Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1887-12-31 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

MURDERS AND SUICIDES.  A woman, very poorly clad, and giving the name of Alice Groves, aged 21 years, was before the Lord Mayor of London on Tuesday charged on her-own confession with the wilful murder of her h Id, fourteen months old, by throwing it from Loudon bridge early on Christmas morning. She had made this statement to a police-oonstable, who, in evidence, said the woman had been drinkium, but was not intoxicated, and knew what she was saying. Prisoner was remanded for further enquiries. Robert Armitage, a woollen manufacturer, of Graye.street, Leeds, committed suicide at his warehouse on Wednesday by shooting himself through the head with a pistol. He Was 42 years of age, and resided at Wellelose Mount. The reason for the act is not known. _  A determined case of suicide was investigated by the Nottingham Coroner on Wednesday. Ten days ago an iron merchant's traveller, named John Astill, aged 66, attempted suicide by throwing himself from a wall thirty feet high. He was discharged from custody last Saturday, on pro. raising not to repeat the attempt. His whereabouts on Sunday were unknown, but on Monday night he got on the rails at the Midiautl Station unperceived, and his head was severed from his body by a passing tre.M.—A verdict of suicide during temporary insanity was returned. On Tuesday afternoon a fatal quarrel occurred between John Clancy, 27, Eustare-street, Dublin, tailor, and his brother-in-law, John Farrell. Shots were heard, and a boy called the attention of two constables on duty in Eustace-street. They entered the house, and found Clancy bleeding profusely. Farrell was in a sitting posture in the hall, also wounded. The police conveyed the wounded man to Mercer's Hospital, but when they arrived Clancy was found to be dead, the bullet having penetrated the lung. Farrell was in • very weakly condition from a wonnd in his side. It is stn.ted that the men quarrelled, and that Farrell shot Clancy, and then shot himself. A revolver was found with three of its chambers recently discharged.—An inquest was held on Wednesday, when the jury found that death was caused by a wound inflicted by Farrell with a revolver.  Thos. W. Robinson, engineer, was apprehended at Birmingham on Friday week on a charge of attempting to murder his wife, who is in Winsou Green Prison awaiting trial on a charge of. larceny. A week ego a guarnaker informed the police that a man whose manner was very peculiar had purchased a revolver and ammunition from him. The police discovered that the man, whose identity was not made clear, had expressed the determination to murder his wife, who was in prison, and following the clues thus obtained Winson Green Prison was closely watched. On Friday morning Robinson presented himself at the prison, and asked to see his wife, and two detectives, who were in waiting, immediately seized him on suspicion, and searched Ins pockets. In one was found • revolver with all the chambers loaded, and at fall cock. Robinson at unce admitted that he had come to the prison with the intention to shoot his wife, becanse she had by her misconduct brought trouble and disgrace upon him, and that, having killed her, he should also have destroyed himself. Prisoner's wife is a very disreputable person, who has been in prison often.  A labourer named James McCormack, aged 31 years, who was employed at Messrs Blair and Co.'s shearlego, at the river side, slipped from a ladder on Friday night week as he was coming ashore from a vessel, and was drowned before assietanee could be rendered.