npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1867-12-25 (London, England)

THE MURDER AT SHADIVI'LL.  Yesterday afternoon Mr. Humphreys, coroner of Middlesex, opened an inquiry at the Crown Tavern, High-street, Shadwell, respecting the deaths of Francis Andrew Brown, aged 21 years, and Elizabeth Sophia Pickford, aged 34 years, whose bodies were found in the waters of the London Ducks on Sunday morning. It will be remembered that a Mr. Wag-staff, on coming up Gravellane , Shadwell, a little after one o'clock on Sunday morning, heard a man shouting for help. immeTately afterwards he heard a splash in the water. Going on the bridge he saw two Irish labourers there looking at the man in the water. There was no way of reaching the drowning man. Mr. Wagstaff came to the conclusion that the men had thrown the drowning man over the parapet of the bridge, and he asked them " Who threw him overboard ?" The men answered to the effect that he had done so himself, and the result was that, the police coming up, all three were taken to the station-house, and the two labourers, Jeremiah Duggan and Timothy Donovan, were charged with the wilful murder of the deceased. They were taken before the magistrate on the charge, and the circumstances being full of suspicion against them, they were remanded for a week, and are now in prison under the charge. At the inquest, however, a chance question put to a witness, Catherine Laye, brought out the fact that the deceased man had threatened to commit suicide ; other witnesses were sent for, and the whole complexion of the case was changed. It was in searching for the body of the young man Brown that that of Sophia Pickford was discovered. After hearing evidence, the jury returned a verdict in the case of the woman, " That the deceased, Elizabeth Sophia Pickford, was found drowned, but how she became drowned there was no evidence to skew;'' leaving the case of the young man undecided until Duggan and Donovan could be brought before the court under a warrant from the Home Secretary.
The Sun. — 1867-10-19 (London, England)

COLONIAL MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SENTENCED TO PENAL SERVITUDE.—Tho Melbourne Argus reports that a member of the Legislature has been convicted of forgery and sentenced to seven years' imprisonmeat. Tho prisoner is William Nelson M'Cann, who, being born in Geelong, had the honour of being the first native elected to sit in Parliament, which he first entered EOlll9 four years since. M'Cann had some talent, and a great deal of industry as an agitator, held a fair reputation for respectability, and lately became a part proprietor of a daily newspaper called the Geelong Register. The affairs of the newspaper required money, and this, it appeared, led him to commit the offence which has boon brought home to him. lie was charged with having forged the signature of Thomas Sutherland, deputy registrar general, to a receipt for a stock mortgage. On this mortgage M'Cann contrived to obtain advances both from Mr. Gillespie, the manager of the National Bank, Geelong, and Captain Millahon, the leader of the opposition. Mr. llPCann was member for South Grant, and his conviction renders the seat vac tot. SUICIDE BY A PRIsONER.—The Deputy Coroner for Westminster held an inquest on Wednesday tight, at the Strand Union, respecting the death of Ellen Cox, 38 years of age, who had cominittA suicide in a cell at Bow-street. It was proved that the deceased, who was a married woman, but who 'had been deserted by her husband, earned a very precarious livelihood by washing. On Saturday night she was confined for being drunk and assaulting an officer. Inspector Thompson visited the cells at a quarter to eleven, and all was right then. At a quarter past cloven ho again went to her cell and found her loaning against the door. He gently opened the door, ;is ho generally did when he knew persons wore tipsy, and round her with a handkerchief round her neck, and suspended by means of the ventilating holes hi the door. He put his loft hand behind her, and laid her on her back, but ,Ite was dead. Dr. Alfred Harvey said she had no doubt put her head into the noose and fallen forward. Her being drunk would accelerate her death. The jury found a verdict of "Suicide by ha,nin while iti a fitato of temporary iusauity,"
The Sun. — 1867-10-16 (London, England)

