npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-08-06 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

DISAPPOINTED LOVE. _  At the Marylebone Coroner's—EalrT; London, on Monday, Dr. Westeott held an inquest touching the death of Elizabeth Newman, aged twenty-two, a single woman, barmaid at the Blue Post Tavern, Old Bond Street, who died from the effects of poison. —lt seemed that the deceased had become passionately fond of a young man named Atkins, who worked in Old Bond Street, and was wont to frequent the Blue Post. Her affection was not apparently reciprocated by Atkins, who was engaged to another girl, and who at last intimated to the deceased that he could never be more than a "friend" to her.—Mrs. King, the landlady of the Blue Post, stated that the deceased since her (witness's) husband's death had stood in the relation of a daughter to her more than that of a servant, and she knew Miss Newman was "very much infatuated with Atkins, who was very wicked to lead her on as far as he did. He seemed to me," added the witness, "to make her believe he loved her." The witness produced the deceased's diary, a photograph of Atkins, and some letters which he had written to the deceased. In the diary she wrote of "coming to a conclusion" with Atkins and of being "very much upset." In one of Atkins's letters he wrote of 'not being able to say yes to a question she put to him, adding, "I am awfully sorry if you have taken it in a different light, and 1 believe you have. I trust I have not inconvenienced you at all in the matter. I might have overstepped the mark a little, but I did not believe until just lately that it was all over between you and Arthur," Mrs. King sent the deceased home for a holiday to her mother in the couutr y, and hoped that she would recover from her disappointment, but on her return to town she grieved as much as ever. On Thursday, the 23rd ult., whilst R clerk named Frederick Salmon was in the bar at the Blue Post, she culled him aside and showed him a small glans bottle labelled " Phosphorine," or rat poison, some of the contents of which she said she had taken on the previous day, "because she could not get on with Mr. Atkins." The bottle was nearly full, and he seized it and destroyed it the same night. He did not tell Mrs. King of the deceased's communications until the following Sunday, Miss Newman having meanwhile displayed symptoms which her mistress mistook for biliousness. —The Coroner said Salmon had acted injudiciously first in destroying the bottle, and then in not revealing his knowledge earlier.—Dr. F. H. Corbyn, 18, Abereorn Place, St. John's Wood, stated that he was called to see the deceased on Friday morning last at 51, Bell Street, Edgware Road, the house of her mistress's sister, to which she had been removed. She died the same day, death being due to an irritant poison, in all probability phosphorus. —The jury found that the deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity, due to mental distress caused by disappointment in love
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-03-05 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

LAMENTABLE SUICIDE IN CARLISLE.  A FIGHT FOR DEATH.  There was considerable excitement in the neighbourhood of London Road yesterday (Wednesday) morning upon its being reported that Mr Isaac Dodd, clerk in the Carlisle and Cumberland Bank, had committed suicide. The report, unfortunately, proved only too true. It appears that on Monday when Mr Dodd was at the bank it was noticed that he was not quite fit for work, and on Tuesday marked symptoms of mental derangement developed after his work was done. Arrangements were made with a brother of l'olice-constable Mooney to keep watch over him, and Mr Weight. man, one of his colleagues at the Bank. also volunteered to spend the night with him. Dr Maclaren and his assistant, Dr Robinson, were summoned, and a sleeping draught was administered to the patient, Mr Dodd previously having become very violent. The draught had the desired effect, and the medical gentlemen did not deem it necessary to remain after three o'clock on Tuesday morning. Mr Dodd slept until six o'clock, when he awoke, and at once became uncontrollably violent, and insisted upon Mooney leaving the house, which he did. He inquired for his revolvers, and then, rushing to the kitchen, secured a table knife. A fierce struggle ensued, Mr Wightman endeavouring to get the knife away and having his hand cut in the attempt. Eventually, however, he was overpowered by the superior strength of his maddened antagonist, and was unable to prevent him from cutting his throat before his eyes. Mr Dodd was formerly a clerk in the employ of Messrs Wright and Brown, but left fifteen years ago in order to fill a vacancy in the bank, where he had gained a good position. Ile was of a genial disposition and steady habits, and he took a great interest in music and astronomy, as well as in engineering, for which he had some aptitude. Some time ago he developed hallucinations regarding the brake used on one of the chief railways, and was under the impression that the patentee was constantly endeavouring to thwart him. He was about 32 years of age, and unmarried, living with his widowed mother and two sisters. He has also a brother, who is in America.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-03-05 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

