npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1862-07-17 (London, England)

LERK FAN WF. —John Burns, aged 35, who de:cpribed himself as an author and a public lecturer, having no home, was charged with attempting to commit suicide. Policeeonstablc Lillicrap,.4o9 A, said that about eleven o'clock on Tuesday night he was on duty in Copehagen-street, Islington,i where he saw the prisoner lying on a doorstep n the act of taking a bottle from his mouth. He spoke to him, and receiving no answer, endeavoured to lift him up. At this time his legs were rigid, his eyes were protruding, and he seemed on the point of death. With assistance the Witness got him up, and then found under him portions of two bottles which had contained laudanum, one of them beilT, labelled " poison," and the other " laudanun?. The prisoner was taken to the hospital and the  stomach-pump was used. It was found necessary. to employ the galvanic batter going to sleep. At the workhouse w to a keep ssrr theh,,pmiifornoeuri said he had been very well off; not been allowed to die, as he did note N 3%., h .ishe had his friends to know, through the papers, how he was placed. He refused to give his address. The defendant, in answer to the charge, said that some friends had paid for him while he had had been at Malvern under tile cold-water treatment. He had no :ight to name them, as he had lost all m 1 ; 0 madness. Drink was the cause of the attempt 4a 1 hheehirakd Imade to desiroy his life. The magistrate t tdh of those who is might lock him up as long as he liked. He should °bettermanes lock up the public-h wereou se hs, nfreivenerdsm.enHtioonha and not the people. Mr. Barker said the prist.'ner was very foolish in not stating who his friends we.re. He was remanded. John Willford, a cowkeeper of Highgate, was charged with attempting to commit swicide by cutting his throat. Mr. Barker remanded him for a week.  •
The Sun. — 1862-09-25 (London, England)

WILLIAM ROUPELL. Its moral—though the events of the last few years partake, through their magnitude and daring, of the marvellous—is, we think, of a very vulgar kind. His alleged motives for his last acts are before us ; bat, as the Judge significantly remarked, ONE only can know whether they are the real motives. The Judge, however, indicated the single and but too common lesson deducible from the whole, that "the man who deviates from the path of rectitude takes the first step on the decline of a precipice, when he has no longer the power to stand still or to recede, or to go forward; and every further step he takes only leads to certain ruin and destruction."  WILLIAM RourELL has intentionally withheld what he at one time thought of giving to the public, the full story of his life. Without this we have nothing but the facts known to every one. They would, antecedently to his confessions, backed by the corroborating circumstances, have been thought most violent and improbable as fictions. It may possibly be, therefore, that the story he told in court was a true one. Otherwise we must say we should think it as improbable as the tale of Mrs. NPLACIILAN, delivered also in court before her condemnation. It may have been that to repay a friend in difficulties a sum no larger than was required to purchase books—books for the profession he was studying, we may suppose—he commenced his course of reckless forgery. It may have  been, but who without the proof can think it likely ? He " risked his soul" to save his friend from an embarrassment that all but drove his friend to suicide. This is the " one virtue" produced as the set off against " a thousand crimes." As to his privations, what can we think of them ? It is incredible that they should have been such as to tempt him seriously to crime; his father was a money-saving man, and he has told us a way ward man, still we have no reason to think that WILLIAM ROUPELL was in half so much want as is experienced by tens of thousands who yet retain their integrity. We can have no wish to accuse ROUPELL of any of the vices ho expressly repudiates; yet the public will certainly think that a young man in his position had no need to incur the enormous expenses of a Lambeth election. If he was not " personally extravagant" he was surely publicly extravagant. Lambeth could have been represented without his aid; and it could have been, therefore, only for personal reasons that he threw away thousands to add M.P. to his name, As yet we know of nothing to redeem his name from the catalogues in which the PULLINGERS and REDPATHS figure so conspicuously. There is reason to fear that the days of his childhood were not guarded as those of childhood in happier homes, but when we said that we have said all that we know. We can only concur with the judge in regarding the " series of mistakes" of which he says his life consists—as a series due to the absence of that " rectitude of intention" which is the only safeguard of life.
The Sun. — 1862-12-22 (London, England)

