npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Widnes Examiner. — 1905-01-14 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SOCIAL SERVICE LEAGUE. " Success Already Assured."  A social gathering in connection with the above league was held in the Baptist schoolroom, Go'bornestreet, on Thursday evening. About ninety persons were present. The §,choolroom, which had been specially decorated and set out in drawing-room style, presented a very pleasing appearance. Amongst those present were the Rev. H. Dunnico, Messrs. J. Morton, E. Osborne, E. Lloyd-Jones, J. Heywood, T. Trow, N. Cook, Joseph Elwell, Mesdames Dunnico, Osborne, Trow, Jones, Walker, and many others. Refreshments were served by members of the Committee, and during the evening Miss Turner's mandoline band gave several selections. Songs were rendered by Mrs. Osborne and Messrs. N. Cook and Joseph Cotterill. Mr. Bratt gave several pieces on the gramaphone. The PRESIDENT (Rev. H. Dunnico) in the course of a short address said that the success of the Social Service League was already assured, and they were now in a position to undertake effective work. He invited the Indies who were present for the first time that evening to become members of the league. Certain phases of social work could be undertaken by women more effectively and more efficiently than by men, and such work was for the most part neglected at the present time. _  Mr. MORTON, as secretary, announced that the weekly debates would be resumed next Friday. Mr. E. OSBORNE in proposing a vote of thanks to the caterers referred to the recent address of Sa-ah Grand on.". Mere man." According to the lecture it was tin* opinion of Sarah Grand that man was growing out of his moral obliquities into the sphere of his better self. The Social Service League was to play no unimportant part in this process of evolution. If they required any proof of this they had it in that gathering. Mr. JOSEPH ELWELL in seconding strongly resented being termed a "mere man" but if any one still doubted the improvement of man after what they had seen and heard that evening they mast be very sceptical indeed. It had been stated that the way to win a man was to "feed the brute" and at an election time such a mode of attack usually • succeeded. The Social Service League, however, existed to demonstrate that the final test of "mere man" was his moral worth and courage. The resolution was unanimously carried, the chairman remarking that important though "mere man" might be it remained for the ladies to put that finishing touch upon his work and such assistance was of infinite value to mere man in his fight for a higher civilization.  Jessie Coifingliam, aged fifteen, was told by the Haywards Heath magistrates on Wednesday that she deserved a medal. She risked her life in rescuing a young woman who attempted suicide in a lake. Miss Cottingham, who had to break away the ice which covered the water, is a strong swimmer.
Widnes Examiner. — 1876-08-26 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE BRAVO CASE.  The foreman of thelittrylwrites from Upper Tooting as follows to the Daily Ems :—There is no doubt that Mr. Bravo was poisoned by tartar emetic. This being the cue, it appears to me that your numerous correspondents, who have "no doubt," and assume that he either committed suicide or killed himself inadvertently, have to account for the possession by him of tartar emetic, of which there is not one tittle of evidence. Surely the opinion of the j ur3", who had the opportunity of hearing all the case, and of watching i the demeanour of the witnesses, s worthy of more credence than that of those who set up a theory which they cannot prove, and who seem to make use of your columns to give vent to their disappointment that the verdict is not in accordance with their own views.  "An Apprentice of Lincoln's Inn" has sent a letter to the Daily Telegraph, in which he contends against the theory of Mr. Bravo's suicide. The writer thus summarises what he conceives to be the probabilitieraf the case. "If Mr. Bravo had been, as we are JAW to believe, thoroughly miserable and unhappy in his domestic relations, he yet must have known perfectly well how to free himself from his troubles, and was a man of sufficien t strength of character to take, if necessary, very bold steps. He could have obtained a judicial separation from his • wife, or have taken proceedings for doing so; or, he could have forced upon her a separation by mutual consent; or he could simply have left her, gone back to his own parents, and thrown upon her the responsibility of taking her own