npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Widnes Examiner. — 1896-03-07 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

RUNCORN.  THE INQUEST.  Mr. J. E. Worsley held an inquiry on Saturday into the circumstances attending the death of Thomas Astbury. aged 56 years. of 2, Union-street, Runcorn, grocer and farmer, who was found hanging in an outbuilding, on Friday, and reported in our last issue.—Walter Astbury, son of the deceased, gave evidence of identification, and said his father bad been weak and depressed for four months. They bad lost a valuable mare and two foals. They had also lost calves, and generally speaking the farm was not doing well. He had been ailing for 12 months, but was worse consequent on the losses sustained. He had consulted Dr. Robinson, who hal attended him for about two months. He had never expressed the opinion that things were so bad that he could not live. He complained of bodily weakness and want of sleep.—Mary Ellen Bebbington, domestic servant with the late Mr. Astbury for about four years,said her master s- ed melancholy, but had never to her knowledge threatened to destroy himself. On Friday morning, about ten o'clock she went into the sbippon for some eggs, when she saw deceased hanging from a beans. There was a step-ladder close by. She raised an alarm.—William Povey, Halton-road, spoke to hearing screams about ten o'clock on Friday morning, near the shippon. He went with Walter Astbury, and saw deceased hanging by a rope from the beam. He cut him down. He did not seem quite dead. They sent for medical assistance. He apparently breathed for some ten minutes. Dr. Robinson was speedily in attendance, and he pronounced life to be extinct.—Dr. Robinson said he had known Mr. Astbury for many years. Deceased came to him about four months ago sufferiag from "trouble." He was much depressed. He had been an industrious, steady, respectable man, working early and late. Latterly he had suffered several losses, and expressed regret at having neglected to dispose of the farm at the proper time. He was physically as well as mentally depressed, the one resulting from the other. The members of the lamily were much attached to each other—it was a pattern family—and deceased had said to witness that his wile and children 'could get on better without him. His thoughts were apparently for them.—The Coroner,in summing ur, said there could be no doubt that depression and anxiety more for his family than himself so preyed upon his mind that he destroyed himself when in a temporary state of insanity.—The jury returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide whilst temporarily insane.—The Coroner said he was sure he was expressing the feelings of the jury when he stated how sorry they were, and how they syrapathised with his wife and family.
Widnes Examiner. — 1896-08-29 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

OXFORD STREET, LONOON.  ROMANCE OF A HANGMAN.  AN EXTRAORDINARY HISTORY  Mysterious disappearance seems to be the inevitable fate of nearly every hangman, the latest to fade silently away being the official hangman. of Victoria, says the 'Sydney Uulletin." The man's history is a remarkable one. he was the son of a wealthy English manufacturer, and received an excellent education. In 1880 he reached Melbourne under engagement to a big wine and spirit firm as head traveller at a salary of £5OO per year, nut after a couple of years of the work he decided to strike out "on his own," and bought a suburban hotel. This he kept with fair success until 1885, when he sold out and returned to England. There he received a sum of £5,000 from his father for the purpose of starting in business, but an 18 months' jaunt over Europe and the States was more to his liking, and when he arrived in Melbourne he had scarcely a penny to bless himself with. Half-a-dozen templrary warders being required at Pentridge Prison,he put in an application and was appointed and it was while in that capacity that he became acquainted with Jones, the nangman, who suicided rather than hang Mrs. Knorr. There seemed to be some magnetic sympathy between the men from the first, for they " pard up " immediately and off duty were seldom seen apart. The budding hangman soon got transferred to the police force. In 1888 he left the force 'for more lucrative employment," say the records; but this employment, whatever it was, doesn't seem to have lasted long, for in a few months he is found taking his first lesson in hangmatiship at Bal beret Gaol, when he acted as Jones's assistant. He heat migrated to Sydney, where he earned an honest livin doing a "bit of flogging at the various gaols. But the work was laborious; he was .imbitious. So when Jones cut his throat two days before the date of Mrs. Knorr's hanging, his churn deferred weeping over his old friend until he had penned and posted an application for the vacant billet. This letter was successful, and, starting by the next train south, he arrived in Melbourne in good time, and the job which oven Jones, the slayer of 20 men, had shrunk from committing, was taken on by his delicately nurtured and highly educated friend. A little romance forms a pretty sequel to the story. Within a month after the demise of the esteemed Jones, the new hangman led to the altar a blushing bride—the widow ef his predecessor.
