npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Express. — 1862-11-24 (London, England)

IDE IN A BARRACK-RODE.—AII inquest wag held at Portsmouth on Friday evening on the body of a private of the 2nd battalion of the 60th Rifles, named John Slayton, who committed suicide under the following cirmunstances. !t appears that the deceased was absent from his quarters at the Cambridge barracks all Wednesday night without leave. He returned on the following morning, and was ordered by the colonel to have his leave stopped for six days as a punishment for his misconduct. He ate his dinner shortly before one o'clock, after which be was seen reading his Prayer-book, He afterwards appeared to commence cleaning his accoutrements, when suddenly the report of a rifle was heard, and it was found that the deceased bad discharged the weapon at himself. The ball had plumed through his cheek and head into the ceiling of the room. Several 1.-en were in the room at the time, together with the sergeants and corporals. Deceswed had been in the service about five years, and bore an excellent character. The jury found that the deceased shot himself, but that there was no evidence to show the state of his mind at the time be committed the act.  SHOOTING AT RIFLE RA Noll3.—The following circular has been issued from the War-office :—" Warorrice, Nov. 14, 1862.—Sir,—The attention of the Secretary of State for War has been drawn to certain fatal or serious accident* which hare lately ea-lured at rifle ranges belonging to volunteer corps, and he regrets to learn, from the reports which he has received, that in several oases those accidents arose from neglect of the precautions prescribed by the regulations for the instruction and practice of musketry, by the carers sod non-commissioned officers whose duty it was to enforce them. Sir George Lewis, therefore, requests that you will impress upon the adjutant and sergeant-instroctors under your command the necessity of observing strict regularity and discipline when in charge of Bring parties; and that you will point out to them that they will be in future bald senously responsible for any deviation from the regulations of the service in which they may be concerned. I am also to inform you that, while Sir George Lewis desires that every facility ahould be afforded to persons of all classes to acquire a knowledge of the use of the rifle, he is of opinion that the safety of the public requires that indiscriminate private practice at volunteer rifle ranges should not be permitted, and he, therefore, requests that you will take steps to regulate the practice at the ranges under your control, so as to ensure the presence of an officer or non-commissioned officer on all occasions when tiring is going on. I am further to observe that the practice of employing boys as maker' at butts is highly dangerous and improper, and to request that you will take care that none but non-commissioned officers, or experienced volunteer, act in that capacity at the ranges belonging to the corps under your command.— I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, Ue Guar
The Express. — 1862-11-24 (London, England)

BUICID6 IN THE THAMES. Matilda Jackson, a miserable-looking female,wu brought before Mr. Bonham, charged with attempting to drown herself io the River Thames, near Waterloo-bridge. Police-constable 138 L paid that yesterday morning, a little after one o'clock, he wu on duty on Wellingtonterrace. Waterloo-road, when the prisoner wu brought to him by a labouring man, with her clothes dripping wet and almost frozen to her skin. The man told witness that she had attempted to drown herself, and that he had some difficulty in saving her. The prisoner wu taken to the workhouse, where she was supplied with dry clothing and restoratives, and when at the station-house she declared to him that it was her intention to have committed suicide, as  shs was tired of her life. 11. Mr. Burcham asked if the man was in oonrt who pmvented her from committing the rash act. 15 15 The constable replied in the negative. He, however, told witness that as he was going home he saw the prisoner 8‘ rush down to the water's edge and jump into the river. She gr. sank once, but he succeeded in getting hold of her clothes, 60 and pulling her out. When brought to witness she was in a deplorable state—half. frozen, sod nearly exhausted. 10 Mr. Burcham asked the prisoner where she came from, 60 and whether she had any fnends in court? 26 She replied that she lived in St. Luke's, and bad a it. quarrel on Saturday night, which induced her to come thin 10 aide of the river, and in the heat of peados she foolishly Btjumped in the river. She had no friends present. a et t. The constable informed his worship that she appeared to have been drinking. et. Mr. Bambara remanded her to gsol, so that she might at have the advice of the chaplain, and her friends be commuoi- St. cated with. St. at.
The Express. — 1862-09-30 (London, England)

