npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1845-11-27 (London, England)

EXTRA.ORDINARYSUICIDE. Yesterday forenoon, William Carter, Esq., the Coroner, held an inquest in the board-room of Newington workhouse, Walworth-road, on the body of Isaac Drew, aged forty-five years. James Harding, of Brandon-street, Walworth, deposed that he had known the deceased for some time past, as occupying a small shed in the same yard, belonging to Mr. Riddle, a cab-driver. The deceased was a breeder of pigs, and was well-known as a most eccentric character. On Monday morning last, between six and seven o'clock, whilst witness was in the yard, he observed the door of the shed wide open, and on looking in he saw the deceased suspended to one of the cross beams. Witness raised an alarm and sent for Inspector Collier, of the P division, who cut the deceased down. He was placed in a shell and removed to the workhouse. Witness slept in a van the night previous, at the end of the yard, and in the middle of the night the deceased came home very much intoxicated, and caused great annoyance by knocking at the side of the vehicle with a large hammer. He forced in the panellof the door, but was subsequently persuaded to go to his bed, which was made of a blanket placed at the end of a large pig-sty. The deceased was of very filthy habits, and was very evidently in a deranged state,and generally spoke in an incoherent manner. Inspector Collier, of the P division, stated that he was called by the last witness to the deceased, whom he found banging by a rope, which was fastened to a beam over a pigsty. The place was in a horrible condition ; and how any human person could exist in such a dreadful den, he could not conceive. The deceased sold his pigs on Saturday for 51. There were only 6s. and a few coppers in his pocket. Hannah Drew, the wife of the deceased, said that she had been in the workhouse of St. George's, Southwark. The deceased was formerly a master butcher, in a large way of business, in High-street, Southwark, but from his dissipated habits hadi been much reduced. About three weeks since he called to see her at the workhouse, he was then in an excited state.  Sarah Drew, the daughter of the deceased, was next called, and said that she was in service. The deceased called to see her on Sunday last; he was dejected, and appeared very HY: He told her that he had sold his pigs, and showed her about five sovereigns, which he placed in a dirty stocking, and put in his pocket. He left, saying, "If anything should happen to me, you will know where to find them." He then left the house, and she did not see him alive again. The deceased attempted to drown himself some years past by leaping into the water at Blackfriars-bridge, but was saved.
The Sun. — 1845-11-11 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GUILDHALL.  Monday Mr. Alderman Wilson attended at the Giltspurstreet Prison, to hear the charges against persons who had been apprehended in any part of the City since Saturday evening, in order that their imprisonment might not be prolonged by the recurrence of civic rejoicings. There were many charges of drunkenness.  Robert Scott, residing at the Bricklayers' Arms, in Earlstreet, Blackfriars, was charged with striking his mother on the head with a poker, by which she was so much irjured that she v.-as unable to attend.  Edward Knight, a policeman, stated that he was called into the house at three o'clock on Sunday morning by the prisoner; and, on entering, he perceived by his lantern a woman lying on her face at the foot of the stairs. The prisoner was quite drunk; and finding that the poor woman was much injured, and that the blow had been inflicted by the prisoner, he took him into custody. The prisoner said it was a blow inflicted entirely by mistake. He thought a thief had got into the house, and he struck her under that misapprehension. Mr. Alderman WILSON said it was a very unfortunate mistake, arising, probably, from his intemperance. It was to be apprehended that her life was in some danger, and he should therefore remand the prisoner till Saturday, unless his mother should be able to attend sooner. William Denman, a labourer, was charged with attempting to commit suicide while in a state of intoxication, about eleven o'clock on Sunday night. He went down the steps on the Surrey side of Blackfriarsbridge and plunged into the water; when he was got out he said he only wanted to have a swim, but from his general behaviour it seemed that he meant to commit suicide, and that he was one of those who, when drunk, become unhappy, and can think of nothing but their share of human miseries.  Mr. Alderman WitsoN fined him ss. for being drunk, and to be imprisoned three days if the money were not sooner paid.
The Sun. — 1845-01-03 (London, England)

