npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-03-31 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

THE COMET.  DEAR SlR,—This is, I think, a very grave question. People who complain about this world must remember that "Vita est donum doi." To say "Life is not-worth living" would be to doubt the aim of the Creator, and such doubt could only arise from a naturally morbid disposition, or from a temporary fit of despondence produced either by disappointment or misfortune. "In the mind of a Christian, tenacis propositi," a thought of this kind could never spring up; even if it did, it would immediately be negatived by his trust in the purpose of his Maker. Many persons end their lives by suffering from so-called mental depression. Now, mental depression is generally caused by a sluggish liver and dyspepsia. Canon Sydney Smith shrewdly says: "My friend sups 'late'; he eats some strong soup, then a 'lobster, then some tart, and he dilutes these succulent varieties with wine. The next day I call upon him. He is going to sell his house in London and to retire into the country; he is alarmed for his eldest daughter's health; his expenses are hourly increasing, and nothing but a timely retreat can save him from ruin. All this is the lobster, and when over-exerted nature has had time to manage this testaceous incumbrance, the daughter recovers, the finances are in good order, and every rural idea effectually excluded from the mind. In the same manner friendships are destroyed by toasted cheese, and hard salted meat has led to suicide, a great scene of wretchedness is sketched out by a morsel of indigestible food."  These words are so true, are they not? At any rate, in whatever station of life men and women find themselves, it is their duty to do their best.  Therefore, summing up, we may say that, treated either theologically or medically, the question, "Whether Life is worth living or not ? " depends upon the
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-06-09 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

SCARING THE CABBY.  IT is told of Signor Leoncavallo, the cornposer of " Pagliacci," that he once left a London hotel where he had been calling to ! see if a friend were in, and, its he was in a hurry, got intc. a hansom. Being seated, I however, he could not recall the name of the street where the gentleman lived whose guest he was during his stay. In consequence of his knowing no English he had been looked after and taken about with great care; but his host had dropped him at the hotel and gone off on other business not doubting that Signor Leoncavallo could find his way home. One street looked just like another to a. stranger, and the unhappy musician had no idea of the direction he ought to take! What he regarded as a brilliant idea struck him; and the cabman, making persistent inquiries of "Where to, sir ? " to an apparently deaf fare, was astonished to see the gentleman inside rise to his feet, put both hands to the back of his neck, and, turning down the back of his coat collar thrust it as near as possible to the aperture at the top of the cab! "'Ere, what's this game ? " the man inquired, in some alarm. A cabman sees odd things at times, but he had never known anyone get into a cab and behave so before. Of course the musician did not understand the colloquialism; he simply turned round, looked in the man's face, and once more Proceeded to do odd things to the back of his neck. Suicide, evidently, the cabby thought. Now, he knew where to go without being told to the police station in the next street; and he whipped up his horse. Looking still through the trap, he saw his fare sit down and take of his coat. Odder than ever! The police station by all means! And, arriving there, he hastily explained to the first constable he saw that there was "a cove inside who wouldn't say where he wanted to go and was trying to kill hisself." Poor Signor Leoncavallo had no such thought. His apparently incomprehensible proceedings were, in fact, remarkably ingenious, if only the cabman had understood. He was wearing a new coat; on the inside of the collar was a little label with the tailor's name and address on it; and all he wanted was that the cabman should drive there, for the tailor spoke French, knew where his customer was staying, and so could have sent him home. Fortunately the inspector knew a little French also, and a post-office directory solved the problem. But in all innocence the composer of " Pagliacci " sorely scared the cabman.
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-03-03 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

