npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1858-05-10 (London, England)

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.  ATIEUTTED SUICIDE. —Jane Hudson, a young girl, living as servant at 78, Norton-street, Fitzroy-square, was charged with attempting to commit suicide under . the following circumstances. The prisoner seemed in a state of great nervous excitement. Henry Raymond said that about one o'clock that morning he was going along Hemming's-row, when he observed the prisoner sitting on the step of a dour, auti as she looked very wildly about, he went up to her and fou❑d her with her hands tep to her Eiroat, and her eyes nearly starting out of her head. On close examination, he found she had a piece of ribbon tied so tightly round her neck as almost to choke her. He tried to break it, but the peisoner resisted desperately, making several attempts to bite him, Seeing two cabmen pa,s, he called to them, but they would not stop. At length he sent for a con stable, and she was taken into custody. The prisoner, while he was trying to get the ribbon off, said, " Let me alone ; if I don't do it now, I will at another time." Inspector Combo said she had not been drinking, and at the station-house, finding that she made another attempt, he took off all articles he thought she might make use of. The prisoner's sister came forward and said she cou'd not account for her conduct.  In answer to Mr. Bingham, the prisoner merely shook her head, but gave no answer t 3 to the cause. __  Mr. Atchison, the girl's master, said he was willing to take her home if she would go. Mr. Bingham said it was very kind, and he thought it would be the best course. He had no doubt if a medical man saw her, she would soon be quite recovered. The girl having consented to go back to her employer was give❑ up to him.
The Sun. — 1858-05-10 (London, England)

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.  ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. —Jane Hudson, a young girl, living as servant at 78, Norton-street, Fitzroy-square, was charged with attempting to commit suicide under the following circumstances. The prisoner seemed in a state of great nervous excitement. Henry Raymond said that about one o'clock that morning he was going along Hemming's-row, when he observed the prisoner sitting on the step of a door, and as she looked very wildly about, he went up to her and found her with her hands up to her Caveat, and her eyes nearly starting out of her head. On close examination, he found she had a piece of ribbon tied so tightly round her neck as almost to choke her. He tried to break it, but the prisoner resisted desperately, making several attempts to bite him. Seeing two cabmen pass, he called to them, but they would not stop. At length he sent for a con stable, and sbe was taken into custody. The prisoner, while he was trying to get the ribbon off, said, " Let me alone ; if I don't do it now, I will at another time." Inspector Combo said she bad not been drinking, and at the station house, finding that she made another attempt, he took off all articles he thought she might make use of. The prisoner's sister came forward and said she cou'd not account for her conduct. In answer to Mr. Bingham, the prisoner merely shook her head, but gave no answer as to the cause. Mr. A tchison, the girl's master, said be was willing to take ber home if she would go. Mr. Bingham said it was very kind, and he thought it would be the best course. He had no doubt if a medical man saw her, she would soon be quite recovered. The girl having consented to go back to her employer was given up to him.  published specifying the hour and minute of the arrival at
The Sun. — 1858-10-09 (London, England)

SHOCKING SUICIDE AT DOVER.  DOVER, FRIDAY. . A suicide has just taken place here under very shocking circumstances. Air. Godden, corn and hop factor, of Ashford, the deceased, who was about 30 years of age, has for several months past been a frequent visitor at 25, Snargate-street, a house of ill fame, kept by a person known by the name of Cullen. It is stated that he has been known to take up his abode in the house for several days together. From what can be gathered it appears that he arrived at Dover from • Ashford by the 9.30 train last night, intending to proceed this morning to Canterbury, where he had business to transact. On his arrival here he repaired as usual to the house above described, and there remained the night. What passed during this time is not yet known, but it would almost appear that he was seized with some sudden impulse to commit the horrible deed, as he was shaved and dressed apparently in readiness for his journey to Canterbury, when his remains were discovered at about half-past 11 o'clock this morning. According to the statement of the people of the house, he was just upon the point of starting, when he returned to the bedroom he had occupied under the pretence of fetching something he had left behind, shortly after which they were startled by a loud report. On the room being entered, the deceased, it is stated, was found weltering in blood, which was rapidly flowing from a wound in the side of his head, just beneath the jaw, which had evidently been inflicted by the deceased's own hand with a revolver that was lying by his side. Life was then scarcely extinct, bu t before Mr. Barton and Mr. Coleman, the medical gentlemen who were called in, could arrive he bad ceased to breathe. The revolver with which the act was perpetrated is a five-chamber weapon, and when it was found the whole of the chambers were loaded and capped, with the exception, of course, of the one which had been discharged. The deceased brought a portmanteau with him from, Ashford, and this was found in the room in which he had slept, but on examination by the police it was found to contain nothing which could tend to throw the slightest light on the melancholy affair. The • coroner's inquiry is to be held to-morrow.
