npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1883-10-12 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

CAPTAIN DREVAR'S "EXPERIMENT."  Captain Dreyer, who attempted to cross the Channel, in a small craft of his own construction was picked up near the Goodwin Sands late on Sat 'inlay night by a fishing boat. Ho was muck exhausted, his boat haring been capsized, and he had been clinging to it for some time. With reference to the voyage, the Globe says :—" The attempt of Captain Drover to cross the Channel in his unsinkable boat looks like a deliberate evasion of the law against suicide. At any rate, if Captain Drevar had been drowned, it would have been said that be had sacrificed himself in the interests of science, whereas neither the interes'.6 of science, nor of anything else, would have been promoted had the attempt been as successftil as it was disastrous. Captain Drevar's own account of what happened shows the ludicrously foolhardy character of the adventure. The boat is supposed to be constructed in watertight compartments, yet these did not prevent her from getting full of water. She is ' uncapsizable,' yet Captain Dreyer himself overturned her, in order, an he says, to empty the water out. We must admit that when she is bottom-upwards she appears to have extraordinary stability, for Captain Drover found it quite impossible to right her again. She was fully provided with insten'flouts, yet the only one which proved to be of any use WAS the fog-horn, on which the captain, when Isis case became almost hopeless, blew so lustily al to attract the notice of a pasaine smack. Even then, however, the boat itself placed difficulties in the way of his rescue, for the captain of tlic smack said he at first mistook the craft for an empty barrel, and did not deem it worth stopping for. It was only when the barrel began to give forth the familiar wounds of a fog-horn that his curiosity was aroused. Perhaps Captain Drover will now give up the idea of crossing the Channel in a boat which cannot be rowed, sailed, or steers d, which develops most stability is hen she is placed keel uppermost, and wh eh is watertight in al, respects except in her 'watertight compartments.' Experiments of this sort do not belong to those years of discretion to which Captain Dreyer has. presumably attained."
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1883-06-08 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

GENERAL NEWS.  The opera or “Rip van Winkle" at the Comedy Theatre was played on Saturday evening for the 200th time.  The Great Eastern Railway Company's new alternative route between Norwich and Great Yarmouth was opened on Friday. The attendance at the Bath and West of England Society's Show at Bridgewater during the week was 48,412. Total receipts, £3,807. A sergeant in the Dublin Fusiliers at Dover shot at his superior officer on Saturday night, and afterwards attempted to commit suicide. Cetewayo has written a letter emphatically denying that the recent disturbances in Zululand were instigated by him, or that he has taken any part in them. At Birkenhead, on Friday, a fine of £5 and costs was imposed on John Cuthbertion, provision dealer, for having exposed for sale pigs' tongues which were unfit for food.  Prince George Frederick, second son of the Prinoe and Princess of Wales, was born at Marlborough House, on June a, 1865, and thus attained his eighteenth birthday on Sunday. A large sunfish (couch) of about 7 cwt. has been landed at Mevagissey, and this estimate could not be far wrong, as it was stiff work for two horses to draw it to the fields for manure. In estimating the probable length of the session, it may be interesting to know that Lord Randolph Churchill has made definite arrangements to leave England not later than the Ist of August. It is stated that the Marquis of Waterford has finally resolved not to accept the Mastership of the Curraghmore Foxhounds for next season, and has intimated that he will not hunt with them. The failure was announced at the London Bankruptcy Court, on Saturday, of Alfred Weigel, merchant, of 17, Gracechurch Street, late of 59, Mark Lane, with liabilities to the amount of £lOO,
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1894-02-02 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

