npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Widnes Examiner. — 1886-01-30 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

DETERMINED ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.—On Monday night, as the 11-37 train for Liverpool was coming into the Central Station, a woman who had previously taken a ticket for Liverpool was seen to go into the fourfoot, and lay herself down with her head on the metals. Two porters—Edward Hughes and Joseph Whalley—succeeded in lifting her into the sixfoot before the train reached her, and they had in doing so a narrow escape. The police were sent for, and Constable Baxendale, with the assistance of a porter, took her to the police station, where she remained until Tuesday morning, when she was brought before two of the borough magistrates and Charged with attempting to commit suicide.—Chief Constable Hunt, in narrating the circumstances of the case, said that prisoner, whose name is Elizabeth Heves, was the wife of a person employed at the India Rubber works, who lived at 8, Rose and Crown-street. They had come from Salford to Warrington eight or ten months ago. It', appeared that between five and six 'o'clock on Monday evening the husband went home for his tea,, but it was not ready, and his wife had been drinking.. In consequence they had some words. A little after eleven o'clock the wife went to the Central Station and took a ticket for Liverpool, and as the 11-37 train was coming in deliberately lay down with her head on the metals. On her having been rescued it was found that she was under the influence of liquor and very much excited. A bottle that had contained whiskey was found in her pocket.— Edward Hughes, foreman porter, informed the , magistrates that the train was only ten or twelve yards away when prisoner jumped into the four- ; foot, covering her head with her shawl. Whalley, ! another porter, had a narrow escape of being killed. Prisoner could not have been saved had there becn an up-train in the station at the same time. On being taken away she said that it was her intention 'to be killed, and she would do it some other time. The prisoner's husband said that he had threatened to thrash her if she went drinking again, but he had no idea that she meant to attempt anything rash. She had never attempted such a thing before.—The Magistrates dismissed prisoner on the husband being bound in the sum of £lO for her good future behaviour.
Widnes Examiner. — 1886-08-28 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

BREWSTER SE&SIONS.  The annual Brewster Sessions for the petty sessional divimien of Prescot were held on Tuesday, in the police court, Prescot, the magistrates on the bench being Messrs. A. B. Gladstone and W. L. Evans.—Superintendent Barker read a I roper showing the number of licensed victuallers in the Prescot Petty Sessional Division up to the end of July last, from which it appeared that there were 114 licensed victuallers, 36 beersellers for consumption on premises' 9 beersellers. for consumption off premises, and 8 other licenses, making 197, being 4 full licenses, 5 oeersellers, and 1 grocer's licensa- fewer than last year. Tbe population was 44,321, there being one license to every 225. persons. During the year the licensed victuallers and beersellers had conducted their houses well, one licensed victualler only having been conviced. The prasecutions for drznkenness since 1884 had decreased, the numbers being-1884, 1.425; 1885, 1,155-;. 1886, 899. The apprehensions and summonses for all °fences during the five years he had had charge of that division were as follow :-1881, apprehensions and summonses, 1,909; 1882, 2.722; 1883, 3;q39 ; 1884,3,814; 1835. 3,3€2`.;. and 1536, 2426. There had thus been a marked decrease in the number of apprehensions and summonses this year as compared with those of 1884. There were no applications for new licenses, and the whole of the old imams were renewe4.  At (71asgow on Thursday, Gavin Loudon, formerly a teller in a braach office of the Bank of Scotland, was sentenced to five years' penal servitude for misappropriating £O4O belonging to his employers.  SUICIDE ov Ma. JAMES PEkEIRR.—A. New York correspondent gays :—Mr. James Beecher, brother of the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, has committed suicide at Elmira. The deceased was suffering from ill-health. The eMgy of the Rev. Arthur Robins, Queen's Chaplain, has been burnt at Eton, in an open boat. The rev, gentleman had created some ill feeling by writing! letters to the uewsnADers on the sanitary condition af Windsor. A
Widnes Examiner. — 1886-11-13 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

