npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Bee-Hive : — 1869-08-21 (London, England)

HARSH TREATMENT OF THE POOR IN ST. PANCRAS.  On the 17th inst. Dr. Hardwicke, deputy coroner, held an inquest at the College Arms, in Crowndaleroad, Camden Town, on the body of James Crew, aged 59, a coachman, who died in the infirmary of the St. Pancras Workhouse. The history of the case, as gathered from the evidence, is as follows :—Deceased sometime ago attempted to commit suicide, and after having been taken to the House of Detention, was removed first to the insane ward of the workhouse and then to Colney Hatch Asylum. He was discharged from Colney Hatch, as cured, towards the end of last year, and then received ss. a week and three loaves a week from St. Pancras, as outdoor relief. The guardians, a short time ago discontinued this relief, and said the man his wife, and three children must go into the house, man, required more relief. The wife objected to break up her home, as she received 10s. a week for minding- a gentleman's house, with which she was enabled to pay 4s. Gd. a week, and support her three children. The husband, however, went into the house. The discharge committee suggested to him (as admitted by the relievineofficer) that what little goods his wife had must be sold to pay part of his maintenance, and that the whole family must come into the house. The wife of deceased objected to give up her lodging and sell her goods, as she said the gentleman whose house she was minding might retuin at a moment's notice, and then she would have nowhere to go to. The wife states that she told the relieving officer that she would support her husband out of the house if the guardians would only allow her one shilling or eighteenpence per. week. This the relieving officer did not remember,but he stated that he advised the discharge committee to continue the out-door relief as a better course than pauperising the whole family. The committee did not agree with this, but insisted that the home must be broken up an the goods sold. Before any action, however, was taken the man died. The widow said the threat of the committee, to sell them up preyed upon deceased's mind, and when she visited him in the workhouse he said he should get on very well, "only for that horrid committee." He several times said he dreaded going before those men again. She believed his death was accelerated by anxiety,. the result of the way the committee treated him. The medical evidence showed that death was caused. by apoplexy on the morning of the 14th inst. The foreman and several of the jurymen expressed theirdissatisfaction at the treatment. After a short deliberation the jury returned a verdict that death was the result of natural causes, but they appended to this the following opinion :—" That a more judicious comtemporary or permanent system for out-door relief for the honest poor would be the most economical system to ratepayers, and would be more in accordance with the requirements of the poor than breaking up their homes and compelling thorn to become permanent inmates of the workhouse."
The Bee-Hive : — 1869-08-21 (London, England)

SUICIDES.  The number of suicides and attempted suicides that have recently taken place is creating much anxiety and astonishment at our social position, and has been the subject of remark at more than one inquest. The following are a few of those that have come to notice. Just before the arrival of Mr. Justice Hayes and Mr. Justice Hannen, who are now presiding at the Liverpool Assizes, a middle-aged, well-dressed man went up the steps at the south end of St. George's-hall, Liverpool, and pulling a razor out of his pocket after uttering some words which were intelligible to those who were close to him, cut his throat almost from ear to ear. The doctors give very little hopes of his recovery.—The neighbourhood of Walworth-road was in a state of consternation on the 13th. inst. in consequence of Mr. George Shuttleworth. an undertaker, having cut his throat from ear to ear.—Joseph Brook, master cotton-twister, committed suicide by hanging himself in a room at the Victoria Mills, Brighouse, where he was in business with his brother. He had previously barricaded the door, but was discovered from the window.—At the Southwark Policecourt, Margaret Ward, a well-dressed young woman, leading a gay life, was placed at the bar, charged. with attempting to commit suicide by jumping from a, second-floor window at No. 20, Tennison-street, Yorkroad, Lambeth. The prisoner was so severely injured by the fall that she was obliged to be assisted into the court, and was seated near the solicitors' table during the examination. Prisoner declared that she had no intention to commit suicide. It was a pure accident. She opened the window and looked out, for air, when she overbalanced herself. She had suffered very much eince then, and was still in great pain. Fortunately none of her bones were broken. Prisoner was discharged.—John Collins, 61, was brought from Guy's Hospital, charged with attempting to commit suicide by throwing himself into the Thames, near Londonbridge, on the 28th of June. The prisoner said he had no intention of committing suicide. Mr. Burcham ordered him to be given up to his wife, who was in attendance to receive him.—At Worship-street, Robert Ruff, a clerk, twenty-two years of age, was charged. with having, attempted to commit self-murder by swallowing a quantity of poison. Prisoner was found by some men in a shed in the Rectory-road, Hackney, lying insensible. A bottle which had contained, chloroform was found at his side, and in his pocket a packet of Battle's vermin killer, and a paper which had contained "beetle poison." When before the magistrate he said—" You had bettEr hang me at once." He refused to give any account of himself, and said that he would yet carry out his intention. The magistrate remanded him.
The Bee-Hive : — 1869-08-21 (London, England)