RESCINED INQUEST AND VERDICT.  EXECUTION OF A NEGRO MURDERER. TERRIBLE SCENE ON THE SCAFFOLD.  A telegram from New York says frightful incidents attended the hanging of a negro murderer at Wa hington, Pennyslvania. Early in the morning of the day appointed for the execution the condemned man procured by some means a piece of iron, which he several times plunged into his throat, but either his strength or his nerve failed, as the I,the self-inflicted wounds were not deep, and he only lost a quantity of blood. Despite this attempt at suicide, the Sheriff determined to proceed with I the execution. When, however, he entered the cell with his attendants and the clergyman to prepare the victim for the gallows, tho murderer fought like a demon. It was finally decided as a I last resource to place him under the influence of I opiates, which, however, were only partially successful, and it became necessary to strap the condemned man to a board. In order to prevent the resistance which he seemed determined to make on the scaffold, more opiates were administered, and he was bound apparently helpless to a plank and carried to the gallows. Everything was soon ready, the trap was sprung, but the combined weight of the plank and the man was too much for the rope, which broke, hurling the miserable man to the ground amid the groans of the spectators, already sickened by what they had witnessed. The negro, awakened by the shock of his fall, began a fearful struggle to free himself from the cords binding him to the plank. The attendants hurriedly picked up another noose and adjusted it to the neck of the murderer, who was this time finally hanged. The sight was a terrible one. The wounds in the neck being opened by the pros etre of the rope, blood spurted out in jets, covering the body, the board and the ground. The executed criminal had brutally murdered the whole family.  DISASTROUS__COLLISION AT
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-07-11 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

LADY'S PITEOUS SUICIDE.  At the inquest held on the body of Helen Elizabeth Prow, the lady who was found drowned in the pond at Clapham, the following piteous letter was found written to Miss Claire :—'• Dear Kate,—You must keep this all private. lam in great trouble, and ask you to help me. I have not any business since I saw you, and it worries me. I owe money, but don't let a word drop. We don't agree, and the sooner we part the better (meaning Miss Du Valley). She 'snacks' me dreadful. I must not do anything, she is so irritable. I owe her nearly £2OO, and now she has got a mortgage. Oh dear, that I had some business and could pay the debt. She says she is going to be married after I leave her and she gets the money. I daresay she will come and turn you against me. I can do as I like at my age. I only want to be in a situation. We are in a large house, and all by ourselves, and then she tyrannises. So now, love, I can let you into my secrets. My life is a perfect misery. She sharpened a carving-knife when the bird died, and said she would cut my throat! I can tell you much more when I see you. Much more will kill me. She has said, I will tell Miss Claire what a horrid thing you are,' but don't you believe it; it is she who is that, and you don't know how nasty she is, and wishes me dead. My brother says I should be best in business. Imu under her thumb, and am so very unhappy. She will be in a dreadful temper when she hears I have written to you, and will come to see you, so be on your guard. She is so jealous. . See is gone to the races, so that is why I'm able to write, or should not dare to. She does not give me as much as a piece .of cake sometimes. I hope you are well. lam very miserable, and really wish I was dead. —Yours lovingly, Helen." Miss Kate Adelaide Claire said she received that totter. Deceased had lived with Miss Du Valley eight years, and three years ago she spoke of unhappiness. Mr. F. K. Oliver Gillbanks, 43 Belvoir Road, Lordship Lane, said he knew Miss Trew. She was 31. She had independent means and a house (her own) in Churchill Road, Kentish Town. She lived upon the money accruing from this property, and boarded and lodged with Miss Du Valley, in Coldharbour Lane, who, deceased said, treated her very cruelly, and kept her "under," and would not allow her to speak. She had told witness her life was a misery through Miss Du Valley. Miss Du Valley totally denied in great anger to the Court any ill treatment of the deceased, whom she had known 20 years. She said deceased seemed happy with her. A gentleman visited her. She never said she wanted to leave Deceased's property and money came entirely to witness by the death. The jury returned a verdict of found drowned, and were of opinion deceased had been badly treated by Miss Du Valley and driven to suicide.—The Coroner said, "I quite concur with you, there can be no doubt about that."
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-05-02 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE INQUEST.  The inquest on the body was held on Tuesday morning at the Earl Grey Inn, Botchergate, before Mr J. Hewetaon Brown, city coroner. Edward Sloan Carlyle, of 33 South Petteril Street, identified the body of the deceased, and said that she was 33 years of age, and lived with his mother and himself. He last saw the deceased alive about a quarter-past ten the previous morning. She was then in a depressed condition but not unusually so, as she had been in a low way for some weeks; but he never had the least suspicion that she would destroy herself. He went out of the house at the time mentioned, and returned about a quarter to one o'clock. She was then dead, and he was told that she had cut her throat with a razor. He used a razor for shaving, and the deceased had access to his razors, which he kept in a drawer in his room. It was in his room that the occurrence happened. His mother was very ill and altogether unfit to give evidence. Francis Johnston, joiner, employed on some new houses in Petteril street opposite that in which the deceased lived, deposed that about a quarter to 11 o'clock, he was asked to go upstairs in Mrs Carlyle's house by a neighbour, and he found Miss Carlyle's body lying on the floor in the front room, in front of the dressing table. He was quite convinced that she was dead, so he at once came downstairs and sent for the doctor. The body was lying on the left side. He did not observe a razor, but he saw It afterwards taken from the drawer of the table, where it had evidently been dropped. Dr Sullivan deposed that he was called to the deceased's house on Monday morning, and got there about 11-30. He found deceased lying on the floor, on her left side with the face downwards. The wound extended across the whole front of the neck at the meeting of the lower jaw and the top of the windpipe. The cut was from left to right, and all the soft parts were cut down to the spine. Death would result in a very short time. The wound was above the larynx. Witness saw a razor in a partially open drawer and the razor was stained with blood. It appeared to have been laid down very quickly, as the end of it extended over the drawer.  The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity."
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-05-23 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