TBE SUN. LoNDoiv. WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 16, 1867  being V3l and the former 272; but this is accounted for by -.the fact that frequently in cases of supposed infanticide, when a verdict of murder is given, the results at the trial is a verdict of concealment of birth. In such cases the coroner of courso retains them as' cases of murder, while the police return them accm -ding to the finding of the jury at the trial. Th ere is a decrease in the number of inquests, while the verdicts of murder show an increase of 19.8 pe r cent. Verdicts of manslaughter and suicide each show a considerable decrease. Out of the G,872 infants under seven years of age upon whom inquests were held, it is interesting to remark that 5,523 were legitimate, and that only 1,349 were illegitimate. This is a sufficient answer to those who allege that illegitimate children are usually the subjects of infanticide ; and, in addition to this, while infanticide has most undoubtedly been on the increase, there has been for the last three years no material variation is the number of children dying a violent death upon whom inquests were held.  The costs of coroners' inquests, including salaries and travelling allowances, show a remarkably steady continuance at ono average. In the year 1856 the average cost of an inquest was £3 ls. 7d., and in 1866 the cost was exactly the same amount, while the greatest variation in the intermediate years, with the exception of one, was no more than 3s. 11d.  extensive, the Powell Duffryn, Company alone having shipped 7,665 tons in the last six days, and for the past fortnight or three weeks they have shipped something approaching that average. The exports during the past month reached 184,514 tons as compared with 151,720 tons in the corresponding period of last year. For house coal purchases on account of the coasting markets will bear a fair comparison with the corresponding period of last year, and the cold weather which set in for a few days has had its influence on the local consump tion. Coastwise the shipments last month were 70,899 tons against 59,503 tons in the month of September, 1866. The iron trade has not materially altered its position since last report, and the same degree of quietness which has characterised business for so long a period still continues. The exports of iron for the past month were 12,123 tons, the greatest portion of which was sent to Russia and the United States.
The Sun. — 1867-05-01 (London, England)

CALLS TO THE BAR.—Gray's Inn, April 30.—At a pension holden this day, William Gouldthorp, of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, gentleman, only son of J. Gouldthorp, Esq., of the same place, was called to the degree of Barrister-at-Law.—Lincoln's Inn, April 30 :—The undermentioned gentlemen were this day called to the degree of Barrister-at-Law Jommett Browne, Esq., 8.A., Oxford ; G. H. Robarts, Esq., M.A., Oxford ; Hon. F. G. Dutton, 8.A., Oxford; Henry S. Brandreth, Esq., 8.A., Cambridge; Baldwin M. Smith, Esq., 8.A., Oxford; Hon. R. C. E. Abbot, M.A., Oxford; A. Loughborough, Esq., 8.A., Oxford; C. M. Fulford, Esq., 8.A., Cambridge; R. Swan Stephen, Esq., 8.A., Cambridge.—Middle Temple, April 30 : The undermentioned gentlemen wore this day called to the degree of the Utter Bar by the Hon. Society of the Middle Temple : John H. Turner, G. Shoe, LL.B., Trinity Hall, Cambridge; Budroodeon Tyabjee, Isaac Badcock, 8.A., Trinity College, Oxford ; R. Sanders, R. W. M. Bird, F. M. Adams, 8.A., Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge ; Wade S. Garnett, 8.A., Trinity College, Dublin ; E. Vaudayne, F. H. Avice, and F. 0. Grump, of Queen's College, Cambridge.  MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF THE MURDERESS IN LAMBETll.—Yesterday afternoon a most fearful murder was perpetrated in the parish of Lambeth. The mother belonged to a very respectable family residing in the midland counties, and has not long been married. She was confined about four months ago at her relative's residence. Since that time the unfortunate woman has suffered from illness, and as fears were entertained that she would be attacked with puerperal mania it had been deemed necessary to keep a strict watch upon her actions. During the whole of yesterday forenoon there was nothing observable in the behaviour or appearance of Mrs. Belcher to create alarm, but on the return of her husband at about a quarter to six o'clock, he was admitted to the house by Mrs. Jacobs, the landlady, and proceeded to the apartments occupied by himself and family, where a sight of the most ghastly description met his view. Belcher, nut finding his wife in the sitting-room, went into the largest back room, where ho was horrified at seeing his wife and son lying in a mass of blood upon the bed. Beside the wretched woman lay the body of the little boy, also covered with blood. All the muscles and large arteries of the throat of the child were completely severed. Upon examination, it was thought the boy had been dead for upwards of an hour. As soon as the poor woman's wounds were dressed, she was tenderly placed in a cab, and conveyed to Westminster Hospital, where she was carefully attended to. She was at once placed in bed, and although she appeared to regain some little strength, her injuries are of that fearful nature that, up to a late hour last night, little hopes were entertained of her recorery.
