npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Widnes Examiner. — 1884-10-04 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SHOCKING MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT CLLP. TlAM.—Shortly before eight o'clock on Monday night a Shocking murder wee committed at the residence of a Mrs Weiner, 35, Larkhall-lane, Clapham. For some time past a men named Harry Thorpe, aged 30. bad resided in apartments at the above ad iress. lie has been employed during the evening as a billia,el marker at a local tavern. He was engaged to be married to a young woman. On Monday evening he returned home after spending a few days in the country. He was accompanied by Miss Florence Kemp, aged 2.0 years, who WAS living with her father at Battersea. They appeared to be on very affectionate terms, and the landlady made Thorpe a cup of tea, and left them together, while she went upsta:rs to prepare the room for her lodger. Shortly afterwards Thorpe went into his bedroom, and Mrs Weiner heard a scuffla, followed by cries for help. She ran upstairs, and found tho youg man cutting his sweetheart's throat with a razor. Mrs Weiner, with great presence of mind, struggled with tee murderer, and succeeded in getting possession of the razor, which was covered with blood. Miss Kemp had fallen on the floor, with a wound across her throat from which Woad was flowing. The landlady ran down stairs, and gave information to the police. In the meantime a doctor was sent for and on his arrival he examined the wound and ordered the police to remove the woman to St Thomas's Hospitel, where she died on Tuesday morning. After Mrs Weiner ran downstairs, Thorpe realized thli position he had placed himself in, and, procuring another razor, he cut his own throat It was at once deemed expedient to remove him to one of the male wards at St Thomas's Hospital, where he now lies in a dying condition. On Wednesday morning the body of Miss Kemp was removed to tbo mortuary at St Thomas's Hospital, London, to await an inquest. The alleged murderer, Harry Thorpe, lying in the Caine hospital, is watched by a police officer. Although the police have made every inquiry as to the motive for the murder, they have not yet succeeded.
Widnes Examiner. — 1885-07-04 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

ATTY.  - --......... Sergeant W. H. Harvey Co poral A. Turner 3'J 22 27 79 PI ivw e G R. Jovn,on l9 21 25 6', Corp rat Daniel Edwards 23 17 IS 63 rergeant G. ..1-roue 29 25 9 63 Serge•nt J. Poole Ca thill W D. Jolifta 23 12 23 .58 Col,ur-Sergeant H. Coward 25 17 16 58 Corporal W. Eiolt  228 180 182  SHOCKING SUICIDE AT WIDNES —Mr. Brighouse, the county coroner, held an inquest at the Simms Cross Hotel, Widnes, on Monday, on the body of John Edwardson, a painter and plumber, who lived at 44, Midwood-street. The deceased poisoned himself on Friday afternoon. It appeared from the evidence that on Saturday, the 20. h ult., the deceased went hems and Tired his wife 17s as nis weekly wages. She knowing that he earned much more than this refused to accept the proffered Bum, aud a quarrel ensued. During the disturbance he struck her, and she went in search of a canstable. In her absence the deceased thrashed his mother-in-law, whom be disfigured with a black eye, and then left the house. He did not return until Monday, and after a short stay again departed and did not put in an appearance until Thursday. In the meantime Dr. Cooper, who was in attendance upon the mother-in-law, took out a summons against him for committing the assault. On Thursday the deceased called into the laboratory at Messrs. Dtnis's Copper Warks, and asked Mr. Walter Brown if the liquid he was using would poison anybody. Brown replied that he did not think so. Oa Friday afternoon Fred Harper, a workman at the Copper Manufactory, saw the deceased lying on his back in a field behind the works. He shouted, " Help me, I have poisoned myself." Harper asked him how he had done so, and he answered, " With a bo•tle," but did not rnention the liquid he had taken. A bottle was found buried in the earth near where he was discovered. Mr. Brown was of opinion that the deceased had drank some liquid out of a tank in the yard containing sulphate ot copper and acid.—Dr. McLennan deposed that when he saw the deceased on Friday afternoon he was black about it' month and teeth. There was some vomit near where be was found and be examined it. It appeared to have come from a corroded stomach. In his opinion the deceased had taken an irritant poison, but he was ntiable to say what it w without making a post nwrtent examination—Tee Coroner having review,d the evidence, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that Edwardson com nitted suicide whilst temporarily insane.
