npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1903-01-07 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SUICIDE OF A LISCARD CENTLISMAN TRAGEDY IN A LIVERPOOL OFFICE.  On Monday evening a tragic affair took place at _,ll Drury-lane, Liverpool, when Mr. Godfrey 'W' W. Ali:sander, living at Bare'sea, Penkett-road, Liscard, committed suicide by shooting himself in his private room with a revolver. Mr. Alexander was a member of the firm of Messrs. W. Moore and Company. He was a middle-aged man, well-known on the Corn Market.  About a quarter past seven the office boy, who was the only other person in the office at the time, heard a loud report from the private room, and going in found the deceased lying on on the door bleeding from a bullet wound in the head. There was a five-barrelled revolver lying pear him. The boy gave the alarm; the polioe were called in, and the body of Mr. Alexander, than quite I deed, was removed to the Northern DoepitaL The reason for the act does not transpire, I since it deep not appear that the deceased I was in any financial difficulties. Information of the ghastly affair was conveyed about seven o'clock by a member of another firm in the same building to Policeconstables 95A and 65A, who were in the neighbourhood. They found the sufferer lying on his back on a couch in his private room, with lii. feet over one end, the position being one suggestive of the idea that he had lain down and assumed as comfortable a position as possible before committing the deed. A large quantity of blood had welled out from a Wird wound in his forehead. By his side lay & still smoking five-chambered revolver, all the ohamhers of which had been loaded, one only having been discharged. The officers were convinced that life was extinct, but in compliance with the requirements they had him conveyed with as -little delay as possible to the Northern Hospital, where Dr. Dowdall at once gave confirmation of their conviction by pronouncing him to be rinite dead. Mr. Moore, the senior partner of the firm, who was not far sway, on hearing the shot rushed in, and found Mr. Alexander lying on the sofa evidently expiring. Knowing of nothing in his partner's business affairs or otherwise that should have led to such a dreadful act, be was very much horrified and 'greatly upset by the ghastly occurreuse. The lane in which theffim's business premises are situated is a very quiet one, but each an event naturally brought quite a little crowd to the place. I The partners had spoken to each other only a few mutes before the shot was heard, and Mr. Moore then saw nothing in the appearance of the other to indicate that he meditated self-destruction. In addition to the cartridges with which the revolver was loaded, the deceased man was found to have others in his hand. Deceased previously lived at Silverdale-road, Orton. The day. inqueet will be held in Liverpool to
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1903-12-26 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

NESTON'S ALARMING RECORD.  In the past half-year Neston hue gainear for itself a most unenviable record. The number of fatal accidents and suicides which have occurred there are out of all proportion to the size of the neighbourhood.. and in some instances the circumstances 'attending the deaths have been inexplicable., Since July there have been eight cases it* which the accidents have proved fatal, or in which verdicts of suicide have been returned by the coronets' juries. The alarmingi •epidemic has profoundly impressed the in- i .habitante of the district, who have viewed with horror each sur..eening occurrence. In July a Ulan u.,med Richard Duncan, al 'native of Neaten, was blown off a cart of 'brick into the road through the force- of a gale, and the injuries be received proved fatal.  In August, William Lawton. cycle maim, factitive in a large way of businese at Neet ton, committed suicide by shooting himself while at the same time Mr. R. M. Morrison, a Liverpool solicitor, who was also a native ef See-ton, was missed '1 mm his home and aiterwaedic found drowned.  In November, Thomas Hobinsou, a Park. gate fisherman, was fishing off Thurstaston, when his boat sank, the tackle holding down the deceased man, co it is surmised, for his body has not been recovered, and in the same month a Nestou young man named William Price, who was to have been married at Christmas, was cut to pieces on the, railway line. This month—only last week, in fact—s Nestou girl was found drowned, while now comes the news of this double tragedy, with the sorrow it must inevitably bring in its train. Truly, the past half-year in Neaten has been a mournful one, and it oan only, be hoped that the coming year will not be , eu theastrowi.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1903-01-10 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