Widnes Examiner. — 1896-11-21 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

INQUESTS AT WARRINGTON.-SUICIDE OF AN OLD MAN.  On Monday at the Parade Room Warrington Mr. S. Brighouse (coroner) conducted an inquest on the body of Richard Wilcock, 12. Atherton-street Warrington, aged 80 years, who committed suicide by cutting his throat on the 9th inst.—John Wilcock said the deeeased was his lather, and lived with them. On the morning of the 9th inst., deceased asked him what time it was. He (witness) did not see him and knew nothing of what had happened until he came to his breakfast.—Sarah Ann Wilcock said the deceased was her father-inlaw. On the morning of the 9th inst., about 7.30, as she was coming out of the pantry she saw deceased,who was standing near the fire. She could see that his throat was bleeding, and she ran out as she was afraid. She met a constable and told him what had happened.—P. C. Lewis stated that he went with the last witness to the house. He there saw deceased, who was sitting near the fire. Blood was flowing from his throat and mouth. Witness rendered first aid, and asked deceased what he had done it with and he replied that he had done it with a razor which was upstairs. Witness found the two razors and a knife (produced), which were covered with blood.—Nurse IClarke stated that deceased was admitted to the Infirmary between 7.30 and eight o'clock. He was suffering from a lacerated throat. He died on Friday. The jury returned a verdict of" Suicide whilst of unsound mind.'—The coroner then held an inquiry into the death of Lucy Tarwood, who resided at Garibaldi-street. and who sustained fatal scalds on the 12th inst ,—Mary Alice Yarwood said she resided at 8, Garibaldi-street. The deceased was her daughter, andwas aged ei2ht months. The accident took place on Thursday, 12th inst. On the above date she left a pan, which contained turnips, on the bar of the firegrate. rhere was a guard in front of the fire, and when she returned she found the pan had been upset, by what means she did not know, and the child was scalded. She died at halfpast eleven on Saturday morning from the effects of the scalds. A verdict of "Accidental death " was returned,  The toad captures insects by darting out its tongue so rapidly that the eye cannot follow the motion. The tip is covered with a glutinous secretion, to which a fly or other mall insect adheres.  - Warrington.—Printed and Published by JoaN WALKER The Examiner General Printing Works, Bewsey-stree, and Published also at The Examiner Office, Victoria-roam WIDNES; High-street, RuNcom ; 32, George.street. S;f: HELENS; and 33, Market-street,
Widnes Examiner. — 1896-09-12 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

MANCHESTER.  SUICIDE OF AN IRONWORKER AT  WARRINGTON.  An inquest was conducted by Mr. S. Brighouse, on Saturday atternoon, in the Parade Room, Irlam-street, Warrington, on thl body of Hamblet Guest, an ironworker, who resided at 22, West-street, and who hanged himself in an out-house in his yard on Thursday morning last. The first witness called was Emma Guest, who stated that the deceased was her husband. He was 50 years of age. Ile was stopped from his work at the forge the previous week. He did take drink occasionally but he did not leave his work in consequence. She believed it was only a temporary stoppage at the works. He was upset about it. On Wednesday night he went to bed. He talked about being discharged. He got up at two o'clock in the morning complaining of pains in the head. He had often done that before and she also got up with him as a rule. It did not alarm her when he went out. He had never threatened to take his life and she never suspected it. The discharge from the works had something to do with it.—By Inspector Spinks : The deceased had not lost time through drink. He was no a man that seemed likely to take his life. Thomas Guest said deceased was )%.4 lather. Witness worked during Wednesday night and on coming home at seven o'clock the next morning, his mother asked him whether he had seen his father,an-d as he had not,she told him to look in the closet. lie did so and fGund the deceased hanging from one of the beams wit his feet clear from the ground. Witness shouted for ..esistance and the deceased was cu:. down. He was thpr.)l'ead. furthor evidence was called and tit /jury after a il,litiorat:on returned a verdict it he deceased cumuutted suicide whilst temporarily indnel •  The Auitralian cricketers left New -eork cn Tuesday for a brief tour in the United States, after,which they will fulfil several engagements in New Zoi,krod. The profits of thz. Eng,lish tour are st%ted amon,,,Vo more than £lO,OOO, each member of the team receivit;g about £7OO.  To Morurns.—Mrs. Wir.slow's Soothing Syrup has been used over tiity years by millions of mothers fu theirchildren while teething with perfect success. It will relieve the pow sufferer immediately. It is pleasant to taste ; it produces natural quiet sleep, by relie7ing the child from pain, and the little cherub awakes 'as bright as a button," Of all Chemists, is. 11d. per IX.)Ltle.—Advt.
