npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-03-21 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

KNOWN AS THE PUMPKIN MARQUIS. The correspondent of a China newspaper tells a curious story of a sudden change of fortune in that country. Upon the accession of the present Manchu dynasty, the heir of the last Mug Emperor, who committed suicide on a coal hill in Pekin, was made a marquis and known as the Ming Marquis. During the reign of the last Emperor but one, the then holder of the title died without sons and with no direct heir to succeed to the marquisate and estates. Reference to the family records chewed that the right heir was an obscure personage, who had been completely lost sight of, and search was made for him everywhere by the officials of the Banner under which the marquis was enrolh-ii. For a long time no trace could be found ot missing nobleman, but he was at length discovered standing with a barrow outside one of the gates of Pekin selling a species of huge pumpkin. He proved to be a man of the most rustic appearance and utterly uneducated. Ignorant of his high birth, he was gaining a precarious livelihood as a costermonger. He was with difficulty made to realise the sudden freak by which fortune had raised him to be one of the great 1.-d-iles of the land. Hurried off to the office of his hs was washed, shaved, and combed, and his rags exchanged for costly garments suited to his new station in life. For some days he was polished up generally, and taught the etiquette and Manchu phrases necessary for his presentation to the Emperor. His succession was allowed, and he went to his palace and took possession. Report speaks of him as an honest and kindhearted man, who has done his best to educate himself and fulfil the duties of his high position. He is now about 54 years of age, and still retains his rustic appearance. The birth of sons has secured the succession, so that the family is now in as strong a position as ever. It is his duty to offer sacrifice each autumn at the Ming tombs. His palace is near ono Of the gates of the tpaperial city rt popularly known as the Pumpkin Marquis.  I
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-02-14 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

CROWN PRINCE RUDOLPH.  MORE ROMANTIC STORIES. The Brussels correspondent of the Daily Chronicle says that he has received from Vienna the following further details respecting the last moments of the Crown Prince Rudolph. It is, of course, true (the correspondent says) that the Crown Prince committed suicide, the version that he met his death at the hands of a gamekeeper at Meyerling being pure fiction. But unhappily that is only a portion of the truth, the crime which deprived the Imperial House of Hamburg of its most promising member having been a double one—namely, minder and suicide. The other victim was a Baroness Marie von V— (for obvitus reasons I suppress the full name), a young lady of 21, and one of the beauties of Austnan society. The acquaintance between her and the Crown Prince had ripened into ardent love, with the result not unusual when impassioned youth loves not wisely but too well. This no doubt still further increased the estrangement between Prince Rudolph and the Crown Frincess Stephanie, and the Prince scarcely made a secret of his determination to obtain a divorce. In this he counted confidently upon receiving the assistance of the Emperor, if for no other reason than on account of the disappointment experienced by his Majesty when the doctors certified that the Crown Princess could have no further issue. To the Crown Prince's surprise and disappointment, however, the Emperor point - blank refused to countenance anything of the kind. His Majesty professed himself —as he undoubtedly is —very attached to the Crown Princess, and rated his son for his nnmarital conduct. This was only one of many scenes that took place between father and son on the same subject, the Emperor continually defending the Crown Princess, and upbraiding his son for his mode of life. He threatened, indeed, a very few weeks before the sad end of the Crown Prince, to send him to Bosnia as the governor of that province. The last scene of the kind, an exceptionally violent one, took place on the Monday that the Crown Prince left Vienna for Meyerling, and two days, therefere, before ihe
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-04-04 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SUICIDE ON ARREST FOR FORGERY.  Mr. A. Braxton Hicks held an inquiry on Tuesday, at Battersea, into the circumstances attending the death of Edward Hohnes, aged 42 years.—Mrs. Holmes, the widow, stated that her husband was recently a clerk in the service of Mr. Slaughter, a builder. In October last there was some unpleasantness between him and his master, and he left his situation. He had not been in good health lately, having had a bad attack of pleurisy. He seemed anxious and worried about something/ but witness did not know what was the cause of his trouble. Late one night a detective came to see the deceased, and her husband told her that there was some unpleasantness and that he must go. He then went into the kitchen and drank a glass of beer, and kissed his child. He was about to leave the house with the detective, when he said he wanted a handkerchief, and returned to his bedroom. Shortly afterwards he went out, and about half an hour later he was carried back into the house by the officer and died on the sofa. Some time since she saw a small bottle in his pocket, and he said it contained toothache tincture. —Detective-sergeant Frederick Church said he arrested the deceased at his residence, on a warrant charging him with forging the endorsement on a cheque belonging to his master, and obtaining the sum of £37. When Holmes heard the charge he exclaimed, "Oh dear me, what shall I do? It will kill my poor wife ! " Witness told him to keep himself quiet and to get his clothes on. When deceased went back for his handkerchief witness lost sight of him. As they left the house witness asked the deceased which way they should go, but he made no reply, and they had only proceeded a very short distance when the unfortunate man began to reel about. Witness sat him on the pavement and ultimately carried him home, where he dted.