THE SCOTTISH HOSPITAL.  Wednesday, at one o'clock, a Court of the Governors of the Scottish Hospital was held at the hall of the corporation, Crane-court, Fleet-street, for the purpose of receiiing the annual report of the Kinloch Trust, of appointing a surgeon, in the room of Mr. H. G. Davidson, who has resigned, and on other business. Mr. Dallas in the chair  Major ADAIR, the secretary, read the report of the distribution of the Kinloch Trust, from which it appeared that the amount of stock was 56,707/. Bs. 6d. (this munificent sum having been left by him for the relief of poor Scotchmen), that the receipt of dividends had been 1,6511. ; that 1,8601 had been distributed in pensions, and that, after comparing other receipts and the expenditure, there remained a balance in the banker's hands of 821. ss. sd. From the funds of the Scottish Hospital, in the course of the last quarter, 298 pensioners had bees relieved with 2301. 15s. 6d. It was resolved that the account of the trustees of the Kinloch Trust should be printed and circulated among the governors; and the resignation of Mr. Davidson was accepted. Mr. Rowland Hill Mackenzie, a Governor, was appointed in his stead, who acknowledged the honour conferred upon him. Professor DONALDSON then moved a resolution, requesting the Committee of relief to consider and report as to the propriety of giving power to the medical officers of the hospital to afford such additional assistance in food, &c., as they might consider advisable. Mr. NOBLE seconded the resolution, which was agreed to unanimously. The Court next considered the propriety of discontinuing the pension of 101. annually to George Monroe, at present residing in Scotland, it being against the rules of the corporation to grant pensions at that distance. The pensioner was formerly in possession of 3001. a year, which was lost in speculations. He was said to be the rightful heir to a Scottish earldom, with property amounting to 5,0001. a year, to which his grandson would succeed. It was resolved that the allowance be discontinued.  SUICIDE or AN
The Sun. — 1845-09-03 (London, England)

SUICIDE INDUCED BY EXCESSIVE STUDY.—An inquest was held on Monday, at the King's Head, Canterburystreet, York-road, before Mr. Carter, on the body of Mr. William Alfred Barker, aged twenty-three, late editor of a Nottingham newspaper. Mr. W. A. Barker, also the editor of a provincial newspaper, said that the deceased was his ion, and about three weeks ago came to hie (witness's) residence la Howley-street, York-road, to proceed from thence to Southampton, for the benefit of his health. He returned in three or four days completely altered. His memory was entirely gone, and he was unable to exercise his mental faculties. On Saturday last witness intended to obtain a certificate as to the state of his mind, in order to place him under restraint, and went out telling the deceased to follow him, and meet him on Waterloo-bridge, bat after waiting a considerable time he became alarmed at his long absence, and returned. He then searched all the rooms in the house for him, and afterwards descended to the coal-cellar, where he found him suspended by the neck by means of a rope fastened to the iron grating, and his hands tied tightly behind him. Witness immediately cut him down and sent for surgical assistance, but if deceased was not already dead he died in a few seconds. Witness believed the deranged state of his mind to have been occasioned by illness brought on by excessive study. About fifteen months ago, when in London, he used to devote so much of his mind to study, that he deprived himself of necessary food and repose. He had made a previous attempt upon his life. *fr. J. E. Stalilsmidts, the editor of a weekly journal, having corroborated the previous evidence relative to the state of mind of the deceased, the jury returned a verdict—" That the deceased committed suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind."
The Sun. — 1845-09-18 (London, England)

SUICIDE IN A STATION-HOUSE.-FELO-DE-SE On Monday evening, at the conclusion of the inquiry relativ, to the melancholy death of Mrs. Theobald, of Eltham Lodge, near. Hounslow, Mr. Mills, the deputy coroner, proceeded to the Greyhound, at Staines, to hold an inquest on the body of Matthew Bond, aged seventyethree, who destroyedhimself in the police-station at the lait-named place, under the following circumstances :—lt appeared from the evidence that the deceased, though old in years, was as old in crime, and had been frequently convicted of felony, by which, it would seem, he carried on his miserable existence. On Friday night last, about twelve o'clock, the policeman on duty near the premises of Mr. Harris, farmer, in the above village, discovered the deceased emerging from an outhouse. He immediately went up to him, and on laying hold of his collar, be dropped from beneath his coat a fowl, which, on subsequent inspection, proved to be the property of Mr. Harris. Deceased, on being conveyed to the station-house, was locked up in a cell by himself. The man on duty during the night looked in several times and saw frothing wrong ; but on the cell being enteved in the morning, deceased was discovered with his handkerchief tied tightly round his neck and fastened to the gas pipe, which passel about half way along the wall. The handkerchief was extended, and the deceased was lying on his :stomach on the floor. He was immediately extricated from his position and a medical man sent for, who pronounced life to have been for some time extinct. It further appeared that the deceased had never evinced any symptoms of insanity, and the only reason assigned for his committing the rash act was the fear of being sent out of the country. The jury having deliberated fbr some time on the evidence adduel, returned a verdict of felo de se, in accordance with whiah the body of the deceased was last night buried by torchlight, and without funeral rights.
The Sun. — 1845-09-18 (London, England)