The Sun. — 1858-03-31 (London, England)

HEALTH OP LONDON DURING TB.E  (Prom the Report of the Registrar Goneral.)  Under the influence of fine weather the mortality is much reduced. The deaths in London were in two previous weeks 1,487 and 1,431 ; last week they fell to 1,268. In the ten years 1848-57 the average number of deaths in the weeks corresponding with last week was 1,217 ; but as the deaths returned for last week returned in an increased population, they should be compared with the average after the latter is raised in proportion to the increase, a correction which will make it 1,339. The present return is, therefore, so far favourable, that it shows the number of deaths less by 71 than that which the average rate of mortality towards the end of March would have produced. There is a decrease of the deaths of last week as compared with these of the preceding week, in each of the five classes of disease to which they arc referred, pith the exception of the last elass. Zymotic diseases were fatal in the two weeks in 286 and 270 cases ; constitutional in 281 and 217 ; the local (which include bronchial affections) in 628 and 566, and developmental disease in 170 and 145. Deaths by violence, the registration of which b !comes more active towards the end of the quarter, increased from 35 to 50. Of these 50, 39 were accidental, and were chit- fly from fractures and burns, and suffocation of children in bed ; 4 were cases of infanticide, and 7 of suicide. Bronchitis has declined in the number of fatal cases from 192 to 152—the corrected average for last week is 137. Pneumonia, from which 109 persons died, shows little excess on the average. Whooping-cough declined from 83 to 72 in the two weeks ; scarlatina from 40 to 29 ; typhus with common fever from 41 to 26. There were 12 deaths last week from diarrhoea (all, except 4, amongst • infants) ; and a young woman died in Pentonville from "cholera biliosa," after 5 days' illness. Three children died of measles in the workhouse, Gray's Inn-lane. Ten cases of diptheria are recorded, in which it was either the primary or the secondary cause of death. Seven persons, the victims of intemperance, are included in this return, besides 3 who died of delirium tremens. Four women and a man had arlived at the advanced age of 90 years or upwards. amongst whom was a widow whose years had been extended to 97.  G.mat (~t1(/:trom. the Morning Chronicle.) Whigs, at tAxeleation exists among the Palmerston servatives, in't,,"obrtraailnleanings indicated by the Cmpproey.iens o£ their new India Bill. The specific Constituency of 52000 r ptzelb,Ltri,,,ono7,..to create a new or to give to five great town., cunlnaettAaltryl'atios-right to elect five Contact merce with India, the . The Scinde Railway Company have for the lore—does not so much really occupy their rai.„,,_ India Company 350,000/. on account of capital '•"-'3) Po • paid to the East Pun from Meehan to Lahore z nd Umritir  Lass week the birth of 1,000 boys and 924 girls, in all 1,924 children, were registered in London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1848-57, the average number was 1,61 G.
