npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-04-30 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

PRINC ES-ST RE ET, Leicester-square -Your Family is now 'in a state of excitement unbearable. Your attention is called to 'an advertisement in Wednesday's Morning Advertiser, headed " A body found drowned at Depttord ;" after your avowal to your friend as to what you,might do, he has been to see the deconiposed remains, accompanied by others; the Va•ures are hone, but there are marks on the arm, so that unless they hear from you to-day it wilt satisfy therh that the remains are those of their misguided relative, and steps wilt be taken to plaCe them-in the family vault, as they cannot bear the idea of a pauper funeral.  This, too, is a record of ruin ; but, apparently, of ruin brought about by worse than mere folly or cowardly yieldiog to misfortune. Here may be some noble intellect wrecked by dissipation; the hope of some distiognisheil circle, voluntarily embracing an outcast's lot, and looking forward, at the end of the long vista of crime which he has entered, to a suicide's grave. Are they, indeed, his decomposed remains over which affection has vainly bent, in some river-side hovel, or parish charnel-house, in the effort to trace, so long aPer " Decay's effacing fingers Have swept the lines where beauty lingers,"  the resemblance of the once loved brother or cherished son Is it over his corpse that the sable plumes have waved—that the church's prayers have been said, amidst the 'pomp of mourning, and the family vault has closed ; or does some nameless child of misery mingle his ashes there with those of the wealthy, the proud, or the far descended ? We know not. The world, which is not comprised ~within tha now mourning family circle, will perhaps never know whether the erring one sleeps there, or has returned, a penitent, to his father's mansion. A privately-acted tragedy, this, upon which no public audience shall sit in judgment. Enough, bovrever, upon this class of advertisements. Turn we next to one of a mote business-li.e character, which contains, nevertheless, its own peculiar teachings.
The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-04-30 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

PRINCES-STREET, Leicester-square.--Your Family is now in a state of excitement unbearable. Your attention is called to an advertisement in Wednesday's Morning Advertiser, headed " A body found drowned at Deptford ;" after your avowal to your friend as to what you might do, he has been to see the decomposed remains, accompanied by others; the features are gone, but there are marks on the arm, so that unless they hear from you to-day it will satisfy them that the remains are those of their misguided relative, and steps will be taken to place them in the family vault, as they cannot bear the idea of a pauper funeral.  This, too, is a record of ruin; but, apparently, of ruin brought about by worse than mere folly or cowardly yielding to misfortune. Here may be some noble intellect wrecked by dissipation; the hope of some distinguished circle, voluntarily embracing an outcast's lot, and looking forward, at the end of the long vista of crime which he has entered, to a suicide's grave. Are they, indeed, his decomposed remains over which affection has vainly bent, in some river-side hovel, or parish charnel-house, in the effort totrace, so long after " Decay's effacing fingers Have swept the lines where beauty lingers," the resemblance of the once loved brother or cherished son ? Is it over his corpse that the sable plumes have waved—that the church's prayers have been said, amidst the pomp of mourning, and the family vault has closed ; or does some nameless child of misery mingle his ashes there with those of the wealthy, the proud, or the far descended? We know not. The world, which is not comprised within that now mourning family circle, will perhaps never know whether the erring one sleeps there, or has returned, a penitent, to his father's mansion. A privately-acted tragedy, this, upon which no public audience shall sit in judgment. Enough, however, upon this class of advertisements. Turn we next to one of a more business-like character, which contains, nevertheless, its own peculiar teachings.
