npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1858-10-21 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF A CAPTAIN-WRECK OF THE 'BARQUE HENRY PORCHER.  John Calder, late boatswain of the above vessel, narrated, as follows, the suicide of his superior officer (the master), and the subsequent wreck of the barque, while on the voyage from Quebec for Grangemouth, with a cargo of timber : " I cannot remember the day the ship left Quebec, but the ship brought up in the river 10 miles below Quebec on the 27th August, where she remained anchored five days, during which time the captain went on shore every day, and returned the worse for drink. One night he remained on shore, and on coming on board the following morning he was excited and his face was cut. The pilot left the ship on the Bth of September. I heard the captain say to him either to mind the money or to get the money. After the pilot left and we had got to sea, the captain shot himself. Hearing the report of firearms, I and the mate ran to the cabin, but on trying the door we found it locked, but after knocking some time it was opened by the captain, whom we found bleeding from a wound in the breast. He had shot himself with a revolver. The mate asked him what he had done it for. The only answer he made was that he had done it, and would do it again, for what he had done. He added, there was no remedy for him, and he knew he must die. Two men were placed in the cabin to watch him ; he died about six o'clock the following morning. Twelve hours afterwards we committed his body to the deep. Nothing particular occurred till we came off Cape Wrath, when one of the crew fell overboard off the foreyard, but we succeeded in picking him up. We bore down for Thurso Bay amidst very thick weather, rain, and blowing hard. The ship was brought up off Littlehead, where she had not rode long before the chain snapped. We let got the anchor and brought her up, the wind still blowing hard. The weather at night moderated, and we got the other anchor and shifted maintopsail and mainsail, on account of the other ones being split. Next morning a gale from N.E. ; let go the other anchor. While we were in the act of sending down royal and topgallant.yards, the starboard chain parted. All hands were called down from aloft, when the other chain parted, and the ship drove on shore. In the course. of an hour afterwards a line was thrown from the 'shore, and by means of a cradle we were (15 in number) all landed safely." Respecting the state of mind the captain was in at the time of his committing suicide, the steward, James Carlaw, has made a deposition to the following effect :—" One night the captain, on coming on board in liquor, said one had given him a glass, and another had, and he thought he was fashed with the blues.' He several times took me to the ship's lockers, where the bread was kept, and asked whether I heard the noise. There was none that I could hear. He answered there was—that the sailmaker was fighting with the blues. I thoroughly believe that the captain was mad when he shot himself. He had declared he would destroy himself. The act was done on Sunday night, the 12th of September."
The Sun. — 1858-10-21 (London, England)

SOUTHWARK.---Mary Ann Hollis, a decentlooking female, was brought before Mr. Burcham, charged with attempting to drown herself in the river Thames at Southwark-bridge. Police-constable, 308 M, said that on the previous night, about half-past 11 o'clock, he was on duty in the Southwark-bridge-road, when he saw the prisoner run down the steps of the bridge and throw herself into the river. He ran after her, and fortunately caught hold of her clothes just as she was about to disappear under the water. He then called out for assistance, and with some difficulty succeeded in rescuing her from a watery grave. Mr. Burcham asked why she attempted such a rash act ?  She replied that her husband had lately ill-used her, and in a moment ofexcitement she rushed from home to the river. Mr. Burcham asked where she resided? She replied, at 10, Castle-street. Her husband did not know that she intended to commit suicide, neither did she think he was aware she was in custody. Mr. Burcham asked her what her husband did for a living-? She . replied that he worked in the Boroughmarket. She felt very ill, but she hoped he would give her a slight punishment, as she had no wish to return to him again ; in fact, she wanted to have a separation. Mr. Burcham remanded her for a week, and during-the meantime inquiries would be made respecting her.  wANDsWORTI-.