course. What we are asked to believe is that, being wretchedly unhappy in his married life, he preferred to poison himself rather than to go'his way and leave his wife to go hers; that, being a barrister, and having some acquainttince with medicine, he deliberately chose about the most painful of all possible methods of committing suicide; and that, being a thoroughly selfish man, who had never cared for his wife and had only married her for her money, he yet was capable of deliberately committing suicide because her affections were not suMciently set upon him. People who can deal with inconsistencies ox this kind can deal with anything, and ere welcome, if they please, to believe everything that Mrs. Cox has ' at any time morn or stated during the course of the inquiry.  TMOAT InErranow.—The throat and windpipe are especially liable to inflammation, causing soreness and dryness, tickling and irritation, inducing cough and affecting the voice. For these symptoms use glycerine in the form of jujubes. Glycerine, in these agreeable confections, being in proximity to the glands at the moment they are excited by the act of sucking, incomes actively healing. 6d. and Is. boxes (by poet Bor 14 stamps), and tins, Is. 6d., labelled "James Epps 1c Co., ' HoraCeoPethie Chemists 48 Thlembnedhortreet, aucl ricadillri 141149 De '  -- - - ___:r-
Widnes Examiner. — 1876-09-02 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SIB TITUS SALT.—Wi understand that Sir Titus Salt is soli Jusly ill and confined to his bed at Crow Nest, Lightclifie, and some anxiety is felt as to his condition. —Bradford Telegraph. Mr. F. J. Faraday, the secretary of the Manchester Fist.! Naturalists and Arcbeealogists' Society, has also been appointed paid secretary for the Manchest3r Aquarium. The salary is £l5O per annum. Dina di hfurska, the songstress, who, on March 22nd, was inconsolable at the death of one husband, on May 15th consoled herself with another. He was her second husband.  The Catholics in Boston are said to have wisely decided to discontinue the hiring of carriages for funeral processions, except for the chief mourners, and to give the money which a. costly funeral requires to the widow and children. ,  A marriage is arranged between Miss Scott, eldest daughter of the late Sir Francis Scott, Bart., and Lady Scott, and I.lr. Adrian Hope. Mr. Hope, it will be remembered, obtained a divorce in 1873 from his wife, Lady Ida, daughter of the Earl of Fife. The funeral took place on Wednesday of Dr. Tait, the late president of Ushaw College, Durham. Foar bishops and about a hundred priests were present on the occasion. The Bev. F. Williamson, of J./thaw, has been appointed the new president of the college. The Rev. Dr. Wallace, who has been appointed. editor of the Scotoman, at the salary of £2,004 per annum, has written to the Presbytery of Edinburgh, resigning his charge, and remitting his orders and functions as a minister of the Church.  The Mill and Countess of Aberdeen have evinced their interest in the hokpitals of the Metropolis by sending £6 specially for advertising the Hospital Saturday collection. Amongst the lidies who will take charge of street collection tables is a sister of the Eight liou. John Bright, M.P.  The death is announced of Felicien David, the composer. The deceased was born in the early part of 1810, and was consequsntly in his 67th year. Among the works by which he is best known are the Desert, produced in 1844, and the Perle die Bresil, produced in 1851.  THE ANTEDILIIVIANS or lIAIDBTONE.—An address of congratulation to the Premier upon his elevation to an earldom is being signed in Maidstone by the Chairman ot the local Conservative committee and the 60 or 70 surviving electors who voted for Mr. Disraeli in 1637.  The Prince of Wales has presented Mr. Knight, general manager of the London, Brighton, and Sarah Coast Railway, with full length portraits of hiraielf and the Princess of Wales, in recognition Vithe excellence of Mr. Knight's arrangements for his Royal Highness's journey from Portsmouth on his return from India, and for many years civilities. Lord Ribblesdale, whose melancholy death by suicide in Switzerland is just announced, was a brother-in-law of Colonel Mare, M.P. for Renfrewshire, and was a son by her first marriage of the late Lady John Rasstll, firs.; wife of Earl Russell. He was formerly a. lieutenant in the Horse Guards. He was in his 49th year. His son will be the fourth baron.  A
Widnes Examiner. — 1876-12-16 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

