npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Northern Guardian. — 1896-06-22 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

BRIGHTON MURDER MYSTERY.  SENSATIONAL SEQUEL. Mrs Hall, a widow, who occupied a baker's shop in Edward Street, Brighton, which is a poor neighbourhood, was found dead in a hayloft adjoining her premises on Friday night with her head battered in. On Saturday the case underwent a startling development. At first the police were making every search for a mysterious man said to have lately been visiting the woman. Her husband died 12 months ago, and three times during the last nine weeks she was said to have been visited by a stranger to Brighton, a man 50 years old, 5f t. 9in. high, florid complexion, dark moustache, side wiskers turning grey, dressed in a dark plaid suit, black hat, having the appearance of a man of intemperate habits. On the Thursday Mrs Hall went out about 10 minutes to four, and asked Perrin, her baker, to mind the shop for a couple of hours. She returned just before nine with the stranger. Perrin left at once, and his little daughter of 11, who has been in the habit of sleeping with Mrs Hall for company since her husband's death, came round at once to the shop. She found the shop all in darkness and went home. Her father instructed her if she saw no light on a second visit to come home to sleep. She went a second time, saw no light, and returned home. Later on Saturday Perrin committed suicide, and now he is supposed to have been the murderer. The murder of the widow Hall and the suicide of Geo. Perrin creates great excitement at Brighton. The scenes of the tragedies were yesterday visited by a great number of persons. The inquest on the body of Perrin will be , opened to-day. The utmost sympathy is felt for ' the widow of Perrin, who was confined but a few days ago. Mrs Perrin is in a state of utter collapse. ,
The Northern Guardian. — 1896-04-24 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

POOL.  A VERY SAD CASE.  Mr Depoty-C•roner Crosby held au inquest, this morning, at the West Hartlepool Police Station, into the circumstances attending the death of Thomas Wilkinson, a stater, who committed suicide yesterday morning at his residence in Laburnutn Street.  Thomas W. 0. Wilkinson, son of the deceased, said he last saw his father alive about 5.40 on Tkursday Dunning when he went to waken him to go to work. Witness did not notice anything peculiar about his father except that he did not speak to him as usual. Witness was called from work about 7.20 a.m., and when he reached home his father was dead. Deceased hasl lived a very drunken life, and recently he bad been drinking very heavily. Deceased was 57 years of age. On Wednesday he was drunk nearly all day. He could not have had any drink on Thursday morning as there was none in the house. A note on a piece of paper, produced by the Coroner, was recognised by witness as being in his father's handwriting. The note read as follows :.  I am too old for my work, as drink ham got the better of me. I hope to be forgiven. Thomas Wilkinson.  John W. Ellie, a fitter, remiding at 10, Laburnum Street, said be was called into the house of the deceased by his daughter. He burst open the door of the water closet,, and found the deceased hanging by the neck front a rone fastened to a nail in the door. Wilkinson was then dead.  Dr. McGill gave evidence, and said he had examined the body, and attributed death to suffocation from hanging. The Coroner, in summing up, said they had just listened to a very sad story. The deceased had given way to drink, and had been in a morbid condition when be did the deed.  .The jury returned a verdict of " Suicide whilst temporarily insane."
The Northern Guardian. — 1896-01-21 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

SLIOCKING TRAGEDY AT BRIGHTON.  A GIRL DROWNED BY HER INSANE FATHER.  At Brighton, last night, an inquest was held conc;!rning the death of Lilian Rose Putt, aged 12 years, the victim of a sad tragedy which occurred at, the eastern end of the town on Friday afternoon.—Mrs Pett, the mother of deceased, said her husband was a retired grocer. On Friday he left home with deceased and their other daughter, Ella, aged nine years, to go for a walk. He asked witness to follow them. She did so, and on arriving at Poston Place Groyne she saw a crowd, and was told that two girls and a man had fallen into the water. Her husband had been very depressed for a long time, and she had often thought he would commit suicide. He had been a fond father, and was in good financial circumstances, lint he had had intluacza several times.—James Swallow, draper's porter, declared that he saw a man push a girl over the Groyne into the water and then go over himself. The Groyne was stated to be 27 feet above the water, the par net being about three feet..—P.C. Blackman deposed that. in a hat found on the Groyne the following letter was discovered :—" Life is unendurable. You will fimi me on the left, side of Bango Groyne. Your sorrowful husband. Have destroyed last will, so former one leaves you all." The letter was addressed to Mrs Pett, 70, Queen's Park Road, Brighton.— P.C. Heath, on duty at the hospital, watching Pett, said two hours after his admission Pett had made a statement admitting pushing the girls into the. water and jumping in himself. Mr Pett had said : "I have been very depressed for the last 10 weeks." When the doctor told him Lilian was dead, Pat. replied : "I am very glad to hear it."—The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Pett, and added that he was insane. Pett remains at. the hospital.