WALLASEY.  The Local Government Board have sanctioned the borrowing of the sum of .C 31,350 for electrical extensions, for the purposes of power and light, and the sum of .41.140 for land for the extension of the electric generating station. The original applicatiort was for .e. 52,350 for electric lighting and traction, including the coat of the purchase of land. At the time of the inquiry Mr. E. 11. Bicknell, the inspector. stated that the application—which was to cover the wants of the next seven years— could not be granted for this period. Elee• tricity was in its infancy, and in three years' time improvements might supersede the mesent machineiy. He stated that the Local Government Board might sanction the loan of a stun which would meet the requirements of the district for three years, and this is what the Board has apparently agreed to. far tlr new year has supplied Several sensational tragedies. The discovery gf a dead man in an ashpit at New Brighton was followed by the suicideof a chemist at Wallasey, The next day a woman poisoned herself at Seacombe: and two days later is Liscard resident blew out his brains at I iverpool. To have an epidemic of suicidal is no unusual thing, but the experience of the past has shown them to be associated more with the month of November than J unitary.  The valuer, aprvinted by he Wallasey magistrates to aSSOSS the value of !and on the Seacombe Promenade, which is required by the Council, in order to complete the promenade, has made his report. The average value of the land works out at lie. 7d. per yard, which is considerably below the price which the Council were asked. Now that the valuation has been. made, the Wallasey Council can pay the total amount into the bank, and can enter into possession of the property. Au arbitrator however may still be called in.  The first case under the new Licensing Act in Wallasey oame before the magistrates on Wednesday. The defendant, who was found lying in the gutter in Victoria-road, was taken to the -policestation in a handcart, and next morning fined ss. and ss. costs. Though the Act under which this proceeding took place is new, there is a familiarity about the circumstances which many people will recognise as very far from novel. As a matter of fact, the police have done for years what has only just received the sanction of the laws of the country.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1903-01-03 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SUPPOSED SUICIDE.  IDENTIFICATION OF THE BODY.  The third sensation of the week was provided yesterday morning when the dead tody of a Burslem gentleman was found at the door of the clubhouse on the Wallasey golf links. At eight o'clock a young man, named Joseph Brassey, residing at hi, Meadow-street, New Brighton, was taking milk to the clubhouse, when he observed a • body iu a sitting position at the front door. On approaching he found the man was ap- • parently dead, and at once hurried to the. residence of Dr. Oldenhaw, in Grove-road. On arrival at the spot Dr. Oldershaw pronounced life to be extinct, and said the man had been dead something like five hours. The New Brighton police were oommunioated with by telephone, from Dr. Olderahaw's house, and Sergeant Sutton and P.C. Kennedy were dispatched to the scene. An examination of the surroundings was made, and an ordinary white tea cup, smelling of carbolic acid, was found about five yards away from the body. Put User afield was found one of Calvert's , special carbolic acid bottles, even then containing a few drops of the fluid. The body I %VW promptly taken to the mortuary, at the Magazines. It was that of a man, apparently. about 60 years of age, and was very well dressed, but the sole contents of the pockets consisted of a letter. This leads to the belief that the deceased hails from Burelem, and that he had been residing in New Brighton for a few days. The New Brighton police at once communicated with the Burslem authorities, and an inquest will probably be held to-day. From farther particulars we have gleaned it seems that the deceased is .Tames Hardman, whose age is given as 30, of Leek-road, Swaim. He wee formerly possessed of a considerable fortune, but business reverses an dother causes have swallowed up moat of his wealth. The loss of his money is said to have been the primary cause of ea& act—the letter found in his possession clearly indicating a determination to pat an end to his existence. Re had not been residing with his family for some time. He is no stranger to New Brighton, having Issidectliere for brief intervals and being wellknown to several local gentlemen.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1883-11-10 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE ON I SEACOMISE FERRY BOAT.