE MORMON TERRITORY.  The Crest Salt Lake City correspondent of the New Yuri. Herald gis es the following account of a hand of a hundred robbers and murderers there captured. t'nfortunately them bands are gathering in many parts of America, and the following is only the first of many such accounte we may shortly expect :  The last express from Bannock City line filet ex. rived, awl eet our wining population in a ferment with the startling intelligence that an organised band if a hundred robbers and noirtlerers hail been discovered in the eastern portion of Idaho, and that some of them had been arrested awl had confeseed to the murder of about a hundred persons between this eity and Brunrock during the last few months. The mining districts —Bannock, Virginia, and Stink. lug Water -were aroused and had initiated the day of retribution by the hanging of fourteen of the tidecreanta within a few dap; and the Vigilance Coinmittee were in parimit of all others, and woukl never stop the good work till they had hung all the others or driven them from the country. The murderers were headed iby one Henry Plummer, the sheriff of Bann 1. Bannock and rg.inia a polished villain that no one suspected of being engaged in s work which the community expected him to be the firet tin suppress. His deputy, George Lane, was charged with being his lieutenant in the Winnow, and entitled to the same consideration from the Vigilante. The night preceding the day of execution men were picketed around the city, and no one could leave aft& dusk. In the morning the word wan passed up and down the mining gulches that work was on hand; the shot guns and revolvers werepicked up, and in an hour or so there were enough of ministers of juetice tone the work pot thmugh. Parties were cent in search of the doomed, and they were soon " gathsred" or "caroled,' and brought to the most convenient place for ere. . _ .  At Bannock City, five empty dry goodr boxes were placed under the beam of an unfinished house, and on these the murderers were assisted to mount, the rope was placed round their necks, and when everything was rea iy, another cord drew the empty boo from under them, and there they dangled mid floor and roof to the entertainment of the outraged populace. Sheriff Plummer wanted five minutes to pray ; but the Vigilante were busy, and NA they possibly thought he might find time after, and as they were busy just then, "jut him through" Bans sermonic. One of the murderers, a Spaniard, took refuge in a cabin, and when they attempted to arrest him he killed one man and badly wounded another. A howitzer was brought out, aol the cabin roof was tumbled about his ears. The populace were terribly mad, and as be appeared be was perfectly riddled with balls. Life not being extinet, filmy rushed bim off to thosscalfold, bung him up a little, and then cut him down and threw him on to the blazing cabin, where halting consumed.
The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1866-04-28 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

ATTEMPT TO MURDER.  On Monday, a private of the 44th Regiment, named John Connor, was taken before the magistrates at Dover, behaving attempted to take the life of Colour. Sergeant William Whittaker, of the same regiment, by stabbing him several times with a bayonet. The facts disclosed a very determined attempt to murder, although the charge was simply for unlawfully wounding :  Whittaker appears to have been sergeant of the guard at the Citadel, Dover, on the night of the 20th instant. A bout nine o'clock in the evening the prisoner WAH paraded for nightyruard, when Corporal Braney, thinking he was intorieeted, took him to Sergeant Whittaker, who pronounced him in an unlit state for latv, end ordered Corporal Williams to see his things taken off tel the man taken from the guardroom to the dryroom." Sergeant Whittaker then sat down at a table to make out his guard report, 8111 i the prisoner was being divested of his accoutrements. when all of a sudden he seized hold of a rifle, with lined bayonet, and clearing his front made a full charge at Sergeant W hittaker. The sergeant, hearing a noise from the rifles, looked round, and was in the net of jumping up, when the bayonet passed between his fingers, penetrated his coat sleeve, and tore the flesh at the muscle of Ills arm. Prisoner then 11111,110 &second charge and stabbed the sergeant in the side, the bayonet grazing against the ribs, which prevented its penetrating his body. At the time the prisoner made the secend charge he ejaculated There, you ! you shan't report another man drunk " The wounds the sergeant had sustained prevented his defending himself, and the prisoner quickly followed up the second with a third thrust, which, as Corporal Milburn, said, must have gene through the body id Whittaker had he not rushed upon him and twisted the musket and bayonet from his grasp. Sergeant Whittaker was removed to the military hospital, where he was treated for the wounds, but, though sulferina much from his injuries, he was able to give evidence yesterday.  The prisener pleaded drunkenness, and said the guard might have prevented what he did had they been disposed to do so • but it was proved that the soner was not go drirdc as nut to know what he was doing, as on the following morning he told a comrade that be stabbed Sergeant Whittaker the night before, and inquired whether he was much hurt. It was also shown that the guard could not have warded off the bayonet from the sergeant without great risk to themselves, as the man lowered the weapon to charge, and cleared his front to get at the sergeant. It is said the prisoner bears a very had character in the regiment, and his appearance would lead to the belief that he was quite capable of the act imputed to him. The magistrates having heard the evidence corn• milted the man to take his trial.