The Sun. — 1867-09-11 (London, England)

LIJIEHOUSE 7RLIGEDY.  Yesterday John Wiggins, a lighterman, was brought up on remand before Mr. Paget, at the Thames Police Court, Stepney, charged with the wilful murder of Agnes Oakes, aged 22 years, at No. 1, Temperance-cottage, Lower North-street, Limehouse, on the morning of the 24th of July last. He was also charged with attempting to commit suicide by cutting his own throat, at the same time and place.  Mr. Poland, barrister (instructed by Mr. Pollard, clerk to the Treasury solicitor), conducted the prosecution ; Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, defended the prisoner.  Mr. James Horton, surgeon, of High-street, Stepney, who was called in to see the deceased, said, after describing the nature of the wounds—The deceased was healthy, and appeared to be well nourished. I should think she was from 26 to 30 years of age. Portions of the body not covered over were cold when I entered the room. The arms and legs were cold. The body was becoming rigid, but not completely so. lam sure rigidity had commenced. Taking all the appearances together, the dryness of the blood on the throat and shift and on various parts of the room, I should say that death must have taken place two or three hours before I saw the body. I was led to the supposition it was two hours—it might be more. lam sure that it could not have been so recent as three-quart3rs of an ' hour. I see no reason to modify the opinions I have expressed on the whole transaction. Dr. Alfred Swaine Taylor, M.D., and professor of Medical Jurisprudence at Guy's Hospital for more than 30 years, said—l have heard all the evidence of Mr. Horton, and the description of the large wound on the deceased's throat. I cannot say it is impossible she could have inflicted such a wound herself, but it is highly improbable. All that has been stated by Mr. Horton is corroborative of my opinion that death had taken place more than two hours before he was called in.  Mr. Paget asked Dr. Taylor if he had ever heard of a case of suicide like this.  Dr. Taylor—I never did, sir. Mr. Paget then read the whole of the voluminous evidence of 20 witnesses, which occupied two hours. The witnesses present were then bound over in the usual recognisances to appear at the next sessions of the Central Criminal Court, and, after a six hours' investigation, Mr. Paget committed the prisoner for trial for wilful murder.
The Sun. — 1867-09-11 (London, England)

THE LIMEHOUSE 2RAGEDY.  Yesterday John Wiggins, a lighterman, was brought up on remand before Mr. Paget, at the Thames Police Court, Stepney, charged with the wilful murder of Agnes Oakes, aged 22 years, at No. 1, Temperance-cottage, Lower North-street, Limehouse, on the morning of the 24th of July last. He was also charged with attempting to commit suicide by cutting his own throat, at the same time and place.  Mr. Poland, barrister (instructed by Mr. Pollard, clerk to the Treasury solicitor), conducted the prosecution ; Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, defended the prisoner.  Mr. James Horton, surgeon, of High-street, Stepney, who was called in to see the deceased, said, after describing the nature of the wounds—The deceased was healthy, and appeared to be well nourished. I should think she was from 26 to 30 years of age. Portions of the body not covered over were cold when I entered the room. The arms' and legs were cold. The body was becoming rigid, but not completely so. lam sure rigidity had commenced. Taking all the appearances together, the dryness of the blood on the throat and shift and on various parts of the room, I should say that death must have taken place two or three hours before I saw the body. I was led to the supposition it was two hours—it might be more. lam sure that it could not have been so recent as three-quarters of an hour. I see no reason to modify the opinions I have expressed on the whole transaction.  Dr. Alfred Swaine Taylor, M.D., and professor of Medical Jurisprudence at Guy's Hospital for more than 30 years, said—l have heard all the evidence of Mr. Horton, and the description of the large wound on the deceased's throat. I cannot say it is impossible she could have inflicted such a wound herself, but it is highly improbable. All that has been stated by Mr. Horton is corroborative of my opinion that death had taken place more than two hours before he was called in.  Mr. Paget asked Dr. Taylor if he had ever heard of a case of suicide like this.  Dr. Taylor—l never did, sir. Mr. Paget then read the whole of the voluminous evidence of 20 witnesses, which occupied two hours. The witnesses present were then bound over in the usual recognisances to appear at the next sessions of the Central Criminal Court, and, after a six hours' investigation, Mr. Paget committed the. prisoner for trial for wilful murder.