-7-A young man, who gave the name of John Williams, was brought up on re mand, charged with the following impudent robbery :  Jane Greenwood, a young woman living with her brother, Mr. Charles Durden, a cheesemonger, of Beasley-terrace, Wandsworth-road, stated that on Monday night, the 11th inst., she was in the shop, when she suddenly saw the prisoner outside having hold of a ham, which was suspended from a hook. He jerked it up twice, and succeeded in lifting the ham off the hook. He walked to the kerb, when he jumped, off and ran away. Witness followed him immediately, and then saw the prisoner run across to the other side of the road. She never lost sight of him until he was stopped. Mr. Ingham inquired if the ham was found. The witness said it was not. Mr. Ingham then asked her if she was quite certain the prisoner was the man ? The witness said she saw him distinctly. There was a brilliant light outside the shop, and she could point the prisoner out from a thousand. Mr. Ingham wished to know how she accounted for the ham not being found. The witness believed that the prisoner had a confederate, to whom he must have passed the ham directly he took it down. • The constable who took the prisoner into custody said he had made inquiries about him, and could not find that he was known.  Mr. Ingham asked the prisoner if he had anything to say ? He said he would plead guilty, and he implored his worship to be merciful to him, as it was his first offence. If he would let him go he would enlist for a soldier directly. The worthy magistrate said it was a very impudent robbery, and he should sentence him to be imprisoned for three calendar months, with hard labour.
The Sun. — 1858-10-21 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF A CAPTAIN-WRECK OF THE BARQUE HENRY PORCHER.  John Calder, late boatswain of the above vessel, narrated, as follows, the suicide of his superior officer (the master), and the subsequent wreck of the barque, while on the voyage from Quebec for Grangemouth, with a cargo of timber : " I cannot remember the day the ship left Quebec, but the ship brought up in the river 10 miles below Quebec on the 27th August, where she remained anchored five days, during which time the captain went on shore every day, and returned the worse for drink. One night he remainedon shore, and on coming on board the following morning he was excited and his face was cut. The pilot left the ship on the Bth of September. I heard the captain say to him either to mind the money or to get the money. After the pilot left and we had got to sea, the captain shot himself. Hearing the report of firearms, I and the mate ran to the cabin, but on trying the door we found it locked, but after knocking some time it was opened by the captain, whom we found bleeding from a wound in the breast. He had shot himself with a revolver. The mate asked him what he had done it for. The only answer he made was that he had done it, and would do it again, for what he had done. He added, there was no remedy for him, and he knew he must die. Two men were placed in the cabin to watch him ; he died about six o'clock the following morning. Twelve hours afterwards we committed his body to the deep. Nothing particular occurred till we came off Cape Wrath, when one of the crew fell overboard off the foreyard, but we succeeded in picking him up. We bore down for Thurso Bay amidst very thick weather, rain, and blowing hard. The ship was brought up off Littlehead, where she had not rode long before the chain snapped. We let got the anchor and brought her up, the wind still blowing hard. The weather at night moderated, . and we got the other anchor and shifted maintopsail and mainsail, on account of the other ones being split. Next morning a gale from N.E. ; let go the other anchor. While we were in the act of sending down royal and topgallant yards, the starboard chain parted. All hands .were called down from aloft, when the other chain parted, and the ship drove on shore. In the course of an hour afterwards a line was thrown from the shore, and by means of a cradle we were (15 in number) all landed safely." Respecting the state of mind the captain was in at the time of his committing suicide, the steward, James Carlaw, has made a deposition to the following effect :—" One night the captain, on coming on board in liquor, said one had given him a glass, and another had, and he thought he was ' fashed with the blues.' He several times took me to the ship's lockers, where the bread was kept, and asked whether I heard the noise. There was none that I could hear. He answered there was—that the sailmaker was fighting with the blues. I thoroughly believe that the captain was mad when he shot himself. He had declared he would destroy himself. The act was done on Sunday night, the 12th of September."