The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1866-04-28 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE CASE OF CHARLOTTE WINSOR.  In the Exchequer Chamber on Tuesday morning Lord Chief Justice zle, Barons Martin, Channel, and Pigott, and Mr. Justice M. Smith, sitting in error, the case of The Queen v. Charlotte Winsor came on for discussion. The prisoner was sent up by the governor id the gaol at Exeter, and was accommodated with a Neat under the council table generally appropriated to attorneys. She appears to have suffered considerable mental anguish since she appeared in the Queen's Bench in .January last, and she has frequently expressed s wish to be relieved from her anxiety, either by the carrying out of her sentence or by its being commuted into s.ornething definite. Burin4 the reading of the record, when reference was made to the charge of murder and the sentence that she be hanged by the neck until she was dead, she exhibited some slight emotion, and shook her head :  At the sitting of the court, Lord Chief Justice Erie, addressing the S,AicitortJeneral, asked him what he prayed of the court.  The Solicitor General with whom was Mr. Barmen), said that he was present on the part of the Crown, as he under. stool the prisoner wished to •Seign errors with reference to the judgment of the Court of Queen's Bench, and that he might be permitted to join in error. Mr. Brewer ,one of the masters of the Queen's Bench; then read the habeas corpus directed to the Governor of Exeter gaol to bring up the prisoner and his return, that he had in obedience to such writ brought her Into Cortrt and surrendered her to their lordships' custody. Mr. Chitty, the clerk of assize for the Western Circuit, produced the record of the proceedings in the trial, and on the writ at error in the Queen's Bench. The Solieiter General suggested that the record, k.. as In Mansell's case, should he taken as rend. Lord Chief Justice Erie said he thought it was better not to take anything as granted, and he directed that the does. silent should be read, Mr. Brewer then read the document. Mr. ibilkard, with whom was Mr. Collins, moved on behalf of the prisoner, who was in court and was the plaintiff in error, for permission to assign errors, and that they might be annexed to the record. Lord chief Justice.Erle : Let It be so . .  The errors were then hunted in and annexed to the re. cord.  The Solicitor General said the usual course was first to assign counsel to the prisoner and then for counsel to move to wean errors. Lord Chief Justice Erie: Then take It that I have assigned you two learned gentlemen as counsel for the prisoner. The Solicitor General In the part of the Crown (pray to be allowed to p.in in error. Lord Chief Justice Erie : Let it be no. We propose to take the arguments In the case on Friday week, which will give the eight clear days' notice required by the law : and in the meantime we commit the prisoner to the gaol of Norgate, to be again brought up on Friday week The prisoner was then removed in custody to he lodged in Newgate.
The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1866-09-22 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

TALE OF LOVE AND JEALOUSY.  A villa at Auteuil,isT the suburbs of Paris, the residence for some time paid of a Turkish general, has just been the scene of a tragic drama, quite is his Torque, the denouement of which must take place in the Aseize Court. All the servants in the Ottoman general's house are Museulmen, with the exception of his housekeeper, called in French a name importing a higher social stutuo, namely, yourernante. Thw lady, a Parisian of great personal attractions, VMS expected to arrange the general's receptions, "according to European forms and usages ;" and it may be 'supposed that these duties would have included that of presiding at table, and making a courtesy in the drawing-room, though this is a point not quite clear. Now, it came to pass that the general's head cook, a personable Ronmelian, aged 28, fell desperately in love with the belle Sultana, as he called her. His love was, though intense, of that patient and despairing kind which beanie's (maul, pee° opera and au/la chiede. He swore to his fellow-servants, by Mahomet, in moments of confidence that he would die a thousand deaths rather than be wanting in respect to his mistress, who was he knew far too high above him to look for a moment upon one of such low estate. Had he been familiar with Shakespeare he would have talked about the "bright particular Aar," and the hied that "would be mated with the lion." But the hopeless humility of his love did not exclude-jealousy. A frequent inmate of the house was a Turkish gentle. man who had &knife and fork always ready for him at the general's table, and often when his prolonged conversation with the poarernante made it too late for him to return to Paris slept in a room kept for his special use. He talked to the "sultana," as he says, only to improve himself in Prench, but the cook's excited mind imagined far other motives. As he had not been able to conceal his love from the dome-tic household, so he made no secret to them of his hatred of a rival. He was seen while in a state of agitation, his eyes rolling fearfully, to conceal in his bosom an oriental poniard called a candgiar. Some of the servants thought it their duty to inform the general's nephew of this fact, and the cook was looked for all over the house, but could not be found. That evening when the Turkish gentleman was going to bed he saw the cook crouching down in a corner of his room lying in wad. Having been warned by the general's nephew, he at once rushed through a side door to the chamber in which the latter slept. The cook sprang after hies, and, a prey to ungovernable fury, intlicteci several stabs upon the door, which the Turk with desperate energy held fast on the other side. The lady, who heard the cook's imprecatione, opened a window and screamed for help. Some policemen were fortunately at band, and they, aided by the servants, stormed a stable in which the unwisely sentimental cook had taken refuge, and secured his person. He now lies iii prson awaiting his trial for an at. tempted murder.
