npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-01-01 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE DEATH OF MR. LANT CARPENTER  Dr. Diplock, coroner for West Middlesex, has held en inquest on the body of the late Mr. William Lant Carpenter, manager of the School of Electrical Engineering, Prince's Street, Hanover Square, London, at 36, Craven Park, Harleaden, the residence of deceased, who was found dead in bed on Tuesday morning, shot through the head. Mr. J. E. Carpenter, the first witness, said deceased was his brother, and was forty-nine years of age. He had suffered from mental aberration since February last, and was subject to delusions. On several occasions he had wandered away from home for two or three days together. Under medical advice deceased was taken on a voyage to Australia and New Zealand. On arrival there he became much worse, and the doctors advised that he should be brought home. He arrived in England in September last, and was under the care erre of Dr. Savage and Dr. Anderson until the time of his death. Dr. Anderson resided with him. The patient's improvement became so marked that Dr. savage sanctioned his spending Christmas with his family. An incident which occurred in Australia showed that he was inclined to destroy himself. The day before his suicide he was in his family and quite cheerful.—Henry Court Harold Carpenter, aged fifteen, son of deceased, said he last saw his father alive on Monday evening. He seemed well and cheerful. On going to the deceased's room next morning at half-past eight o'clock heard a noise as of a pistol shot, but imagined that something in the hall had fallen.—Dr. Burgess, of 43, Nicol Road, Harlesden, who had attended deceased before he wee taken to Australia, said he was summoned to the house on Tuesday morning, after the occurrence. Mr. Carpenter was in bed. He had shot himself through the roof of the month with a revolver, which lay near him. The bullet penetrated the brain. The body was warm, but deceased was quite dead.—The jury returned a verdict of suicide whilst of unsound mind.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-10-15 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

DISAPPOINTED LOVE.  On Monday evening Dr. G. Danford Thomas held an inquiry at the Paddington Coroner's Court respecting the death of Mary Cottrill, aged about thirty, a lady clerk, lately lodging at 43, Talbot Road, Bayswater, London.—The evilence showed that the deceased was a clerk at Messrs. Welford's Dairy, Elgin Avenue. On Wednesday last week she was paid a week's salary and was dismissed. On the night of Friday last Mrs. Hoare, the landlady, found the deceased, attired in her dressinggown, lying on the bed groaning. A smell of carbolic acid pervaded the apartinvitt, and on the table was an empty glass, a bottle labelled "carbolic," and a note for Mrs.Hoare,in which deceased intimated that she intended to commit suicide.— Dr. Friend deposed that the deceased died in two hours from the effects of carbolic acid poisoning. —James Barratt, a chemist, of 13, Richmond Road, stated that he had known deceased since 1887. She was then at Owen's drapery establishment. She used voluntarily to come of an evening to make up the books. At last her visits were so frequent that he asked her to desist. After this she annoyed him in his business, and sent scurrilous postcards and telegrams to members of his family. Last year her conduct became so bad that he had to take police-court proceedings, and she was bound over to keep the peace for six months.—Dr. Friend said that deceased was very diminutive, and only stood 4it. 10in. He had attended her some months ago, when she told him she was very much in love with Mr. Barratt. She had a mad infatuation for him. Mr. Freke Palmer, representing Mr. Barrett, handed one of a number of post-cards she was in the habit of writing. It ran as follows: "For me no gracious harvest. Would to God we ue'er had met • For cruel as remembrance is "Pis harder to forget." Mr. Palmer stated that neither at the police court nor any time since had the deceased made any allegation of impropriety on the part of Mr. Barrett. The jury returned a verdict of suicide whilst tempo rahly insane.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-09-17 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