INEQUALI7Y OF SENTENCES.  At the Surrey Sessions, on Monday last, a widow named Mary Howell, aged 69, who had been committed, by the Mayor of Kingston, on the charge of unlawfully attempting to commit a certain felony, that is to say, to kill and murder herself, at Kingston-on-Thames, pleaded guilty to the charge of attempting suicide, and was sentenced, by Mr. Tilson, to six months' hard labour at Wandsworth. This appears to be a very severe sentence—more than many of the metropolitan magistrates inflict upon notorious thieves and garotters, or upon ticket .of-leave men found loitering about the streets at midnight, with the implements of burglary in their possession. There may have been some pecu ►iar features in the present case warranting a different treatment; but the way of dealing with would-be suicides is usually to remand them to prison for a week, and after they have had the benefit of a little conversation with the chaplain, to acquit them. At these very sessions, the same chairman sentenced a man found guilty of larceny, after a previous conviction for felony, and two other convictions, to no more than this poor widow was ordered to undergo. Further, at these same sesssions, the same chairman sentenced a man found guilty of larceny from the person, after a previous conviction for felony, to no more than the wretched widow has to endure. Two other men, who pleaded guilty to the serious charge of robbing their employer, were sentenced to the same magical six months'. A man for keeping a lewd and disorderly house—one of the greatest pests, and nurseries of vice and crime in the whole borough of Southwark, had the same. Whilst a fifth man. found guilty of unlawfully attempting to steal a watch and chain from the person of Henry Howick, and a sixth, who pleaded guilty to embezzling the money of his master, alike received the same sentence as the poor old widow of 69 whose offence we do not wish .to extenuate, but whose misery might have pleaded somewhat on her behalf. Possibly, at'ter all, she was so desolate and wretched that the prison and hard labour were deemed the best restoratives for her peculiar malady.— West Surrey Times.
The Sun. — 1862-12-22 (London, England)

LVEQUALI7Y OF SENTENCES.  At the Surrey Sessions, on Monday last, a widow named Mary Howell, aged 69, who had been committed, by the Mayor of Kingston, on the charge of unlawfully attempting to commit a certain felony, that is to say, to kill-and murder herself, at Kingston-on-Thames, pleaded guilty to the charge of attempting suicide, and was sentenced, by Mr. Tilson, to six months' hard labour at Wandsworth. This appears to be a very severe sentence—more than many of the metropolitan magistrates inflict upon notorious thieves and garotters, or upon ticket .of-leave men found loitering about the streets at midnight, with the implements of burglary in their possession. There may have been some pecu. liar features in the present case warranting a different treatment ; but the way of dealing with would-be suicides is usually to remand them to prison for a week, and after they have had the benefit of a little conversation with the chaplain, to acquit them. At these very sessions, the same chairman sentenced a man found guilty of larceny, after a previous conviction for felony, and two other convictions, to no more than this poor widow was ordered to undergo. Further, at these same sesasions, the same chairman sentenced a man found guilty of larceny from the person, after a previous conviction for felony, to no mote than the wretched widow has to endure. Two other men, who pleaded guilty to the serious charge of robbing their employer, were sentenced to the same magical six months'. A man for keeping a lewd and disorderly house—one of the greatest pests, and nurseries of vice and crime in the whole borough of Southwark, had the same. Whilstit fifth man. found guilty of unlawfully attempting to steal a watch and chain from the person of Henry Howick, and a sixth, who pleaded guilty to embezzling the money of his master, alike received the same sentence as the poor old widow of 69 whose offence we do not wish to extenuate, but whose misery might have pleaded somewhat on her behalf. Possibly, after all, she was so desolate and wretched that the prison and hard labour were deemed the best restoratives for her peculiar malady.— West Surrey Times.
The Sun. — 1862-09-19 (London, England)

INGENUITY IN COMMITTING SUICIDE.—On Tuesday a convict in Spike Island, named Thomas Morris, so violent that handcuffs had to be kept on him in his cell, was found to have committed suicide with great determination in the following extraordinary manner :—From the window of his cell, the sash of which is of iron, there is a slight slope inwards, coming sufficiently low to admit of a man's mounting upon it, even with handcuffs on, and owing to the thickness of the wall there is plenty of space on the slope for a man to rest his body upon, The panes of the, cell window are alternately of glass and perforated zinc, and are about six by seven inches surface, all puttied in. Morris having mounted on the slope, taking his sheet with him, forced out one of the perforated zinc panes, and got a twisted end of the sheet through, and brought it round to the next zinc pane, passing over the glass, lest, it is sup.• posed, the noise of breaking the glass should create an alarm Having brought the end of the sheet in, and tied it with a Most unfailing knot, round two bars of the sash, he tied the other twisted end round his neck unhappily with an equally unfailing knot, and then, what appears the most difficult to have accomplished, handcuffed as he was, he forced his feet and legs over his hands until his hams came to rest on his arms. In this posture he must have thrown himself off the slope of the window, so taking away the slightest possible chance of struggling against the horrible fate he courted with such fatal ingenuity. He was found by the officers of the prison in this posture, suspended by the neck from the sash of the window, with his feet scarcely six inches from the floor of his cell. Morris was undergoing a sentence of five years' penal servitude passed on him two years ago, and had undergone a former sentence of penal servitude under the name of Thomas Ellis. The Orkney and the Shetland Isles were the pledge of the dowry of Margaret, daughter of Christian 1., who married James 111. of Scotland, in 1469; and as the dowry was never paid, the islands came to us, with Scotland on the death of Queen Elizabeth. At the same time we had _p:coAtnohcf:o-Dinnbi; ter: a Queen from Denmark, the wife of James 1., and it the mother of Charles being the daughter of FrendceeelsraasiirleiglkoyoWflca;oraunn_r Denmark. Our present race of sovereigns neetecl with the Danish throne by the marre infark. It was sister of George 111. with Christian
The Sun. — 1862-09-19 (London, England)