—On Tnursday morning about half-past two, while the Wallasey ferry steamer was approaching Seacombe from the Liverpool side, an exciting affair occurred through the attempt of a young man, giving his name as George Hill, to c)mmit suicide by downing. Immediately after leaving the Liverpool landing-stage he had been seen to light his pipe in the saloon and then go on deck, where he walked backwards and forwards till the boat reached mid-stream. He then sprang over the bulwarks avid disappeared in the darkness. The cry of "a man overboard" was immediately given by one of the steamboat men, and the steamer was at once backed till the drowning man was sighted, and he was heard to cry out, "I'm going! I'm going !" A lifebuoy was thrown to him, but he did not make any effort to catch it. One of the Daisy's crew, named George Oibbin, thee bravely jumped into the river, and soon had him alongside the steamer, where Cubbin endeavoured to secure the man with a rope, at the same time calling out for he:p—that the would-be suicide was drowning himself. Another of the crew, named Edward Hallwood, at once sprang iuto the river to his mate's assistance, and, after a deal of trouble and suspense, succeeded in getting the man hauled on de:k, when he was taken into the saloon and laid on his face on the floor and means taken to revive him. On coming to he continually asked those around him for mercy, and cried out, "My God, what have I done !" On being questioned he gave the name of George Hill, but refused to give his address. The boat at once returned to the stage, and Hill was carried to the receiving-house at the Prince's Dock, where he was attended to.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1883-06-09 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ATTEIIPTING TO C031311T SUICIDE.--Catherine O'Hara was charred with having attempted to commit suicide by jumping from a luggage boat into the Mersey. The affair had occurred on Saturday afternoon. The woman, who belongs to Dirket-street, Liverpool, had come across to Birkenhead, where she had got some drink. She had got, by mistake, into a luggage boat, and was attempting to jun.p into the river from it, but was prevented. From her story, it seemed that a friend whom she met had given her drink, and, on her promising not to repeat the attempt, she was discharged. KNOCKING A GIRL TRROTRILI A Joseph Henry Henry Cheshire, a youth of 16 or 17, residing in Jackson-street, was charged by Sarah Jane Phillips, of Walton-street, a girl of about the same age, with having assaulted her. There was also a charge preferred against prisoner of having broken a pane of gloss iu the window of Henry Hunt, chair. maker and repairer, Cenway-street. Complainant gave evidence that defendant slapped her on the face and gave her a blow which knocked her through the window.—Cross-exemitted by defendant, the complainant asserted that she bad not said a word to defendant, and did not strike him on the face or kick him. She merely pushed him away from knocking her on the face.—Dinah Hughes, a companion of complainant, gave zorroborative evidence. The affair happened about twenty minutes to nine. Complainant and witness were going up to the market when defendant struck complaisant and witness. He knocked complainant through the window. They had given him no provocation.—A constable gave evidence that complainant had been wounded on the arm with the glass. Several complaints had recently been made about youths collecting at the corner of the Haymarket and shouting at the people who passed aud otherwise annoying them. Prisoner's version of the affair was, that the complainant commenced pulling faces at him and others. He went up and asked her what she was doing that for. She kicked him and he ran at her. In making off she fell through the window. Complainant, again interrogated, was quite positive that defendant had lifted his hand and knocked her through the window.—Defendant's father said the girl was oue of the worst characters that went on the Haymarket.—The girl denied that she was ever on the Haymarket.—The Stipendiary said that whether she was or was not one oi good character, she had no right to be used in that way. In consideration of his yonth, however, defendant would be dealt leniently with, and , nly fined 20s. and costs, with the alternative of fourteen days' imprisonment.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1883-01-20 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE INQUEST.  On Monday afternoon an inquest was held on the body by Mr. Henry Churton, borough coroner, at the Victoria Hotel, Cleveland. street.  