MAY 23, 1890.  WHEN we read our correspondent's letter last week concerning the closing of the Belted Will Publichouse at Hallbankgate, we were confident that he merely gave expression to LADY CARLISLE'S own views as to the sentiment "Trust the people." Though we know her ladyship could not be aware of the circumstance that such a letter had been written till she had seen it in the Reformer, we were sure that when she did see it, she would take steps to shew the people who are most nearly interested in the case, that even upon a matter that she has so much at heart she was quite prepared to " trust the people." At the meeting, a brief account of which we report in another column, which was held in Hallbankgate Co-operative Hall, on Tuesday last, and which was called at her expressed wish, LADy Cs.tuasut fully warranted the opinion which we held; and we do not fear, any more than does her ladyship, that the result of an appeal to the people will be otherwise than honourable to themselves, and gratifying to those who are their best friends.  - Fnoii a paper recently read b•y Mr Gro. GROSVENOR at a meeting of the Statistical Society, we quote these figures, as encouraging to the educationalist and the moral reformer. In 1868-9 there was one thief, known as such to the police, to every thousand persons, whereas in 1887-8 the percentage had fallen one-half—to one in 19,45. Surely this testifies to a better general moral tone, which has arisen from various causes and, not the least, from Mr FORSTER'S great Education Act There are other statistics pointing in the same direction. Receivers of stolen goods have sunk from one in 8,430 persons, to one in 25,599. There used to be one policeman for 769 persons, but now we can get on with one for 859 persons, so there seems a not very far off prospect of one reaching the literal millenium of one for every 1,000. But all is not roseate and self-congratulation. Cases of suicide have risen from 850 to 1,223, though this is only partly a criminal item. But murders have risen from 151 to 190, and sexual criminal assaults from 305 to 689. This last evil growth is in its full extent only apparent, being partly due to a change in the law. But this will not account for it altogether. It is very serious, and points to the pressing need of moral and religious early training. Burglary also shows some increase, and this is no doubt due, in a considerable measure, to the bad influence of penny dreadfuls and such like literature. At any rate, whatever may be the causes, there are some unpleasant facts as a set-off against the "continuous and marked abatement" in lesser offences. But on the whole, we may take courage. If there is really such a large decrease in the numbers of thieves, it must mean in the long run a decrease in the number of burglars and other criminals. Let us —we apologise for the degradation of the adage— take care of the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-08-21 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT ARMATHWAITE.---MlathelV Rae, stonemason, who attempted to commit suicide by throwing himse. into the river Eden from the bridge which spans it at Armathwaite, was charged at the Penrith Police Court on Tuesday morning with being drank and disorderly at the time. The defendant did not appear, and Police-constable Rae proved the case. He stated that the defendant was staggering about the village drunk, and he told some men on the bridge that he was "a done man." Defendant got on the parapet on the bridge, and the constable stated that if lie had not got hold of him lie would have thrown himself over into the river. Defendant was fined ss. and costa, of in defarlt seven days' haprisonment. UNPUBLISHED MEZZOTINT OF NAWORTII CASTLE WM'S Browne and Browne, of Grey Street, Newcastle, are about to issue a limit3d number of proofs of an hitherto unpublished mezzotint, by T. M. Richardson, sen., representing the interior of the Chapel at Naworth Castle as it was prior to the fire of 1844, from a painting by the engraver now in the collection of the Earl of Carlisle. This mezzotint was engraved for the series of "The Castles of the English and Scottish Border," , published by M. A. Richardson in 1834, and which came to an ale apt termination with the publication of the second pal t. The above plate, which was probably intended as an illustration for the third part, was, on account of the stoppage of the work, never published. Additional interest attaches to this plate because the chapel after it was painted and engraved by the elder Richardson (and all the beautiful oak fittings, carvings, and decorations added by Lord William Howard, "Belted Will," had been carefully preserved and retained) was entirely destroyed by the disastrous fire which took place at Nawoi'di 'Castle in 1844  Sii,Lcan
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-09-04 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