WIFE POISONS HERSELF. At Battersea, on Saturday, Mr. A Braxton Hicks held an inquiry touching the death of Mary Ann Hutchinson, aged thirty-two years, the wife of a grocer, residing in Dashwood Road, Battersea._ Joseph Hutchinson said the deceased was his wife. She suffered from bad headaches, but had never threatened to commit suicide. On Tuesday last witness left home to pay his landlord the rent, and when he came home the deceased complained that he had been a long time away. He replied, "If you 'nag, nag,' I will put on my hat and go out for the rest of the day." She said, "If you do I wid go and poison myself." He told her not to talk rubbish. About seven p.m. he went out on business, returning home in about an hour. His wife was then about the house as usual. Neither of them spoke. Later on the deceased went upstairs to get some money to pay an Etc. count, and as she had been gone a long time he called to her to make haste. She replied, " Come up to me, dear, lam in such pain." Witness went upstairs, and found his wife upon the bed. She said she had taken poison. He sent for a doctor, but she died about 10 p.m. The deceased had taken some vermin killer,which witness had purchased previously to kill some mice. There was nothing whatever to induce her to commit suicide. It was, witness thought, due to temper. Mrs. Turner said the husband called her to deceased. When she saw her she said she had taken poison, and the glass was in the front room. Witness went into the room, and found a glass and a spoon and an empty packet of ratkiller on the table. A doctor was called in, and ho remained with her till she died. The deceased said no one was to blame for it. She and her husband were a "happy couple." Dr. M'Loughlin deposed that death was due to strychnine poisoning. The jury returned an open verdict.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1894-03-02 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

EXTRAORDINARY LETTERS.  THE INQUEST.  On Sunday evening a pumpman employed at the Resolven Colliery committed suicide by hanging himself. Thomas Evans was 45 years of age and he lodged with one Thomas Jones, collier, at Company-street, Resolven. He had been unable to work for some weeks owing to mental depres sion, and on Sunday evening, when the people of the house went to chapel, he put an end to his existence by hanging himself in the w.c. When Mrs Jones returned she found two notes upon the table, the one addressed to herself and the other to Evan's sister. They were not enclosed in envelopes. Mrs Jones sent for Police-constable Abraham, who subsequently cub the body down.  Mr Howel Cuthbertson (county coroner) held an inquest at the Police-station, Resolven, on Monday evening. William Evans, brother of the deceased, said the deceased was about 45 years of age, and he was an engine-driver. Deceased had been a widower about two years. Witness saw him on the previous Wednesday night. Deceased had had something the matter with him since last September, when he had influenza, He complained of weakness,fand a feeling in his head that he did not know what he was about.  Ellen Jones, No. 4, Company-street, said the deceased lodged with her for the past six years. The deceased seemed to be low-spirited. She did not notice anything the matter with him on Sunday. Witness went to chapel on Sunday night at six o'clock. Her husband went with her and they left deceased in the house. She told him to lock the front door and go to the next door neighbours to stop until she came back, and he promised to do so. She returned from chapel at 7.30 and found the front door locked. When they found they could not get the door opened they went in through a neighbour's house. They found the lamp lit, and there was a hat on the table with two letters in it.  The Coroner read the following letters : Mrs Jones, don't be frightened when you read this. You will find me dead in your closet. Very sorry that I have done this rash act on your premises, but indeed I could not stand it any longer. I never slept one hour last night. Very near going off my head, and so I was afraid to go to bed to-night. I was afraid I would be mad before the morning and taken to the Asylum. Please will you send the sad news to the Oddfellows. and they will break the sad news to my dear sister. I have done very wrong to do it on the Sabbath Day. I could never stand it no longer. Please will you be so kind to send this letter to my dear sister. I know I have done wrong against God, but I can't help it, indeed. My mind has gone wrong since September, so good-bye.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1894-01-12 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