LAMBETH.—ATTEMPTED SlllClDE.—Elizabeth Wood, a respectably-attired, middle-aged female, was placed in the dock, charged with having attempted suicide. It appeared from the evidence of a police-constable, P 141, that he was on duty the preceding afternoon in the vicinity of that portion of the Grand Surrey Canal which runs threw Camberwell, when two little boys gave him information that they had just seen a female throw herself into the canal. 'rhe officer hastened to the spot, and saw the prisoner endeavouring to extricate herself, and with difficulty he brought her on to the bank. She was in a very exhausted state, but by the administration of brandy and other restoratives she was restored to a state of consciousness, and on her threatening to repeat the attempt, she was conveyed to the station-house. The husband of the accused, a man of decent appearance and demeanour, here presented himself in the witness-box, and with much feeling undertook to take charge of his wife, and have a care that she would not be guilty of the repetition of such an act. The prisoner, is reply to Mr. Elliott, said she was extremely sorry for what had happened to her, and declared emphatically that it should not occur again. She denied that she had ever contemplated selfdestruction, and asseverated that she was getting wild flowers and herbs on the banks of the canal, when by accident she slipped into the water, and becoming entang:ed in the her deep regret and mud, she was unable to extricate herself. She reiterated. regret that she had been. found in such a situat forithe on, and expressed her gratitude to the police assistance and care which had been affordedto her. Mr. Elliott, after reading a document which had been handed up to him by the husband, cautioned the prisoner as to her future conduct, and permitted her to be taken away by her natural protector, who evinced the liveliest affection for her.
The Sun. — 1862-09-19 (London, England)

LAMBETH.—ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.--Elizabeth Wood, a respectably-attired, middle-aged female, was placed in the dock, charged with having attempted suicide. It appeared from the evidence of a police-constable, P 141, that he was on duty the preceding afternoon in the vicinity of that portion of the Grand Surrey Canal which runs threw Camberwell, when two little boys gave him information that they had just seen a female throw herself into the canal. The officer hastenej to the spot, and saw the prisoner endeavouring to extricate herself, and with difficulty he brought her on to the bank. She was in a very exhausted state, but by the administration of brandy and other restoratives she was restored to a state of consciousness, and on her threatening to repeat the attempt, she was conveyed to the station-house. Tlin husband of the accused, a man of decent appearance and demeanour, here presented himself in the witness-box, and with much feeling undertook to take charge of his wife, and have a care that she would not be guilty of the repetition of such an act. The prisoner, in reply to Mr. Elliott, said she was extremely sorry for what had happened to her, and declared emphatically that it should not occur again. 6he denied that she had ever contemplated selfdestruction, and asseverated that she was getting wild flowers and herbs on the banks of the canal, when by accident sne slipped into the water, and becoming entang.ed in the weed and mud, she was unable to extricate herself. She reiterated .her deep that she had been found in such a situation, and expressed her gratitude to the police for the assistance and care which bad been afforded to her. Mr. Elliott, after reading a document which had been banded up to him by the husband, cautioned the prisoner as to her future conduct, and permitted her to be taken away by her natural protector, who evinced the liveliest affection for her.
The Sun. — 1862-11-13 (London, England)

STRANGE SUICIDE IN THE THAMES.  Yesterday evening Mr Bedford, the coroner, held an inquest at the -Westminster Hospital, touching the death of a female unknown, who committed suicide by throwing herself off the steamboat-pier at the foot of Westminster-bridge on the morning of Friday last. The evidence as to identity merely showed that she was of the class termed unfortunate passing in the name of Rose Montague, but it was not proved that she had any friends or relations. She was supposed to be about 19 or 20 years of age. Emma Harwood, a young female residing in Charles-street, Westminster-road, said that on Friday morning last, about three o'clock, she saw deceased and another female in the Haymarket. She followed them as far as Westminster-bridge, when she heard deceased say to her friend, " Let us both go together." Her friend answered " Yes," and they both went down the steps, and deceased threw herself off the pier into the Thames, her friend apparently making no attempt to prevent her. Witness ran up the steps and called a policeman, and returned with him, and she then saw deceased floating on the top of the water. She did not see deceased again until she was taken out of the water, which was in about half an hour after. The friend of deceased was holding on to the pier, and it was with d;fficulty witness could get her away. She was crying, and she asked witness and the policeman to save her friend. She said they were both out of a lodging, and deceased had had a quarrel with some young man.  In answer to the Coroner, the police said deceased's companion was in custody for attempting to poison herself, but they would endeavour to produce her if necessary. The Coroner said he should certainly like to have her in attendance, and he wished the police authorities to endeavour to find out something about the unfortunate deceased if possible. The inquiry was then adjourned until Tuesday next.
The Sun. — 1862-11-13 (London, England)