The Northern Guardian. — 1896-02-08 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

DEATH OF MR HARRY EVERSFIELD. A rinnour was current in London last night that Mr Harry Everstield and his wife, the daughter of Mrs Dion Boucicault, had committed suicide by taking morphia. So far as Mrs Everstield is concerned this report proved upon inquiry to be entirely without foundation, an d though it is unfortunately true that Mr Everstield died in New York on Thursday night., there is no reason at present to suppose that his death was the result of his own act. The news of Mr Everstield's death only reached London at about half-past three yesterday afternoon, and was at once communicated to Mrs Dion Boucicault, who undertook to break the sad tidings to her daughter. Both ladies were naturally greatly grieved, and were unable to see representatives of the press. NI r Douglas, manager of the Princess Theatre, where Mrs Dion Boucicault is playing in the " Colleen Bawn," informed a representative of the Press Association that Mr Harry Everstield was travelling in America with Mr C.eorge Edwards's Coinpany, and was acting in New York at the time of his death. Mrs Everstield did not go to America, but was staying with her mother at 24, Langholm Street, London, West. Nothing is yet known in London as to the cause of Mr Everstield's death, although in regard to the condition of his health it is stated that he suffered for some years from insomnia. A cable was despatched to America last evening for further particulars. Mrs Dion Boucicault was unable to appear at the Princess's last evening, and her place was taken by Miss Harriet Clifton. hoir  EPPS'S COCOAINIL —Cocoa-Nib Extract. (Tea-like)! The choicest roasted nibs (broken up beans) of the I natural Cocoa. on being subjected to powerful ' hydraulic pressure, give forth their excess of oil, leaving for use a finely flavoured powder—" Coccaine," a product which, when prepared with boiling water, has the consistence of tea, of which it is now beneficially taking the place with many. Its active principal being a gentle nerve stimulant, supplies the needed energy without unduly exciting the system. Sold only iu packets and tills, by Grocers, labelled "James Epps and Co., Ltd., Homiepathic Chemists, London.' —Aclrt
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1893-11-25 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

TRH TWELFTH ANNIVIBSART OF HOS MUSHAGE.— A respectably -dressed man named John Smallwood, Bidston-terraee, Poulton. was charged with being drank by the Duke-street Dock; also with attempting to commit suicide.-P.O. 114 (Atkins) deroted to seein% the prisoner, his wife, and another man pass through the railway gate at Duke-street, at five minutes to eleven on Monday night. These people talked very loudly, and witness followed. The prisoner threw off his coat and waisteoat, and ran along the quay. His wife and the man chased him, and witness also followed. Prisoner was drunk, and slipped down. Subsequently he said be intended jumping into the rater.-The prisoner's wife appeared and said her husband bad become drunk on Monday. Twelve years ago on that date they were married, and he had said they would mark the event by "haying a glue." He wu troubled about something which had occurred in connection with his work, and had never before expressed any intention of taking his life.-Tbe magistrates inflicted a penalty of ss. and costs, in default, 7 days' prisonment. JAN EITIALING ax Boy.-Three little bore named Leonard Hughes, Thornu MacDonald, and Alfred Oottam, were charged with stealing eighteen jars of jam, tbe property of John Webster, 9, Orton.road. Evidence as. given to show that Webster's manager placed a ease of jam outside the door of his grocery shop in Orton-road on the evening of the 17th inst., and that when the ease was carried in after remaining outside for some hours, eighteen jars of jam were missing from it. One of the prisoners, it transpired, took away a jar from the case, gni the jar was consumed by all three of them-They were each ordered to rezeive six strokes of the birch rod.-Mr. Gorgeshofer told the shop manager to inform Mr. Webster that be mated very unwisely in placing the ease out. side the shop -it was putting temptation in the way of people to commit robbery.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1893-10-07 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ATTEMPTED BVM3DB FROM THE "MDLLEGTON."  At the Borough Police Court, on Saturday, before Messrs. C. T. Gostenhofer and Joseph Graven, John Rhodes, an insurance agent living in Gladstone-road, was charged with attenipting to oommit suicide by jumping into the river Mersey from the Tranmere Ferry steamer Mollington.—Superintendent Clarke stated that at about 11-30 on Friday morning the Mollington was wending to come up to Tranmere stage. Prisoner was seen by • yachtsman named Brady to go to the stern of the vessel and jamp.litto the river. Brady gave the alarm and a boat was lowered.