LEEDS.  Richard Beason, a clerk employed on the Midland Railway at Leeds, murdered a woman who lived with him as his wife, and also her child, aged fourteen days, by cutting their throats on 6unday evening with a razor, afterwards committing suicide by cutting his own throct. Benson also battered the woman's head in witha poker. The parties,who lived in Ingleby Grove, Aradey Road, had often quarrelled, and were heard quarrelling at half-past eight the same morning by the neighbours, one of whom, a Mr. White, weet into hie back yard and shouted. "What's the matter?" (inc of Benson's sons, aged fifteen, answered, "They are all killed upstairs." White entered the houee and on going urstairs saw in the front bedroom ienson and the woman lying close together in a peel of blood. Both had their throats cut, and both were dead. The baby was also lying dead on the bed with its threat cut. Benson was only partially dressed, slid the woman had nothing on but her nightdress. On the floor of the room were a bent poker and a broken razor, the latter being near Benson's right hand. The boy Benson has made a statement to the police to the ettect that he was awakened by another brother calling out, "Albert, get up." He immediately rose, and, on going into the front bedroom, saw his father with a poker hitting hie mother, who was calling out, "Don't, Dick." The boy began to cry, and begged his father to desist. lie then returned to his bedroom to dress, and on coming back met his father, who said, "I shall be hanged for this ; but I'll finish the job." Benson then cut his own throat. The boy immediately ran downstairs and told Mr. White what had happened. No reason is at present assieneti for the tragedy, beyond the fact that Benson 'had been drinking heavily, more especially since Christmas.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1880-12-10 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

SUICIDE OF AN ABSCONDING CLERK.  A 3 inquest was held in Bristol, on Monday, on the I hi.) of James Thomas Symonds, which was picked up on Saturday at the moth of the Avon. Deceased, it stook broker'', clerk, had lived with his sisters and mother in Carlton Road, London, until October 25, when he mysteriously disappeared. Next day his mother received a letter trout his office, 5, Copthall Court, saying: "My dearest Mother, I enclose you post office order for £2, which I borrowed from you last night. I have got into a great mess in the City, and have thrown my body over the Clifton Suspension Bridge, as 1 cannot bear the agony any longer. God bless you my dear sisters Emily and Alice' and also your dear self. From your your most wretched son, hags." Detective Davis, of the London City Police, stated that, acting upon information given him by Mr. C. A. Barton, stockbroker, 5, Copthall Court, he boarded the Potosi, loading at Plymouth for Adelaide. The list of passengers contained the name of " Symons," but no men person was on board. He then traced deceased to an hotel overlooking Clifton Suspension Bridge, where he lost him. Deceased was wanted for having illegally dealt with £213,000 worth of securities belonging to 51r. Barton. During his absence .51r. Barton had authorised deceased to deal with the securities. Hoping to realise a large profit for himself, deceased dealt with them in his own name, but he lost £23,000, which Mr. Barton had to make good. The la 4 thing the deceased did was to buy his mother 000 in Consols. The body had apparently been in the water a month, and the probability is that deceased threw himself off the Clifton Suspension Bridge. An open verdict TM returned.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1880-10-29 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE GLAMORGAN GAZETTE  FRIDAY, OCT. 20TH, 1880. POLICE STATISTICS.  At the County Quarter Sessions, held last week, the Chairman (Mr. R. 0. Jones) in addressing the grand jury, remarked on the great diminution in the number of persons sent for trial at the quarter sessions during the past twelve or eighteen months. He was not prepared to say whether it was in consequence of a decrease in crime, or owing to the extended powers given to the magistrates under the Summary Jurisdiction Act. A glance at the police statistics furnished to the Government for the year ending September, 1880, as far as the Bridgend and Cowbridge Petty Sessional divisions are concerned, go to prove that there is also a diminution of more serious offences brought before the magistrates, and that the general totals are less than in the year preceding, viz., 1879. In the latter year the returns show that the various crimes known as indictable offences, committed and brought under the notice of the police were 55 ; the , number of apprehensions being 36 ; seven of which were dtscharged for want of evidence; ! two for want of prosecution; the remainder being committel for trial. For the year ending September, 1880, the number of crimes reported were 48; apprehensions, 33; and 21 of these were committed—of these 9 were for larceny ; 3 for attempting suicide. The number of offences dealt with summarily by the magistrates also show a diminution—in 1879 the total proceeded against being 1,345: 1,220 males and 125 females ; and the convictions being 919 males, and 69 females; discharged, male, 301 ; females, 56. In 719 cams' fines were inflicted ; other punishments 130 ; the largest number of convictions being for drunkenness, viz., 337. The current year ending September 30th, the total number proceeded against was 1128-1006 males and 122 females ; the convictions being 708 males, 78 females ; included in the latter number being 21 for offences against the Education Act. In this year the bulk of the cases have been for drunkenness, viz, 255, which contrasts favourably with the previous year. The other offences against the licensing law were not numerous, and the remainder of the list was not of a serious kind : assaults on the police being comparatively few and common amanita 31. Offences against the highway and turnpike acts were numerous ; there were several cases of vagrancy and 45 cases of non-maintenance. The statistics of the year just concluded (and which include six months return from Dines Powia and Aberavon) show an improved state of things in this district, a decrease of criminal acts, and a gratifying reduction in drunkenness.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1880-04-23 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