Widnes Examiner. — 1896-02-29 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

INCEN.DIA.RISII AT BERLIN.  AN EXTRAORDINARY MANIA.  Mysterious fires have for some time been happening in a suburb of Berlin, and although they are clearly the work of an incendiary, no clue can be discovered as to the perpetrators. Rags saturated with petroleum are found every where,and the door mats are often discovered to be in the same condition, while here and there placards are pasted with the words" This house will be burned down to-night." Theunknown malefactors are even (says the " Daily News correspondent) extending their rascally operations to other parts of the town. Near the Goltz Strasse a placard has been found in a large Board school announcing the burning down of the building and the whole street. The affair has become so serious that the scientific world is beginning to give it attention. Professor Mendel, the psychologist, i of the opinion that the fires are the work of insane or hysterical persons. He recalls similar outbreaks in former years, speaking particularly of one in France in 1833. In this case the guilt was traced to a hysterical girl of nineteen, who had begun the disastrous work, and, so 'to say, infected a number of girls of the same age and tendency, so that at last there was a regular corps of female incendiaries.  At Sale on Monday three ladies were fined for riding bicycles on the footpath. Two of them pleaded that they thought the police would not summon ladies. Edith Johnson, the daughter of a Canterbury auctioneer, a prepossessing girl of about 20, stabbed herself to death at the residence of a young man named Wood on Monday. At the inquest on Monday night a verdict 9fm suicide was returned. It is presumed that the girl injured herseif to excite the sympathy of her lover, and happened to divide an artery, bleeding to death in less than ten minutes.
Widnes Examiner. — 1896-02-08 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

RGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER AND  SITICIDEIAT RUNCORN.  POLICE COURT PROCEEDINGS.  On Thursday at Runcorn Police Court before Messrs. F. J. Norman and E. Imisen, a middle-aged woman named Catherine Gregory,a married woman of Penkethlane, was charged with attempting to murder her child, Gertrude, aged two years, by jumping with it in the Ship Canal at Runcorn on the 3rd February ,and she was further charged with attempting to commit suicide with jumping into the canal on the same date. John Ball, Cooper-st., Runcorn, bargeman on the Ship Canal, stated that on the day in question he was in tow with the tug Gvrennie, when he saw the prisoner sitting on the steps opposite the Bridgewater Lock,with a child in her arms. He was proceeding up the canal and his barge giving a sheer on one side caused him to turn round, and thus lose sight of the woman. On again looking in that direction he saw that she was in the water. A child was in the arms of the woman. He cried to those on the packet to let go the barge,and they returned to try and rescue the woman. Be also cried "Bridgewater lock ahoy." He could not say whether,she jumped or fell into the water.  Henry Hardley, gateman at the Bridtvewater lock, stated that he heard an alarm given by the last witness about 11.30 on the date named. He got a small boat and crossed the canal to the woman. Witness held her up and found she had the child in her arms. She did not say anything and had "little help in herself." She made no attempt to move when in the water. He did not know how she got in. Sergeant Lee said he rendered first aid, and in about threequarters of an hour she recovered consciousness. They obtained dry clothes, after which they took her home. Witness asked her what was the reason that she had come down to the docks and she replied that she had come down to the lock with the sole purpose of destroying herself and child. He then asked what was her reason for coming down, and she said it was through the unkindness of her husband who did not give her any money to buy food, and she had scarcely anything in the house. It was through starvation. That morning witness charged her with attempting to murder her child as well as attempting to commit suicide, when she said " I didn't jump into the canal, but fell in." Toe previous night she told him it was a pity she had been saved. She would have sooner died. When witness visited the house there was plenty of food. He was sure she was not short of food.  _ The Chairman said the charges were of a very serious character and the best plan would be to adjourn the case until that day week. They would like the doctor at S:nutsford to examine her so that they might have some evidencß of her mental condition.