—James Brady, • yachtsman on board the "Leander," stated that he was on board hie yacht when he saw prisoner tumble into the river. He could not say whether prisoner fell in or whether he jumped in. Witness; gave the alarm, and he and the mate of the " Leander " lowered a boat and went to the man's reissue. When they got up to him he was sinking for the Int time, and witness had to reach at arms length under the water to pull him out—Mrs. Rhodes said that her husband was very low.epirited, and had been much depressed for a week or so. He went out about 9-15 on Friday morning, saying he would go to his cousin's and 888 whether he would go out with him somewhere for the day, as the change might do him good. Her husband was teetotal. The doctor said that her husband wanted a change of air. She was well able, to take can of him, and if the magistrates would let him go she would take him that day to West Kirby or Hoylake to stay for a while. Prisoner sobbed pitifully when the evidence was beiog given, and seemed to ho In • very week condition. Asked Ii he had anything to say he replied, "I got over the rails."—He was given up to his wife. The magistrates afterwards re-called Brady and aft-r thanking him awarded him Os.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1893-06-17 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SHOCKING SUICIDE IT CLIUGHTON.  On Saturday morning, Mr. H. Ohurton held in inquiry regarding the death of Frederick William Alexander Kennedy, aged thirty, clerk in • cotton broker'e office, and who resided with his father. Major Kennedy, at 1, Alerandra.read, Grange.. mount. _  The inquiry was held at the address given, and from the evidence of Major Kennedy, it appeared that his son had been suffering from an affection of the brain, for which he wan under the treatment of Dr. Jones. On Friday night, Major Kennedy bud law him alive about eight o'clock, when be was in a very depreeaed mood, being gloomy and silent. He retired to hie room very early, and about midnight one of the servants heard a report from his room. She at onoe aroused her maetor, and the latter, on proceeding to hie eon's room, fund him sitting on UM bed with a pistol wound in the head. Dr. Blood was sent for, but Mr. Kennedy died before his arrival. A revolver was found near to his hand, and there was also a letter, written by the deceased, and requesting that a post-mortem examination should be made in order to see what was the matter with his head. He stated that he had suffered the most tetrible agony, and could not endure it any longer, The Coroner, after hearing the evidence of Major Kennedy and the servant, said it was evident that the deceased had been practically driven to temporary insanity by his suffering and the effeete of a brain complaint, their being no doubt that during a fit of such temporary aberration he had shot himself. The jai), returned a verdict coincident with this view.  Mr. George Hale, foreman of the jury, at the ()seclusion, whined on behalf of his brother jurymen and himself to express sympathy with Major Kennedy in hissed bereavement.  The Coroner concurred, and Major Kennedy briefly replied.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1893-06-14 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SHOCKING SUICIDE IT CLUGHTON.  On Saturday moreing, Mr. H. Olinrton, held an inquiry regarding the death of Frederick William Alexander Kennedy, aged thirty, clerk in a eotten broker's office, and who resided with his father, Major Kennedy, at 1, Alexandra-road, Grange. mount.  The inquiry was held at the address given, and from the evidence of Mejor Kennedy, it appeared that his son had been suffering from an affection of the brain, for which he was under the treatment of Dr. Jones. On Friday night, Major Kennedy last Saw aka alive 1111011 t eight o'clock, when be WY in a very depressed mood, being gloomy and silent. He retired to his room very early, and about midnight one of the servants heard • report from his room. She at once aroused her master, and the latter, on proceeding to hie ion's room, found him sitting on the bed with a pistol wound in the head. Dr. Blood was sent for, but Mr. Kennedy died before his arrive'. A revolver was found near to his hand, and there was also • letter, written by the deceased, and requesting that a postmortem exa.minatton should be made in order to see what WAS the matter with bis head. He stated that he bad suffered the most terrible agony, and could not endue it any longer. The Coroner, after hearing the evidence of Major Kennedy and the servant, said it was evident gnat the deceased had been practically driven to temporary insanity by hie suffering and the effects of • brain complaint, their being no doubt that during • fit of such temporary aberration he hod shot himself. The jtuy returned a verdict coincident with this view.  Mr. George Hale, foreman of the jory, at the concluaion, wished on behalf of his brother jurymen and himself to express sympathy with Major Kennedy in his sad bereavement.  The Coroner concurred, and Major Kennedy briefly replied.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1893-02-25 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SHOCUNG SUICIDE IT BMW  A BOY LOVER SHOOTS HIMSELF. THE HOME SECRETARY AND THE SALE  oi" IEvoLVRB.  