SINGULAR CONFESSION OF MURDER. At the Westminster Police Court, on Saturday, Herbert Arthur Green, 31, a respectably-dressed youug man, described as a clerk, of 5, Palace Street, Buckingham Gate, Pimlico, was brought up by Detective sergeant Wsldock, and charged before Mr. Shiel, on his own confession, with murdering his child Louisa, aged live, by the administration of chlorodyne at Brighton on the sth inst.— Prisoner seemed in a very dejected condition and throughout the proccedinga held his hands to his forehead.—lnvector Dyer, of ,the A division, said that on Friday night the prisoner walked into the Rochester Row (Westminster) Police-Station accompanied by the Rev. Hill Joues,oue of the local clergy to whom he had previously made a stateia.nt. The clergyman said, "This man will tell you what he has already told me. Prisoner was thereupon cautioned, and made and signed the following voluntary statement: "On Saturday, the sth inst., I took my two little girls, ages seven and five, to drown myself and them. Before going I bought a bottle of chlorodyne at Mr. Read'a chemist, of Buckingham Palace Itoad, for which I paid 38. Gd. When at Brighton, I gave each child some from a small toy pail, and then I took them into the sea, where they before hal been paddling. When they commenced to scream, I took them further into the water, and the little one—Louisa—screamed so loudly that I then brought them both out (that is, as far as I can remember). I then, with the assistance of a fisherman (name uukuown) took them to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, where Louisa was seen by the house surgeon and placed in a cot. I asked them to vend for me if she turned worse, but they did not. The girl died at half-past two o'clock on the Sunday morning. I believe I attempted to commit suicide myself after that, and for this offence I was charged at Brighton, and liberated on my wife ipromising to take care of me and bring me to London; and now I wish to give myself up, as I conscientiously think that I have been the cause of my child's death." Detective-sergeant Waldock said that no doubt the prisoner's child did die at Brighton in a mysterious manner. The little girl was seen in the sea, but it was thought that she was accidentally out of her depth. She was taken to the hospital, and expired a few hours afterwards, it was then thought, from shock to the system. It was also the fact that prisoner was subsequently charged with attempting to commit suicide. Witness had the newspaper reports of both occurrences.—Mr. Sheil : Have you made any other inquiries ?—Sergeant Waldock : Yes, sir. We have found that a man did purchase a bottle of chlorodyne either on the Friday or Saturday at the chemist's mentioned, but as the sale is not at all uncommon prisoner is not identified. The accused has been drinking rather heavily of late.—Mr. Shiel granted a remand, observing that the case must eventually be remitted to Brighton.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-04-16 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.  An extraordinary case of suicide and attemkded double murder came to light at Hull on Sunday. Louisa Bowen, aged forty-five, the wife of the skipper of a Hull fishing smack now at sea, lived with her two daughters, aged sixteen and ten, in the Newington district. Since Wednesday the house in which they lived was closed,,and the neighbours thought that the family had gone away for a time. On Sunday afternoon, however, the younger child was seen by a neighbour outside the house. The child wore her nightdress, which was bloodstained. She seemed to be dazed, and piteously asked the neighbour to go in and see het sister. Police assistance was obtained, and on the house being entered the mother was lying dead upon the kitchen floor, her throat being cut from ear to ear. Upstairs in a bed sprinkled with blood were the two children, the younger having rejoined the elder, who was lying almost insensible. A large axe was found in the bed-room. The only conjecture that can be formed is that the mother attempted to kill her daughters with the axe, and then committed suicide by cutting her throat. It seems as though the tragedy occurred on Wednesday night. The two girls are in a precarious condi' ion.  The Council of the Inwitute of Journalists met at Sheffield on Saturday, the Council-Chamber being placed at the disposal of the delegates by the Mayor Alderman Osborn, who, owing to indisposition, was unable to be present to welcome them. This duty, however, was performed by Sir Henry Stephenson. On Saturday afternoon the Mayor of Croydon (Mr. Councillor F. T. Edrige) performed the ceremony of opening in the South Norwood Public, Recreation Ground a new and handsome gymnasium which has been presented to the borough by Alderman Alfred T. Laytan, J.P.,a former mayor. There was a large attendance, many members of the Corporation being present. Several generals and the commander of the fleet have been arrested by the Government of the Argentine Republic, for signing the manifesto against the Mitro-Roca coalition. A Cabinet Council—the first since the recess— was held at the Foreign Office on Saturday, under the presidency of Mr. W. H. Smith, in the absence of Lord Salisbury. The Duke of Rutland, who is in attendance on Her Majesty at Grasse, was absent Over sixty people have suffered front poi:40,1111r at Crieff, owing to the preionee of arsenic in se .4.. tr. One man has died, and his wife and son are seri.iasly  It is announced that his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief, will hold a levee, at one o'clook, on Tuesday, the 21st inst., at the Horse Guards. Whitehall.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-04-09 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