Widnes Examiner. — 1915-05-22 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

HEALTH.  Useful Information in Popular  Language.  The French Peasant and Effects of Drink.  A French (lector driven from his region of the North of France had to find a practice elsewhere, so he went West and is now practising as a country doctor. He found that the farmers and peasants had learnt how to distil spirits from any kind of vegetable matter, such as rotten potatoes, and the consequences were sometimes deplorable. The still was never idle, not even on Sundays. Every hoase had its own still. The war hindered it not at all. The smallest establishment gets 40 or 50 litres of potato eau de vie. jt was on offer everywhere, and no occasion to drink was neglected. The drinkers were unconscious of the, danger involved in its use. Ilpilepsy was one consequence, tuberculosis another; it was rare to see an aged person in that region. Suicides, violent deaths, accidents of all sorts that go with alcoholism were of daily occurrence. Influenza, else), easily complicated with pneumonia, is nearly always fatal to the hard drinker.. The doctor presages a speedy end to the race, once so frugal and industrious, unless the " powers " interfere to deprive these peasants,of their unfortunate privilege of distilling their own poison. The Effect of Environment.  The Hampstead Garden Suburb is proving a desirable place of residence for children, so far as their health is concerned. Dr. F. W. Andrew, medical officer of health for Hendon—in which urban district the suburb is included—gives in his last annual report the results of his inspection of the children in the elementary schools of the district. They prove the same tendency that has been. noted at Port Sunlight and at Bournville, for the children brought up amid natural conditions to be sturdier of limb and greater in stature than those who dwell in ordinary districts. Other factors than housing doubtless enter into the comparison, but the following figures with regard to the heights of boys in the garden suburb school and the overage for all the schools in the district of Hendon is significant _  5-6 yrs. 6-7 yys. 7-8 yrs. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. Garden suburb school 3 7 3 91 3 lit Hendon schools .  In the case of girls there is a similar increase of about one inch in height at each series of years; with regard to weight equally .satisfactory results are observed.—". The Medical Officer."
Widnes Examiner. — 1915-07-24 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SWALLOWED A PENNY.  Ex-Warrington - Fishmonger's  Strange Suicide.  The circumstances of the death from selfinflicted injuries of William Jelf, aged 44—a labourer, of Doddenham, near Worcester, and recently engaged in the fish trade in Warrington—were inquired into at an inquest held at Worcester Infirmary on Tuesday. The evidence of the widow was to the effect that Jelf went to Doddenham, with his family of eight children, about two months ago, having previously been in the fish trade in Warrington—a trade he had been compelled to give up owing to the war. Latterly he had been engaged picking fruit, and he had not seemed well, the loss of his business preying on his mind.: Whilst'she was getting tea ,ready on the evening of July 14th she heard her husband biting a penny. Then he apparently swallowed it, remarking "It's' gone. Tried to Force Bottle Neck Down His Throat.  Next he took a bottle, and bit the neck off, and tried to force it down his throat. Witness struggled with him, but was pushed away, and she ran for help. She went half a mile to her mother-in-law, and said her husband was going mad. On returning to the house she found the door locked, and, through the window, saw her husband lying in a pool of blood. His throat had been badly cut, and a blood-stained knife was found on the table, also a sharp bloodstained spike. The next witness was Lewis Smith, a farmer, who deposed that on the evening of July 14th he met deceased's daughter in the road with a chopper, and when he asked her where she had got it from she replied, "I've got it from daddy." Smith went to the house and found Jell on the floor with his throat cut. "Banged the Side of His Head With A Chopper."  Beatrice Jelf, the daughter of the deceased referred to by the previous witness, stated that she saw the struggle between her father and mother, and added that afterwards her father banged the side of his head with a chopper and fell down. She picked the chopper up and ran away, meeting Mr. Smith in the road. Mr. Allport, clinical assistant at Worcester Infirmary, deposed that when admitted to the Infirmary there was a wound about six inches long across the deceased's throat, also a cut on the right side of the neck. There was a deep incision in the windpipe. On the head there were nine cuts. The wounds healed up very well, but on Thursday Jelf became violent, a fact which witness attributed to the man's bad mental condition. The deceased talked in , coherently about cherry picking, submarines, and -ways of making money., The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased committed suicide whilst temporarily insane, and they handed their fees to the widow.