At about four o'clock on Wednesday afternoon a shocking tragedy took plaits in a house in Pool-road, Egremont, when • boy named Vernon &serge Crowe, aged 14, the gond William Crowe, shot himself with • revolver, owing it is sappoeed to the objection entertained by his father to the progress of • love affair. Yesterday morning Mr. H. Churtan, district coroner, held so inquest on the body at the Nelson Hotel, Trafalgar-road, Egremont. W.W. Sprigging was foreman of the jury. Before commencing the proceedings the Coroner said he was anxious to say a word or-two in reference to the case, and more particularly in reference to • letter he had received from the Secretary of State • few days ago, Mr. Asquith wanted to know what his experience was at to the facilities afforded to boys in the purchasing of firearms, particularly small revolvers. Bo far as he (Hr. Chorton) was concerned this eras the first ease of the kind he had had to deal with in his experience, but he knew there were cases where yoong people presented what they supposed were empty guns to other people, and the reed& was frequently disastrous. This letter showed a great disposition on the part of the Home Secretary, Mr. Asquith, to do what he could to protect human life, and he thought it was very creditable. Mr. Chorton then read the following letter : _ . . _ _ .  I am desired by the Secretary of State to inform you that be has received e number of represents.. lions in fevour of legisletion for the better regulation of the sale of pistols and revolvers. It appears to be generally admitted that the unrestrioted use of revolvers by children and young persons has led to many serious sod even fatal accidents, but the Seem tary of State is anxione to be in a position to form some judgment of the extent of the evil. With this object in view he has desired me to inquire whether you are able to &saint him by giving the number of inquests held by you during the years 1890-91, or anyone of them, on the bodies of persons who have died in consequence of wounds inflicted by pistols or revolvers. Mr. Asquith will be grateful for any such help, and in the event of its being possible to meet his wishes, he ventures to suggest the enclosed as a usual form in which the information might be conveyed to him. . . (Sinned)
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1893-11-18 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SHOCKING SUICIDE IT NEW BRIGHTON.  On Taesday afternoon, at about five o'clock, the body of a well-dressed young man was discovered on the sandhills between New Brighton and Wallasey. He was lying on his side, with the collar of hie coat turned up, and had evidently been dead for several hours. Death was caused by a shot wound in the right forehead, from which the brains protruded. An empty bottle was found in the man's possession, and it was therefore surmised that previous to shooting himself he had taken a dose of poison. By the side of the body was a new pin-fire six-chambered revolver, containing four cartridges, one of which had been discharged, and a box of fifty cartridges wee found in one of the pockets. The deceased was wearing a gold watch and silver chain, and had in his possession 12s. in money. From I found on the body it is supposed that the name of the deceased was Herbert Pierce, and that he resided at 72, Mill. street, Macclesfield. The body was removed by the police to the mortuary at the Magazines. On Wednesday_ Mr. Chtirton held an inquest on the body at the Boathouse Inn, Magazines. A man named Flinn having given evidence as to the finding of the body, and P.O. Bowden having stated that he took the body to the mortuary and searched the pockets, the father of the deceased, a wine and spirit merchant at Macclesfield, identified the deceased as his son, who assisted him in his Mildness, and who left home on the previous Thursday, Where he had been from that day until his body was found at New Brighton did not transpire. The deceased was aged 21, and bad been very studious of late.—The Coroner said it might perhaps have been a case of over.study. —A verdict of "Committed suicide while temporary insane" was returned.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1893-10-04 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE FROM THE " MOLLINGTON."  At the Borough Police Court, on Saturday, before Messrs. C. T. Gostenboler and Joseph Craven, John Rhode!, an insurance agent living in Gladstone.road, was charged with attemptiog to commit Weide by jumping into the river Mersey from the Tranmere Ferry steamer Mollington.—Superiutendent Clarke etated that at shoot 11.80 on Friday morning the Idellington was rounding to come up to Tranznere stage. Prisoner was seen by a yachtsman named Brady to go to the stern of the vessel and jump Into the river. Brady gave the alarm and a boat was lowered.—James Brady, a yachtsman on board the "Leander," stated that he was on board his yacht when he saw prisoner tumble into the river. He could not say whether prisoner fell in or whether he jumped in. Witness gave the alarm, and he and the mate of the " Leander " lowered a boat and went to the man's rescue. When they got UP to him he was sinking for the last time, and witness had to reach at arms length under the water to pull him out.—Mrs. Rhodes said that her husband was very low-spirited, and had baen mach depressed for a week or so. He went out about 9-15 on Friday morning, saying he would go to his cousin's and see whether be would go out with him somewhere for the day, as the change might do him good. Her husband was teetotal. The doctor said that her husband wanted a change of air. She was well able to take care of him, and if the magistrates would let him go she would take him that day to West Kirby or Hoylake to stay for a while. Prisoner sobbed pitifully when the evidence was being given, andweemed Lobe in a very weak condition. Asked 111 he bad anything to say he replied, " I got over 'the rails."—He was given up to his wife. The magistrates afterwards re-called Bridy and after thanking him awarded him Os.