SHOCKING WIFE MURDER.  A murder was committed at Stamshaw, Portsmouth, on Saturday afternoon. A naval pensioner, named Edward Watts, went to a house in Twy-ford Road, where his wife, who had left about a month before for the third time,in consequence of his drinking habits and ill-treatment, resided with her aged parents. He had an interview with her in a back room, their only surviving boy, aged four yours, being present. Watts, who had for eighteen months been employed as a stoker in a London gas works, came to Portsmouth on Friday ,and it is believed he saw his wife in the evening as she left work at a laundry. On going to the house on Saturday afternoon he had insisted upon seeing his wife alone, and in a few moments reports of a firearm were heard, and on some relatives rushing in from the back kitchen they found the woman weltering in her blood, and quite dead. Dr. Blackman, who resides in the neighbourhood, was summoned, and ascertained that there were two wounds in thi, head, one in the neck, ne.ir the throat, and one iv. her breast. After a struggle, in which Watts, who had been drinking, sustained a slight wound in the wrist by the discharge of a chamber of the weanon, the revolver, a six-barrel one, was taken from him. On the victim's sister entering the room, Watts said, "I have shot her. It was no use asking her to forgive me any more. Esther was too good for me." He was taken to the Buckland Police Station. A man named James Japp was arrested at Glasgow, on Saturday night, charged with killing his wife. He quarrelled with the woman and left the house, and his wife told the landlady of their lodgings that he had kicked her in the abdomen. hhe bled profusely, and her son went for a doctor, but Mrs. Japp was dead when he arrived.—Reuter's agentatßudapesth, telegraphs: A workman, who was recently discharged from a lunatic asylum, on Saturday murdered his wife and two sons with a hatchet,mutilating them in a terrible manner. The woman had her head split open, and the murderer then took out her brains and put them in a pail of water. He afterwards proceeded to use the hatchet upon himself, inflicting severe injuries on his head and face.— The man, Henry Cooper, who on Saturday week, at his house near the Moor Farm, Marlow, murdered his wife by cutting her throat, and afterwards attempted to commit suicide in the same way, died on Saturday. He has been lying in the Cottage Hospital at Marlow since the commission of the deed, and has never recovered consciousness. It will be remembered that at the inquest on the body of Cooper's wife, on Tuesday last, the jury found a 'verdict of "Wilful murder" against Cooper.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-04-09 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE COLD WATER ARMY.  At Epsom Police Court,on Monday, a young man named Boothman was charged with attempting to commit suicide. The accused was left a widower some twelve months ago with six children. He had been drinking during the past week, and late on Saturday night jumped into a pond. When rescued he told the police officer that it would be much better for the children if he were out of the way, for now all doors were closed against them; whereas if he were gone they might be got into some home where they would be better looked after. The prisoner now told the magistrates he had had his share of trouble, and he very foolishly and unmanfully given way to it. It was now, however, his strict intention to join the Cold Water Army, and he hoped to remain in it as long as he was alive. He was remanded.  A painful sensation was caused in Dewsbury Theatre on Saturday night by the sudden death of a leading member of Mr. Charles Melville's company. Mr. Edwin Sennett, while acting the part of Captain Firebrace, was seized with illness, and staggered to the wings. He was assisted to the dressing room, where he died immediately. His daughter was taking part in the play. The Dean of Lincoln, Dr. Butler, has met with an accident in London, having broken his arm. Ho is in Charing Cross Hospital. The Prince of Wales, accompanied by Sir Francis Knollys, arrived at Marlborough House on Monday afternoon from Sandringham, and will remain in town for the greater part of the week. The Comte de Paris is expected to return to England between the 23rd and 30th inst., and will, according to a Reuter' s telegram, immediately on his arrival summon a meeting of various prominent