Mr. This. Henry Evans, junr., said he was a wine merchant iii Chester, and resided in Birkenhead. On Saturday evening he left Chester by the 9-21 train for Birkenhead. On arriving at ab utliebington station, he heard a report as if from a pistol or gun. From . the sound, the firearm must have been very near him. He passed a efrcond.class moriage on getting out of the trim n at Birkenhead, when a porter was opening the door. Time porter said "Oh. my ! here is a sight! A man has shot himself." Witness, on looking, saw the deceased i,l a sitting position, in the compartment, and blood was on his face. tie was alone. Witness left deceased in charge of the porter. The train did not stop between Chester and Birkenhead.  Geo. Wilson, porter, Woodside station, said he opened a second class compartment of the 9 45 express train from Chester, on its arrival in Birkenhead. He saw the body of the &ceased, in a sitting position, with me pistol in the right band. Blot) I was on the tace and be noticed pieces of skin about the bed. He vr-nt and told the inspectoe, after wide!' he ran for a doctor. The blinds of the carriage were down, and no one was beside the deceased when he °polled the door. Witness was of opinion, from the shocking state of deceased's head, that more than one pistol ballet must have been used, as the head was nearly shot off. He noticed a hole, about the size of sixpence,. in the left hand glass window.  . • Hallway Constable O'Niel (95) s iid, on Saturday night last he was on duty in the nei.ilibourhood of Woodside station, inl, a little before ten o'clock, he received information which led him to go into the station. On going to the compartment in which the deceased was, he found the door of the carriage locked. After it was opened he saw the deceased sitting with a pistol in his hand, slightly canted over to the left, lie examined deceased's pockets and found one sovereign, three h .If-sovereigns, one florin, three shillings, four sixpences, five rings, a single. barrelled pistol, t hreepence in copper, some loose powder iu a paper, a paper of percussion caps, a white pocket hautherchief, and a small bottle of whiskey. The maker of the coat was, as was indicated on the collar, " Richardson and Co., civil, and millitary tailors, 179, Ilockley, Birmingham." He had the body taken to the dead-house.  Mr. Andrews, station-master, said only one second-c!ass ticket was issued for that train, and it was from Chester. The pistol and whiskey were bought in Chester, but on enquiring it was ascertained that the person who bought them could not be identified in either ease.  The Coroner, after reviewing the evidence, said it appeared that the deceased committed suicide, but under what state of mind there was no evidence to show.  A verdict to this effecit was returned by the jury*  V
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1883-05-12 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE RAILWAY MYSTERY.  John Charles Oldham Atkinson was a passenger by the 12-12 express train from Euston to (Mester. Between Calveley and 13eeston ho got or was pushed through the carriage window, which was smashed, and precipitated on to the line, where he was killed. Was he murdered or did he commit suicide ? The railway officials favour the latter theory and a jury has returned a verdict to the effixt that he committed suicide while in an unsound state of mind. Detective Inspector Atkin stated to the Coroner that on Sat, ardity morning, at 1-20, he saw the d, ceased at Crewe station, walking about the platform. Deceased appeared to be drunk, and that drew his kAtkin's) attention to him. The Coroner enquired: When you see a man under the influence of drink going into a carriage don't ycu report him? Witness: If, I. had seen him going into a carriage I should, paabably. have stopped him. The Coroner— My view is that a man bolding such a responsible position as yours ought to have taken notice of this man it, as you say, he was drunk, and particularly at midnight. Witness—He reeled, but of course I could not tell if he was drunk. He might have slipped. The Coroner— You must not tell me that sort of a story. You informed me just now that he was drunk, whilst again you said he might have slipped. I'hat is what I call a w retched subterfuge, getting out of a dilemma in such a way as that. Witness said it was no part of his duty  to arrest the deceased. The Coroner— It ought to have been part of your duty. The greatest kindness you could have done to this man was to have caused him to be locked up for the night. Witness—Oh, )es, we are aware of it now, sir. We have no desire to pass a,i opinion upon Mr. Atkins behaviour, but we must express a hope that railway officials will r. ceive instructions not to allow drunken persons to travel by train. Even when such persons do not serionsl: injure themselves, they are invariably the cause of terrible annoyance to their fellow passengers. Indeed, the prospect of a iailway journey is to many a timid soul rendered painful by the reflection that he or she sly be cooped up ill a compartment with a loathsome in. dividual who has ta'ten too much ' liquor and been rendered incapable of everything but making himself intensely disagreeable and dangerous. At present any intoxicated follow who is ! able to get through a carriage door with a little assistance is seeming:y held to I he tit to take care of hanself and to act with courtesy towards his fellow passengers.  