TEE MADMA.N'S OTJTRAGE AT FRODBHAM.  At the Chester Assizes, on Friday, before Mr, Justice Mellor, Thomas Holmes, 27, striker, Gersten, was in. dicted for feloniously assaulting, wounding, and ill. treating Aaron Jeremiah Ellis, with intent to kill and murder him on the 24th Nov., and further with ittempzieg to commit suicide by throwing himself under a railway carriage on the Cheshire junction railway, at Frodsham, oa the same data. Mr. Swetenlainn prosecuted, and Mr. Marshall appeared for the pie sonar, who had his arm in a sling, he having not yet recovered from the injuries he received in the conflict. The prosecutor was travelling from Liverpool to Chester, and when the train was near Frodsham the prisoner jumped up, and suddenly attacked Mr. Ellis In a ferocious manner, end bit his thumb off, and was about to cut his throat, when the prosecutor and the prisoner's father overpowered him The prisoner then jumped out of the carriage and tried to ()manna suicide by throwing himself under the wheels, but the train having been stopped, the guard prevented him from carrying out his intention. The prosecution alleged that the prisoner was suffering from delirium tremens, arising from excersive drinking. The defence was that the prisoner's insanity was produced by excessive grief, be having Lost his wife under palatal circumstances, only a few days before the outrage, and the excessive grief produced acute mania. After other evidence had been adduced, Mr. Bwetene ham said that the evidence for the defence had convinced him that there was no proof the prisoner had been drinking. The Judge said the learned counsel had taken a very creditable course. Tne evidence for the defence must have struck them all with great force. The whole demeanour of the man showed that ho was ailing either from delirium tremens, in which case there would have been no defence, or else from an attack of acute mania. Every man was liable for any act when suffering under a paroxysm brought on by a voluntary act, but in this case the evidence showed that the prisoner was in a state of mania brought on by an excess of acute private grief. The jiver then, uuder the direotiun of hie Lordship, returned a verdict of aeguittal on the ground of in. sanity, He was ordered to be detained in custody until proper evidence of his sanity was given to the autho• cities.  THE NEW LORD•LIEUTENINT OP IRELAND,  The Duke of Marlborough, the newly.appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, arrived at Kingstown on Tuesday morning in the Royal mail steamer Con. naught, and he immediately left for Dublin, in order to be sworn Id. He was accompanied by his son, Lord Randolph Churchill, M.P. The oath was administered in the course of the afternoon ;by the Lords Justices at Dublin Castle.
Widnes Examiner. — 1912-08-17 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER." The Rev. A. M. Mitchell's characteristic article in his Parish Magazine brought to my mind the sensation created a few years ago by the claim of a Mr. John Clay, of Hebden Bridge (which is four or five miles over the county border beyond Todmorden) to the discovery of a cure for cancer. I promptly ran over for an interview with the bold layman, and was somewhat impressed by his confidence in his new remedy. Moreover, I kept the movement under observation for some time, and found among the numerous patients from far and near who sought his aid quite a number who to all appeatance distinctly benefited under the treatment. However, now that the excitement at first caused has subsided, I cannot learn what promised so well at the outset is being continued. As far as lam able to gatber,the bad old conditions still unfortunately pre. vail. Mr. Mitchell's strong advocacy of vegetarianism as the panacea for this, not to mention many other ills that those who have a weakness for the fl sh pots are supposed to be heirs to, recalls for me a time when an equally earnest professor of the cult of the carrot thrust into my unwilling hands a bundle of terrible vegetarian tracts, one of which, bearing the ominous title " The perils of pork," was calculated to spoil one's keen relish for one's breakfast bacon, and to cause a nervous reader to dream dreams and see vi-ions of a horrible and untimely fate compared with wh:ch that of the miserable suicide were enviable, if not positively blissful. How these well meaning faddists do love to make our flesh creep! Perhaps it serves us right for having flesh. But, then, how about the vegetarians themselves ? I daresay some will be ready to point out that all flesh (all human flesh, of aourse) is grass ; but that were to lay them open to pretty obvious retort.