—Dr.ThonmsStevem son, analyst to the Home Office, said that he had analysed the stomach and its contents, with the result that he found rather more than one grain of prussic acid.—The jury returned a verdict of suicide while .in a state of temporary insanity, and they exonerated the detective from blame.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-04-04 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

HEATH. SUICIDE OF A TRAVELLER AT BALSALL REAMMT. Edwin Docker (Coroner for East Worcestershire) held an inquest on Tuesday at the Brighton ATMs Hotel, touching the death of Henry Stainton (55), of 40, Brighton-road, who was found in an outhouse on Monday morning with a bullet wound in the head. —Lucy Stainton the widow, stated that the deceased was a traveller in the employ of the Old Union Mill and Flour Company, Limited. He had enjoyed pretty good health with the exception of pains in his head, which he complained of occasionally. He had on different occasions said that the pains would drive him mad, and she was sure that he was not in his right senses when he shot himself. On Sunday he appeared very unwell. She traced the pains to an accident that he met with some six or seven years back by a piece of machinery falling upon his bead. Lately he had been despondent and low spirited. She believed that he had been worried by slackness of trade. In consequence of this he left his employment at the Old Union Mill on Saturday. On Monday morning he arose shortly after seven, but did not speak to witness. Half-an-hour later she went out into the yard to call him to breakfast. She then discovered him lying on the floor bleeding. She saw nothing of the revolver, neither had she seen it before.— Harry Howard Stainton, son of the deceased, said he had ascertained from the Old Union Mill that his father was suspended owing to the slackness of trade. He believed that this had caused his father considerable trouble of late. —lnspector Long deposed to being called to the yard in which deceased was found. Witness ascertained that one chamber of the revolver produced had been discharged recently, and he found the flattened bullet on the floor. —Jr. Haines, surgeon, Moseleyroad, said on examining the deceased he found a wound on the left temple, and a much larger wound on the right side of the head over the ear. The revolver produced was closely clenched in the man's right hand when witness was called. The bullet had travelled from the left temple through the head to the right side.—The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whil.t temporarily insane."
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-09-12 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

OVER NIAGARA IN A RUBBER SUIT.  Graham's feat of passing Niagara in a barrel has been surpassed by a man named Steve Brodie. He went over in a rubber suit, and escaped alive. Brodie is the man who jumped from Brooklyn Bridge a few years ago. At about daylight he went to a point about 600 ft. above the Falls accompanied by two friends. They padded his body heavily with cotton and surrounded it with steel bands, and then pulled over all a rubber suit, finally placing him in the water with two paddles, with which he was to keep himself upright and steer. He was whirled rapidly to and over the Falls. His friends were watching below. For fully two minutes after be first disappeared he remained invisible amid the mist and foam at the foot of the falls. Suddenly a small black spot was seen tossing like a cork in the seething mass of waters, whisked first to the American shore, then to the Canadian side at • bewildering speed. As it neared the latter a man jumped in, and, casting a rope about Brodie, pulled him ashore. He was insensible, and blood was oozing from his ears, nose, and mouth. He was stripped and given brandy and ammonia, and slowly recovered conseiousnese. He was believed at first to be fatally injured internally, but a careful examination chewed that his injuries are confined to a severe strain of the left ankle and back, and many bruises all over the body. When able to talk, Brodie gave the following account of his experiences : After entering the river I weakened and would have given anything if I could have got once more on land. I attempted to swim ashore by using my paddles, but the swift current swept me back and turned my foot towards the brink of the cataract. When I saw it would be impossible to get I out, I felt as a man does who is to meet his death, and Tprayed for dear life. Just as I came to the brink -I -becanie unconscious through fright and remained so until I struck the water at the base of the falls. There the force with which I struck ternporaril,y brought me to, but I knew no more until I found myself lying ashore." Brodie was afterwards arreejed by the Canadian authorities on a charge of attempting to commit suicide, but releatied on wing bonde not to try the trip again within • vear.