Widnes Examiner. — 1885-05-23 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SEASONABLE HINTS. Those who have chickens must remember that as the birds get old they will require more room and more air. This is especially the case with those that are reared in Artificial Mothers; but eYen with such as are under hens they need to be treated differently than at an earlier period of the year. Coops are often made too little, and both hen and chickens are erowded therein. This, with the expanding size of the latter, is a mistake. If there are spare houses about, and sow that the breeding season is over, several lots of hees can be put together, so as to make some houses at liberty. It is a good plan to give a hen and brood one of these houses. We recently saw a capital method described to induce chickens to settle in a large house without the hen. It was to nail a couple of strips of wood over the entrance to the house, so that the hen was unable to get out but the chickens could. In a day or two she was taken away, and they renlained contented in their new home.  A Birmingham man made a bet that he could invent a question to which fifty people would all give the same answer. He won the bet. The question was—" Have you heard that Smith has committed suicide ?" The answer in each case was—" What Smith?"  _ ..... Ditsrnucriva Futs.—On Saturday morning the flour milts at Messrs. T. and G. Knowles, situate on Me banks of the river Anker, at Nuneaton, were destroyed by lire, 1.000 quarters of wheat have been destroyed or spoiled, as well as 1,500 sacks of Hour and immense quantities of sharps, barley, barley meal, bran, &a. The damage is estimated at over £60,000. Veers Alwyn,
Widnes Examiner. — 1885-01-17 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

TURDAY. JANITARY 17, 1.885  SUICIDE OF A BREWERY MANAGER AT HALEWOOD. On Thursday afternoon an inquest was held on the body of John Ockleshaw, 48 years of age, head manager at the brewery, Halewood, a gentleman well known in commercial Circles in Liverpool, before Mr. W. T. Husband, deputy coroner for this division, at the Eagle and Child Inn, Halewood. The deceased committed suicide on Tuesday evening by shooting himself in the heed at his residence, HaleWood.—Mr. William Thomas Oekleshaw, son of the deceased, said that on Tuesday evening his father was in the breakfast roon, playing with the children, and shortly after witness left he heard the report of a gun. On going to make inquiries he found his father lying dead in a closet in the upper part of the house with a wound in his head and a recently discharged gun near him. The deceased had been in very bad health, suffering chiefly from rheumatism, while his eyesight was failing, and cussing him to be ' anxious and low spirited.—Mr. Benjamin Tighe, an excise officer, who was in the house that evening, said that he saw the deceased in the closet, the wound he had indicted in his head Nina terrible one. Deceased had been chatting with Lim a few moments before, and he seemed to be in better spirits than he had been for some time. Deceased complained of his head occasionally.—A juryman remarked I that the deceased bad said that the rheumatic pains had left his body and gone to his bead.—Other evidence of a similar nature to the foregoing iraving been given, Mr. David Alexander WKnight, of the firm of Messrs. Blease and Son, chartered accountants, Liverpool, said that the books of the deceased had been audited a few days before the occurrence, and were found in perfect order, and the business was in a prosperous condition.—A verdict of " Suicide whilst in a state of unsound mind " was returned.  EARLESTOWN„ 4 a
Widnes Examiner. — 1885-05-16 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—THURSDAY.  The Speaker took the chair at four o'clock. QuEsrloNs &c.—Sir T. BRASSEY stated that an officer of the Admiralty had been instructed to organise a general scheme of coast defence by naval means, and it would be part of his task to say what duties should be assigned to the volunteer artillery, and how far assistance would be necessary in the form of a capitation grant.—Mr. Forster was informed that colonial government securities would, equally with foreign secutities, be liable to the new stamp duty.—Mr. MUNDELL/ described the recent account in an evening paper of a case of suicide at Adlington, near Chorley, resulting from harsh treatment at school, as of a highly sensational character. No blame whatever attached to the school managers in the case. The girl complained of harsh treatment at the factory, and she had much work to do at a farm before going to school as a half-timer. The child was living with her parents, and this sad case, said the right hon. gentleman, was another illustration of the fact that more labour was exacted from children of tender years in England than from almost any other children in Europe.—Mr. ASHLEY' stated that the reports that a British protectorate was about to be established in Zululand, and that some representative of the Imperial Government would be employed in the work,were not based upon any action taken or decision arrived at by he- Majesty's Government. I—The Marquis of HABTINGTON informed Lord G. Hamilton that about £2,500,000 of the sum included in the Vote of Credit had been spent or absorbed by liabilities which would have to be met in consequence of the operations in the Soudan and Upper Egypt.—The PRIME Mierierme, referring to the negotiations with Russia, said they were proceeding, but he was not aware that they bad reaehed such a stage that the result could be announced.