HARSH TREATMENT OF THE POOR IN  ST. PANCRAS.  On the 17th inst. Dr. Hardwicke, deputy coroner, held an inquest at the College Arms, in Crowndale-road, Camden Town, on the body of James Crew, aged 59, a coachman who died in the infirmary of ' the St. Pancras WOrkhouse. The history of the case, as gathered from the evidence, is as follows :—Deceased sometime ago attempted to commit suicide, and after having been taken to the House of Detention, was removed first to the insane ward of the workhouse and then to Colney Hatch Asylum. He was discharged from Colney Hatch, as cured, towards the end of last year, and then received ss. a week and three loaves a week from St. Pancras, as outdoor relief. The guardians, a short time ago discontinued this relief, and said the man his wile, and three children must go into the house, iithey required more relief. The wife objected to break up her home, as she received 10s. a week for minding a gentleman's house, with which she was enabled to pay 4s. Gd. a week, and support her three children. The husband, however, went into the house. The discharge committee suggested to him (as admitted by the relieving officer) that what little goods his wife had must be sold to pay part of his maintenance, and that the whole family must come into the house. The wife of deceased objected,to give up her lodging and sell her goods, as she said the gentleman whose house she was minding might return at a moment's notice, and then she would have nowhere to go to. The wife states that she told the relieving officer that she would support her husband out of the house if the guardians would only allow her one shilling or eighteenpence per week. This the relieving officer did not remember, but he stated that he advised the discharge committee to continue the out-door relief as a better course than pauperising the whole family. The committee did not agree with this, but insisted that the home must be broken up and the goods sold. Before any action, however, was taken the man died. The widow said the threat of .the committee, to sell them up preyed upon deceased's mind, and when she visited him in the workhouse he said he should get on very well, "only for that horrid committee." He several times said he dreaded going before those men again. She believed his death was accelerated by anxiety, the result of the way the committee treated him. The medical evidence showed that death was caused by apoplexy on the morning of the 14th inst. The foreman and several of the jurymen expressed their dissatisfaction at the treatment. After a short deliberation the jury returned a verdict that death was the result of natural causes, but they appended to this the following opinion :—" That a more judicious comtemporary or permanent system for out-door relief for the honest poor would be the most economical system to ratepayers, and would be more in accordance with the requirements of the poor than breaking up their homes and compelling them to become permanent inmates of the workhouse."
The Penny Bee-Hive. — 1870-05-07 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.—On Friday' Mr. Wril,.irc marsh, coroner for North Wilts, held an at the Queen's Hotel, Swindon, respecting t"( death of Mr. Neat Corp Harding, a solicitor. Warminster, and son of an independent geeti,eco man, residing in that town. From the evidebrs taken facts of a very painful character ille,jg disclosed. The decease was a finely built yo%g man, 27 years of age, and had lately been stutifible very hard in order to gain a certificate to ce3 ,11 him to practise as a solicitor. Tn0u...,,,h t° A!, I outward appearance a healthy man in bodY mind, there is no doubt that his mental facellioett gave way under excessive studv. ElrlY a Thursday morning the deceased's father receive,s§ telegram from London, stating that his son g, 111, and requesting his attendance. Mr. I' tin' sen., at once started for Londoa, leaving N'Vetnitjte ster at ten minutes past two. In the meantime -01 young man had left his lodgings in Londoe..,llo, proceeding to Paddington, took a ticket for .Slcioif minster by the 19.10 train, and arrived at Swsos at 1.5. The Weymouth train, however, `',lto without him, and he was Feen loitering oboe. several platforms at Swindon Station. iø ticket stuck in his hat, the inspector ablocl, 4d. where he was going. when he appeared coli'.ll,-,ioe but ultimately said he wished to stay at Soli,' tor, for a time. The father, with the family d°l arrived at Swindon by the four o'clock expres'ihe which time a witness named L .wreuce OW the deceased on the platform. Immediateli to express left the unfortunate vouiv,' man rell, gist' reservoir, and pitc .ed head foremost in. f's-0.06 ance was rendered, but too late. Evidence hiß given that the deceased was very temperate I°.ost habits, but that he had not taken sit of, nourishment while undergoing a bard ceur—e 0 study. Verdict, Suicide while ia a stat temporary derangements
The Penny Bee-Hive. — 1870-05-07 (London, England)