The Sun. — 1858-12-09 (London, England)

SCULLY V. INGRAM.—THE SADLEIR FRAUDS. Mr. Bovill this morning opened the case on the part of the defendant. It was an action brought by the plaintiff, Mr. Vincent Scully, an Irish barrister and a Queen's counsel, and formerly M.P. for the county of Cork, against Mr. Herbert Ingram, the proprietor of the Illustrated London News, and M.P. for Boston, to recover compensation in damages for fraudulently representing that he (tbe defendant) had purchased an estate called Castle Hyde, in the county of Cork, ffom the late Jehn Sadleir. The facts of the case are fully disclosed in the subjoined short statement. Mr. Vincent Scully (the plaintiff) was a connection of the late John Sadleir, whose gigantic frauds are already well known to the public, and who terminated his career by suicide, on Hampstead-heath. In 1851 Sadleir was indebted to Scully in the sum of £9,000 for money lent, and Scully having by him ready money to the amount of £lO,OOO, was desirous to invest the whole in the purchase of an estate in Ireland, through the Encumbered Estates Court. The property of Castle Hyde, in the county of Cork, was put up for sale in December, 1851, and Sadleir; by direction of Scully, purchased it for £19,425. Sadleir bought it in his own name, in trust for Mr. Thos. Eyres, of Bath, the plaintiff's uncle, representing to the plaintiff it would re-sell better in the market if it appeared that the purchaser was an English gentleman. Afterwards the plaintiff tried to get his £9,000 from Sadleir, but failing to do so he authorised him to re-sell the estate, and Sadleir had got a purchaser at apr defendant.ofi profit loefi expected w h ho tae6Totro e t int ttohh hee person m plaintiffyi consented to this arrangement, and purchase would be completed. Subsequently the plaintiff was persuaded by Sadleir to stand as candidate for the county of Cork, but in order to give him a status in the county hewas desirous to possess some landed property within it. Sadleir having told him that his friend Ingram would readily re-sell the estate, the plaintiff entered into negotiations with him on the subject, but as Ingram demanded more than he would give they were broken off. After Sadleir's death it was found that Ingram never had purchased the estate, and that the plaintiff was virtually owner of it, and could have asserted his rights by moving the Encumbered Estates Court in the usual way. It was also discovered that Sadleir had mortgaged the property, first of all to the Albion Assurance Society for £50,000, and secondly, to Messrs. Backhouse, of Darlington, for £89,000. So far as the plaintiff was concerned, therefore, the omalipdenhsaetionnomin damages sought to for lending himself, as aagainst ai recoverensstta ate Mr. .hm irretrievablyels Ingram, ganrad,thefthe g p jury C i e plaintiff, alleged, to the misrepresentation that he was the owner of the property, when, in fact he never had any interest in it, even to the extent of a farthing. The case is not expected to terminate before to-morrow afternoon.
The Sun. — 1858-06-23 (London, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE IN PARIS.  A dreadful murder and suicide, cotnnaitted yesterday morning in the house No. 40, Rue BourbonVillenuve, produced an immense sensation in the whole of the Quartier 8-. Denis. It appears that about two years ago a woman, aged 38, having been left a widow with two little girls, formed the acquaintaece of a widower aged 44, having two sons. In the curse of time a marriage took place between the man and woman, but the husband, a land-measurer by occupation, turned out an idle, drunken fellow, and the whole onus of keeping the family devolved on the woman. The two sons of the man did not live in the house, being bound out to trades. Differences soon 'arose between the husband and wife, and these quarrels at last became asuhject of conversation in the neighbourhood. " reSterday abotitright, the two little girls, aged ten and eight., having gone to school, the husband and wife were left together in the house. Aftcr a while, cries were heard to proceed from their apartment, and the wife of the concierge hurried up to see what was the matter. She knocked at the door, and heard the wife exclaim, " Come in ! come in 1" but the do,r was locked, and the husband refused to open it. The porter's wife then hurried down stairs, and sent at once for the commissary of police. When that functionary arrived, finding the door still closed, he had it forced open, and to his horror found the corpse of the woman lying just inside with the head nearly separated from the trunk, and further on, the dead body of the husband, pierced with five stabs in the region of the heart. Near his right side was a large kitchen knife, with which he had evidently committed suicide. It is supposed that the wretched man, after some dispu e with the wife, drew a razor suddenly across her throat with such free as to kill her instantaneously, and then, after throwing the razor out of the window, killed himself. Just as the commissary of police was ascendding the stairs, a razor st fined with blood fell iu the street, near a passer-by. It is, therefore, inferred that the murder and suicide must have taken place within less than a minute of each other, and iu the space of time which elapsed from the moment of the commissary entering the house to that when the door wrs burst open. This dreadful event caused crowds to congregate in the neighbourhood during the whole day.