LAIIDULLNT " ODD FELLOW."— No little excitement has ben occasioned is the village of Southern by the saki& of William Neville, a barber and sews agent, who had filled several rams in connexion with the Southern Friendly Slab Fund and Burial Society—a branch of the "Nottingham Order of Odd Fellows." Decreed for many years acted as permanent secretary to the above society, and resiped in July, when one of the members had expressed certain suspicious that all was not right with respect to Neville's excheqaer. The moiety having at this time no complaint against him, appointed him steward. • The committee, however, came to $ resolution to audit his books, and they were found to be ironed. He was twice requested to attend " summons lodge mostinp" to explain the matter, but did not do so. This wee in Angled, sad it being lotted that many irregularities had crone& dnriog his secretaryship, the mergers warned the memben cot to pay any more money to him. About a week ago the letter of one Bawlino, of Stratford-00-Avon. whose money he bad received but not accounted for, was read to him by Spnegett, the new eearekery, es well as another, complain* of his &libations, tram the general secretary to the Ancient Imperial United Order of Odd Fellows at Nottingham. He then promised to refund to the society the moneys he bad anibassled, and it was arranged that he should attend a meeting of the lodge ea Thursday last, to pay Bowlinisp. On Sunday hat Sprseptt called upon him for the mak amount hook for the funeral fund, and was told • be did net predawn it ltra would be proceeded aphis► leered of meeting the nemhers of the lodge as he promised, decreed mewed • pa, shot, and powder, and discharged the contents of tisswespes through his body, death being isateatamens. As imam{ wss held on the body last Saturday, Want Ir. W. Posly . who deposed that the brain was so moth eatbseed that tip deceased would be very likely to mealiest what Is teemed " paroxyrnal inanity." The jury returned a mad to the effect that he had committed suicide while in r lespread Hate of mind.  4 TIJE EX] T, !E LANCASHIRE CENTRAL RELIEF grime, bat unfortunately did not iodide the clergy end i
The Express. — 1862-09-12 (London, England)

CLERK EN WELL. ATTEMPTED SEICIDE OF A TRADESMAN. respectably attired man, who appeared io very great di.tress of mind, who gave the oame of John Parffdl, and dr•cribed himself as a grocer out of business, was charged sub threatening to commit suicide at his residence, Crow'. street, Islington. Mr. William Gedge, the landlord of the Old King's ihal public-house, i'pper-street, Islington, said he bad bows the prisoner for some time, and had noticed lately tb.d he had been very much depressed io spirits in conseyauce of his not being able to obtain a situation. The pii.euer a few days since spoke about destroying himelf, saying that he was tired of his life. He him that even to talk about such • matter 1, very foolish, but the prisoner said he could not gaid up against each troubles as his. In consequence of 'that came to his knowledge and the finding of two letters, te saw Inspector Judge on the subject and the present procoatings were taken. Mr. Gedge then headed to the magistrate the following letters, which were in the pri. ,rier's band-writing :—" Sept. 10.—Dear friend,—You will oblige by informing Miss Posell, where I have been lodging, that I am no more after this note, as I am quite determined.—Your truly, J. R." The other note was as follows :—" Dear friend,—You will accept my carpet bag and contents, upon condition that you pay the laundress the amount of or de.—Yours truly, J. ki.".. . _  In answer to the charge the prisoner said he sincerely re. gretted hie intention to destroy his life. He was in great distress because he was m debt at his lodgings. He bad had nothing to eat and drink, and he had endeavoured to collect some money due to him but without avail, for all he could get was Is. His friends were all in the country, and it he was now discharged he would at once go to them. The magistrate, who said that Mr. Gadge had acted in a very proper manner, remanded the prisoner until Monday next.
The Express. — 1862-08-23 (London, England)