The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-11-26 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CAPTURE OF BURGESS. —We gave, last week, an account of the arrest, and subsequent suicide of Elder, the accomplice of Burgess, the forger, together with the escape of the latter in a boat. Our accounts by the Great Western communicate his arrest, examination, and committal by the authorities al Boston.  THE SCREW PILE TannTnousE.--This lighthouse in Belfast Lough, stands about a mile below Gannoyle, a here the water is never less than nine feet, and the floor of the house is placed upwards of twenty feet above lowwater mark, amply allowing for any rise or swell. The ground beneath is, to the depth of six fe?t, loose sand and gravel, resting on tenacious bine clay ; screw piles of three and .a halt feet circumference are here sunk to the depth of sixteen feet, upon which the superstructure is firmly secured, to form a basis for the erection of the house; this is a novel building, and is intended for a pilot house, and is fitted for this purpose with fifteen commodious sleeping berths, with separate apartments for the captain and his mate. The light can be seen only at six miles distance, lest it should be mistaken for any of the great lights along the coast. The platform on which the house stands is in diameter thirty-three feet, while the house is but twenty-six feet—thus leaving a commodious promenade three and a half feet wide all round, from which the pilots can descry vessels arriving. The whole expense of this important erection, including the lighting apparatus, was but £l3oo.—Mining Journal.  43. b 3 'OUtI) Waco.  For SYDNEY, ger, The well-known fine Whitehaven-built Brig SUPERIOR, Al/11.1 Captain BuLL; ./I.' 1 (in red); 241 tons ; copper-fastened and coppered ; has good cabin accommodations; and in all respects an excellent conveyance for goods or passengers : loading in Prince's Dock.—Apply to COTESWORTH and
The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-10-22 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CORONER'S INQUESTS.—On Saturday no less than nine inquests were held before the Borough Coroner. ; he first was on the body of Margaret Johnson, 29 years of age, who was killed by the falling of a bale of cotton, at Cliffe's marine store, Lumber-street, on Tuesday last. The jury laid a deodand of £5 on the rope.—The second was on the body of Robt. M'Clellan, of L•twrence-street, who committed suicide by suspending himself from a corner of the room by n comforter tied round his neck. Deceased laboured under the impression that he should come to want, although he was in comfortable circumstances.—The third was on the body of Richard Nickson, one of the inn.ates of the Lunatic Asylum, Brownlowhill, who strangled himself.—The fourth was on John Kimmel.. 38 years of age, employed at the brewery belonging to Mr. Halsall Segal.. and who, on Wednesday night last, fractu-ed his leg by falling on the flags.— The fifth was on James Burgess, a young man, aged 18, of Freemason's-row, who had some powder and squibs in his possession on the 30th ultimo, and whose clothes caught fire and burned him severely, in consequence of a spark from one of the squibs having ignited some of the powder in his pocket. He lingered until Sunday morning last, when he expired,—The sixth was on William Edisbury, who died of rupture of the heart, arising from or.zanic disease.—The seventh was on Leonard Moore, a child ten weeks old, who died from suffocation, nrising from his having been overlain by his parents in bed.— The eighth was on Sarah Talbot, of Milk-street, who died of apoplexy on the floor of her own premises.—The ninth and last inquest was on Henry Dognall, a child twelve months old, who was burned to death, accidentally, inßose-hill.—Verdicts accordant with the evidence were returned in the several cases.
