npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1878-05-03 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

DESPERATE ATTEMPI:4 TO MURDER SWEETHEARTS. Wednesday 'a shocking affair-happened to disturb the usually quiet town of Moreton-in-Marsh. A young man named Mark Webb attempted to murder his sweetheart, Emma Gillett, who is now lying in a precarious condition in the Moreton Cottage Hospital. It seems that the two young people had been keeping company for about a year, and that on Thursday last they fell out, and Webb struck the girl a severe blow. She obtained a summons against Webb for the assault, and on Saturday last Webb met her and asked her to withdraw it, but she refused, upon which Vebb went sway, but later in the day he watched her to a friend's house, and waited for her return. About eleven o'clock Gillett left the house in company with a girl named Purkiss, and Webb immediately rushed upon her, and with a sharp knife stabbed her in three places, the poor girl falling to the ground covered with blood Purities gave the alarm, and Webb ran away, but was stopped by a policemen who happened to be on duty near, and he was lodged in the lock-up. In the meantime Gillett was conveyed to the Cottage Hospital, where it was found she -had received three stabs, one of which had penetrated the lungs, and her condition being precario•is, ber deposition was taken. A man named John Simpson, a tailor, residing at Fisher Row, Muaselburgh, was brought up at the Musselburgh Police Court, and remitted to a higher court, on a charge of attempted murder. It apears that Simpson had paid his addresses to a girl named Allan, with whose aunt he lodged, but, having been rejected by her, he became despondent. Late on Tuesday night the girl had occassion .to enter Simpson's room, when he immediately sprang at her, and attempted to cut her throat with a razor. The cries of the girl alarmed her aunt, who rushed into the room, and disarmed Simpson, but not before her niece had been severely cut on the head, face, and arms. .The man, on being taken into custody, acknowledged that be intended to take the girl's life and then commit suicide.
Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1878-09-06 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

DIIRWESTON.  SUICIDIL—On Tuesday. a very sad case of suicide occurred at Knighton, in the parish of Dor weston, which caused very painful excitement The particulars will be found in the following evidence, given at the Coroner's inquisition, held on Wednesday, in the school-room, Durweston, before Mr. W. H. Atkinson. The jury first viewed the body of Diana Hyde, wife of Robert Hyde, which presented a most shocking appearance. A deep gash from ear to ear nearly severed the head from the body, and completely divided the principal arteries. Robert Hyde said he was stud groom to the Hon. Mr. Portman, and the deceased was his wife. She wai 36 years of age. He last saw her alive about half-past nioe o'clock on Tuesday morning. She was then sitting on the bed-side, rocking the baby in the cradle. The baby was between four and five months old. About an hour after, his two little boys and girl told him they had heard the baby crying, and had knocked at the bedroom door, but could not make anyone hear. He went to the bedroom door and tried to get in. He called out, thinking his wife was asleep, but jjot no answer. He then broke open the door, and found his wife lying full length along the floor He thought at first she was in a fainting fit. He stooped to lift her up, and found blood on the floor. She was quite dead. He then went to fetch assistance, but previously to his doing so his little boy (four years of age) pointed to a razor on the floor, which he (Mr. Hyde) had stepped over. The boy said, "There is a razor there; she has cut herself." Frederick Luff came to his assistance, and he went into the 100 M again, with him and Mr. Edwards' valet, named Northover ; but they did not remove the body. Mr. Ingram came about 12 o'clock; and had her placed. on the bed. He said that no doubt she died instantly.—ln reply to the Coroner, witness said deceased had fretted a good deal about her mother, who died about a week alter the last child wag born. She had been very low-spirited.— This was the whole of the evidence, and after a few remarka from the Coroner, the jury at once gave as their vardirt that the deceased committed suicide by cutting her throat whilst labouring under temporary insanity.— The Hon. and Rev. P. Willoughby stated that he had known the deceased two years. She was of a desponding disposition, and appeared more so since the death of her mother. He called the evening before her death, and was told he could not see her. When she came to have her child christened, about four or five months previously, she appeared in the same way, and he was not the least surprised to hear what had occurred. In her bedroom was found an envelope, and on it was written, in her own handwriting, "0 God, send Thy Holy Spirit to show me my sinfulness, and the need of a Saviour." Deceased leaves eight children under tan years of age.
Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1878-06-14 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

CHAPEL ANNIVERSARY.—The anniversary services of the Wesleyan Chapel, Dorchester, were held on Sunday, when sermons were preached by the Rev. W. Allen, superintendent minister. Collections were made in aid of the trust fund. DUHING the year 1877 there were consumed at the Somerset County Lunatic Asylum, Wells, 7,881 gallons of beer and porter and 22,789 gallons of cider, 5761b5. of tobacco, and 126 be. ot snuff, by about 600 patients and 100 officers and servants. THE SUMMER Assurs.---The following dates have been fixed for holding the Summer Assizes on the Western Circuit (Mr. Justice Grove and Mr. Justice Denman) :—Winchester, Wednesday, July 8; Salisbury, Friday, July 12; Dorchester, Tuesday, July, 18' Exeter and city, Friday, July, 19; Friday, July, 26; Wells, Tuesday, July, 30; Bristol, Saturday, August 3. ART WORK IN DiRCHESTER.—The arms of Colone Henning, C R., have just been carved on the new lodge leading to Poxwell Fouse. The work is box ground stone from the Bath quarries, and has been most admirably executed by our local sculptor, Mr. T. Wilson, who also executed the beautiful carvings on the bank of Messrs. Eliot? Pearce, and Co. Thus we have now every facility in our midst for executing those works of art which at one time were a specialii.y to the great metropolis. COMMITTED TO HER MAJESTY'S PRISON, DORCHESTER —Sessions: Samuel Cox, obtaining money by fa se pret ncee at Wool ; gimebn Cridland. attempting suicide at Weymouth. —Hard Labour: Mary- Ellen Gulliford, stealing boots at Shaftesbury, 6 weeks; Thomas fowling, misbehaviour in Blaudford Union, 28 days; Hannah Andrews, drunkenness at Dorchester ; John Entioott, drunk and riotous at Chardstock ; George Curtis, drunk and riotous at Lyme Regis, 14 days; lgiohael Rogers, vagrancy at Sherborne, 10 days; Isaac Denman, drunk and riotous at Weymouth, 7 days. Imprisonment: George Curtis, gaming to the annoyance of passengers at Lyme Regis 7 days.—Further Azamination : George Evans, stealing a scarf at Fordingtom  THE MAYOR on Thursday had to deal with Mrs. Hannah Andrews. of Fordington. a lady who gives way to drink and bad language simultaneously. Sergt. Mitchell found her about half-past six the previous evening making her " lodging on the cold ground her selection being the South Walks. Boys and girls come out to play, stood laug,hing around her as she lay. The officer fouud she was unable to stand—we don't mean stand treat; let people say what they will our force is shove bribery—took her to the station. She is a very old offender, and, as se couldn't pay 10s., she went to prison for 12 days' hard labour.
Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1878-06-14 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE.  A shocking tragedy took place on Wednesday morning in Camberwell. .Shortly after nine o'clock pistol shots were heard corning from 12, Westhall road, and a woman who was lodging in the house rushed into the street calling for assistance. Some of the neighbours immediately entered the passage, in which they found the dead body of the landlady, a Mrs Susan Hale, who had been shot through the head by her husband. On proceeding up stairs it was found that this man, Samuel Hale, had also shot himself in the mouth, the revolver by which both deeds had peen committed lying under him. He was at once c onveyed on a stretcher to St. Thomas's Hospital, where an operation was performed, without success, however, as he expired within an hour. The lodger states that on coming down stairs he pointed the revolver at her, and fearing the consequences bhe at once ran out into the street. From statements made by the children of deceased (of whom there are five, the youngest being a young man of about 18 years of age), the Murderer was a surgical instrument maker by trade. He had, however, for some years been much given to drink in addition to which he had been a great sufferer from rheumatic gout. On many occasions he had threatened the lives of his wife and children, and had had to appear at the police-court on several occasions. For along period he had been generated from his wife, but at his earnest request, she had, contrary to the wishes of her friends, allowed him to come and live in the house tenanted by her, where be resided as a lodger. Oa Sunday one of sons took his dinner to him in his room, when he told him it would be the last tune he should want one. In the room occupied by him were found a box of cartridges, and a letter accusing his daughter of perjury at his last conviction, and concluding with the words, "May the Lord have mercy on you all." The murdered woman, who was about 50 years of age, is described as having kept together a home after it was broken up by her dissolute husband.
Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1878-09-13 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

DRUNKEN JUMP OVERBOARD.—On Wednesday, before the Mayor, James Howard, commonly known as "Colonel Howard," a very poor old man, who trembled all over, was brought up for attempting to Commit suicide by jumping into the harbour.—Henry Winzar last night, between seven and eight, was on the bridge, when he saw Howard standing there about ten minutes, and then he asked Simmonds if he'd have a glass of beer, to which Simmonda replied he didn't mind if he did; but they didn't have one, Simmonds walked towards the Bridge Inn, and prisoner went towards the middle of the bridge and said "I'm off." He put his leg over the iron rail then got his other leg over. Witness thought he was going to get down on the stone pier of the bridge, where they stand to fish, and did not do anything to stop him ; defendant's left hand slipped and he fell from the centre arch of the bridge into the water, the tide running strong at the time. Defendant was drunk, and did it wilfully. Witness cried "There is a man overboard !" and got a boat. —Mr. bring, veterinary surgeon, was walking up the bridge about_2o mmut3s past seven and saw a man jump over, Mud shortly atter hearing a cry looked at the water and saw a man floating with the tide without any effort to same himself. In a short time he would have gone under and been lost; but a boat was put out, and he was saved just as he was sinking. The tide running so strongly kept him up, and all circumstances favoured his escape.-11,nry Towill and James Wilkins saw prisoner floating through the bridge, and went after him with a boat; prisoner was making no effort to save himself, but they rescued him and brought him ashore; he made no effort to save him elf.—P.C. Bartlett brought prisoner to the station, when the Superintendent gave him orders to find out who saw him jump over. Prisoner, hearing this, said "There was not a soul that saw me ; I was watchin. my opportunity, and I thought ra go, out of the way." He was very excited.— Prisoner pleaded not guilty of attempting his own life.— Be was committed to the Sessions for trial.—The men who saved him were commended by the Mayor, who ordered they should receive 5.9. each. A
Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1878-11-22 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

SAD CASE OP SUICIDE THROUGH RELIGIOUS MANIA. On Thursday an inquiyit was held at the Gas Tavern, before Mr. G. Aldridge, Borough Coroner, and a jury of whom Mr. R. Smith was chosen foreman, on the body of Miss Hannah Stickland, a respectable young woman, who committed suicide through religious mania at the house of her mother in Baiter that morning.—Mr-.Eliaa Stickland, widow of the late Mr. Henry Stickland, a shipwright, said the deceased was her daughter. Deceased slept with her last night, and got up about half-past six o'clock that morning to light the fire, as usual. She came downstairs about a quarter to seven and went into the sitting-room and saw deceased hanging by a window cord to the door. She cut her down and found that she was dead but warm. She called Mrs. McCarthy, and sent for the doctor directly. About 18 months ago deceased had an attack of typhus fever, and since then she had been very excitable at times and for the last few weeks she had been very low. She. . . . . . .  had never heard her threaten t) take her 111,-.  . _ Deceased  ----was a Sunday school teacher and also a member of the Congregational Church.—Mrs. Jane McCarthy, wife of Mr. John McCarthy, a master mariner, gave evidence as to her bring called by the last witness that morning, and said she had known deceased all her life, and she was a quiet, steady, religious girl. She observed several times after she had the fever that, she was queer in her head. She found that the kettle was put on the fire, and the grate partly cleaned.—Miss McCarthy said deceased was a great friend of hers and they were often together. She bad not seen her since Sunday, when she appeared very dull and low, and not like herself. She bad frequently remarked that she was in a very low state. She had never heard her say that she was tired of her life. She was always a quiet girl. Lately she had been for long walks with deceased, but she would scarcely speak and seemed very low. The jury were unanimous in retiirnng a verdict of " Suicide whilst in a F tate of Temporary Insanity.' PETTY SESSIONS, Thursday.—Before Messrs. W. Pearce, W. D. Dugdale, and J. B. DurelL
Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1884-01-04 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

THE DEATH OF A MAN AND WOMAN ON THE RAILWAY.  An iaquest was hold at Long Ditton on Monday evening, touching the death of Robert and Eliza Williams (otherwise Pearce), a man and woman, both about 50 years of age, whose bodies wiro found, shockingly mutilated, on the London and South-Western Railway, about 500 yards from the Hampton-court Junction signal-box, on the morning of the 26th ult. The bodies were i ientifled as those of a man and woman who gained a living as hawkers or field labourers, and who had been btaying at a common lodging-house in Kingston for the last three months, and it was stated that they were quits cheerful when they left there on Christmas Day morning, and, as they were steady, induetrious poople, there VIVI no reason to suspect that they would c snimit suicide. It was given in evidence that the driver of the 536 train from Salisbury noticed pieces of flesh and of a shawl on his engine when he reached Vauxhall on the evening of Christmas Day, and that on the following m,tming the signalman stationed at Hampton Couit Junction, Henry Morrie. said he saa the bodies lying on the line as de cribed, the woman tieing nearly cut to pieces. The driver stated that he felt no tithe engine on passing the spot. but that one of the buffere was "driven home," is if it came in coot iet with the deceased. The night was dark and foggy, and tie saw nothing of them. It was slat -4 that the decea-ed were last seen going to Claygato in the afternoon, and, as this was known to be a near cut back t i their 1 idgings which people sometimes used. though they had no right to cross the line, the jury were satisfl,4 toat the deceased were in the act of crossing th i line whim the train cams upon them unexpect :oily and cut them do an There being, however, no direct evidence on the point, they returned an open verdict of found dead on the railway.
Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1884-11-28 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY.  Dr. Diplook, coroner for West Middlesex, resumed an inquiry on Tuesday morning at Hayes, relative to the death of Mr. James Gibbons, aged 63, whose wife had represented that he committed suicide on the night ot the 15th instant by shooting himself three or four times with a revolver. The deceased was • contractor to the Great Western ltailway Company for the creosoting of sleepers, and was alwaya looked upon as a respectable man. When the inquiry was opened lost week it transpired that the body had been removed from its original position, and in the absence of the medical man who was called in soon after the occurrence, an adjournment was considered necessary, especially as there was no distinct evidence as to the character of the wounds. On t oat occasion, Mrs. Gibbons stated that when her husband returned home from Taunton on the night in question, she had a few words with him in their bedroom, telling Lim that as he had known his c mein Mary had intended meeting him at Taunton, he might as well have taken her. He then, she said, became enraged, and taking a six-chambered revolver from under his pillow, where the weapon hail always been kept, flourished it about his head. Site ran from the room, but returned on hearing the revolver discharged three or four times, and found deceased lying on the floor. Leading up to this point her evidence was entirely uncorroborated, there being no one in toe house beside herself and the deceased till the latter was dead. She represented that the deceased was very excitable, and mad suffered considerably from pains in the head, being unaole to sleep at night, and the ,nepioions oircumatances about the case were so tar explained that, after the adjournment, the coroner prepared an order for the interment of the body after a poet-mortem examination. Subsequently, however, tne case assumed a more serious complexion. After making a partial examination Mr. Parrott, surgeon, oommunicated with the coroner. The police authorities were represented at the inquest by Inspector Morgan of the Criminal Investigation Department. lire. Gibbous Uri lowa united.
Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1884-03-14 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

MYSTERIOUS MURDER. A discovery was made on Sandey afternoon in the metropolis which indicates that what was probably a shocking murder has been committed during the previous night, and that Burt m Crescent has been the scene of another tragic mystery. It appears that a young woman named Annie Yeats has for some One ocmpied a back room outthe first floor at No. 12, Burton Crescent She went out as usual on Siturdey night with another woman named Edis, who resides at the same address, but pa, ted from her in the streets at one o'clock on Sunday morning. Yeats was heard ta return to the house shortly after 2 a.m., and it is supposed that she was accompanied by a man; but, so tar as is at present known, no one saw her enter, Between two and three o clock other occupants of the house heard a noise in her room, as if she was in a hysterical fit, but no notice was taken of the matter, and nothing was aeon of the young woman until a quarter to one in the afterooon, when the person Ellis went to the room ta speak to Yeats, and found the door partly open. She entered and found a lamp still buralag on a chest of dra.vers. The latter had evidently beau opened and sacked, but otherwise the room did not appear to have been much disturbed. Ellis looked towards the,bed, but could only see her companion's boots protruding from beneath the bed clothes. She temoved the latter, and then, to her horror, discovered tha body of Ysate. with a towel tied tightly over her mouth and firmly fastened behind the neck. Thera was a terrible gash on the left side of the head above the ear, and the face was covered with blood. Ellis raised an alarm, and a medical man  shortly arrived, and pronounced life extinct, and that death had been caused by strangulation. The police' were at ones communicated with, and Inspector Blackford immediately proceeded to make an investigation of the circumstances. It was ascertained that a lady's gold ring was missing, but a sum of money was found in the room. There is no doubt in the minds of the police that the woman haa been murdered. The deceased was about 23 years of age, and had occupied her apartments for two months. She is spoken of as being a very quiet person, and nothing unusual was noticed about her before she left her loiginga, in company with her companion, Annie Elie. on Saturday evening. The idea, therefore, that she may hava committed suicide is considered to be out of the question. The two women parted company very early on Sunday morning, and at that time it is stated that the deceased was the worse for drink. She was shortly afterwards seen talking to a man in the Euston-road, but she went home so quietly, going direct to her room, that it is not at present known whether the man referred to or anyone else at that time was with her. The wound upon the deceased's head, it is alleged, may have been inflicted by a fall against the chest of drawers or the bedstead.
Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1884-03-14 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

EXTRAORDINARY DISAPPEARANCE OF A FISHERMAN.  A. moat extraordinary occurrence took place here on Sunday last, when a fisherman named James Pearce disappeared in a most unaccountable manner. Pearce, who is of a somewhat eccentric character, and who is about 40 years of age, resided with his father, in Chesil. He went to bed on Saturday night with his father, and got up, so it is stated, about 2 a.m. on the following morning—a not unusual hour for this extraordinary individual to arise. When his father came downstairs he saw his son had been out, because of two nieces of board that bad been brought In. He did not return, but this did not cause the elder Pearce any uneasiness, knowing what an eccentric character his son was, and therefore he slid nothing. However the day wore on with no aign of him, and as night came on Pearce became anxious, and set about making inquiries, when he ascertained that his eon's hat had been discovered on the Chesil Beach about eight o'clock between the Cove and Cove Inn. Later in the day his waistcoat was picked up at the water's edge, about half-a-mile west of the railway station, and not far from the spot where the men found this they distinctly saw a body in the trough of the breakers, but were not able to distinguish the features. It is thought probable that this was the body of Pearce, both the father and brother having identified the clothes, and it is their opinion that the unfortunate man was taken with a fit whilst walking on the beach, and rolled into the bay and was drowned. Others, knowing his peculiarities, are inclined to the belief that he committed suicide by deliberately walking into the water, whilst others consider it very doubtful whether he has been drowned at all. However, nothing has since been heard of him.