LONDON LETTER RAILWAY. . EXCITING SCENE. Mrs. Elisabeth Broxton. Wife of a labourer living at Simms Cross, Widnes, was brought before the ' Mayor (Colonel Gamble) at the St. Helens Town ' Hall, on Wednesday, charged with attempting to commit suicide on the railvray.—Janes Henry Perkins, a detective in the employ of the Londonand North-Wes:ern Railway Company, stated about ' 10 minutes to nine on the previous night he was on . duty at the St. Helens Railway Station, and saw the prisoner come on the premises. She seemed very excited, and was crying and mumbling to herself. She hurried up the platform, and when opposite the parcel office she threw down her hat and shawl and basket, and rushed along to the end of the platform. ; Thinking something was wrong, he followed, and 1 though Nil- a few minutes he lost sight of her, he eventually found her on the , main line under the Raven - street Bridge, lon the Liverpool line. He took hold of her to pull her off, knowing an express goods train from Liverpool to Carlisle was coming down the bank, but she resisted, and told him to go away, as she would be sooner dead than alive. Witness called Ticket-collector Wilding to his assistance, and by their united efforts they pulled her to the side just as the express dashed along. Had prisoner remained there a few moments longer she must have been cut to pieces. On the way to the Town Hall witness asked her why she had attempted such a rash act, to which she replied that she had. a boy fifteen years of age by a first husband, and that her second husband was unkind to him. It nearly broke her heart, and had made her feel that she would sooner be dead than alive. Witness added that prisoner must have been lying down on the line at the time he could not see her.— Prisoner, in reply to the Mayor, said she was very sorry. She meant to make her way to Widnes, and thought, as there was no train, that if she could follow on the rails she would get there.— Detective Perkins said prisoner threw down her hat, shawl, and basket 200 yards away from the place where he found hen—Prisoner said she had 'no intention of taking her life away. She wanted to get to Widnes, and didn:t know the road.—Prisoner's husband, a labouring man, who said he had worked for ten years at the Tharsis Copper Works, Widnes, said there were two children, one of his own, and one of his wife's by a former husband.— The Mayor: Do you think if she is let out you can manage to make her comfortable, so that she won't do this kind of thing again ?—The Husband: Yes, sir, I shall be only too glad to got her home.— The Mayor: Then you had better take care of her; Mind you do take care of her; I shall ask Mr. Pritchard how you are getting on with her.—Prisoner was then discharged.
Widnes Examiner. — 1886-09-11 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

DOUBLR MURDER AND SUICID33 AT OLDRAM.-0(1 Trier  day morning, at Oldham, Margaret Dawson, 35 years of egs' drowned two of her children and committed suicide. iltire. Dawson is a widow, her husband having died suddenly e year ago. She had three children and kept 2:grocer's OOP in Heywood-street. The ages of the children were 13, °e' and six years. The names of the last two are respective', George Handel and Emily, and they were the children Whe were murdered. At ten minutes past eight on Tueedaf morning the mother left the house with the two young° ehildren, to each of whom she gave an apple, telling 011 to accompany her. The eldest seta she directed to raj?, the shop while she was away. The mother and the cble dren went in the direction of Strinesdale Waterworks; Shortly afterwards they were seen sitting on the bank s' one of the reservoirs. Meanwhile Mrs. Dawson's sister, knowing the former's depressed state of mind, became IVY easy at her continued absence, and went in search of her' She first found the woman's shawl, and, pursuing her seater discovered the unfortunate mother and two children float" ing in the filtering lodge at the Waterworks. An alert:110 raised, and the bodies were recovered. In each case life 10.1 quite extinct. The bodiea were laid upon the bank preparations had been made for their removal. When th'' had been done, the deceased persons were cenveyed horn° amid a great crowd, who evinced the greatest sympatl3/ with the relatives. It is stated that the death of her bCfr band, coupled with the loss of money through giving crech" has preyed on the woman's mind and led to the melancholl occurrence. On Wednesday an inquest was heid at Waters head on the bodies of Margaret Dawson and her two cb dren. It was clear that the mother, who bad been vel, low-spirited for some time, had drowned her children ail afterwards jumped into the water herself. The jury fou that she murdered the boy and girl and they oeueniitteu suicide, and that Mrs. Dawson was at the time mentaill deranged.