The Sun. — 1858-08-17 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND SEDUCTION.—Mary Ann Thomson a young woman, whose parents are said to be respectable, was brought before Mr. Combe, charged with attempting to commit suicide at Blackfiiars-bridge. Police-constable 197 L said that about 10 o'clock on Saturday night he was on duty in the Blaekfriars-road, when a lad came running up to him and told him that a female had attempted to jump off Blackfriars-bridge. He immediately proceeded there and saw the prisoner struggling with a man in one of the receQses, who told him that she was climbir,g over the parapet to jump into the river when he seized hold of her clothes, and with great difficulty succeeded in pulling her back. She was without her bonnet, and she told witness that it had been her intention to commit suicide, and he then took her into custody. She cried very much, and told him that her father had turned her adrift because she had the misfortune to have an illegitimate child, and that was the reason she had meditated suicide. The prisoner, who stated her age to be 30, said it was quite true what she bad told the constable, but now she was very sorry, and would never repeat the attempt. Mr. Combe asked whether anything was known of her friends ? The constable replied that her father kept an ironmonger's shop at Islington, and was in comfortable circumstances, but he tamed her adrift and would not support her.  The prisoner said that she did not want him to support her. All she requested of her father was a little clothing to enable her to go into service. Mr. Combs asked her where she bad lately lived ? She replied, with a respectable hard-working female in the Barnsbury-road, and she left there on Saturgay P.lorr.ing to look atter a situation in Nelson-square, but she was disappointed.  Mr. Combo severely lectured her as to her conduce, and discharged her on her promising to return to her friend in the Barnsbury-road.
The Sun. — 1858-08-17 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND SEDUCTION.—Mary Ann Thomson, a young woman, whose parents are said to be respectable, was brought before Mr. Combe, charged with attempting to commit suicide at Blackfriars-bridge. Police-constable 197 L said that about 10 o'clock on Saturday night he was on duty in the 13Iackfriars-road, when a lad came running up to him and told him that a female bad attempted to jump off Blackfriars•bridge. He immediately proceeded there and saw the prisoner struggling with a man in one of the recesses, who told him that she was climbing over the parapet to jump into the river when he eei.o,l hold of her clothes, and with great difficulty succeeded in pulling her back. bile was Withuut her bonnet, and she told witness that it had been her intention to commit suicide, and he then toot her into custody. She cried -very much, and told him tlnst her father had turned her adrift because she had the misfortune to have an illegitimate child, and that was the reason she had meditated suicide. The prisoner, who stated her age to be 30, said it was quite true what she had told the constable, but now she was very sorry, and would never repeat the attempt. Mr. Combe asked whether anything was known of her friends ? The constable replied that her father kept an ironmonger's shop at Islington, and was in comfortable circumstances, hut he tinned her adrift and would not support her. _  The prisoner said that she did net want him to support her. All she requested of her father was a little clothing to enable her to go into service. Mr. Combs asked her where she had lately lived ? She replied, with a respectable hard-working female in the Barnsbury-road, and she left there on Saturday morning to look after a situation in Nelson-square, but she was disappointed.  Mr. Combe severely lectured her as to her conduct, and discharged her on her promising to return to her friend in the Barnsbury-road.