STRATFORD.  A well-known mendicant was placed at the bar on • charge of vagrancy under the act of parliament. Police.constable Hunter, 137 K, deposed that he knew the prisoner as an old beggar. He watched her and maw her go to the residence of Mr. Henry Ford Barclay, one of the county magistrates, at Walthametow. One of the servants opened the door, and he heard her solicit alms. Her importunities were very pressing, and she refused at first to go away until she received some bread and cheese. Witness knew that she was a regular mendicant—she having been repeatedly convicted, and took her in custody. The magistrate said he recollected the prisoner well. She bad been before him on several occasions for a similar offence, and was out of the most incorrigible beggars he had ever met with. Upon one occasion when she was brought before him she had gone to • lady and represented that her child was dead, and that she was thereby thrown into the deepest trouble. The lady on that occasion relieved her alleged distress, bat some of the lady's friends had their suspicions aroused by the overcolouring she gave of the sufferings of her deceased child. After they had relieved her they were determined to watch her, and she left the house. They maw her go to the back of the house and make to a hedge where they saw a fine looking gipsy child basking in the sun. They then listened to the conversation, when the child exclaimed, " Mother, how long am Ito be dead r The mother replied, " Not much longer, my dear ; wait until I go to another house." (Roars of laughter.) The prisoner in reply to the charge said that she was in great distress at the time, and was sorry for what she bad done. She was committed to prison for one month.  SUICIDE THROUGH THE LOSE or A
The Express. — 1862-09-06 (London, England)

ANOTHER HIATT( IN THE HIGHGATE PONDS.— Yesterday afternoon the Central Middlesex coroner held an inquest at the Elephant and Cutle, Camden-town, on the body of George Pritchard, piancifore maker, aged 52 years, residing at 7, Olive-place, Armwood-street, Camden-town. It appeared from the evidence adduced that the deceased left his lodgings on Tuesday morning last, about half-put six o'clock. and was discovered dead in the Highgate ponds on Wednesday morning, between eight sod nine o'clock. Several witnesses deposed that deceased was • sober man and not at all likely to commit suicide. Police-unstable Crt S stated that a stretcher was taken to Highgate ponds as aeon as application was made at the police-station. He searched the body, and found seven farthings, some keys, two duplicates, and a county court summons. It did not appear that his pockets had been picked. The medical evidence proved that the cause of death was suffocation from drowning ; and the jury returned a verdict that the deceased was found dead in a pond, but how he got into the pond there was not sufficient evidence to prove. THE CHATH4M lidranza. —Robert Alexander Burton, eighteen years of age, now s prisoner in Maidstone Gaol, awaiting trial for the murder of • boy, eleven years of age, on Chatham-line, and who gave himself up to the police, and confessed to that mime, having evinced certain symptoms of insanity, is under the constant surveillance of two warders, being kept apart from ad other prisoner., and is rarely allowed to be seen or spoken to except by the visiting magistratee or the prison officers. The chaplain, the Rev. Shirley Wilmer, is moat assiduous in his attention on the youth, who has furnished to a gentleman who bas conversed with him on two occasions particulars of his pan history and the cause of has committing the crimes requesting that they may be published after his trial. There is a general feeling that the prisoner was inane at the thee the deed was committed, and that Lis insanity is boroditory, his mother having been an inmate of St. Luke's flosplial ow two mahatma,
The Express. — 1862-04-18 (London, England)