Widnes Examiner. — 1886-06-19 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

ONE MILE HANDICAP (OPEN.)-15t prize, electro-plated tea and coffee service (new design), value £7; 2n1,9-caratgold curb albert, " Hall " marked, value £4 •, 3rd, electron Med and cut glass butter cooler, value £1 103.-G. Wright, Widnes, 100 yds, 1; J. Massey, Warrington, 125 vds, 2 ; W. T. Yates, Wigan Harriers, 125 yards, 3. Time 4 mins. 451 secs. At the conclusion of the sports the Mayoress (Mrs Harrison) distributed the prizes to the winners. Alderman DAVIES, in moving a vote of thanks to the Mayoress, said the sports had been conducted in such a way as to do honour to those who had the management of them. (Hear, hear.) With regard to athletic sports, it might be known to those present that wherever a nation had prospered there had been sports of that kind. These sports in no way interfered with ccimmercial or literary pursuits, but rather proted an advantage to them. (Hear, hear:)—The Rev. S. WILKINSON seconded the proposal, which was carried with acclamation.— The MAYOR, in acknowledging the compliment ori behalf of the Mayoress, said that sports of that kind need not interfere with other duties, and were calculated to make life pleasant and to stimulate pluck and determination which were valuable qualities. He preferred athletic sports of the character they had witnessed to football, as he had read so much about that game that he almost shrank from witnessing a match.—Mr. T. Mortms said that complaints had been made about the want of variety in the sports, but he hoped there would be a greater variety next year., and that they would go in for walking and jumping matches. (Hear, hear.) During the afternoon selections were played by the League hall Band. It may also be mentioned that the proceeds of the sports are to be given to the Warrington Infirmary.  "As COOL AS A CUCUMBER "—Ladies will find" Beefham's Glycerine and Ctr:umber ' delightfully cooling and refreshing If applied to the hands or face after being out in the hot sun, tennis playing, yachting, &c. It presetves the complexion fr.,m becoming red or sunburnt, removes all heat and initation, and keeps the akin ea)l and white during the hottest weather. B ttes, Is, of all chemists. Free for 3d extra by the sole makers, M. BERTRAM AND BON, chemists, Cheltenham.— Advt.  A painful sequel to a suicide has occurred at Oldhatn. John Taylor, landlord of the Coach and Horses Inn, Reyton, hung himself, and Mr. Ralph Mello!, mernba- of the Royton Local Board, on seeing the body, was seized with paralysis and died shortly afterwards.
Widnes Examiner. — 1886-06-19 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SUICIDE OF THE KING OF BAVARIA. MUNICH, MOND.LI.—King Louis of Bavaria, while taking a walk at a quarter to six yesterday evening in the park of the Berg Castle committed suicide by throwing himself into the lake of Castle, Dr. Gudden, his Majesty's prints physician, who was in attendance upon the King in consequence of his insanity, immediately jumped into the water in order to rescue his Majesty, hut was himself drowned in the attempt. It would seem that a violent struggle took place. There are many footmarks in the soil at the bottom of the lake, and several bruises on Dr. Gudden's face. There are also two large and two small scratches on the right oide of his nose and forhead, which Vase the theory ot a struggle beyond all doubt. The King, before throwing himbelf into the lake, lead divested himself ef the two coats he was wearing. In consequence of the death of King Louis, the generals cf the army met in Tuerken Kasedne at ten o'clock this morning, and took the oath of allegiance to Prince Otto, the late King's brother, who assumes the title of King Otto 1., and to Prince Luitpold as Regent. A similar ceremony was gone through by troops in all other barracks. MUNICH, TuEsua.Y.—A poet-mortena examination on the remains of the late King of Bavaria has disclosed an abnormal construction of the skull and degenerative process in the brain. A funeral service was last night conducted over the remains of the late King at Berg Castle after which the body was temporarily placed in a plain coffin and conveyed in a hearse to the Residenz Schloss, at Munich. The Empress of Austria sent a magnificent wreath from Peldaffing. It is officially notified that the English Court will go into mourning for three weeks—fro_rn the 16th inst. to July 7th, for theists King of Bavaria. Munlor, WRDNiSDIT.—The public lying in state of the remains of the late King began at eight o'clock this morning, the Old Palace Chapel being fitted up for the perpose. The chapel is densely thronged by a contincous stream of inhabitants of the city and visitors from the provinces, who are arriving in large numbers.