The Sun. — 1858-05-24 (London, England)

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, Saturday Night. The withdrawal of Mr. Cardwell's motion of censure on the Ministry in the House of Commons last night, lame and impotent as it is, has been received with a tolerable amount of satisfaction, as t+-to I est for all partitv at the present moment. The whole affair has he ,n considered by the men of the north as a mere faction fight, and as not redounding to the credit of the House of Commons as ade iterative assembly. It has not added to the popularity of Lor.d Palmerston and his party down here; and if a dissolution had followed a defeat of the Ministry it is every way probable that, disgusted as the Liberals of the north are with Lord Palmereton's recent sut serviency to France, and his contemptuous abandonment of the unfortunate engineers Watt and Park to the tender me• ties of the King of Naples, one or two at least cif our north-country borough Members who have supportei hitn would have lost their seats. There is every prospect down here that mere Whigs will go the *at' arthir mat-election, and that the cause of advanced liberalism will be supported by better men. It may be safely stated that the only circumstance that has left any profound impre ision on the public mind during the Ereat dot tee is the rising power of the advanced liberal cause. A letter from one of the Liberal members, received in a neighbouring town this morning, states that the withdrawal of Mr. Cardwell's motion, showing that Lord Palmerston was abandoned by an influential section of the liberal party at the last moment, is considered oven more damaging to the prospects of the ex-Premier than if he had sustained a defeat.  NOTTINGHAM, Saturday. The intelligence of the withdrawal of Mr. Card• well's motion was received by nearly all shades of political parties in this town with.unmixed satisfaction. The course taken by the debate during the week was watched with great interest and anxiety, and the hollow treachery of the Palmerstonian faction completely seen through. As the debate proceeded there was less fear for the result of a division ; and the damaging speech of Mr. Bright gave full assurauJe that the spirit of cabalism would be annihilated. The unprincipled opposition to the Government is deprecated by people here whose political creed is the reverse of Derbyism ; and it is some time since a victory, wising out of a discomfiture so complete and decisive, has yielded so entire a satisfaction as that which has just been achieved.  SOUTHAMPTON, Saturday. The news of the withdrawal of Mr. Cardwell's motion was received here this morning with evident satisfaction by many of the chiefs of the Liberal party. A large number of Southampton Liberals disapproved of Lord Canning's proclamation, and approved of the principles enunciated in Lord Ellen borough's despatch, and they therefore were iudisuosed to see the present Government turned. out by means of Mr. Cardwell's resolution. The longer the debate continued the more an influential section of the Liberal party here saw with regret a struggle sor office on au Indian question.  ATTEMPTED MUIIDEIt AN!) SUICIDE  AT BE rUN AL-GR
The Sun. — 1858-10-07 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF A SURGEON.—Mr. Wakley, the coroner for Weft Middlesex, held an inquest yesterday afternoon touching the death of Mr. John Skinner, aged 31 years, a medical gentleman residing at No. 6, Leightongrove, Kentish-town, who put a period to his exist:nce by poison on Monday last the 4th inst. Mrs. Emily Skinner, only 21 years of age, stated that she was the wife of the deceased, Mr. Skinner. She found him dead in bed on Mondaylast, about 20 minutes to one o'clock in the afternoon. She immediately sent to Mr. Miller, the chemist from whom her husband purchased his drugs, and also to Mr. Rawlins, surgeon. They both came without loss of time. On the top of the bedroom drawers she subsequently found a small blue phial, labelled—" Hydrocyanic acid," quite empty ; her husband had obtained it from the shop of Mr. Miller on the 13th of September last. Mr. Miller had informed her that such was the case. She asked her husband for it, but he refused to state where it was. She consequently searched for it, but could not find it; her husband had never before attempted suicide, although he had threatened to destroy himself before he obtained the poison. He was a man of very intemperate habits, and his violence of temper was extreme. A large wound on her forehead had been caused by the deceased striking her with a three-quart jug in the month of July last. When he began life about ten years ago he came to a good practice, an was then a man of property. His father left him £lO,OOO, which he obtained on arriving at the age of 21. She was his second wife, and there were four children in all, namely, three by the first wife, and sho (witness) had borne him one. He had gone through all his property, and had also disposed of the furniture of the house by a bill of sale a short time before he committed suicide. In reply to some question by the jury the witness was understood to say that the reason why she went up stairs was that she heard her husband e,xclaim " I've done it, l've done it." Mr. R. A. Rawlins, surgeon, of Francis-place, Kentish-town, stated that on arriving in the room he ascertained that Mr. Skinner was quite dead. There was a strong smell of prussic acid pervading the place which he traced tb the deceased. The post mortem examination left no doubt on the point. Mr. Miller, the chemist, of Gloucester-place, deposed to having supplied Mr. Skinner with the prussic acid, and said that the deceased told him it was for an experiment. The label explained the nature of the medicine. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that death was caused by prussic acid, administered by himself when in an 1111801,111 d state of mind.