Widnes Examiner. — 1885-05-16 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF A RUNCORN SCHOOLMASTER. —Before Mr. W. Bankes and 'ir. John Brun lrit, at Runcarn Police Court, on Tuesday, James Craig, principal of the Runcorn Collegiate School, was charged with having no the 16th February unlawfully stabbed, cut, and wounded himself with intent thereby feloniously and with malice aforethought to kill and murder himself.—Dr. Robinson said he was called in to see Mr. Craig on the morning of the day in question. He found the prisoner at his house with his throat veri badly rut. The prisoner had I.st a great deal of blood. Ile could not judge of the prisoner's state of mind at the lime, bathe afterwards discovered when he had recovered sufficiently that he had been completely out of health. Hr was emaciated and completely out of health bodily and his mind was not rational. A razor was pointed out to him, and he had no doubt from what he sag that the wound was icflicttcl by the pris mer's own hand.-Superintendent Leah : How long did his mind remain in that deranged state P—Witness : I cannot say that he s properly recovered yet. It is only lately that his skin hem done peeling after w' at is called nervous faver and brain inilammation.—Mr. Stokes : As a matter of fact I suppose he was labouring order temporary insanity. 7—The witness replied in the affirmative. His core was that of delirium of fever and inflammatisn of the brain. Mr. Craig (the prisoner) went away to Blackpool lately without his sanction, and le was not responsible for his going.—Superiniendent Leah : He went away to recoup his health 7—Witness Yes.—The Ben.ffi asked if there was any feather evidenc?.— Superintendent Leah said the doctor was the first man who had seen the prisoner—Dr. Robinson sail Mr. Craig's condition was sir critical that ha got another Surgeon to see him. He was pulseless.—Tbe prisoner : I could tell you a great deal mysel,.—The Chairman : Tat won't do.—After a brief consultation the Bench discharged the prisoner, and Mr. Craig at once left the court.
Widnes Examiner. — 1885-06-06 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

DOUBLE MURDER BY-A MOTHER AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.  About noon on Friday information was received at the Rusholme Police Station that a woman had murdered her two children, aged three and live respectively, and then attempted to commit suicide by drowning'. Inspector Smith went at once to 54, Fern Leaf-street, Moss Side, and found the two children lying on a bed in one of the bedrooms naked and quite dead, apparently from drowning. Upon the body of one of the children there was a piece of paper containing some almost illegible writing. What portions of it that could be made out ran as follows : " Dear Papa,—l could not stand it any longer . . . to you. I do not think they are del I,for they . . We shall never meet in heaven. I could net help it. I had a good husband." The Inspector took Mrs. Hibbert to the Busholme Police Station, where she now lie.. The unfortunate woman is. it appears, the wife of Thomas Hibbert, joiner and builder. About twelve months ago Mrs. Hibbert gave birth to a child. She fell ill, and finally became insane. She was removed to the Parktield Asylum, near Macclesfield, of which institution she was an inmate up till the 3rd of this month. Mr. Hibbert left the house about eight o'clock in order to proceed to his work, but prior to his doing so he gave strict orders to Ids servant to keep an eye upon her mistress's movements. About nine o'clock Mrs. Ilibbert told the servant to call the children from playing in the front garden. Mrs. Hibbert took bold of the children and took them !upstairs with her. She came down shortly afterwards and sent the servant for a bolts of soda saying that she felt unwell. On the servant's return with the soda water, she asked her mistress what had become of the children. Becoming alarmed, she procured a neighbour, and on reaching the house they heard a splashing in the bathroom. They proceeded thither, and found Mrs. Hiboert in the bath. They asked her where the children were and Mrs. Hibbert replied, "I have drowned them. I don't think they are dead, as they are quite warm." She took them into a bedroom where the two children were found lying quite naked on the bed, and although the bodies were warm they were perfectly dead. Mrs. Hibbert also told them she had been trying to drown herself in the bath for the last half hour.