SUICIDE THROUGH ILZTREATHENT.  Yesterday morning Mr. Serjeant Payne, coroner for the City of London and Southwark, instituted an inquiry at the Vestry-hall of St. John's, floveelydowa, on the body of Elizabeth Betsy Coker, aged 30, who committed suicide through the brutality of some person unknown. A policwoonstable stated that on the 28th of last month, about three recipe& in the moromg, he was crossing London. bridge, when he noticed a woman walking a few yards before him. She suddenly entered a recces, and mounting oe the parapet threw herself into the river. He believed it was the deceased. The body was not found until Tuesday last.  James Coker, the father of the deceased, add be last saw her alive on the 26th ult. She had been keeping company with a young man, but he bad gone to sea. She left her brother's house on the 25eh, saying that it she could find the young man that tight she would, as she believed he was about to sail on the following day. Sarah Coker, the mother of the deceased, said that she (deceased) lived for a fortnight before her death with her brother. About three o'cloar on the morning of the 26th she was awoke by a knock at the dour, sad found it was the deceased. Witness opened the street door, and she immediately threw her bonnet into the passage, and said she was going away. She (witness) told her to come in, when deceased threw her shawl over her head, and said, "Oh, mother, I have been beat about so." Wham asked if Alec, her young man, had done it, and abe said, "No, 'Pother I have not seen him all night." She (deceased) then said, " I am going to drown myself, mother dear," and ran away. Witness, although she was undressed. followed her some distance, but lust sight of her. A police•constable had seen the deceased with a seafaring man on the night of the 26th nit, and abe then wanted to give him in charge for assaultleg her, but the officer refused to take him. Witness had looked at the bonnet, and found that it was nearly torn to  By the Coroner—The demand always shielded her sweetboort if he did anything wrong. The body preosated soma marks of violence. The Coroner said the ovidawns wee Dot at all satisfactory, sod the inquiry was seacerlingly adjourned.
The Express. — 1862-09-29 (London, England)

LADY. —An inquest was held at Dritcbet, near Windsor, on Saturday last, by Mr. George A. Charsley, the deputy-coroner for Bucks, on the body of Mrs. Margaret Write's, the wife of a gentleman residing near Tottenham. Colonel Thomas Siemer° said the deceased was hie sister-in-law, and they were both on a visit to Mr. Fowler, of Southley.house, Detchet, the father of the deceased. She had exhibited a little excitement, but was under no restraint. On Wednesday night, a little before eleven o'clock, she retired to rest, and on the following morning at eight o'clock the servant came to tell him that she could not get into the bedroom of the deceased. Witness told the gardener to enter the room by a ladder *seed against the window. Deoessed was not there, but footeters were afterwards discovered below the bedroom window, and there was a broken branch of a tree which convinced him that deceased bad eacapcd in that way. After examining the grounds and shrubbery, and obtaining no trace of her, witness sent a man in a punt to search the water, in which she was shortly afterwards discovered. Deceased was about fifty eight years old. The two windows in her bedroom were about n feet from the ground, and very smell. Could swigs no reason why she should commit suicide. The jury after a long consultation returned a verdict of " Found drowned in the river Thames, without any marks on her body, but by what means she came into the river there was no evidence to show."  THE Sewsits.—Last night, in consequence of the Leavy mins, the sewers in the south-western district overflowed, and caused considerable dansaga The water stood three or four feet deep in the basement stories of some of the houses in Eaten and Belgrave-squares.  Gentlemen who require good and fashionable dress can depend en the bed sasterials and latest style of which specimens are kept for inspection or sale), at Hamilton and Kirnistotes, 106, Strand, opposite assier-halL—lLdriertleemeet.)
The Express. — 1862-09-29 (London, England)