The Sun. — 1858-10-07 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF A SURGEON.—Mr. Wakley, the coroner for West Middlesex, held an inquest yesterday afternoon touching the death of Mr. John Skinner, aged 31 years, a medical gentleman residing at No. 6, Leightongrove, Kentish-town, who put a period to his existence by poison on Monday last the 4th inst. Mrs. Emily Skinner, only 21 years of age, stated that she was the wife of the deceased, Mr. Skinner. She found him dead in bed on Monday last, about 20minutes to one o'clock in the afternoon. She immediately sent to Mr. Miller, the chemist from whom her husband purchased his drugs, and also to Mr. Rawlins, surgeon. They both came without loss of time. On the top of the broom drawers she subsequently found a small blue phial, labelled—" Hydrocyanic acid," quite empty ; her husband had obtained it from the shop of Mr. Miller on the 13th of September last. Mr. Miller had informed her that such was the case. She asked her husband for it, but he refused to state where it was. She consequently searched for it, but could not find it ; her husband had never before attempted suicide, although he had threatened to destroy himself before ho obtained the poison. He was a man of very intemperate habits, and his violence of temper was extreme. A large wound on her forehead had been caused by the deceased striking her with a three-quart jug in the month of July last. When he began life about ten years ago he came to a good practice, and was then a man of property. His father left him £lO,OOO, which he obtained on arriving at the ago of 21. She was his second wife, and there were four children in all,. namely, three by the first wife, and she (witness) had borne him one. • He had gone through all his property, and had also disposed of the furniture of the house by a bill of sale a short time before he committed suicide. In reply to some question by the jury the witness was understood to say that the reason why she went up stairs was that she heard her husband exclaim " I've done it, I've done it." Mr. R. A. Rawlins, surgeon, of Francis-place, Kentish-town, stated that on arriving in the room he ascertained that Mr. Skinner was quite dead. There was a strong smell of prussic acid pervading the place which he traced to the deceased. The post mortem examination left no doubt on the point. Mr. Miller, the chemist, of Gloucester-place, deposed to having supplied Mr. Skinner with the prussic acid, and said that the deceased told him it was for an experiment. The label explained the nature of the medicine. The jury returned a verdict to tha effect that death was caused by prussic acid, administered by himself when in au =mud state of mind,
The Sun. — 1858-10-12 (London, England)

SEDUCTION AND SUICIDE IN THE CITY.  Last evening, at seven o'clock, Mr. W. Payne, the Coroner, held an inquest at the White Hart Tavern, Giltspur-street, City, concerning the death of Maria Drew, aged 28, who committed suicide undr the following circumstances Eliza Drew said that she lived in the service of Mr. Jeffreys, dentist, of the same street. Deceased also lived in the same house as cook, and wag her sister. She was to have been married to a man named Biggs, an assistant to a packing-case maker, but he had deceived her. She told her that he had taken improper advantage of her. He was to have called to see her on Thursday as they were to have been married the next day. She was some months enciente by him. On the Friday night she made attempts twice to throw herself out of window, but she prevented her by pulling her back. At six o'clock in the morning she went into the kitchen and found that she had drowned herself in the water cistern. She was got out, and everything done to restore life, but she was past recovery. Biggs gave her steel filings on three occasions for an improper purpose, which used to make her ill and sick. She believed the man had gone to work at Woolwich, but she did not know in what part. Mr. Jeffreys said that he had heard that the man had got a woman and two children living in the country. He used to lodge in the same house as that in which the inquest was held, and he had since heard was accepted as deceased's suitor. David Williams said that he resided in New cut, and was on intimate terms with the deceased and her sister, and the deceased had told him that she had been seduced by the man, who had procured steel filings for her and had given her one dose. She also told him that whilst she was standing at the window on the second floor he suddenly seized her round the waist and effected her ruin. John Brown, the potman, said that the man Biggs used to lodge in that house, but he had not seen him since Thursday last. He used to work in the city, and he believed in Watling-street. He had seen the deceased and the man walk out together. Mr. Jeffreys said if he had known that deceased was keeping company with Biggs he should have prevented it until he had time to inquire into his respectability. The learned Coroner having summed up, the jury decided upon adjourning the case.