Widnes Examiner. — 1915-09-11 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

WHY SO MANY ARE WANTED. Lance-Corporal Wilson, of the Liverpool Scottish, said that if the young men wouldn't fight for their mothers, wives and sweethearts now he didn4 -know when they‘ would! Now they had for thirteenononths been begged and preached and prayed to. The Germans did not hate the Russians or the French, or the Belgians; they hated the English; and if they ever got over here there would be more suicides in one day than casualties in all the thirteen months. They might wonder why so many men were wanted when we already had three million. Well for instance, in the whole three years of the Boer War the Northumberland Fusiliers lost 500 men and 30 officers; in the present war, on June 16th, they lost more than those within half-an-hour. That was why we wanted more men.  All our Allies had conscription; but we had not; and he asked them: Would they like our Allies to say at the end of the war that England had   not done her full " whack "? Because until we had every possible man doing his utmost, we should not be doing our full "whack." Warringtonians had no right to say "Bravo, South Lancs." until they knew that every possible man was in it. When the war first started we had no difficulty about recruiting; the idea was: "Boys, there's a row on somewhere; we're in it!" But that good old English spirit was being lost; and it was a disgrace that he, as a wounded soldier and one of their own men, should have to ask them to come outi. It was not because they lacked pluck, and they had the finest land and traditions to fight for; then let them keep the glorious old flag flying. (Applause.) The Chairman announced that they had already got six recruits from the meeting, now motoring to town to enlist. Via Winwick-road, Winwick-street, Horsemarket-street and Sankey-street, the procession —followed by some hundreds— _ten returned to the Town Hall, where a short speech was delivered and musical items given: The speakers' motor was lent by Mr. W. Peter Rylands.
Widnes Examiner. — 1915-09-18 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SUICIDE.  Warrington Filecutter In Paddington Locks.  At the Stocks Inn, Padgate, on Friday, before Mr. Brighouse, an inquest was held on the' body of John Kenwright, of Padgate. John Edward Kenwright identified the body as that of his father, who had been a filecutter for forty years, and was in the employ of Messrs. Stubs, of Warrington. He lost his wife about twelve months ago, and had latterlY been living in Green-lane, Padgate, with his brother. He had been away from work for the last five weeks, suffering from nervous debilitr; indeed, he had not been in good health for some time since. When the witness got up at 6.30 on Wednesday morning he looked into his father's room but found that he was not there. However, he attached no importance to the fact as his father was in the habit of going for early morning walks. A few hours later his father's body was brought home in a cart. Peter Rathbone, lock-keeper at Paddington* said that at 5.30 on Wednesday morning be found a -cap and jacket, belonging to the deceased, on the canal bank. Attached to the cap was a piece of cardboard bearing the name "John Kenwright." P.C. Edelsten spoke to recovering the bodi. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide. whilst of unsound mind."  • Perhaps sympathy is never really lost, !nit lota of it seems to be mipplazed. A man can make himself think he's aiminE to be a great patriot when what he's doing chasing a public job.  Printed and published by John Walker and Cm (Warrington),General Printing Works, Bewsey-street, WarLimited, at the EXAMINE* , rington; also published by them at the EXAMINIE Offices, 2, Victoria-road, WidneB; 32, George-street, St. Helens; 3, Market-street, Earlestown, all in the County of Lancaster; and at Church-street, Runcorn, in tid C9IV-1-tr of Cbestxr.  I