The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-09-10 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

ECCENTRICITY OF SELWYN.—Like all wits, he had some strange peculiarities, and one of the oddest fancies was a taste for witnessing executions! H e would go miles to see a man hanged, but to see him beheaded he would cross the seas, and submit to the greatest inconveniences and privations. His friends often made merry with this eccentric foible, and whenever a trial, or execution, or suicide of, more than ordinary interest took place, never failed to give him the earliest information of it. When the first Lord Holland was on his death-bed, being told that Selwyn had come to inquire of er his health, he said—" The next time that gentleman calls, show him up. If I am alive, I shall be delighted to see him ; and if I am dead, he will be delighted to see me!" The execution of the rebel lords in 1745 afforded him a rare treat, and he witnessed their decapitation on Tower-hill with feelings of the most philanthropic satisfaction. Some ladies taunting him with his inhumanity in attending to see Lord Lovat's head cut off, he replied—" Why, I made amends by going to the undertaker's to see it sewn on again." When Damien was broken on the wheel, for attempting to assassinate Louis XV., Selwyn, who had journeyed to Paris for the express purpose of witnessing the entertainment, mingled with the crowd in a plain undress and bob wig, when a French nobleman, imagining, from the deep interest which he took in the scene, that he must be a hangman, addressed him as such. " No, no," replied Selwyn, " I have not the honour to be an executioner; I am merely an amateur !" Horace Walpole, who knew him well, observes, in reference to the practice of state criminals dropping a handkerchief on the scaffold, as a signal for the executioner to strike—" George Selwyn came to town the other day to have a tooth drawn, and, true to his ruling penchant, he told the man that he would drop his handkerchief for the signal."—Bentley's
The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-09-10 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

ECCENTRICITY OF SELWYN.—Like all wits, he had some strange peculiarities, and one of the oddest fancies was a taste for witnessing executions! He would go miles to see a man hanged, but to see him beheaded he would cross the seas, and submit to the greatest inconveniences and privations. His friends often made merry with this eccentric foible, and whenever a trial, or execution, or suicide of more than ordinary interest took place, never failed to give him the earliest information of it. When the first Lord Holland was on his death-bed, being told that Selwyn had come to inquire of er his health, he said—" The next time that gentleman calls, show him up. If I am alive, I shall be delighted to see him ; and if I am dead, he will be delighted to see me!" The execution of the rebel lords in 1745 afforded him a rare treat, and he witnessed their decapitation on Tower-hill with feelings of the most philanthropic satisfaction. Some ladies taunting him with his inhumanity in attending to see Lord Lovat's head cut off, he replied—" Why, I made amends by going to the undertaker's to see it sewn on again." When Damien was broken on the wheel, for attempting to assassinate Louis XV., Selwyn, who had journeyed to Paris for the express purpose of witnessing the entertainment, mingled with the crowd in a plain undress and bob wig, when a French nobleman, imagining, from the deep interest which he took in the scene, that he must be a hangman, addressed him as such. " No, no," replied Selwyn, " I have not the honour to be an executioner; I am merely an amateur !" Horace Walpole, who knew him well, observes, in reference to the practice of state criminals dropping a handkerchief on the scaffold, as a signal for the executioner to strike—" George Selwyn came to town the other day to have a tooth drawn, and, true to his ruling penehant,he told the man that he would drop his handkerchief for the signal."—Bentley's Miseet.
The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-09-10 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

ECCENTRICITY OF SELWYN.—Like all wits, he had some strange peculiarities, and one of the oddest fancies was a taste for witnessing executions! He would go miles to see a man hanged, but to see him beheaded he would cross the seas, and submit to the greatest inconveniences and privations. Ills friends often made merry with this eccentric foible, and whenever a trial, or execution, or suicide of more than ordinary interest took place, never failed to give him the earliest information of it. When the first Lord Holland was on his death-bed, being told that Selwyn had come to inquire of er his health, he said—" The next time that gentleman calls, show him up. If I am alive, I shall be delighted to see him ; and if I am dead, he will be delighted to see me!" The execution of the rebel lords in 1745 afforded him a rare treat, and he witnessed their decapitation on Tower-hill with feelings of the most philanthropic satisfaction. Some ladies taunting him with his inhumanity in attending to see Lord Lovat's head cut off, he replied—" Why, I made amends by going to the undertaker's to see it sewn on again." When Damien was broken on the wheel, for attempting to assassinate Louis XV., Selwyn, who had journeyed to Paris for the express purpose of witnessing the entertainment, mingled with the crowd in a plain undress and bob wig, when a French nobleman, imagining, from the deep interest which he took in the scene, that he must be a hangman, addressed him as such. " No, no," replied Selwyn, " I have not the honour to be an executioner; I am merely an amateur !" Horace Walpole, who knew him well, observes, in reference to the practice of state criminals dropping a handkerchief on the scaffold, as a signal for the executioner to strike—" George Selwyn came to town the other day to have a tooth drawn, and, true to his ruling penchant, he told the man that he would drop his handkerchief for the signal."—Bentley'sshiiscel.