The Sun. — 1867-03-06 (London, England)

PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. —The following papers were issued yesterday morning:—" Copy of Correspondence between the Poor-law Board and the Guardians of  the Strand, the Rotherbithe, and the Paddington Unions, concerning the Inquiries held by Mr. Cane and Mr. Parnell." The Poor-law Board recommend many improvements to be adopted in each of the above„ workhouses, and point out to the guardians deficiencies at,present existing. - Copies of an Order issued by the Poor-law Board for the Appointment of a Vestry Clerk for the parish of St. Mary, Battersea ; of Memorial adopted at a Public Meeting of Ratepayers relating to the Appointment ; and of the Answer to the same, and of Correspondence on the subject." "Copy of a Letter, dated 14th February, with its Enclosure, from the Town Clerk of the City of London, to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, relative to the Bunhill-fields Burial Ground." "Copy of a Letter, dated 22d February, 1867, from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England to the Town Clerk of London relative to Bunhill-fields Burial Ground."  I‘'ati4anilgeaUrllyS•hour a few —Some winkmeSnuglocinlgDEtoOthFeiAr oFecßuENpatCjoiln mornings back found the corpse of a man near the gates of the park Monceaux, near Paris. A bullet had passed through the head, and near the body was a broken cane and a revolver. A little further on an empty purse was picked up. The corpse has been recognised as that of the' Marquis de G—, 45 years of age, who lived in the Ruo Chaptal. 110 had left his home the previous evening to visit a friend, upon whom, however, he had not called. No reason can be conjectured for his committing suicide, but there can be no doubt that he committed the fatal act himself.—Galignani.  SUPPLEMENTARY ARMY ESTlMATES.—Yesterday a supplementary army estimate Was published to cover the charges for granting an increase of pay to the noncommissioned officers and men of the army and militia, and for the more efficient recruiting of the army. The total is £500,000, of which £416,750 is for army purposes and the remainder for militia.  [
The Sun. — 1867-02-19 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE AT CAMBERWELL.—A suicide of a most frightful character was committel last night by a man named Alfred Kenion. It appears that the deceased had been living at Woolwich, but about a month ago he saw an advertisement in one of the daily newspapers'for a house and shop to let at 22, Wyndham-road, Camberwell. He took this house and shop, and carried on business as a barber and hair-dresser. On last Sunday night ho said to his wife he wished that he had stopped down at Woolwich, for that shop which he was in at present would be the ruin of him. At midnight on Sunday he got somepoison from tho chemist's in the neighbourhood and asked his wife to take some of it and destroy her life. She would not take it, and ho turned her out of doors into the street. The poor thing, who had just got  over her confinement, slept in the streets the whole of that night, and the next morning, when she went back to him, ho was then shaving a gentleman in the shop. She thought  that ho was out of hi; miud at two o'clock. Yesterday  afternoon his wife went out to soo a Mend, nud rutin•uel  about half-past nine last night, when she found him lying on the floor in the shop with his head-nearly cat off from the body, and the place covered in blood, quito dead. lie  had a razor in his hand covered with blood. The polica were at once called in, and the body was removed by Mr  Woodman, the coroner's officer, to the dead-house, so that  Mr. W. Carter, the East Surrey coroner, might hold an in quest as soon as possible. The deceased has left a largo family.  RI
The Sun. — 1867-01-10 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE OF A BARONESS.—The iofntdheep deathod tanocfe tßheeterocnoensstan Diessiatnhdeesf:o—ting fearfauciccoautansttrophe has brought desolatbn upon the family of M. Simon Oppenheim, one of the heads of the great banking firm of Solomon Oppenheim and Co., of Cologne. His daughter, Mdme. the Baroness Deslandes, who married one of the youngest and most distinguished of the sub-prefects of the French empire, had come to spend the Christmas holidays in Cologne with her family, leaving her two young children, whom she did not wish to expose to the inclemency of the weather, behind her in Franco. On the 26th of December, in the midst of the family rejoicings, she received a letter from her governess, informing her that her little daughter had been' coughing for some hours, but that the doctor said it was of no consequence. On this news the imagination of the young mother became excited. She thought that her daughter was very ill, and she reproached herself for