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-02-12 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

YRAGEDY ON TTIE MIDLAND R A ILWAY. The rumour which was current recently, that a young girl had been found stabbed and mutilated on the Midland Railway, near Cricklewood, was, it appears, based upon a sad occurrence which the authorities agree in describing as a case of suicide. A railway inspector walking along the line from West End te Child's Hill Railway Stati.ai, not long after the Scotch express had passed at 7.50 p.m., came upon the mangled and yet Willlll body of a girl, lying in the permanent way. He obtained the assistance of a policeman, and a message to the stationmaster at Child's Hill, distance about half-a-mile, brought further aid. The corpse was not removed until Dr. Hall had examined at, and he was of opinion that all the injuries had been inflicted by a passing train. There is no foundation for the statement that the girl had been stabbed in the back. All the limbs were dreadfully crushed, and the shoulders mutilated. Deceased seemed to have been projected some distance by the advancing train, which must have been going at a speed of fifty miles an hour. The girl's umbrella was much broken, and was picked up some yards off. The body was taken to West Hampstead in the police ambulance. An examination of the clothing disclosed no sign of foul play, and the name of Kate Carter was found on the linen. It was ascertained that she had been living in Netherwood Street, West Hampstead, with friends who identified the remains. A telegram was sent to the stepfather, residing at Bristol, and he came to town. He recognised the hat and feather of the deceased. The girl was only fifteen years of age and until recently she was in service with a shopkeeper of Mill Lane, West Hampstead. On Friday evening she had called at her late employer's for a character, and had left on her way home about halfpast seven o'clock. On the road back to Netherwood Street she may have taken a public footpath, which leads to a bridge crossing the Midland Railway, and, arriving there, have descended to the line through a quickset hedge, which is worn in one place like a style. Her footprints were traced in the mould of a kitchen garden, planted by the railway men, next to the metals. There was no other marks, and the girl must have been quite alone. She need not have been in this place at all, but she would have had no difficulty in reaching it, and it is assumed that she went there with the deliberate intention to commit suicide, as she had quarrelled, it is said, with a very dear friend, and probably had been also depressed by being out of a situation.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-09-03 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

POSTMAN CUTS HIS THROAT.  William Reay, post messenger, Dalston, was charged with attempting to commit suicide at Dalston, on the 9th August.—Prisoner's father, William Reay. said his son lived in a cottage at Whitesmith's Buildings, Dalston. On the evening of 9th August witness was sent for, and on going to his son's house found him lying on the floor bleeding from a wound in the throat. He gave him a drink, and then sent for the doctor. He had noticed that his son was rather dull and low-spirited for some time previous.—P.C. Armstrong, stationed at Dalston, said he was called to Reay's house on the night in question. Reay's wound had just been dressed, and after he was put into bed he said that he did not know what he had beeen doing most of the day, and had had two or three fits. He said that the people all round had been speaking about him. Witness found two razors in the house, one of which was marked with blood. Previously Reay had been in the habit of taking drink, but recently he had been very sober.—Dr D. S. Doughty said he was sent for to go and see Reay about six o'clock on the night of the 9th August. • He found Reay in bed holding a cloth to a wound in his throat. On examination, he found there were three distinct marks on his neck. Two of them were only skin deep, but the other was deep. He asked him what he had made the wounds with, and Reay told him he would find a razor in a drawer. Witness got the razor, which was covered with fresh blood. There were also a couple of cuts on his left arm below the elbow, which had been done two or three days previously. Reay said that he had done it because he heard voices blaming him for misdeeds, and saying he would be taken to prison or the asylum. Witness did not think he was of sound mind, and believed he should be sent to an asylum. He was still under the same delusions. He was very well liked in Dalston.— Reay was remanded in order that inquiries might be made as to his state of mind.—As the result of medical enquiries, Reay has since been sent to the asylum.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-06-04 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