STRANGE SUICIDE IN 7HE THAMES.  Yesterday evening Mr Bedford, the coroner, held an inquest at the Westminster Hospital, touching the death of a female unknown, who committed suicide by throwing herself off the steamboat-pier at the foot of Westminster-bridge on the morning of Friday last. The evidence as to identity merely showed that she was of the class termed unfortunate passing in the mime of Rose Montague, but it was not proved that she had any friends or relations. She was supposed to be about 19 or 20 years of age. Emma Harwood, a young female residing in Charles-street, Westminster-road, said that on Friday morning last, about three o'clock, she saw deceased and another female in the Haymarket. She followed them as far as Westminster-bridge, when she heard deceased say to her friend, " Let us both go together." Her friend answered " Yes," and they both went down the steps, and deceased threw herself off the pier into the Thames, her friend apparently making no attempt to prevent her. Witness ran up the steps and called a policeman, and returned with him, and she then saw deceased floating on the top of the water. She did not see deceased again until she was taken out of the water, which was in about half an hour after. The friend of deceased was holding on to the pier, and it was with difficulty witness could get her away. She was crying, and she asked witness and the policeman to save her friend. She said they were both out of a lodging, and deceased had had a quarrel with some young man.  In answer to the Coroner, the police said deceased's companion was in custody for attempting to poison herself, but they would endeavour to produce her if necessary. The Coroner said he should certainly like to have her in attendance, and he wished the police authorities to endeavour to find out something about the unfortunate deceased if possible. The inquiry was then adjourned until Tuesday next.  7HE
The Sun. — 1862-10-03 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF A MARRIED WOMAN.  A very painful inquiry was held by Mr. H. Raffles Walthew, the deputy-coroner for East Middlesex, on Wednesday night, at the Gossett Arms Tavern, Gossett-street, Hackney-road, re• specting the death of Mrs. Amelia Castle, a married woman, who committed suicide under peculiarly distressing circumstances. Thomas Castle, 30, Wellington-road, clerk to a stationer, said that thedeceased was his mother, and he and his father being engaged at business during the day, she was much alone. As witness was leaving the house on Friday morning last he heard his mother exclaiming aloud, " Oh! the wretch ! The villain !" Being in a hurry he did not stop to inquire whom she meant, but he since learned that she had a quarrel with a Mr. Holdane, a person residing in the neighbourhood. When witness retnrned to the house at nine in the evening he could not obtain admittance, and was obliged to force an entry. Upon going upstairs ho was horror-struck to see his mother hanging in her bed-room. He staggered down to the front door, where he fainted, and he knew nothing more.  Mrs. Jane Parsons said that on the night in question she saw from her house, which was next door to that of deceased, the last witness lying insensible on the steps. She sent for a doctor, and when the house was entered the deceased was quite dead. She had apparently been dead several hours. It had come to witness's knowledge that Mr. Holdane had induced Mrs. Castle to form an improper connection, although they were both married. Holdane, however, was separated from his wife. They were in the habit of meeting at Mr. Holdatib's house, during the absence of deceased's husband, who was a butcher in Leadenhall-market. Witness remonstrated with her upon the subject, and it appeared that Mr. Holdane latterly slighting her she gave way to great despondency. On Thursday night she went to Holdane's to get some property which he had of hers, and a violent quarrel ensued. Deceased came to witness and told:her the circumstances. She appeared dreadfully agitated. Witness believed she destroyed her life in consequence of finding herself flung off•by Holdane, and her character in danger of being compromised. Thomas Castle, sen., said he bad heard rumours of something being wrong with respect to his wife, but he disregarded them, and he knew nothing of his own knowledge, in consequence of being out all day at the market. The Coroner said that the case was a very serious one with respect to the party whose misdeeds had, it was stated, led to the death of the deceased. He should adjourn the court to give time to the officer to summon Mr. Holdane before him. Mr. Smith, the summoning officer, said he had reason to believe that Mr. Holdane would not obey the summons. _ _  The Coroner said if that were the case he should issue a warrant for his apprehension. The court then adjourned.