The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1866-03-10 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE WIGAN MURDER.  Our readers will perhaps remember that at the last South Lancashire Assizes two men, John Healey and Thomas Walton, were indicted for the murder of an engine-tenter, named James Barton, at the Button Pit, Haigh, near Wigan, in January, 1863. The murder was committed under circumstances of peculiar atrocity, as the body of Barton was thrust into one of the furnaces at the colliery, where next day a few fragments of human bones toil the horrible tale only too plainly. There was no evidence to connect either of the prisoners with the murder beyond their own confessions, that of Healey having been made in Warwick Gaol, and that of Walton in a beerhouse near Wigan, where he was drinking; and both men are understood now to deny they truth. Inasmuch, however, as Walton, in his statement, declared that the watch of the murdered man had been thrown into the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at a point which he named, an application was made at the assizes to Mr. Baron Pigott to grant a postponement of the trials, in order that a search might be made at the place indicated, and Walton's story thus corroborated or refuted. Sioce that time the police have exerted themselves to make the necessary arrangements for the examination, but there were many difficulties in the way, the principal beiog at first the scarcity of water, and it was not till a few days ago that the Canal Com:iany granted the necessary permission for the search to he made on Sunday. On Saturday afternoon, about 2 or 3 o'clock, a body of workmen, in the employ of the Canal Company, cora-1 menced operations by driving a set of piles, or "sheeting, at Gibson's bridge, and this ognpleted, they formed another dam a short distance above lied Hock bridge, which is close to the Button Pit, where the murder was committed. The &stance between  these OW bridges is about 1,0.00 yards, and between is Pendlebury-bridge, the spot named by Walton as that where the watch was thrown into the water. Ity 6 o'clock the work was done and the water drawn off by a It-inch pipe at the end of the nearest pit, and it was expected that by 2 o'clock in the morning the canal would be clear. At 11 o'clock, however, an accident happened which completely destroyed all the calculations, as the dam on the Red Rock-bridge proved inadequate to bear the weight of water against it, and, with just sufficient warning to allow the men on the platform to escape, the piles gave way, and in ten minutes the work was all undone. The workmen could not repair the damage in time for the men who had been engaged to begin operations at daylight, and when this body, some 150 in number—navvies from the waterworks and boatmen—reached the spot with barrows, sieves, &e., at 6 o'clock, all was in eonfusion. After waiting short time the men were dismissed. without any further preparations for completing the task. During the day vast crowds of persons from Wigan and the vicinity visited the I lace, where some fifty of the county police were on duty.