COMET NOTES AND QUERIES.  BY PROFESSOR KNOWALL.  THE MARCH OF EVENTS.  THE month of March is an important one in the calendar. It gives us the first holidays of the year, Good Friday falling on the 23rd this year, and Easter Sunday and Monday on the 25th and 26th respectively. Welshmen celebrate St. David's Day on the Ist inst., and the Times newspaper men will not forget that it was on the 2nd of March, 1891, that Mr. Pigott committed suicide in a Spanish hotel. In fact, several tragic affairs have taken place in March. Look at this fairly long list of sad events— __  5. Covent Carden Theatre burnt.. 1856. 12. Tremendous blizzard at New York .. 15. Explosion (Fenian) at Whitehall .. 17. Utopia foundered 24. Eurydice went down with 300  1888.  1883. 1891.  men .. 30. Terrible hurricane at Samoa  . 1878. . 1889.  Irishmen will hold "high jinks " on the 17th, that being dedicated to the memory of St. Patrick, and festive proceedings will probably be the order of the following days. 10. Prince of Wales married . . 1863. 13. Duke of Connaught married . . 1879. 21. Princess Louise married . . 1871. Death has struck several noble families in previous years in the month of March, and the following prominent men and women have breathed. their last on the days named below :6. Artemus Ward . . 7. Lord Collingwood S. William 111. .. 9. William I. of Germany 16. Duchess of Kent  .. 1867. .. 1810. .. 1702. .. 1888. .. 1861. .. 1889. .. 1884.  27. John Bright .. 29. Duke of Albany.. 29. John Seble, author of "The Christian Year" . . 1866. 31. Earl Granville .. 1891. It will be seen that three English Royalties have died and a similar number have been married in March of some year or other.
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-01-20 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT RED.  BY NORA HOPPER.  Rowan-tree and red thread Keep the witches from their speed." " ED thread has always been inimical to witches and 4hl. uncanny folk, just as bine. , thread has been invariabli, considered to be an outwart" and visible sign of invisible' I evil. In Scotland mother°, and nurses used to wrap, children affecteu with whooping-cough in red flannel, just as, longer ago yet, red bed-clothes were used ill small-pox and scarlet lever cases. Esthoniall., mothers tie skeins of red thread ruling babies' eradles ; while their Chinese sistortl. tie the same preservative round their babies wrists. Chinese, gentle and simple from the woodcutter to the haughtiest of the mandarins, carry scraps of red cloth aboulfr their persons, to keep off the attacks of malign spirits. Red. hangings and red decorations are used at chief& funerals New Zealand, and among the Congo nativered is the sacred colour. Carinthian maidens, when churning, tie 0 bit of red cloth somewhere about the churn, so that their butter may not be overlook by an evil eye. 'Red is the outward symbol of heat: the colour of Mars and Thor, te which latter god the redbreast is sacred ell account of his scarlet breast. Red is the colour of martyrdom and of royalty, and of godhead. The Supreme Deity of a tribe of American Indians is always represented fie clad in robes of red down. Ghosts of those • who coMmit suicide wear red girdles in the Flowery Land; in Japan the red thread ie typical of lightning. The little guardiall gods who ward the fields in Southern India, are always bedaubed with red paint. Be flowers were given for disorders of the pood in media3val England; and the following curious recipe shows the benefit which vise , expected to accrue from the use of anything of the sacred ruddy colour. Here it is, done, into modern spelling: "Beat up red coral with some oak-leaves, and let first a sick man eat of it, and then a whole.man ; afterward the ailment will be transferred from the sielr to the whole, and the sick shall recover." Here is another quaint prescription, to; conclude: "One that is afflicted with lanes (mania) " let him wear a garland round hie' neck of red clove-wort; tied with a red thread, and the cloves be pulled in a waning moon in April, and he shall be cured of hio lunes."  There were ten little nigger boys, two of them died; what did the others do P--WhY, went out black-berrying (burying).  THE prima donna who "carried away her audience" is earnestly requested to bring it back, as there were several mothers in it who left babies at home.  "WHAT is the meaning of the word tantalising ? ' " asked the teacher. "Please, ma'am," said Johnny, "it meaJ3s. a procession passing the school-house, ana the pupils not allowed to look out."  r 4 p0...p. ,„.„
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-02-24 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

THE COMET.  DEAR depepds entirely upon whether we grasp all the privileges held out to us, and upon the way we meet adversities and misfortunes.  To make life worth living we must be goodprincipled, meet all troubles and trials with a bold front and strong determination to clnquer them; then, depend upon it, the burd n will not seem so heavy and will soon b overcome. We should also be kind-hearted, generous, and of a lively disposition generally. But above all let us be upright, honest, and God fearing; act up to these principles, and we shall find life worth living. But, on the other hand, if we treat the good things of this world indifferently, plodding along having no fixed purpose, no thought for the future, looking on the worst side of things generally, an d meeting adveri-iii 8 with a weak heart: under the- e circumstances I don't think life worth living. So my opinion, Mr. Editor, whether life is worth living or not, is that it depends entirely upon the way in which we treat it.— I am, Mr. Editor, yours truly, j. 11. TwIP: MAN, The Lizard, It. S. 0., Cornwall.  To the Editor of TUE Cop.  DEAR SIR,—In answer to the pupston under discussion I think every ightminded person ought to answer in the a ffirmat ive.  For I contend that if a man only keeps out of bad companionship, and keeps his conscience clear, he will find life to be a great pleasure. When we come to think of how all or r wants are provided for on this earth, there ought to be no two sides to this question ; let us go out into the country and see all the splendid scenery, and it can but inspire us to answer in the affirmative.  Then, right from our very childhood, there is always something to look forward to, and anticipation is one of the joys of this life. If a man finds life is not worth living he generally gets out of it by suicide, and nearly every suicide is brought on by drink, which weakens a man's brain, and consequently the verdict is nearly always " suicide whilst temporarily insane ; " for a sane man never commits suicide, but is only too glad to live the life which man was supposed to live when he was placed on earth.—Yours truly, J.
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-08-25 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