Widnes Examiner. — 1885-06-06 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

IIICIDE AT FRODSHAM BRIDGE.—AR inquest was held by Mr. Churton, the county coroner, at the Ridge Inn, Frodsham Bridge, on Mender, on the bode- of Thomas Made, who committed suicide by banging himself on Saturday.— Sareh Dean said deceased lived next door to her on the quay. He hid suffered from rheumatism, and had not done any work for three years, and was physically unfit for work. She last saw deceased at nine o'clock on Friday night. She had noticed a change in his manner during the past three weeks, and on Friday evening when she took him something to eat, he told her.to put it away, as he did not know what he should do The deceavd lived with Thomas Ashbrook,and two children of the witness also slept in the same hose. On Saturday morn. ing the children were liter than usual, and she went at eight o'clock to see where they were, and then saw the deceased suspended be a rope from a beam in the back kitchen. She at once obtained assistance, and the body was out down by Richard Horton. The deceased appeared to have been dead for some time evtien cut down.—The jury returned a verdict of " Committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity." _ _  SECOND STARR BOWEETT BUILDING SOCIETY FOR WIDNES —A second Starr Bowkett Building Society was inaugurated in Widnes on Monday evening, when a public meeting was held in the National Schools, Waterloo-road. Captain Btunner presided, and he was sepported on the platform by Mr. John Ba-croft, of It atnsbottom (agent to Mr. Starr), Mr. S Owens. and Mr. T. J. Peters. Thera was a fair attendance. The chairman observed that the first society during the four years of its existence hal been very successful, and was now in a prosperous and sound condition.—Mr. Barcroft then delivered an address in which he incidentally referred to the advantages of the practice of thrift and the means adopted by the Government to foster these habits in the people. He argued that the Starr Bowkett societies offered a better, a safer, and a readier means of saving than any other society, and gave to their m3mbers a larger return than could be obtained elsewhere upon the same sum. In explaining the rules and regulations of the society he stated that the entrance fee was is. and the payment per share of £lOO, sixpence per week. When £27 81 had been paid too the member was entitled to a loan of £lOO for 12/ years free of interest, but he might obtain an appriation by ballot years before he paid that sum. Only four shares could b 3 taken in a group, but any number of shares could be taken. A member wishing to withdraw his subscriptians could not do so until t° society had been in existence rive years. Mr. Barcroft also explained that if a member could not pay his weekly subscriptioas regularly either through sickness or loss of employment, the rules provided that he should not be fined. Other advantages having been pointed out, the usual votes of thanks were accorded the Chairman and Mr. Barcroft. A
Widnes Examiner. — 1885-04-11 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

RATEPAYER.  NORTHWICEI Sir,—ln view of the important work which will devolve upon the Northwich Liberal '300" on Saturday nest, : the selection of a candidate to contest the new constituency of Northwich at the next general election, I beg to offer a f situa ov remarks on the tion. There is an ominous reticence on the part of those to whom we usually look for guidance in political aff iirs. If it is because they do not wish to appear to lend official countenance to one or other of the two candidates before the council, well and good. At the same time those who are not in the swim ought to be better informed on some points, lest they be led to take a lean in the dark. The three hundred delegates, as their name implies.ropresent the rank and file of the Liberal party in the division. They have accepted a trust on behalf of those Liberals who elected them, and the, cannot do other than act in accordance with the interests of the Liberal party —which for the time are placed in their hands. If they allow considerations of a personal character to weigh with them, they will prove false to their trust and unworthy of the confidence reposed in them bv the Liberal electorG. Now it is known that one