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-10-24 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SHOOTING FATALITY AT PERRY BARR. THE JURY REJECT THE THEORY OF SUICIDE. On Saturday night a woodman, named Walter Horton, of Rings Vale, Perry Barr, met his death under circumstances which, at the first blush, seemed to point rather strongly to a case of suicide of a determined character. The inquest was held on Tuesday morning, at the Hare and Hounds Inn, Holly-lane, Perry Barr, by Mr. F. W. Topham (deputy coroner). The wife of the deceased said her husband usually came home about half-past three o'clock on Saturday. On Saturday last he returned home between eight and nine o'clock. He was very drunk. Witness and deceased had a few words, which was usually the case when he had had drink. About half-an-hour afterwards he went out into the yard, taking his gun with him, and a little later his wife heard the report of a gun, and on going out found her husband lying in the yard face downwards. It was quite a usual thing for deceased to take his gun out with him at nights, and it was always loaded. When he took the gun out he carried it in his right hand. She had never heard him say that he would do away with himself in any way. A witness named Thornhill sail he was a farm labourer, and had known deceased from his birth. The latter was very much addicted to drink. He knew that deceased was in the habit of taking out his gun at nights, generally after nine o'clock, and he usually went out when the moon was full.  The Coroner: What had he used to go out for? Witness: I don't know, but to shoot rats, I think.  A Juror: Or to shoot a hare or rabbit, that's more in his line.  The Coroner: Did you know deceased to poach at all?  Witness: No, sir, although I know there were some snares in his pocket at the time of his death.  The Coroner : And do you say that if he saw a hare or rabbit he would not take it? Witness: Well, sir, he would not pass it, but I don't think he would go out of his way for it. The Coroner: Is it a usual thing to hear gun shots after nine o'clock in this locality? Witness: Oh, yes, sir; we very often hear them as late as twelve o'clock at night. . Police-constable Potts deposed to searching deceased, and finding two snares and a number of gun wads in his pocket. When he was fetched to deceased he found him lying on his face, the right side of which was literally blown away, and presented a terrible sight. The jury were some time in arriving at a verdict, opinions being divided as to whether deceased shot himself or met his death by accident. Eventually they returned a verdict of "Accidental death." Deceased leaves a wife and two children.  A
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-04-18 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

ROMANTIC CAREER OF A WOMAN. A curious case of a woman donning male attire ' has been brought to the notice of the jersey police. On the arrival of a passenger steamer from St. Brieue, the commander informed the police that a woman, attired as a man, was on board. She had taken passage for St. Brieue, but the captain, having noticed certain peculiarities about the passenger, on reaching that port summoned a medical man, and be declared that the pseudo-loan was really a woman. He further certified that she was suffering from slight concussion of the brain, and the French authorities, in view of her mysterious conduct, refused to allow her to land. On the steamer entering St. Helier the woman took a cab and prdellhded to a hoarding-house, where she had previously lodged for :10111C time under the name of Louis Hermann. She had every appearance of manhood, and wore a fur waistcoat, a long overcoat, a hat, and a turned-down roller. She smokes a long pipe, or a cigar, with the air of one accustomed to the habit, and has led a roost romantic life. Left an orphan at the age of 13, she resolved to adopt male attire. She has now reached the age of 55 SO that for 42 years she has I een travelling the world, and has been known as a man. Her calling has been that of a courier, and in that c apacity she has travelled widely. She has a knowledge of several Continental languages, and is otherwise well informed. The name by which she was generally known was Louis Hermann Tobush, but in same cases she has dropped the last name, and was simply called Louis Hermann. During the last year she had a balance of upwards of 1:150 to her credit in a banking firm. When arrested by the Jersey police at the boarding-house she had only Is. lid, in her possession, and she is indebted to the host to the extent of 4.310 p. She first arrived at the boarding-house last August, and during her stay conducted herself in a strange manlier. She scarcely ever left the house, was continually expressing the wish that she was dead, and took large quantities of opiates, as she was muble to sleep. While in board the steamer she as very ill, and fell prostrate in a state of insensibility. It was then found that she had a lot of atones about her person, and the inference is that she csaitemplated suicide by trilning overboard.