VIRTUE IN MURDEB,.  A Dublin mob was on Wednesday roused to enthusiasm. By what? By the convicted murderer Timothy Kelly. They loudly cheered him as he was borne a!ong, while they as vehemently hissed the large body of dragoons and police which formed the criminal's escort. It is such incidents ai these which render the case of Ireland wellnigh hopeless.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1883-04-21 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

NUMBER ONE."  It is denied that the notorious "Number One " has taken refuge in Mexico. The rumour that the British Government is going to demean itsolf by entering into a treaty with him is, therefore, unworthy of credence, though the great London daily pipers have, with characteristic cuteness, made the most of it. A correspondent furnishes ab mt the mysterious individual some autobiographical details which are, probably, as authentic as much which has been published concerning hitn. The correspondent in question says :--‘• When, in 1805, F. J. Tynan—" No. 1 "—came to London in search of employment, he was induced by a mutual friend to try and obtain a situation. Tynan went back to Kingstown, but returned to London in February, 1800, in more desperate circumstances than ever. In fact, so critical was his position, that he threatened, rather than return to see his wife and children, to commit suicide. At the end of seven weeks, Tynan, through gross falsehood and misrepresentation, was appointed by a large firm as traveller in Ireland at a salary of £2OO a year, with £1 a day for expenses. He was profuse in his professions of gratitude to mein return for what I had done for him, and asked me to come to Kingstown and stay four or five months every year. I called on him at his house in October, and was received very coolly, and he expressed his regret that he could not show me any hospitality, as he had recently lost his child, and was going away in the morning. I met him in London, and insulted him in the street, telling him that unless he gave me his real address I would advertise him in the daily papers. I told him he was a mean, contemptible cur, who had obtained board and lodging at my residence when he was starving in London. He walked off like a dog who had lost his tail, and never spoke a word." What odd persons these magnificent Irish " patriots" turn out to be when we come to make close acquaintance with them.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1883-07-07 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ATTE3IPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE EY TARING RATS POISON. Jane Stockbridge, a very respectable looking woman, was charged with attempting to destroy herself by taking poison. The evidence showed that the prisoner, who is shout 38 years of age, had come into a public house in Abbey-street on Wednesday and sitting down in the bar parlour had called for a glass of porter. After it bad been supplied and while the landlady was serving another customer, a charwomau had noticed prisoner putting something into her liquor, and stirring it up with her finger and wiping the froth from the upper part eine glass with a piece of paper. She communicated the information to her mistress, who, on speaking to prisoner, obtained the information that she had taken poison. She handed her a bank cheque for £2O, which she cleared the landlady to send to her (prisoner's) niece. Ii her pocket had been found the pot of phosphoric paste used for poisoning rats, which WAS produced. Information having been given to the Borough police, they at once conveyed the woman in a cab to the Hospital.—An Hospital Surgeon testified that the prisoner was brought in about five o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, He gave her a strong emetic aud she brought up a great quantity of fluid smelling strongly of phosphorus. She was evidently very much depressed in mind and unfit to be at large. Prisoner answered the questions asked of her very meekly. She had only come into Birkenhead on Wednesday. Her native place was Thomas's Close, near Penrith. She was a single woman and in April last lied taken a house in West Derby-street, Liverpool for the purpose of keeping lodgers but had not sueceeded.—The Police Superintendent said she was not in destitute circumstances, having in her possession the bank receipt value £2O which had been referred to.—Prisoner was remandef