INQUESTS IN CAMDEN-TOWN.—At a late hour on Friday night Dr. Lankester held two inquests at the Elephant and Castle, King's.road, Camden-town, touching the deaths of Alfred Johnson, aged El, secretary to a benevolent institution, residing at 24. Caroline-street, Caindeo-tonn, and John Denny, aged 64, clerk and accountant, in reduced circumstances, and an inmate of St. Panora' workhouse. The evidence elicited in thecae. of Mr. Johnson went to show that on Wednesday, about six Man., Policecou.able 3614 S found a crutch and *bat oat the towior path of Regeot's-oanal, Regent's-perk, opposite St Mark's church. His suspicions were aroused, and with the aid of another constable he dragged the canal, and deceased's body was recovered. Upon his person they foiled three rings on his fiogers, and a pin in his scarf, but neither money nor watch, although it was deposed by other wit. buses that he had both a watch and some half-croons in hi. poesession when last seen alive late the previous night before going out for • walk. The crutch was accounted for by his being lame. The evidence of relations and a friend tended to show that he did not contemplate suicide, and as nothing could be elicited to clear up the mystery of how he came in the water, the jury returned sn open verdict of " Found drowned." The evidence adduced in the cue of Denny was of • peculiarly painful nature. Some years ago he left his employment in Tottenham- court-mad, and took his family to America, in hopes of improving their condition, but his hopes were blasted ; for finding the opportunities for an easy livelihood were no better (if as good) than at home, he managed to raise money sufficient to return to England four year. ago, with the view of obtaining work, and then to send means for his wife end family to follow. He failed, however, in g theft means, and despondent and hopeless he was oom to s:ek refuge in St. Pancras workhouse, where be acted ea • pauper clerk up to about the time of his death. Lest Tuesday , week be wu too ill to perform his duties and was removed to the infirmary of the workhouse, when it was discovered by Mr. lora, the resident medial afloat, that the hapless man was suffering from anew in the stomach sod dropsy. On last Monday morning he was found in a water-closet contiguous to the infirmary, covered with blood, with • 'naor in his band, with which he had inflicted a gash in his throat, and a cut on the veins of each arm, for the purpose of destroying himself by bleeding to death. Every assistants was rendered to save his life, but be died the following morning, pertly from the disease and the bleeding. Verdict—" heath from dmiey, aooelenited by exhaustion from bleeding from wounds inflicted by his own hood."
The Express. — 1862-07-10 (London, England)

YOUTH COMIIITIING SUICIDE THOM THE TOOTHACHE.—On Monday last an inquest was held before R. Slagden, Esq., at Monk's-common, Bathurst, touching the , death of a young man, 18 years of age, named William Damage. Edward Dinnage deposed—l am • broom-maker, and live at Manninis-heath. The deceased, William Nonage, was the son of my brother, Jordan Dinnage, of Monk's Common, and was 18 years of age. On Saturday last I was at work in my brother's shop with the deceased. I saw nothing strange about him, but during the day beard him complain very much of the toothaches and he did but little work. He has suffered very severely with toothache during the last four or five months. I have known him sit sad cry for hours together with it, and more frequently during the last month. He suffered wonderfully with it. I left the workshop on Saturday about one o'clock, when I called to the deceased, who was at the time gathering currants in the garden, and I told him I would leave him to lock the shop up, and he said " All right, uncle." I them left. Edmund Chart, labourer Monk's Gate, said that on Saturday last, about half-past ten, p.m., be went with deceased's father to the broom shop where deceased had been working, and found it fastened in the usual way, and they broke the door opm. They found deceased hanging by a line to a beam. His feet and knees were upon the grouad. He (witness) cot him down. He was quite dead and stiff. He should think the deceased I must have stood upon the ground when he hanged himself. The coroner, in summing-up, called the attention of the jury to the evidence of the uncle of the deceased. It was clear from the statements this witness made that the deceased was not known to complain of anything bat of the toothache, of which there could be no doubt the poor fellow suffered most severe' , and it was quite probable that the mind of the de bad become affected by the continued excruciating pains to which it appeared he had been subject during the last few weeks. They had heard the whole of the evidence, and it would be for them (the jury) to say bow the deceased caros by his death, and in what state of mind he was at the time. The jury expressed their conviction that the deonsed destroyed himself by imaging and that at the times he aommitted the act his Miami was temporarilyum deraa&aeand they found a verdict to that effect.— Were S  One hundred and fifty Canadian miners arrived a short time sines et Fort Barry, on their way to ibisg diggings in it Columbia by the overbuilt ventreported that the transport service wu yeey good between BR Paul, in Xineesote, and Fort Garry. The °oversew of Repert's Land was nuking arusepowonts to assist the miners on their journey.