TRIPLE MURDER AND SUICIDE.  Mrs. tpdegraff, wife of a clerk in Topeka, liaus4.l4, burned her three children to death and destroyed herself by the same means. The children were girls of five, three, and one and half years revectivt ly. Nothing can be known of the details of the tragedy, as there is no witness to any of the circumstances alive. Mr. Updegraff went to business at eight o'clock the other morning, leaving his wife and children at the breakfast table. About nine o'clock Hatty, the eldest child, was seen playing in the garden by neighbours; not more thau a half-an-hour afterwards flames were seen issuing from the front windows, and this attracl ii.g the attention of passers by, several men breke in the front door, which was locked, in order to save the inmates. Seeing nobody about, and hearing nothing except the crackling of flames, the volunteers began to remove the furniture. Having removed some of the more valuable articles in the drawing room one of the men burst open the door of a bedroom, and was astonished to see the charred body of a woman upon the bed. The flames and smoke drove the man back, and it was not until the fire department had extinguished the flames that ar entrance to the room could be effected. The firemea were then horrified to find the bodies of three children biunt past recognitio3, lying with their mother upon the bed, which was only partially destroyed. The portions of the bed clothes that were uuburnt were saturated with coal oil. Whether the children were alive or dead when the fire was started it is impossible to say,but if alive they must have been suffocated. Mr. and Mrs. Updegraff were not in good circumstances, and the husband stated that his wife was much discontented with her poverty. It is believed that she brooded over the subject until she became partially insane. Mr. Updegraff says that while his wife was preparing the breakfast he observed nothing unusual in her appearance, nor did she give any indication of her horrible intention.
The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-04-02 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE CHICAGO  EXHIBITION.  It is expected that the Prince of Wales will be the chairman of the Royal Commission which the Government has decided to appoint for the furtherance of English trade interests at the Chicago Exhibition. The Marquis of Lome, whose period of service as Governor-General of Canada, and whose frequent visits to the United States have given him a large knowledge of American affairs, is likely to be the vice-chairman. As in previous oases of a similar nature, the commission will be a large one and thoroughly representative of all branches of commerce and trade in this country.  Benjamin Whitehouse (50), miner, Hill Top. was admitted into the West Bromwich District Hospital suffering from serious injuriei about the body, mused by being crushed through a fall of rock whilst employed in Mr. Phillips's colliery, West Bromwich. _ .  Lord Aberdare has given £2.50 towards erecting n Welsh intermediate school at Aberdare. At Cork Assizes the jury empanelled in the Tipperary riot cases found a verdict of not guilty in regard to C. Breen, M. Brennock, and J. Keatinge, and disagreed in the case of O'Brien Dalton and Robert Gill. A fire broke out at a farmstead at Rosehill, near Arbroath, and the premises were almost entiroly destroyed, together with twenty-six head of The damage is estimated at nearly £3,000. A Paris newspaper states that fresh thefts have been discovered at the Arsenal of Toulon. Two officers of a steamer and a seaman were arrested by the police, and a foreman in the hydraulic works committed suicide. rhe War Odiee authorities have decided to rebuild the barracks, of the Household Cavalry at Regent's Park, London, the present accommodation being found to be insufficient.  Of the 800 magazine rifles supplieclto the 2nd Battalion Dorset Regiment, 500 have been temporarily juudenuted by order of the War Offiee, serious defects having been discovered.  M = 1 s m m • a = 1 I