LAW AND POLICE.  -: 0 : A MAN NEED NOT BURY HIS MOTHER.—A Woolwich mechanic in constant work lately refused to bury his deceased mother, and as the remains lay uncoffined during five days, the Board of Guardians, for sanitary reasons, undertook the burial. The son, on being called upon to repay the cost, refused to do so, and in answer to an application on the part of the guardians, the Woolwich police magistrate has held that he could make an order to recover from the son the cost of maintenance only, and not the funeral expenses.  EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OP ATTEMPTED SlllCiDE.—Elizabeth Hobdell, aged 67, was charged at the Clerkenwell Police court, with attempting to commit suicide by drinking a large quantity of gin. From the evidence of Dr. Franklin. of St. John stre-t, Clerkenwell, and other witnesses, it arpeared that the defendant had lately been elected as inmate of the Book-binders' Asylum, and her success had so preyed on her mind that she had attempted to commit suicide once by attempting to starve herself, and on the latter occasion by drinking a pint and a half of raw gin. Her reason for taking the in was that she should sleep herself to death, and she stated that if she had taken poison she should not have entered the kingdom of heaven, nor would God have forgiven her. Mr. Barker said it was the most extraordinary attempt at suicide he had ever heard, and discharged the defendant with a caution as to how she acted for the future.  Cumous GAME LA w.—A boatman, named Rae, was lately convicted at the Deibyshire Quarter Sessions of stealing a partAdge. A covey had been shot at by a party of gentlemen, and the prisoner picked up the bird in a field over which oi e of the party had a right of shooting. The question in dispute was the condition of the partridge when it came into the prisoner's possession, and the jury found that it was in a dying state, and could not escape. They therefore convicted Rae of having taken the bird fraudulently, with intent to deprive the owner of it. On Saturday, the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed this conviction. Five judges held that a bird or an animal in a wild state was not regarded as property, and that it was never intended to make those who preyed upon game thieves as well as poachers.
The Bee-Hive. — 1876-10-21 (London, England)

SCILOOL BOARD PROGRESS.—Tho official list of school boards in England and Wales has been made up to the Ist of October, and it shows that twenty-four now school boards have been elected since the Ist of July, besides that several parishes have been added and made contributory to existing boards. In this list of new School Board districts there is one borough—Gloucester. The others are, six in Yorkshire; Lincoln, 1; Durham, 1 ; Oxford, 1; Stafford, 1; Dorset, 1 Somerset, 1; Lancaster, 2; Cumberland, 1; Cornwall, 2; Anglesey, 1 Cardigan, 1; Wilts, 1; Norfolk, 1; Northampton, 1; and Suffolk, 1. These new boards cover a population of 57,615, and the number of inhabitants in England and Wales now under the School Board system are 12,687,959, leaving in non-school board d:stricts only 10,024,307. During this quarter by-laws have been adopted by 27 boards, and there. fore the making of by-laws has been more rapid than the election of school boards. By these now bye-laws a population of 88,236 have been brought within the range of compulsory attendance at school in addition to the 10,811,236 previously covered by compulsory by-laws.  BRITISH Snirrnm.—The Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen reports that the 20,191 registered sailing and steam vessels of the United Kingdom (exclusive of river steamers) actually employed in our home and f3relgn trade in 1875 were, in the aggregate, of 5,891,692 tons, which is 258,131 tons more than the tonnage of the 22,207 vessels actually employed in the trade of 1871. The increase in the five years was in vessels employed in our foreign trade, which in 1875 were of .1,593,360 tons, or 376,876 tons more than in 1871. The increase was also entirely in the larger ships employed. The total tonnage of all the vessels under 600 tons employed in 1875, whether in the home or foreign trade, shows a decrease of 337,012 tons as compared with 1871 ; the tonnage of vessels of 600 to 1,200 tons, an increase of 76,900 tons; the tonnage of vessels of 1,200 tons and upwards, an increase of 518,273 tons. The number of men and boys employed was 199,667 in 1875, or 71 fewer than in 1871.  A libido() student at University College, London, having shot himself, Dr. Thomas, deputy-coroner, takes occasion to state that this is the third student in the same college, the sixth student taking central Middlesex, who, this year, has committed suicide. The learned functionary is of opinion that the facts in attributed to nervous dread of strict examinations. We can hardly suppose such a thing. However stiff those tasks of proficiency in study may be, they make, one would think, no such demand upon young men's brains as a fair degree of attention to their books might not enable them to bear. At any rate, the trial is one which thousands go through without injury to life or health, for one who sinks under it, especially by blowing out the brains for whose benefit he entered college.
The Bee-Hive. — 1876-05-13 (London, England)