The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1865-08-19 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

OBSERVER.  journabi put forth a notice that the governor had received the usual official intimation. The 10.511 train from London convey,sl 'alit-alt, which threw fresh doubt on the authenticity of the announcement, but the return of Cl/knit to Li iwn by the 5 o'clock train met the matter at rest. The wretched murderess re, mains calm, indeed stolidly MO, her chief regret being in the fact that the woman 1 I orris has "split" upon her, f which she frequently speaks. She had a farewell interview with her husband, her mother, and her two enders, lint did not exhibit any signs of penitene. lor fear, or indeed thought of her fate, and she attends to the exhortations lif the chaplain with a childish, Hilly kind of listening, nit seemingly understanding him or caring for his words. When the respite was announced to her she made no sign of joy.  The London Times holds that it would be a grave iiiisfortime if Charlotte WhillOr were condeninei I to leath otherwise than by due course of law ; but it woulil at !emit equally deplorable were she to escape. her just punishment through a mere legal quibble. 'him Times believes, however, there is no necessity to apprehend such a ndschance. The course of justice will be rigidly observed, but Charlotte Winsor will find no loophole through which she may escape. The respite is due to the intervention of Lord Wensleydale, and our estimate of the value of his doubts must be qualified by the remembrance that his most conspicuous merit has always been a knowledge of the technicalities of pleading, and it has been sometimes thought that he was rather mastered by, than master of, the mysteries of special demurrers. The questii in now raised was fully argued in the case of Mercy Newton at Shrewsbury in 1849, and we have the authority of Chief Justices Tenterden, Best, Denman, and Erie, of Justices Coltman, Patteson, Coleridge, Willes, and Keating, of Mr. Baron Channel], and of the Lord Chancellor, in favour of the legality of discharging a jury in case oPinecessitv, and of remanding the prisoner for a new trial. The only question is whether the discharge of the jury at the finit trial of Winner was justified by necessity. In an Irish case in 1841 it was held that the fadt that a jury had been shut up for twenty-four hours without food and without wee: ing to a verdict, and that all other business of the Assize wan over, and the Sablstth-day was drawing near, did not constitute a necessity which justified the discharge of a jury. This lush case was brought before the notice of the Queen's Bench when Mercy Newton's case was argued, and it may be supposed that the Irish judgment was then deemed wrong. Even if it were right, the approach of the Commission Day at Bodmin would justify the action of Mr. Baron Channel] and establish the propriety of the second trial of Charlotte %Vinson
The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1865-06-24 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

HMI' PRICES FOR HORSES.—It is hard t4l account for the impulses of a crowd. OW-listen?, a French horse, was rapturously cheered by the mob at Epsom, because he carried off to Paris the Blue Riband of the English turf. Mr. Chaplin, a young Lincolnshire gentleman, who purchased for upwards of 13,000 guineas the two favourites for the Derby of 1865, and who has since found to his cost that they were rather dear at the money, was cheered with equal fervour last week because one of them, Breadalbane, very favourably weighted, won a trifling stake at Ascot against very moderate horses. On Saturday last, inspired apparently by the cheers of Ascot, Mr. f.'haplin is reported to have been amongst the most "spirited" bidders at Mr. Blenkiron's annual sale of yearlings at Middle Park. Ile is stated to have given 1,100 guineas for one colt, and for three others, 700 and GAO guineas each, to say nothing of 150 guineas for a filly. The forty-five yearlings submitted to the hammer on that occasion fetched 14,401 guineas, an average of 320 guineas each. Mr. Blenkiron must be well satisfied with his sale, and we trustthat by this time next year Mr. Chaplin, and the other "spirited" bidders at Middle Park, will be equally well satisfied with their bargains.  JURIES AND BREACHES or PnomisE.--7Whert young and pretty lady was set before them as having been deluded there was no holding. them in, lie remembered hearing an 4..k1 gentleman who had been a barrister in India tell the story of a Circassian slave who had murdered the ma,ter of a harem there. This counsel had to defend her. It was • had case.lut be said, "Put her in ha' beet dress, tile more trnu,parent the bet6er ; set her opposite the jury, and I'll answer for the result." And the re,uh was exactly what be predicted. She had stabbed the man, but the jury pardoned the crime for the sake of the interesting woman they saw before thorn. the case of an action for breach of promise. A yourig and interestiag woman would get damages; but if a bian was ever so young and interesting he got no iameges, but had to pay heavy costs and get scouted besides.—(Mr. Hardy in the Howie of Coininons.) Why it happened he could not nay; but his experience in courts of itistice was that in actions for breaches of prom* of marriage the women had it all their own way, and the men had no chance. The lady was well got up ,-placed in a conspicuous place, and the attenti, It of the jury' directed to her, and of course she was generally in tears. If she were placed in the witness-box and cried -under crossexamination, as they always did, it would be all oyez, with the man. The jury, to show their chivalry, their admiration for the fair sex, and their contempt for their own, would immediately return a Verdict for her. --(The Solicitor General in the Hotme of Comnzona.)