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-04-18 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SUICIDE THROUGH LOVE AND DEBT. A broken-down foreign nobleman, harassed by love and debt, has committed suicide in New York. Thorwald Egedioe, MI of the Norwegian Consul-General at Amsterdam, went to the States some six weeks ago and put up at Morello's hotel, in New York. The other morning he was found dead in his roomovith all the gas jets. turned full on, every appearance indicating that he had deliberately planned his own asphyxiation. A waiter took Mr. Egedius's breakfast to his room as usual, but received no reply to repeated rappings at the door. A strong odour of gas was perceptible, and, becoming alarmed,the waiter summoned the proprietor. Together, they forced the door open, when the rush of gas that came from the room almost overpowered them. On the bed lay the body of Mr. Egedius, attired in a full dress suit with the exception of the coat, which lay beside the bed. The knees were drawn up, and-the hands were clenched. Three gas jets were turned on, as was also a large jet used to supply gas to a stove in the room. The windows were an tightly closed. Scraps of torn letters, written in the Swedish language, were scattered about the floor, and an examination of his effects shewed that he possessed just 13 cents, in money. The doctor found several letters from amen whose acquaintance Mr. Egedius had evidently but lately formed, and most of them regretting they could not advance certain sums of money asked for. Though only six weeks in America, M. ,Egedius, says the New York Herald, had contrived not only,to cut is swirl in society, bitt also to fall desperately in love and the shame at letting his financial position become known to the young lady's family may have been the one cause for suicide. He had not been dead six hours when a cablegram addressed to him and supposed to contain a notification of remittances was left at the hotel.  MR.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-07-18 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

DROWNED IN THE CANAL AT PERRY BARR.— On Saturday the dead body of a man who has not at present been identified was found in the canal at Tower-hill, Perry Barr. The deceased was about 50 years age, of dark complexion, 5 ft. 2 in. in height, stout, and was dressed in a black cord jacket, a black ribbed waistcoat, gray Tweed trousers. and slippers. The body was removed to the Beaufort Arms, Great Barr. Deceased is supposed to have been a Birmingham man. The inquest was held on Tuesday morning, at the Beaufort Arms, by Mr. E. Hooper (Coroner). The evidence went to show that Police-constable Smith, of Hamstead, met the deceased about 5-30 on Saturday morning, and as the man seemed to be wandering listlessly about he remarked, "Old chap, you are out early for your walk," to which the deceased repled in an indifferent and careless sort of manner, "Yes, I aia." Nothing further passed between the two, as the man was evidently very disinclined to be communicative. At the same time the constable saw nothing to lead him to suppose that there was anything wrong with the deceased or that he contemplated suicide. about seven o'clock the deceased went into the Beaufort Arms, Great Barr, and had something to drink, and at 9 o'clock his dead body was seen floating in the canal. The deceased, who has not yet been identified, presents the appearance of a respectable working man, and shows signs of having been well looked after. An open verdict was returned.  THE WARWICKSHIRE HERALII THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1889  neighbouring parish of Balsall, amounting to about £6OO per annum, go to the trustees of the Leicester Hospital at Warwick, who are the lay patrons of the living. The consequence is that the income of the benefice is altogether inadequate for the maintenance of a clergyman. Canon Howe was thrice married, his third wife surviving him. He leaves four daughters, his only son John, having died about four years ago. The death of his son affected his health very seriously, and it is believed to have contributed to the illness to which he has succumbed. Evidence of the universal respect entertained for the memory of the deceased gentleman is afforded by the fact that the blinds of every house in the village of Knowle were partially drawn on Monday, and amongst all classes of residents the greatest sympathy is expressed with the bereaved relatives. The funeral will take place to day (Thursday) in the parish burial ground.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-01-24 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SUICIDE OF A SICK MAN.  On Friday the coroner for South-east Middlesex held an inquiry at Bromley respecting the death of Frederick George Hackman, aged 37, a greengrocer. —Esther Hack man, the widow, deposed that her husband had been confined to his room with an internal tumi.ur for some months past. The other day she left him sitting in a chair by the side of the bed while she went into the shop and on her return she found he had cut his throat. He was conscious and said that he did not know why he did it, but he had a sudden impulse come over him and he tollowed it. Re had been a great sufferer for years but had never threatened to commit suicide. —Dr. Johnson deposed that he had attended the deceased for over a year. Be had a very large tumour, which was incurable. The wound in the throat was about four inches long, and severed the arteries.—The jury returned a verdict of suicide while insane.  BURYING A LIVE GENDARME, A gendarme was buried alive he other day in a villsge near Grenoble. The man had become intoxicated on potato brandy, and fell into a profound sleep. After 20 hours passed in slumber his friends considered him to be dead, particularly as his body assumed the usual rigidity of a corpse. When the sexton, however, was lowering the remains of the illfated gendarme into the grave he heard moans and knocks proceeding from the interior of the " fourboards." He immediately bored holes in the sides of the coffin to let in air, and then knocked off the lid. The gendarme had,however,ceased to live, having norribly mutilated his head in his frantic but futile efforts to burst his coffin open. So terrible a case of premature burial has hardly ever before been reported in France, where hasty interments are only too common.