FELO••DE.SE. On Monday evening, at the conclusion of the inquiry relative to the melancholy death of Mrs. Theobald, of Eltham Lodge, near Hounslow, Mr. Mills, the deputy coroner, proceeded to the . Greyhound, at Stainee, to hold an inquest on the body of Matthew Bond, aged seventy-three, who destroyed himself in the police-station at the last-named place, under the following circumstances :—lt appeared from the evidence that the deceased, though old in years, was as old in crime, and had been frequently convicted of felony, by which, it would seem, be carried on his miserable existence. On Friday night List, about twelve o'clock, the policeman on duty near the premises of Mr. Harris, farmer, in the above village, discovered the deceased emerging from an outhouse. He immediately went up to him, and on laying hold of bis collar, he dropped from beneath his coat a fowl, which, on subsequent inspection, proved to be the property of Mr. Harris. Deceased, on being conveyed to the station-house, was locked up in a cell by himself. The man on duty during the night looked in several times and saw hothing wrong ; but on the cell being entered in the morning, deceased was discovered with his handkerchief tied tightly round his neck and fastened to the g,•7‘s pipe, which passed about half way along the wall. The handkerchief was extended, and the deceased was lying on his stomach on the floor. He was immediately extricated from his position and a medical man sent for, who pronounced life to have been for some time extinct. It further appeared that the deceased had never evinced, any symptoms of insanity, and the only reason assigned for his committing the rash act was the fear of being sent out of the country. The jury having deliberated for some time on the evidence ad•• ducted, returned a verdict of felo de se, in accordance with which the body of the deceased was last night buried by« torchlight, and without funeral rights. n . • .....„
The Sun. — 1845-01-02 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF A NATIVE PRINCE. (From the Bengal Hurkaru, Nov. 2.) Raja Kishennath Roy, of Berhampore, shot himself on last Thursday. The man whom he was accused of having caused to be cruelly tortured has died from the injury he had received, and the young Raja, under apprehension of the consequences to himself, was driven to the dreadful act of self-murder. Ho was living at his mother's house in Chitpore•road, where, on the day in question, he invited Mr. Strettell and Mr. llerklots, and asked them to witness the execution of a folded document, which he himself signed, and told them it was his last will and testament. Very shortly after these gen- , tlemen had left him he locked himself within a room, and, loading one barrel of a double-barrelled percussion gun, bent his head over the muzzle and drew the lock with his foot. Instantly ho fell dead to the ground. The discovery of the fact was made by the report attracting- some of the inmates of the house to the room. Not long after the occurrence, the deputy superintendent of police proceeded to the house, and found the holy of the unfortunate young man on the floor in a sitting posture, with the back leaning against the wall, and the fatal gun resting over one shoulder. The (afro/16s was completely blown away, and fragments of the brain were observed on different parts of the wall and ceiling, and a flattened ball lay near the foot of the corpse. 'the features were not much distorted, beyond the nose, which appeared much distended. The will left behind is said to be a very lengthy one, but regularly drawn up. In it several handsome legacies are mentioned, while a very munificent portion of the estate has been willed away towards the beneficent object of founding a college, or, as the will expresses it, a " university," at Berhampore, with an hospital attached. The young Raja has, likewise, bequeathed a handsome legacy to one of his favourite domestic servants ; and likewise the interest of a sufficient sum to be given for the sub
The Sun. — 1845-01-02 (London, England)

THE MURDER AND SUICIDE AT ASIIFORD.  Immediately after the verdict of fe- lo de se was returned by the jury, Mr. Wakley handed to the constable his warrant for the interment of the deceased, that referring to the man specifying that he should he buried between the hours of nine and twelve o'clock at night, and Nv i t hout any funeral ceremony. The unhappy woman was buried on Sunday afternoon, and her remains were followed to the grave by a vast concourse of persons, who appeared to take a deep interest in the melancholy affair. The murderer was not buried until Monday night, about ten o'clock, in the presence of Messrs. Hignet and Merrick, the churchwardens of Ashford, the constable, and a few other persons, the only relative of the deceased that was present being his mother. The place that was selected for the grave was a corner of the churchyard which has before been the receptacle of the remains of two persons who some thirty years since destroyed themselves, and against whom verdicts offelo de se were returned, and dur • ing the whole period that has sinoe elapsed there has not been a single suicide in the parish. One of the men referred to was a master butcher, named Lewis, who carried on a respectable business at Ashford, but was suspected of sheep-stealing, and was taken into custody on the char', e, but while at the public-house awaiting the time to be examined before a magistrate, he asked permission to leave the _room for a short time, and the moment he got into the passage he drew a knife from his pocket and cut his throat in such a dreadful manner that he died almost immediately. The other case was that of an Qx.ccsoliari in Wales,  named Davis, who had been ordered up to London by the Commissioners to be reprimanded for some misconduct. It appeared that the circumstance prved LI pen his mind, and he destroye4ihimP,ir in a corn &id at Ashford by opening veins in different parts of his body, and then cutting his throat. The remains of the miserable murderer and suicide were laid by the side of these companions in crime. When the coffin had been lowered into the grave, the mother looked on it for the last time, and exclaimed, " Ah, my boy, they have buried you like a dog; but, never mind, God will forgive you, and take you to heaven !" She then walked away, apparently very little concerned at what had taken place, or the awful ceremony she had ' just witnessed. Since the inquest every inquiry has been made to endeavour to ascertain where the de! ceased man had obtained the poison, which was the cause of his death, but hitherto without success. The little boy and girl are perfectly recovered, and they have since been removed to the Brentford Union, to which they belong.
The Sun. — 1845-01-02 (London, England)