POISONING BY PRUSSIC ACID.  Dr. Hardwieke, coroner for Central Middlesex, held an inquiry, which occupied several hours, at the Monarch Tavern, Chalk Farm Road, as to the death of Mrs. Elizabeth Hall, aged 31, the wife of Mr. George Augustus Hall, veterinary surgeon, of 1, Ferdinand Place, Havistoek Hill, who had died from the effects of poison. Considerable excitement was manifested in the proceedings. Mr. St. John Wontner attended on behalf of Mr. Hall, whilst the deceased's relatives were represented by Mr. Cridham. The evidence of the husband of the deceased showed that they lived very unhappily, and that a few days ago, after they had had some words, she left the room in a temper, and returned almost immediately with a tumbler in her hand containing some clear fluid, and, bolding it up, said, "This is poison, and I intend to :ake it. You must nowchoose between ' ineandyourbrother." Ilereplied,"Don'tbefoolish," and got up from the chair to take the glass from her,but before he could do so she put the glean to her mouth and drank the contents. It proved to be prussic i acid, and, though assistance was got, she died n less than an hour. Several witnesses were called, among then, being the father and brother of the deceased, the former of whom, Mr. Walter Chaplin, of Bishop Stortford, declared that Mr. Hall had a hatred of his wife, and a wish to get rid of her. Ile believed that if she had not been murdered she had been provoked to commit suicide, and that the poison had been culpably left about with that object. Another witness deposed that the deceased had often complained of her husband's ill-tre .tment. The jury ultimately returned the following verdict: "That the deceased, Elizabeth Hull, had died from the effects of prussic acid, self-administered, and thus committed suicide, being at the time in a state of insanity, brought on by continued inhumanity and neglect on the part of the husband of the deceased.",
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1880-11-26 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

EXECUTION AT BRISTOL.  At eight o'clock on Monday morning, William Joseph Distin was executed at Bristol for the murder of a woman named Daniels, with whom he cohabited. The execution took place in the presence of the governor of the gaol, two inspectors, the prison warders, a visitor, and two reporters. Harwood was the executioner, and used tho long drop, the pit being ten feet deep, and the scaffold eight feet high. The fortitude which the prisoner exhibited during his trial and up to within a few days of his exeeu Don, had Latterly forsaken him, and lie had adopted a penitent mood. He slept little during Sunday night, and when he was roused on Monday morning, he burst into a paroxysm of grief, which it required tne use of stimulants to overcome. He continued groaning during the whole time the pinioning was being done. Ile had to be supported from the cells to the scaffold between two warders. When he arrived there he was scarcely able to-stand, and almost at the last moment he had to be given something todrink. Then, heaving deep sighs, he muttered, "Lord have mercy upon me," and while the chaplain was reading the Lord's l'rayer lilarweod speedily completed his task. A few hundred people assembled outside the gaol, but quietly dispersed when the black flag was hoisted. The crime for which Distin was executed was committed in August last. Ile and Mrs. Daniels, a widow woman, with whom he cohabited, had frequently quarrelled, and on the 27th of Augu4 lie stabbed her fatally. An attempt was made to,obtain a reprieve on the ground that he had repeatedly endeavoured to commit suicide, and was, therefore, presumably of unsound mind when he stabbed his victim; but the medical gentleman seat down by the Home Office could find nothing in the present condition or past history of Distin upon which to recommend a reprieve, and the Home Secretary had to refuse the prayer of the memorialists.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1880-07-23 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