Of the gentlemen seeking to be the candidate IS the nominee of the Salt Chamber of Commerce. Will it be in the e interests of the Liberal party to select such a candidate 1. Certainly not. Having got rid of the Egerton domination in the division, are we to place ourselves under i another ? It s none the less objectionable because it goes under the name of trade. It may be said that to follow oat that policy and ref use the help of the salt trade will be to throw the constituency into the hands of the Tories. So let it be. Better to die lighting than to commit political suicide by placing our neck under the heel of a corporation -which, however useful in other respects, is not in sympathy with the aims of ardent Liberals. But if the delegates do their duty, that is, it they do not lower the Liberal flag,  there will be no fear as to the result,. Ido not doubt the wisdom of the choice the salt proprietors have made; but if they had selected an archangel, the principle of freedom of choice, which we as Liberal workers claim, would be viclated just the same, and we should feel bound to reject him. There are higher aims before the country than seeking by Parliamentary action to find fresh markets for salt, or anything so sordid, and I shall be disappointed if, by the action of the delegates on Saturday, the newly-formed Liberal Association of the Northwich Division is reduced to the pitiful position of a sub-committee of the Salt Chamber of Commerce.—Yours, , April Bth, 1885.
Widnes Examiner. — 1885-06-20 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.—THE ALLEGED "ASSURANCES." MS. GLADSTONE said be had received authentic information that Lord Salisbury had undertaken the formation of a Government, and that it would be convenient if the House at this early stage of the proceedings adjourned until Friday. He therefore proposed that the House should agree to this, but should make an exception from the rule of not proceeding with any public business in favour of the Lords' Amendments to the Se its Bill, and also of the Princess Beatrice's Annuity Bill. There was also a capital sum granted in addition, but that would not be proceeded with, as the judgment of the House had net been passed on It in any form, until it could be introduced by a responsible Minister. Sir S. Northcote having expressed his concurrence in this proposal, Mr. COLLINGS asked that an exception should also be madel in favour of his Medical Relief Bill, bat Mr. GLADSTONE! thought this inadmissible. , Mr. LABOUCHEBB Said: We have recently seen statements that there is some species of negotiation going on be. tween the leaders of the present Opposition and her Majesty's Government, and that the Government are about to give certain assurances to the Conservative party that, should they take office, they would not oppose them. ("Oh, oh ! ' from the Ministerialists below the gangway.) In the Standard It is stated that they must do this as patriots, because the Ministers have brought the country into such a deplorable state that they ought to be thankful to any one who gets the country out of that state. (Opposition cheers.) In The Times if is stated that Ministers ought to take this course, and indeed that they Intend to do it, and that without this course the present Opposition will not take office because the Ministers themselves committed a species of suicide. I think it desirable that these statements should be put at rest at once. Hon. and ri4ht bon, gentlemen opposite during the present session have done their very best to turn out her Majesty's advisers. They. were warned beforehand that if they did so they would have to accept office. Under these circumstances I would ask the Prime Minister whether there is any truth in the statements and whether anything beyond that aid will be afforded to the leaders of the Conservative party to carry on the Government which the Conservative party have afforded to her Majesty's present advisers during the present session. Mr. GraapsroNE: All I can say is that I have no cognisance of any such communications. I can commit nobody, I can promise nothing, I can refuse nothing. lam absolutely without any information. (Ministerial cheers.) The motion was agreed to, as was another motion that all Committees should have leave to sit notwithstanding the adjournment of the House.