MATRIMONIAL STRESS OF WEATHER.  Since our lines on Prohibition of Marriage appeared, we find another phase of the subject brought out in the following extract from the Liceipoo/ Echo's London letter, by which it will be 8031 that many of the girls are held responsible for a slow matrimonial market. That, indeed, the expensive habits they cultivate, and the absence of the thrift and economy they ought to nourish, really involve a sort of marital suicide. Thus saith the scribe :  " Oddly enough at this time. when I am able to announce that the men of Natal are looking to England for maidservants with matrimonial aspirations, two complaints are running side by side in the London papers, namely, that English girls can't get husbands, and that mistresses cannot obtain good servants. Thereby hangs a tale. It is quite true that men are not so ready to marry. That is because the expense of keeping a wife and family is increasing. I am referring now to the great middle class. Only young men with a nice round income dare marry with any sense of security. Even then the sections of classes tread so closely on each other's heels that there is an unending emulation of a costly and disheartening character. The five hundred pounders try to live up to the six hundred pounders, and the six hundred pounders strain every nerve to toe the line with the seven hundred pounders. So on; there is no limit to ambition. With profound respect to the sex, whom collectively I adore, I am afraid they are responsible for much of the mischief. They are the first and worst in the race to ape ones betters. That is why mistresses periodically lament the decadence of domestic servants, and why maidens from time to time wring their hands and weep that no man asks them to enter the matrimonial ring. It is the Nemesis of a civilisation that finicks, and fawns on fleeting fashion." _  One is more than half inclined to take up cudgels for our Boramit etembriarm at any rate, and claim that this strain between the sexes must be of the South, Southern. Still the burden does lie on our lasses, to show them how to do better, and, locally at least, to annihilate Pinkies cynical advice on marriage—" Don't." Most of us have looked around among the fairies for our match, once, at least, and not a few have gone forth with quite a definite ideal. One couldn't find the girl to his wind; another thought himself more fortunate, but has never been very communicative on the salient points; while a third could sing, " She's all my fancy painted."  Same fellows have finished their ideals. Some fair reader may be interested in the following incomplete copy of one such; possibly she might be ready to respond if she only knew the man. If he is iving and single, perhaps an advertisement might unearth him, even at this late hour. This is his
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-09-04 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

STRANGE SUICIDE OF GIRLS. An inquest has been held at Earlestown on the bodies of Margaret Andrews (11), and Elizabeth Farrimond (9), who were drown° t in the Sankey Canal, under remarkable circurastanoes.—lleury Anders, nine years of age, said his sister Margaret went with him to school. On Tuesday morning she took no breakfast. She was angry about 1/( ILle cheese, and witness told her that he would teti their father she had been playing truant. .1 Loot two hundred yards from the house she tool oil her dogs, and went into a brook, but sad that was not deep enough. She did not gc to school that forenoon, but did in the afternoon. After four o'clock she went to the Boarded Bailie, saying they were going to drown themselves. The girl Earrimoud was with her, trying. Witness thought they were in fun, and followed them. His sister gave him her clogs, and told hire to keep them for her sake. In answer to Sergeant Delvin, witness said that on Tuesday morning his sister said she wished God w,a,id strike her dead. On passing Cooper's pit she said if that pit were not near a Louse she would drowu herself in it. She said to witness and his brother Jonas, "Come and drown yourselves with us." Jousts cried, and wanted to go, but witness kept him back. Witness had no idea why his sister wanted to die, —Mary Jane Lloyd said she observed the two girls walking arm-in-arm towards the canal. Anders told witness's little girl, "You won't se4uB any more after to-bight, you little—." Witness saw nothing mote of them until she saw the dead bodies.—Sergeatit Devlin and Pollee-constable Grundy said that the result of their enquiries showed that the parents of the children treated them kindly, and that neither child complained against the teachers. The achoolmistress said they were both good children, ted prepared their lessons well.—A juryman stated th.t an aunt of the girl Anders was rather imbecile and subject to fits.—The jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdiot that Anders committed suicide in a temporary fit of insanity, and that Farrimond was found drowned.