Widnes Examiner. — 1886-01-23 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

PHYSIOLOGICA.L.—" What are the last teeth that come?" asked a teacher of her clan. "False teeth, mum !" replied a boy on the back seat. A lady once said to Turner of one of his glorious sunsets,' "I never saw anything like this in nature." No, madam," he responded, 'but don't you wish you could?" Little Johnny, on being asked by his school-teacher if he knew what was meant by "at par," rep/tied, "Ma is always at pa when he comes home late. Six-year-old to grandfather Grandpa dear, we have come to wish you many happy returns of your birthday; , and mamma says, if you give us each half-a-crown, we are not to loss it on our way home. An Irishman angling in the rain was observed to keep his line under the arch of a bridge. On being asked the reason he said, " Och, sure the fishes will be after crowding there to keep out of the wet!" At a meeting in Whiteehapel a pertinent answer was given to a question asked by a candidate for Parliamentary honours. "What," said he, "did a Lord 'Mayor ever do for you ?" "Give you six moiths," was the reply. "Mrs. De Silva is so poetical r. observed Mrs. Brown to her husband. "She calls her new dresses 'dreams." "A very good name for them," responded Mr. Brown, "for her busband always speaka of the bills as 'nightmares." A barrister, in replying to his antagonist in court, said he had a keen rapier with which to pierce all fools and knaves; whereupon his opponent "moved the Court" that the rapier be taken from him, lest he should commit suicide. Mother: Why, you are surely not hungry after eating such a big dinner i—Sean : Not 'xactly huegry, but I've got an all gone feeling, just as lithe dinner wasn't there! Music-teacher: Your daughter, Mrs. Jones, has real musical talent. She ought to have a thorough training.— Mrs. Jones: That's just what I was telling Mr. Jones today; and we agreed to engage a competent teacher for her after she has finished her next quarter with you.
Widnes Examiner. — 1886-09-18 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

GENERAL NEWS.   Through the collapse of a section of the Marine Colliery, near Scranton, Pennylvania, seven persons were killed. A boat, in which two men were mackerel fishing, was upset by a squall off Douglas, Isle of man, on Tuesday, and one was drowned.  The Rev. W. Berry, vicar of of Bruntingthorpe, Leicester, was on Monday found dead at the foot of a haystack in a field. It is supposed he expired in a fit. At Yewsley, a number of children where playing with matches in their bedroom, when the nightdress of a little boy becawie ignited, and he was burned to death.  At the Old Bailey, London, on Tuesday, George Walby was senteneed to eight months' hard labour for selling indecent 13,)0k5. The prisoner had offered them to boys at Eton.  The committee of the Philacielphia City Council appointed to investigate the charges of corruption against the Mayor (Mr. Smith) has reported in favour of an impeachment.  • Upon the (aria of an evicted tenant named Flahier, near Listowel. now in charge of the police and a cAretaker, four acres of coru were cut on Monday night and successfully carried off.  Another terrible crime from Paris is reported. In the Montmartre quarter Jaems Derval, a shopman, stranzled his mistress, Marguerite Buisson. The murderer jumped from the room window and was killed.  Greit excitement has been occasioned at Chatham by the receipt of an Admiralty order directing that workmen are to be employed night and day in hastening the completion of those 'vessels which are required for immediate active service.  An extraordinary attempt to commit suicide was made by a tinplate worker in Clerkenwell, on Monday. He poured a large quantity of benzoline over is body, and then set fire to it. When found he was in a mass of flames, and his recovery is considered doubtful.  Lord Folkestone has, on behalf of the Government, put a blocking notice against Mr. Parnell' s Tenants' Relief (Ireland) Bill. At Balton. on Thursday, James Hope wile lcoilmitted to prison for seven days, for the third time, for refusing to give evidence in a case of wife desertion. Another shock of earthquake was experienced at Charleston at a quarter past two on Wednesday morning. The shock was only a slight one, but sufficient to cause a return of.nervous terror to the citizens. The St. Leger was won on Wednesday by the Duke of Westminster's " Ormonde," by four lengths ; Mr. Manton's St. Mirin being second, and Mr. Jenning's Exmoor third. Time, 3 minutes and 211 seconds. A
Widnes Examiner. — 1911-10-14 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