The Sun. — 1858-06-23 (London, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE IN PARIS.  A dreadful murder and suicide, committed yesterday morning in the house No. 40, Rue Bourbon., Villenuve, produced an immense sensation in the whole of the Qm,rtiec S:. Denis. It appears that about two years ago a woman, aged 38, having been left a widow with two little girls, formed the acquaintaece of a widower aged 44, having two sous. In the curse of time a marriage took place between the man and woman, but the husband, a land-measurer by occupation, turned out an idle, drunken fellow, and the whole onus of keeping the femily devolved on the woman. The two sons of the man did not live in the house, being bound out to trades. DifferenceA soon arose between the husband and wife, and these qu irrels at last became a suhject of conversation in the neighbourhood. Y,sterclay morning, at about half-past tight, the two little girls, aged ten and eight, havi,g gone to school, the husband and wife were loft together in the house. After a while, cries were beard to proceed from their apartment, and the wife of the conc'erge hurried up to see what was the matter. She knocked at the door, and heard the wife exclaim, " Come in ! come in !" but the do r was locked, and the husband refumed to open it. The porter's wife then hurried down stairs, and sent at once for the coatrni,sary of police. When that functionary arrived, finding the door still closed, be had it forced open, and to his horror found the corpse of the woman lying just inside with the head nearly separated flom the trunk, and further on, the dead body of the husband, pierced with five stabs in the region of the heart. Near his right side 'was a large kitchen knife, with which he had evidently committed suicide. It is supposed that the wretched man, after some dispute with the wife, drew a raznr suddenly across her throat with such fe-ce as to kill her instantaneously, and then, after throwing the razor out of the window, killed himself. Just as the commissary of police was ascendding the stairs, a razor st fined wi h blood fell in the street, near a passer-by. It is, thertfore, fe: red that the murder and suicide must have taken place within less than a minute of each other, and iu the space of time which elapsed from the moment of the commissary entering the house to that when the door wrs burst open. This dreadful event caused crowds to congregate in the neighbourhood during the whole day.
The Sun. — 1858-06-23 (London, England)

MANSION-HOUSE. Isabella M'lntyre, a poorly-clad girl of 19: was•broUght before the Lord MY or, charged wi!h attempting to commit suicide. She had been observed wandering, with a disconsolate air, without bonnet, upon London bridge, and Once mounted the seat in one of the recesses, as if with intention of jumping over ; but immediatdy after she again ga down on to the pavement, and took her way towards the end of the bridge, having reached which she ran rapilly down the steps and plunged into the water. As she did so, she was seen by a waterman close by, who immediately jumped in after her, and pulled her out, just as she was about to sink at a spot where, from the dEpth of the water arid the rapidity of the current, itbeing then wady high tide, if she hal sunk she would in all probability have risen no more. Upon being taken to the station-house she avowed her intention to destroy herself, saying it was not the fir.t attempt she bad made, but that scinething seemed al ways to prevent her from succeeding in her object. Af er her clothes_ were taken off by the fem.tle searcher that they might be dried, a small packet of oxalic acid was found in her pocket, and upon being questioned as to how it came into her possession and why she had it, she said she bad bought it at a chemist's upon the pretence of wanting it to clean straw-hats, and bad taken one-half of it thinking it would kill her, but been disappointed to find that it had little effect upon her, and that. it was in consequ: nee of .that failure she had jumped into the Thames.  --From inquiries made by the police it appeared that although she was a steady girl she was of an unhappy temper, and had quitted a good situation, as a domestic servant, wi' bout any sufficient cans-. The Lord Mayor announced his determination t• punish all such attempts in future, when they came before him, and in default of bail for good behaviour, committed the prisoner for a month, with a recommendation to the chaplain's care at Holloway.