THE WEATHER AND THE BRAIN.  THE influence of the weather on the brain is a subject which awaits investigation, and will repay it. Most people feel the influence of dull days, east winds, and extreme cold on their spirits and energies, mental or physical. An arctic cold and a tropical heat are unfavourable to literary composition, for example, and we speak of the cold "freezing our wits," an expression which is not altogether figurative, but rests on a common experience. Goethe found that his barometer and other instances of meteorological influence on the mind could be collected from the writings of celebrated men. Suicide occurs most frequently in summer, perhaps owing to the heat and exhaustion, and not, as might be supposed, in winter. The American Journal of Psychology has an article on the subject, in which the head of a large factory is reported to state that a disagreeable day causes a reduction of 10 per cent. in the output, and has to be reckoned in the profit and loss account. Accidents are more frequent on bad days than on good, and railway men do not propose changes to their superiors unless the weather is propitious. Fine days make people generous and accessible, and opinions given on such days are held by some to be the safest. The influence of the weather on the logical faculty, the nerves, and the eyes has also been recognised in a perfunctory and vague sort of way, nervous, excitable, irascible persons are more prone to feel the influence of bad weather, and blame their circumstances. Certain functional troubles of the liver, a chronic catarrh, a rheumatic joint, even a bad corn predispose persons to suffer from weather changes. Mind, however, is superior to matter, and when properly cultivated will show a balance and serenity; in fine a self control which raises the individual above his disagreeable or painful surroundings.
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-04-07 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

THE COMET.  DEAR SIR,—To this question I answer an emphatic "Yes ! " In this limited space it is impossible to consider the reluctance of the most self-sacrificing individuals to yield up life, and the yearnings of the sick and deformed for an extended existence of even a few years. But these are natural and, perhaps, selfish instincts for our own preservation. Surely the highest motive in life is that of living for others. Words of encouragement to the downcast, of kindness to the weak, and of sympathy to those. in trouble, a helping hand stretched out to raise up a fallen brother. From these and kindred acts springs the highest limit of human happiness. In every phase of life each day affords ample opportunity for the exercise of such actions. It is only when this fellow-sympathy has been withdrawn that life becomes a burden. Not until a man loses sight of his own responsibility as a unit in the working out of the great design of life does he seek the suicide's grave. It is when a man, having educated himself to regard life as given him solely for the maintenance of himself in health and luxury, and having failed in the attainment of these, that he wearies of his existence and selfishly craves release from it. We do not yet seem to have realised in the nineteenth century our total inability to live an isolated life. We try to pass our existence regardless of the mutual dependence between all men and blinding ourselves to the abundance of misery and misfortune all around us. Let us endeavour to elevate the minds of men to regard life as something more than a mere battle for existence. Let us try to banish those -barriers of distinction which separate nation from nation, class from class, brother from brother, as it is then, and not till then, -that we shall remove the present deplorable blot of suicide and make our earthly life full of I appiness, with the hope of a still brighter hereafter.—Thos. Hy. FLEMMING, 109, Leeds Road North, Huddersfield.
The Halifax Comet. — 1894-05-05 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

WAS IT SUICIDE OR MURDER P  A VITAL CLUE.  A SEARCH WHICH FREED AN INNOCENT MAN.  HE following story is founded on a fact-within the knowledge of the editor of the Comet.  Stanton lived in chambers  in White's Inn, and was read ing for the bar. Wild, who justified his name, was an old college acquaintance who had attempted several things in life and failed in all.  Gilbert had not seen him in several years, when Wild turned up at his chambers and announced that he was "stone broke."  Raymond Wild was hot-blooded, and high words resulted. The quarrel was at its height when Mrs. Morton, Gilbert's old laundress, who had been completing her morning duties in another room, closed the doors of the chambers and passed out.  Shortly afterward the tempers of the two men cooled. Wild apologised for some offensive remarks he had made, and they shook hands. Gilbert now promised to do his best to help his old acquaintance, and invited Wild to remain an hour while he went to keep an appointment.  When Gilbert Stanton retured he mounted the stairs to the door of his chambers, but did not immediately enter. He stood for a few minutes on the landing, considering what course he should adopt with regard to the man inside.  As he leaned against the door, smoking a cigarette, he was startled by a loud explosion inside.  He hastily unlocked the dm r and went in. Stretched upon the floor was Raymond Wild—dead.  The evidence at the inquest was simply, this. The police, when called in, had found the dead body of a man, identified as Raymond Wild, with a bullet wound in his head. A revolver was also discovered which Gilbert Stanton had admitted was his, and the contents of one chamber had been discharged.  Mr. 'Stanton had said: " The man committed suicide. I was not inside the chambers at the time."  William Carey, a solicitor's clerk, deposed that he was looking out of the office window on the -ground floor when he saw Mr. Gilbert Stanton enter the building, and heard him run up the stairs.  About five minutes afterward certainly when ample time had elapsed for Mr. Stanton to enter his chambers—he heard the explosion.  Eliza Morton, Mr. Stanton's laundress, had admitted the deceased on the morning in question, and noticed when leaving that the two gentlemen were "having some words."  His defence was that Wild had found the revolver during his absence ; that he was  Akkrai,'N.% it.ftl "P"' AP ft (11.
The Halifax Comet. — 1899-08-26 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