SUICIDE IN CRIPPLEGATE.—Tuesday evening, at six o'clock, Mr. Payne, the City coroner, and a respectable jury, assembled in the board-room of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, to inquire into the circumstances attending the death of Noah Flood, aged 40, lately carrying on the business of newsvender in Whitecross-street, Cripplegate, who committed suicide, after first attempting to destroy his only child. Mrs. Alice Smith, of No. 206, Upper Whitecrossstreet, after describing the discovery of Mr. Flood in a dying state, said, I knew he was very much depressed in his mind on account of recently losing his wife, whom he buried but a few days previousl.y. He often said to me that he was in such trouble he did not know what to do. He was much attached to his wife, but never spoke to me of destroying himself. The child is about eight years of age. By the jury—The child was out of bed and retching, but I cannot say whether she had taken anything deleterious or not. The deceased was very much attached to the child.  Mrs. Catherine Scott, of No. 51, Whitecross-street, said—l have known deceased and his late wife about five years, and attended her during her illness. I saw the deceased at half-past ten o'clock on Friday night, when he appeared very much depressed. I had been ill that day, and not able to dress the child, which I had done for him since the death of his wife. On telling him of my illness, he said, " If anything occurs to you what will become of my child ?" After some further conversation, he made use of the following :—" If I should die, Mrs. Scott, I have one request to make—that is, that you will bury me by the side of my wife, and follow ma as you did her." Shortly after I left him. By the jury—He shook hands with me, and hoped I should be better. One thing that greatly depressed him was the refusal of a Mrs. Thomas to watch over his child, after she had promised the mother, in her dying moments, so to do. He was a most kind father. The child had been put to bed before I saw him. Robert Groom and Daniel Douglas, two City policeconstables, spoke to going into the room and finding a bottle and glass which had contained laudanum, and a piece of paper to the following effect : " My wish is to be buried with my poor wife ; and Mrs. Scott, of 51, Whitecross-street, and Mrs. Kingsmill, living at a cornchandler's, near St. Giles's Church, should bury me, and have all my goods. "
The Sun. — 1845-01-02 (London, England)

SUICIDE IN CRIPPLEGITE. —Tuesday evening, at six o'clock, Mr. Payne, the City coroner, and a respectable jury, assembled in the board-room of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, to inquire into the circumstances attending the death of Noah Flood, aged 40, lately carry ing on the business of newsvender in Whitecross street, Cripplegate, who committed suicide, after first attempting to destroy his only child. Mrs. Alice Smith, of No. 206, Upper Whitecrossstreet, after describing the discovery of Mr. Flood in a dying state, said, I knew he was very much depressed in his mind on account of recently losing his wife, whom he buried but a few days previously. He often said to me that he was in such trouble he did not know what to do. He was much attached to his wife, but never spoke to me of destroying himself. The child is about eight years of age. _  - By the jury—The child was out of bed and retching, but I cannot say whether she had taken an) thing deleterious or not. The deceased was very much attached to the child.  Mrs. Catherine Scott, of No. 51, Whitecross-street, said—l have known deceased and his late wife about five years, and attended her during her illness. I saw the deceased at half-past ten o'clock on Friday night, when he appeared very much depressed. I had been ill that day, and not able to dress the child, which I had done for him since the death of his wife. On telling him of ray illness, he said, " If anything occurs to you what will become of my child ?" After some further conversation, he made use of ti:e following :—" If I should die, Mrs. Scott, I have one requeA to make—that is, that you will bury me by the side of my wife, and follow me as you did her." Shortly after I left him. By the jury—He shook hands with me, and hoped I should be better. One thing that greatly depressed him wes the refusal of a Mrs. Thomas to watch over his child, after she had promised the mother, in her dying moments. so to do. He was a most kind father. The child had been put to bed before I saw him. Robert Groom and Daniel Douglas, two City policeconstables, spoke to going into the room and finding a bottle and glass which had contained laudanum, and a piece of raper to the following trif,et : " My wish is to be buried with my poor wife ;. and Mrs. Scott, of 51, Whitecross-street, and Mrs. Kingsmill, living at a cornchandler's, near St. Giles's Church, should bury me, and have all my goods. "