TDB MURDER OF MADAME SKODELEFF.  Madame Skobeletf, the mother vf the well-known Ru-sian General, was murdered on Sunday, while driving near Phillippopolis, by a Russian sub-lieutenant, named Ouzatis, and four accomplices, who an, stated to be Monteinigrins. The coachman was also murdered, and an aide-dc-camp of General Sicobeleff, who was accompanying tee unfortunate lady at the time, ass a-oundrd The latter, however, succeeded in rtaching Philippopolis, where he at once denounced Ouzatis, with whom he was well acquainted, as the assas-sin had been a frequent visitor at 31.,dame Skobeleffs house. Ouzatis on finding himself in danger fled to the naighbouring mountains, but was soon captured by a body of cavalry hick was sent in pursuit. He has since committed suicide. The .Montent-grins who are accused of being his accomplices are in the hands of the police, anti his brother with several of his personal friends have also been wrested. Robbery is summed to have been the motive of the crime, as Madame Skobeleff's money and personal ornaments were net to be found when the police arrived at the scene of the murder  The Queen's prize at Wimbledon has been won by Private Ferguson, of the lit Argyll Corps, who scored 74 points. The Queen, on the nomiLation of the Earl Marshal, has appointed Charles Alban Buckler, Esq.. to be Surrey fler.ild of Arum Mr. John Dickson, believed to be the last representative of the famous regiment of the Scots Greys, who eeargrd so gallantly with the heavy cavalry at the battle of Waterloo, is dead.  Inspector Oldfield, who lost a prisoner between Helper and Wingfield a short time ago, by his leaping from a train, recaptured the man on Saturday night by assuming, the garb of a tramp, and entering a lodging-honse at High Green, near Chapeltown.  Mr Joseph Woolley, Stafford, died at the Manchester Infirmary on Saturday from the effect of injuries he received on Tuesday last, through the fall of a building in Albert place, Manchester, during the late thunderstorm. This is the fourth death which has resulted from this disaster.
The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1880-05-28 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

PYLK.  SUICIDE.—The above neighbourhood was very much excited on Monday last, by hearing the sad news that Miss Ann Jones, of Tytattglws-farm, had committed suicide by hanging herself. She was found suspended by a cord in a coy:shed, near the house. From the evidence given, it is stated that she rose from bed on Monday morning about half-past four to five o'clock; she had been sleeping with the servant girl. When the family got up, Miss Jones was missing; a search was made, and about seven o'clock, Mr. Thomas Jones, brother of the deceased, found her hanging to a small cord, fastened to a beam in the cowshed, and a hurdle was near her feet, on which it is supposed she climbed up to commit the deed. Deceased was sixty-four years of age. Au inquest was held on the body at 'l'ytanglws, on Tuesday, before Mr. H. Cuthbertson, coroner, and a respectable jury, of which Mr. Lewis, stationmaster, Fyle, was foreman. The first witness called was the servant girl, who stated that she slept with Miss Jones, and that Miss Jones got up on Monday morning, about half-past four to five o'clock, and that she didn't notice anything out of the way in her manner, and that she did not see her alive after.—'rhe next witness, Mr. Thomas Jones, brother to the deceased, deposed that owing to his sister being missing on the morning in question, he made a search for her, and found her hanging to a small cord fastened to the beam in the cowshed. He didn't cut her down; he called on the servant man, who came and cut her down. He (Mr. Jones) had noticed deceased to suffer from lowness of spirits, about three weeks ago.—The servant man corroborated the evidence given by the last witness.—The jury returned a verdict that the deceased had committed suicide while suffering from temporary insanity.