THE BEE-HIVE,  that the public, through the Press, may understand their principles and recognise their progress; and be correctly informed as to their objects and their action. I believe the bishop and clergy of tho Established Church never asked either Mr. Miall, or Mr. Henry Richard to preside at the annual Church Congress; and if they had committed such a folly, and had sat quietly to be criticized and rded even in the most good-natured way, they certainly never could carry their folly so far as to print and circulate widely an unabridged copy of the elaborate criticism. I have seen it somewhere stated that Mr. Nuttall declared that the circulation of a large number of Dr. Hodgson's address would do more good to co-operation than the Cooperative News had done since it was first established. . This is not very flattering to the society's paper; but Mr. Nuttall, no doubt, knows what he means by a statemea so extraordinary. Mr. Holyoake, however, has expressed stranger views even than Mr. Nuttall. He is rather surprised that the Times should see anything out of place in the learned doctor's address. He assures the world in your third "special issue" that you "seek instruction, not coincidence of opinion." If so, I cannot help thinking the Congress, in going to GlasgOw, went a long way for very little. He also declares that when a man of genius differs from us he is better worth listening to than when he agrees with us. The proposition is doubtful, but where agreement of thought is the thing above all others needed, as to principles; such a statement is rather strange. "A great movement," we are assured, "profits more by the candour than the compliments of genius." It is forgotten, however, that candour, like everything else, requires proper measure, proper time, and proper place. The Co-operative Congress on the occasions of its meeting can and ought to do a great work for the movement. But critical discussion at the very outset of its proceedings, and from the mouth of whoever delivers the inaugural address, especially if it call in question the vital thought and special action of the movement—is simply a species of felo de se, which men of thoughtful earnestness would never sanction. If the co-operative movement was a discussion society such a statement might be true enough. It is more than that however; it means truth in life, it means justice in business; and it must mean, if it live, the elevation of the masses of the people. It is a mistake, therefore, to throw away the very best opportunities in useless' criticisms and meaningless compliments. The co-operators of the kingdom have, in reality, a great work to do; and it is to be hoped they will try to find out its meaning, and set abounts performance in an understanding and generous spirit.
The Bee-Hive. — 1876-09-09 (London, England)

MUNDELLA AT SHEFFIELD.  Mr. Mundella has reviewed the Session in an honest and animated speech. The legislation attempted by the Government was for the retention of power, not for the promotion of principles. The Premier was the chief time-waster with his airs of mystery and his geese blown out into swans. Mr. Mundolla had been twitted with charging upon Mr. Disraeli the demoralisation of politics; he deliberately repeated the indictment. He would dare, and turn, and cavil with any man; but, in all that belonged to a Minister of England, he was the greatest failure ever seen in the House of Commons. His chaff was exquisite, but his wheat was naught. As to Mr. Ward Hunt, if things went on much longer as they had done in his hands, we should soon have "a fine submarine navy."  On education the measure of Government was weak where it should be strong, complex where it should be simple, and unjust and sectarian where it should hold the balance equal. The Aot was a pandering to the prejudice of the country gentlemen and the farmers on the one side, and to the prejudices and power of the clergy on the other. Mr. Mundella dealt with equal honesty and fearlessness when he came to the Eastern Question. Among other things, he said, that, ten years ago, the present Lord Derby being then, as now, Foreign Minister, there was an insurrection in Crete ; and, much to his shame, he was the man who forbade British officers to assist the women and children of the insurgents when they were being massacred. As to Turkey now, "You have had," said Mr. Mundella, "three Sultans in three months, two drunk and insane. One died by a pair of Sheffield scissors, the second is said to have attempted suicide, and now that tho third has been proclaimed, will not be long before be succeeds in his attempt." It was unfortunate, the worthy member.' went on to say, that the insurrection fell in the days of Mr. Disraeli and Lord Derby. The latter is a man of a rather glacial temperament, cold and phlegmatic. His blood is very sluggish, and his sympathies are not easily excited. He always sees a thousand reasons why nothing should be done, and everything should remain as it is. I do not know any man to whom the .epigram would so well apply that Rogers applied to somebody else, "Folks say he has no heart; but I deny it. He has a heart, and gets his speeches by it." The speech concluded with some practical points. "Let us demand free access to India through Egypt. If need be, England should accept the suzerainty of Lower Egypt. That would make it one of the happiest and most prosperous countries in the world. Let us come to a good understanding with Russia, at this moment governed by an Emperor who desires a pacific solution of the Eastern question. An English Prince has married his daughter, and, in case of need, we could find a head for the federation of Constantinople. Whatever we do, let us not patch up a hollow peace, in Turkey. Let us be resolved, that, come what may, we will  solve this Eastern question now." A voice, "Ay, let's have it settled now."