The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-01-09 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MISAPPRENENSION..—A DRAMATIC SKETCH. SCENF.—A Club Room at the Hare and Hounds. At the table sits the County Coroner with his Clerk. The Jurors are arranged round the board. The Constable, Src.. fill the background. TIMOTHY GUBBINS, a witness, is under examination. Cor.—Did you know the defunct? Wit.—Who's he ? Cor.—Why, the dead man. Wit.—Yes. (Pr.—lntimately ? Wit.—Were. Cor.—How often have you been in company with him ; Wit.—Ony once. Cor.—And do you call that intimately ? Wit.—Yes—for he were wery drunk, and I were wery drunk—and that made us like two brothers. Cor.—Who recognised the body ? Wit.—Jack Adams. Cor.—H ow did he recognise him? Wit.—By standing on his head to let the water run out. Cor.-1 'mean how did he know him? Wit.—By his plush jacket. Cor.—Anything else ? Wit.—No : only his face were so swelled, his own mother wouldn't have knowed him. Cor.—Then how did you know him ? Wit.—'Cause 1 warn't his mother. [Applause in court. Cor.—What do you consider the cause of his death? Wit.—Drownding in course. Cor.—Was any attempt made to resuscitate him? Cor.—How ? Wit.—We sarched his pockets. Cor.—l mean did you try to bring him to ? Wit.—Yes----to the public-house. Cor.—l mean to recover him. Wit.—No. We warn't told to. Did you ever suspect the deceased of mental alienation ? Wit.—Yes—the whole village suspected un. Cor.—Why ? Wit.—That he alienated one of the Squire's pigs. Cor.—You misunderstand me. I alluded to mental aberration. Wit.—Some thinks he was. Cor.—On what grounds? Wit.—l believe they belonged to Squire Waters. Cor.—Pshaw. I mean was he mad? Wit.—Sartenly. Cor.—What, devoid of reason? Wit.—He had no reason to drownd himself as I know of. Cor.—That will do, sir. (To the Jury.) Gentlemen, you have beard the evidence, and will consider of your verdict. Foreman.—Your worship, we are all of one mind. Cor.—Well, what is it? Foreman.—We don't mind what. We're agreeeble to anything your Worship pleases. Cor.—No, gentlemen—l have no right to dictate—you had better consult together. Foreman.—We have, your Worship, afore we came, and were all unanimous. Cor.—l am happy to hear it, gentlemen. (To the Clerk.) Mr. Dicks, take down the verdict. Now then, gen' lemon. Foretnan.—Why, then, your Worship, it's " Justifiable Suicide ;"—but begs to recommend to mercy ;—and hopes we shall be allowed our expenses.
The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-01-09 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MISAPP REPIENSTON.—A DRAMATIC SKETCH.. SCENF.—A Club Room at the Hare and Hounds. At the table sits the County Coroner with his Clerk. The Jurors are arranged round the board. The Constable, &c., fill the background. TIMOTHY GUBDINS, a witness, is under examination. Cor.—Did you know the defunct ? Wit.—Who's he?' Cor.—Why, the dead man. Wit.—Yes. ('or.—lntimately Wit.—Were. Car.—How often have you been lir company with him; Wit.—Ony once. Cor.—And do you call that intimately ? Wit----Yes—for he were wery drunk, and I were wery drunk—and that made us like two brothers. Cor.—Who recognised the body ? Wit.--Jack Adams. Cor.—How did lie recognise him? Wit.—By standing on his head to let the-water run out. Cor.-1 mean how (I'd be know him? Wit.—By his plush jacket. Cor.—Anything else ? Wit.—No : only his face were so swelled', his own mother wouldn't have knowed Cor.—Then how did von know him ? Wit.—'Cause I warn't his mother. [Applause in court. Cor.—What do you consider the cause of his death? -wit.—prowntung in eours,,. Con—Was any attempt made to resuscitate-him ? Wit.—Yes. Cor.—How ? Wit.—We sarched his pockets. Cor.—l mean did you try to bring him to ? Wit.—Yes- to the public-house. Cor.—l mean to recover him. Wit.—No. \%e warn't told to. Did yon ever suspect the deceased of mental alienation ? Wit.—Yes—the whole village suspected un. ? Wit.—That he alienated one of the Squire's pigs. Cor.—You misunderstand me. I alluded to mental aberration. Wit.—Some thinks he was. Cor.—On what groond,?  Wit.—l believe they beknged to-Squire Waters. Cor.—Pshaw. I mean was he mad ? Wit.—Sartenlv. Cor.—what, devoid of reason ?  Wit.—He had no reason to drownd himself as- know of. Cor.—That will do, sir. (To the Jury.) Gentlemen, you have heard the evidence, and will consider of your verdict. Foreman.—Your worship, we are all of one mind. Cor.—Well, what is it ? Foreman.—We don't mind what. We're agreeeble to anything your Worship pleases. Cor.—No, gentlemen—l have no right to dictate—you had better consult together. Foreman.—We have, your Worship, afore we came, and were all unanimous. , Cor.—l am happy to hear it, gentlemen. (To the Clerk.) Mr. Dicks, take down the verdict. Now then, gentlemen. Foreman.—Why, then, your. Worship, it's " Justifiable Suicide ;"—but begs to recommend to mercy ;—and hopes we shall be allowed our expenses.