NERVES WERE EVIDENTLY IN A VERY ALARMING CONDITION.  Deceased had decided to go on a holiday In the hope that it might bring restoration of health and strength and on the 'Thursday night he had actually discussed the arrangements with his wife. The Coroner drew attention to the curious sequence of events which led to Percy Owen finding the pistol after his younger brother had heard the report on the Thursday night and seen something fall into the river. An important feature of the case was that deceased's clothing was very much singed on the left breast, drawing one to the conclusion that be must have pressed the weapon close to his, breast and fired it. Ihecause of death was perfectly clear—that deceased committed suicide. Now came the important question as to the state of his mind when be did it. , They had ample evidence from the doctor, coupled with the fact that the wants and necessities of the canal during the rummer must have played a sad and serious part with deceased's nerves. The nerves affected the brain and if in a moment of aborr ation he did that which the next moment he would have bitterly regretted or, if he had read of anybody else doing it would have resented it most strongly, they must 001113 to the conclusion that his mind was momentarily unhinged. The jury returned a verdict of " Suicide whilst temporarily insane." The Coroner said be was sure the jury would join with him inn vote of sympathy with Mre. Congreve in her sad bereavement. It might be some consolation, however small, to her to know that there were people who sympathised with her in her sad affliction. Mr. Newman, OD behalf of the Canal Company, said they could not yet realize the full extent of their loss. From the Chairman down to the office hoy,the deceived was as popular ass man could be and no-one knew how useful be was to the company. They deeply sympathised with Mrs. Congreve is her tragio loss.
Widnes Examiner. — 1911-03-25 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE AUSTRIAN INQUISITION. But Austria easily leads. There everybody receives a bundle of papers the size of which would terrify an English workingman. After a first reading a Vienna lady actually committed suicide and public sympathy was so strong that it was generally felt that she deserved a public funeral. These are some of the more innocent of the details:  How much rent do you pay? Is gas or electricity used in your house?  Have.you a bathrOom?  Descrilx;eaci-s-e-pa—r-a.te—room in your house„ whether with two windows or one; whether hall or kitchen or scullery? Give the number and species of your domestic animals?  State whether you belong to the class of the unemployed. If not, do you follow your trade in a fixed place, workshop or shop, or by hawking? Are you a sweater, and for whom do you work?  6i):n- you read and write? State your religion. This is merely the beginning. Along with the schedule is distributed instructions filling six pages of print, with 31 divisions each containing several paragraphs, and in addition a somewhat smaller schedule, with supplementary questions, probably for a separate purpose.  Next comes the demand for a complete personal history. Everybody must remember where they have lived and for how long, the place, date, parish, district and province of birth, the principal and collateral occupations, the principal and secondary language used in the family.  This would be bad enough if it were done once for the whole family, but it has to be done separately for every member of the household and for every workman apprentice or domestic employed. . . .  Compared with this the filling of the English schedule is hardly a thing•to be mentioned. We have reason to be grateful too that the papers are not collected which the point of bayonet. When England set herself for the great census effort of 1871 it was gravely announced that 32,543 enumerators were required—" persons likely to conduct themselves with strict propriety and civility." The wits asked whether the land contained so many. We presume that they were found, and that the present greater demand for "persons likely. etc., etc." will not exhaust the resources of our civilization. The "proper and civil" gentleman has not always had a smooth pathway, and if he had made in time past a list of objections it would he a charming bundle of curiosities. At first it I was urged that the Government was repeating David's sin of numbering the people and the family Bible was brought out to show Ithat the Census was a National sin. The latest novelty comes from the suffragettes who propose to dodge the Census 88 a picturesque way of declaring that they don't count."  _ Most of us will be rather glad to feel that for once we are going to count, and will receive the civil gentleman with a smile. As for the trouble, having studied Austria, we shall be glad it is no worse. A.M.