Widnes Examiner. — 1912-01-13 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

MAJOR'S DEATH.  VERDICT OF SUICIDE AT CHESHIRE INQUEST. The inquest was concluded at Asbton-on-Mersey, on Tuesday, on Major Wood (53), civil and mining engineer, formerly of Newfield!, tymm. At the previous bearing it was stated that the major left home on Saturday morning, December 16th, and returned late at night, after spending the day in Manchester. Unable to secure admittance to the house, he tried to sleep in a brougham in the ccacbhouse, but eventually roused his srn. On entering the house Major Wood went into his study. Next morning he was found dead in the lavatory. The adjournment of the inquiry was made in order that an analysis of the contents of the stomach might be obtained, a medical witness stating that he was unable to state the cause of death. Mrs. Wood said that latterly her husband had been pressed financially. his nerves were highly strung. though she only kr ew during the last fortnight of his life that be suffered from insomnia. She id not know Ihe took chloridine, and he never expressed any intention of taking his life. The Coroner now read the report of Mr. Carter Bell, the county analyst, who made an analysis upon the contents of the organs of deceased, and also open the contents of the bottles found on the premises. One of the bottles contained whisky and water and eleven grains of hydro cyanide of potassium (prussic acid), and the stomach and other organs contained sufficient of this poison to have caused death. Another bottle contained a proportion of alcohol and a quantity of carbonate of lime. Answering the Corr ner, Dr. Scott, who attended Major Wood, said the alcoholic liquor containing the carbonate of lime might have been taken by the deceased for indigestion, but it was an unusual thing to take. The Coroner : Then, doctor, would anyone take prussic acid for insomnia or highly-strung nerves ?—No, I don't think so. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide during a fit of temporary insanity.
Widnes Examiner. — 1912-01-20 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

DID..IIE INTEND TO COMMIT SUICIDE.  A peculiar case was beard at the Warrington Police Court on Monday, before the Mayor and other magistrates, when Andrew Shimmin, watch repairer, 4,Churchstreet, was charged en remand with having attempted to commit suicide on December 6th. He was also charged with stealing 2s 51 from a slot gas meter and with havine. unlawfully pawned a watch. Ihe prisoner pleaded gnilty to all the charges. According to the Chief Constable's statement, Shimmin was in the Borough Ares public-house on December Ott). He got up with the remark that he w.. 8 going to poison himself. In his pocket he had a bottle, ‘vhich apparently contained poison. A witness informed the eolice with the result that an officer found the man in his house, frothing at the mouth. Shimmin admitted that he had taken nitric acid. He was conveyel to the infirmary, and was subsequently removed to the Workhouse Hospital. Three weeks ago he was before the Court, and the miss was 7adjourned to give him 'tit opportunity of mending his ways. In the I Perim he anpeared to have been drinking. At 2.30 a.m. on January 2nd an officer was passing by 1, Caurch-street, when he heard someone shouting for help. When he gained admittance he sew Shimmin, who stated that he intended to "gas " himself. There was every indication that Shimmin had tried to suffocate himself with gas. He had cut the gas pipe, and by some means had robbed the meter of 80011. of gas. He had wrapped something round his head and had bad his mouth to the pipe. Whilst in gaol the doctor had had prisoner under observation and reported that he was of sound mind but was suffering from the effects of drink. During the time he had been on ramand efforts to assist him had been made, but the further inquiries were made the deeper Shimmin would appear to be in the mire. He had pawned watches which had been sent to him for repairs. Qaite a large number of charges could have been preferred against him. The watches had been pawned in different names. There was strong evidence to suggest that either his mind was unhinged or that he fully intended to commit suicide. In his accouy' book he had written some really fearful things and ' bade " Goodbye 'S to everybody a dozen times over. The Mayor said the very fact of Shirnmin calling attention to his attempts to suicide seemed to throw -doubt upon his intention to take his life. The Chief Constable said Mr. Firth, the police court missionary,bad promised to do his best for the prisoner. The Mayor in sending Shimmin to goal for three months in the second division said it seemed childish of him to pretend to attempt suicide over and over again. Borough Police Court.