The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-11-12 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

SUICIDE OF MR. AND MRS. BARKER, AT KILMARNOCK.  These unfortunate persons were old inhabitants of Bir: mingbam. Mr. Joseph Barker was 61 years of age, 111t' wife was somewhat younger. They resided, previous ° leaving Birmingham, at No. 54, Vittoria-street. A.lc: Manchester, bei London, at don one, Malta,time m Barker was born at Preston, in Lancashire, from which town he married for his second wife the partner of his romantic but melancholy exit. He had resided in oanstdexsetevnersiavlely parts of engaged in thecbounstii: ness as a foreign merchant. At the burning of Moscow he estimated his loss at £500,000; from that time his,f°.." tunes 'ere reversed. His first wife died on board a 'WV. His only child, a son, on whose memory be appeared t° dote, also died when 21 years of age. Six years ago he entered the service of Mr. Samuel Kernpson, floor-cloth manufacturer, Constitution•hill, where he remained as chief clerk and traveller until May la, t, when into partnership with Mr. James Archer,who bad also been with Mr. Kempson, and a, 0 ened in the firm w P Summer-latable-cloth ne, as James Archer and Co , manufacturers. In the arrangements there was nothing to disturb the equanimity of his proverbially even temper. He appeared on excellent terms with all around him ; and when, two months ago, he left home, as he alleged to his partner, on a visit to Manchester, there was nothing to indicate the fearful resolve to which subsequent circumstances lead us to suppose he had made up his mind. _ On leaving their house they told the servant girl they were going to see a relation at a distance, and should be back in eight or nine days. When he parted from Mr. Archer he shook hands heartily, saying, " God bless you, he entered Archer;" and it was observed by Mr. Archer that he turned away and seemed affected. It was afterwards found that he had, previous to his departure, called silt! discharged every tradesman's bill against the firm. i 2 was supposed that he had about £4O on him when be left Birmingham. In a pecuniary point of view there was not, as we can ascertain, any embarrassment, and we hay. met with no satisfactory solution to the mystery of their self.destruction. Mr. Barker was of most gentlemanly habits and manners, nl oevres ,i ns ptehaoksien g withfluently s,,h whom m thehe languages; and of kindly disposition. creating regard and French, and German . private life. Mrs. Barker wman of much amiability and suavity of manner, highlyaccomplished, and a Italian, in business and in proficient in music. The gold watch found upon Mr. Barker was an old' fashioned family relic, and the knife was a present from a young and esteemed friend, in Mr. Kempson's emplor• The description of the knife led to the identity of the unhappy deceased. On seeing the London papers, Mr. Archer sent his foreman over to Kilmarnock, to identify the parties.  Captain Mc. Arthur, formerly commander of the Princess Royal. Liverpool and Glasgow steamer, hal been appointed harbour master at Fleetwood.  t`..