The Sun. — 1858-09-16 (London, England)

WESTMINSTER.—Mary Ann Walters, a respectable-looking middle-aged woman, was charged under the following circumstances : Police-constable Atherton, 164 B, said that on the previous evening he was called to the Hope Coffeehouse, at Pimlico, to remove the accused, who was under the influence of drink, and very disorderly. He removed her, and she went a little way,' after which she refused to go any further. A crowd collected, and witness found it necessary to convey her to the station. Her husband there presented himself, and. offered to take his wife home, but she refused to go, although permission was given her to depart. She implored the inspector on duty to detain her, and informed him that if he Jet her go he would be answerable for her life. She ' was then detained, and on her"way from the station told witness that it was fortunate she had not been set at large. Mr. Poynter (to defendant)—What have you to say Defendant—All I have to say is to request you ;earnestly to send me-to prison. Mr. Paynter—lt is certainly a very unusual and strange request. Defendant—l hope your worship will grant it. Mr._Paynter—What is your reason for making it?  Defendant—l feel that -I have no proper control over myself, and that it will be very dangerous for me to be permitted to .go at large.  Mr. Pa-ynter--Why-? Defendant—l feel that I should immediately commit suicide. I made an attempt on my life in the station.  Mr. Paynter—What has brought you to this state of feeling ? Defendant—Drink, and nothing will wean me from drink but depriving me of the means of getting at it. I implore you to send me to prison—. there I can't get drink--tUere I shall get rid of the horrible feeling by which I am now overpowered. I shall come out a better woman, and then all may go right. Mr. Paynter committed her for ten days. Defendant—Thank you kindly, sir ; it would have been very cruel to_ have let me gone loose.
The Sun. — 1858-09-16 (London, England)

WESTMINSTER.—Mary Ann Walters, a respectable-looking middle-aged woman, was charged under the following circumstances : Police-constable Atherton, 164 B, said that on the previous evening he was called to the Hope Coffeehouse, at Pimlico, to remove the accused, who was under the influence of drink, and very disorderly. He removed her, and she went a little way, after which she refused to go any further. A crowd collected, and witness found it necessary to convey her to the station. Her husband there presented himself, and offered to take his wife home, but she refused. to go, although permission was given her to depart. She implored the inspector on duty to detain her, and informed him that if he iet her go he would be answerable for her life. She was then detained, and on her way from the station told witncss that it was fortimate she had not been set at large. Mr. Paynter (to defendant)—What have you to say? Defendant—All I have to say is to request you earnestly to send me to prison. Mr. Paynter—lt is certainly a very unusual and strange request. Defendant—l hope your worship will grant it. Mr. Paynter—What is your reason for making it ? Defendant—l feel that I have no proper control over myself, and that it will be very dangerous for me to be permitted to go at large. Mr. Paynter—Why ? Defendant—l feel that I should immediately commit suicide. I made an attempt on my life in the station.  Mr. Paynter—What has brought you to this state of feeling ? Defendant—Drink, and nothing will wean me from drink but depriving me of the means of getting at it. I implore you to send me to prison— there I can't get drink—there I shall get rid of the horrible feeling by which I am now overpowered. I shall come out a: better woman, and then all may go right. Mr. Paynter committed her for ten days. Defendant—Thank you kindly, sir ; it would have been very cruel to have let me gone loose.