Widnes Examiner. — 1912-10-19 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

PROPERTY OWNERS' LAMENT. Alarm at Land Valuation.  The Government's land policy came in for warm criticism at a meeting of " property owners, builders and all who are interested in laud, buildings and , property generally," which was held in the Masonic ' liali, Bold-street, on Thursday afternoon, under the auspices of the Warrington Branch of the Land Union. The principal speaker was Mr A J Lawman, organising secretary of the Union in the North of England. Mr Joseph Twiss presided over a good attendance which included the Rev SC E Carleton, Councillor W H J Jenkins, Messrs H B Melville, A Lister Kaye, Sydney Wellhead, J Hesketh, H J Longton, E England, W Furness, W B Forshaw, E Bradshaw, W Skelton and J Eustace Seeker (secretary of the branch). ' Tbe CHantmeri,after complaining of the complicated and uncertain character of the provisional valuation forms, said the Socialistic tendencies of the day were such that they meant, if possible, to tax property owners' capital out of existence—to make the property utterly valueless,ao this t they would be ready in despair, to throw it over to the Government. Then he supposed, they might go in for the old age pension. (Laughter.) He had been told that, whatever party got into power, the imposts on land would continue, hut he thought they might reasonably demand a simplification of them, and a statement like they got in the case of the local rates. The working of the Finance Act had killed the property market and destroyed confidence in the money market. Men had been going about this district for months, unable to secure a mortgage, and builders were almost ready to commit suicide. A letter appeared in one of the local papers on Saturday from Mr E K Muspratt, president of the Financial Reform ' Association, in which he said : "The tax imposed in Mr Lloyd George's Budeet has already had the effect of bringing into use many spaces that were being held up for a rise in value, and the building trades have been greatly benefited thereby." If that were true, he (the speaker) would not stand before them for five minutes, but it was not. There might have been St single isolated case in some far distant town but in this district, instead of having benefited the building trades it had utterly demoralized them and in this town they had been tumbling over one another to come to grief indirectly in consequence of the Act. Mr LAWMAN, who addressed his speech entirely to the "small man," stigmatised the statement quoted from Mr Muspratt's letter as an infamous lie, and said Mr Mustrall must have known that'it was. He further asserted that the Government were under-valuing town property' for the purpose of getting increment value duty and over-valuing agricultural property for the purpose of getting undeveloped land duty. The increment value duty was supposed te be levied only on the
Widnes Examiner. — 1912-07-20 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.--Sfary Messitter, 38, Rose and I Crown-street, was charged with having attempted to commit suicide by strangling herself with a neck-tie.— The Chief Constable said the case was one in which the sympathy of the Court was due to the woman whose husband seemed to be responsible for the whole of the business, fie had been corning home beastly drunk for some time and had made use of the most filthy language towards his wife. On the Sunday night the husband went home and used vile language. The wife said she could stand it no longer and tried to strangle herself. I The neighbours, hearing screams, came to the house and the husband had a very rough passage for a moment or so. He (the Chief) thought it was a case which should be adjourned so that Mr Firth could bring his good offices to bear. The case was adjourned until Friday. The husband was then called into the box and asked what be was going to do. He said his wife was a very hysterical woman.—The Chairman : She looks a good woman. Are you prepared to take care of her in a manly manner ?—Yes, I have done so. If she thinks she will be happier with a separation order, for God's sake let her have it.—A magistrate : She would be all right if you were all right to her. The husband was known by one of the officers to be a most violent man —The Chairman : We have had an idea of what he was like 'this morning. On Friday when the case was heard again the charge was reduced to one of breach of the peace and the husband having promised to keep off the drink, and look after his wife, Mrs Messiter was placed under probation for 12 months.