having left her children behind. Ifer husband, father, and mother endeavoured to tranquillise her by representing that the letter was of a favourable character, but nothing could dissipate her fears, and she determined on leaving Cologne at once, to make preparations for which she went to her chamber on the second story, her husband following her, but on finding that ho could not shako her determination to leave, ho came down to give instructions for the journey. Shortly afterwards he returned upstairs accompanied by his sisterin-law. On entering the room they found it empty. A window was open. In a moment of frenzy, produced by over anxiety, the baroness had flung herself out. On being taken up, she said in a feeble voice What have I done ? 1 thought I had wings, and that they would take the to my children.' Alas! she was never to see them more. There was a hope for some days that she might recover, but it was not realised, for she died on the 31st December, aged 24.'1,
The Sun. — 1867-01-10 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY' SUICIDE OF A BARONESS.—The Independance Beige contains the following account of the death of the Baroness Deslandes :—"A fearful catastrophe has brought desolation upon the family of M. Simon Oppenheim, one of the heads of the groat banking firm of Solomon Oppenheim and Co., of Cologne. His daughter, Mdme. the Baroness Doslandes, who married one of the youngest and most distinguished of the sub-prefects of the French empire, had come to spend the Christmas holidays in Cologne with her family, leaving her two young children, whom she did not wish to expose to the inclemency of the weather, behind her in France. On the 26th of December, in the midst of the family rejoicings, she received a letter from her governess, informing her that her little daughter had been coughing for some hours, but that the doctor said it was of no consequence. On this news the imagination of the young mother became excited. She thought that her daughter was very ill, and she reproached herself for having left her children behind. Her husband, father, and mother endeavoured to tranquillise her by representing that the letter was of a favourable character, but nothing could dissipate her fears, and she determined on leaving Cologne at once, to make preparations for which she went to her chamber on the second story, her husband following her, but on finding that he could not shake her determination to leave, he came down to give instructions for the journey. Shortly afterwards he returned upstairs accompanied by his sisterin-law. On entering the room they found it empty. A window was open. In a moment of frenzy, produced by over anxiety, the baroness had flung herself out. On being taken up, she said in a feeble voice What have I done ? 1 thought I had wings, and that they would take me to my children.' Alas! she was never to see them more. There was a hope for some days that she might recover, but it was not realised, for she died on the 31st December, aged 21.",
The Sun. — 1867-04-26 (London, England)

PARISIAN ANONYMA.—A lady, supposed to be a Javan, is now setting Paris by the cars. She is from five to six and twenty. Her complexion is of a warm golden tint, like Florentine bronze. She is never clad but in a black dross, made high, and ending at the neck in a ruw of large coral beads of a blood red, and at hor wrists with bracelets of the same material and hue. From beneath her cap, a sort of beret or Scotch bonnet—black also, end encircled with a row of coral beads— flow long and thick tresses, so black that they aro blue. She is never seen on foot. Her " Victoria" is drawn by a pair of ponies black as ebony, at a pace which makes the the pavement smoke. again. The biack and red of her costume and equipage, added to her bronzed complexion, iuvest her with a sinister and somewhat diabolical air. She is known only by the designation of " La Dame au Corail." It is said that she spends much of hor time playing on a species of goals, or else practising with a saloon pistol at a target, which target represents a female figure, of blonde complexion, about the size of the largest dolls ; lastly, that she is from Java, and lives exclusively on. fruit and preserves. She is said to have blown out the brains of one of her slaves who entered her apartment masummoned. But the most remarkable circumstance about her is that day or night the shutters are closed, and her apartment illuminated with candelabras. At night she sings plaintive melodies more like wailings than set tunes, and she smokes opium and sleeps on panther skins. She is said to be the widow of a great personage in the island of Sumatra, who had committed suicide after au outburst of jealousy on her par., caused by his suspected attachment to the wife of an English naval al-ie.—Paris Paper.