WHY STEAL, STARVE, OR "COMMIT SUICIDE. "COME TO US AND WE WILL HELP YOU."  "There were two men standing by in the Salvation Army uniform, and, seeing me look at the notice, one came towards me.  " ' Would you like to see our sbelter, sir ? ' he asked, for my frock coat and tall hat made me appear well-to-do. It's well worth seeing.' " ' Good God, man ! ' I replied, I'm starving, in spite of my clothes. I've had no food since yesterday. "He didn't betray the least surprise, but he held out his hand to me.  "'Come right in to the office and make yourself at home,' he said, and I followed him. Now sit down whilst I see the adjutant.' No questions, mark you, but they fetched me in—don't forget that! Then two more came, and I told them my story, and they fetched me a bowl of onion soup " A man close beside Gherki—a young man, it may be said in excuse— murmured: "How dreadful 1 "  "Curse you 1 " snarled the millionaire, so fiercely that the youth almost jumped. "Thank your God you've never wanted, and pray you never may. Excuse me, gentlemen, for breaking out like that; but I don't often tell this story, and it stirs me, as you may imagine," he added contritely. "That food was strength and life to me, and I begged for work to repay them. They gave me letters to address, and that afternoon I earned sixpence by work, which made me feel a man again. Then they lent me an old suit of clothes, and I went about eight o'clock into the chief living-room. There must have been nearly two hundred men collected there, and there wasn't a smile or a laugh amongst the lot. Black despair seemed to be brooding over everyone, and they looked hopeless. Listlessly they lounged about, and hardly one spoke above a low growl, for they were life's flotsam, and not a man trusted his neighbour. I was sitting half asleep on a bench when a wretched, sordid-looking man sat down beside me.
The Halifax Comet. — 1899-11-04 (Halifax, West Yorkshire, England)

BEGIN TREATMENT TO-DAY. DISEASE DOES NOT STAND STILL.  For Sale by all Chemists and Dealers Price 2/9 and 4/6 per Bottle.  to agree to make no demur as to the quality of goods supplied, or measurement of the same, and in default thereof to be subject to summary ejectment from the premises. This old-estab lished house has only changed hands nine times within the last three years, one tenant having committed suicide, two have been poisoned by the liquor they contracted to retlil, three have become bankrupt, and the remainder have retired skinned of all they possessed. For further particulars, apply to Glucose & Co., Unlimited, brewers and petroleum liquor merchants, Pig Swill Brewery, Gutter Lane, Swindlehem.  N.B.—Non but inexperienced men need apply, and victuals are strictly prohibited to be provided for either man or beast.  We accept no responsibility for the grammatical construction of the postscrip, although we do not anticipate that many Halifax readers will find any ground of objection in it. It is constructed upon lines favoured by the Halifax School Board, and in everyday use by our leading public officials. In fact, to go beyond Halifax, the same form of diction may at any time turn up in a Queen's Speech. Aftar all it must be perfectly useless to address a prohibition to inanimate victuals, which cannot possibly hear or comprehend what is thus addressed to them. And after all, it would have been just as easy and far more happy to say that "the provision of victuals is strictly prohibited," the prohibition in that case being of course addressed to all whom it may concern in respect to such provision. As it stands it reminds one of notice which for many years adorned the North Pier, Blackpool, where "orange peel, cigar ends, and other refuse " was " respectfully requested to be thrown into the sea " Of course, the litter never took any notice of the request, and as the promenaders were not in any way addressed they never felt the slightest responsibility to obey the intention of the framers of this curious intimation.  -0 When paragraphs QUESTIONABLE appear in the Public