npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Northern News. — 1896-03-21 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE MISSING CARLISLE YOUNG LADY FOUND.  The mystery surrounding the disappearance of the young lady, Miss Mary Hay Nicholson, has at length been cleared up, and in a melancholy fashion. On Wednesday morning P.C.'s Jackson and Pool of the Dumfriesshire police.and B tiliff Toltn, went out on the Solway with a boat. Shortly after seven o'clock they found the body of a young woman floating on the Scotch side near Brewan Scaur. It was taken to the Constabulary Station at Annan, and as it was supposed to be that of Miss Nicholson the Chief Constable of Carlisle was communicated with, and he informed Mr Ralph Nicholson, the father, who proceeded to Annan by the 1-12 train on Wednesday afternoon. At two o'clock the Chief Constable received a telephone message to the effect that Mr Nicholson had identified the body as that of his missing daughter. The deceased, it will be remembered, left home on February 11th, or five weeks before the discovery of her body. She left the house about seven o'clock in the morning to go for a walk accompanied by a dog. The dog returned some hours later, but from that time no trace has been found of Miss Nicholson, although a reward of £5 was offered for information of her whereabouts by her father. It was not considered likely that she had committed suicide as there was no assignable cause for her to do so. Besides, the water was then low and clear and continued so for some considerable time afterwards, so that it was improbable the body could long remain in the river undiscovered. Such, however, appears to have been the case. No doubt the body of the unfortunate young lady bad become somehow entangled, and the late heavy floods have been instrumental in releasing it and carrying it down to the Solway. It is a sorrowful termination of the weeks of suspense which her relatives must have endured, and is calculated to evoke for them. the deepest sympathy.
The Northern News. — 1896-04-18 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

LLANDAFF RIVER MYSTERY.  SUICIDE TO AVOID EXPOSURE. An extraordinary story regarding the history of Charles Hampton, whose body, tied by a rope to his wife. was found last week in the River Taff, at Llandaff, is published. It is stated that Hampton at the time he married Miss Smart, a Cardiff publican's daughter, was already a married man with a family, and that his self-destruction was the result of a fear that his antecedents would become known. On the Monday and Tuesday he was serving as barman on Ely Racecourse, when it is alleged he was recognised by a former acquaintance. Hampton protested that it was a case of mistaken identity, but the stranger persisted that he (Hampton) was a Mr. --, a married man, with a family. Fearing exposure, Hampton, it is suggested, decided to take his life and that of Rosina Hampton, and after making the latter intoxicated, jumped with her into the river. He had frequently expressed the wish that hia marriage with the unfortunate girl should be kept secret, alleging that he had been previously engaged to a young lady at Plymouth, and feared an ac•tion for breach of promise. Enquiries made at Bushey. Hertfordshire, show that a man named Charles Hampton, who was then a married man, left that place about five years ago. P-inr thereto he was manager of a public-house at N( w Bushey, and his father was formerly landlord of the principal inn at Rickmansworth. Of late years, Hampton's habits; had not, it is stated, been those of a steady man, and his circumstances before he left Hertfordshire were not as flourishing as earlier in his career. He was fond of animals, and had been a breeder of dogs. His identity with the man who went to Cardiff, and married Miss Smart, seems to have been established beyond doubt.
The Northern News. — 1896-07-18 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

DOG'S "SUICIDE."  It has often been debated by casuists whether dogs have a conscience for anything except a bone. This question has now been happily solved for all time by the oonduct of one at Penge, who betrayed so much remorse at having brought a police summons to a kind master's house that, unable to suffer longer the "slings and arrows" of an outraged conscience, he went and hanged himself. While the dog was receiving his matutinal tub at the hands of a servant in the household of Mr. Partridge, it escaped and ran out of the place for a frolic, but a vigilant policeman, who was passing at the time, saw that it possessed no muzzle, and attempted to capture it. The animal at once realised the terrible error it had committed and the trouble its gambols were likely to bring upon its owner, and ran back to the house. It was too late; the injury had been done. As soon as the dog saw the blue summons-paper delivered it ended its days rather than face the ordeal. The owner was represented at the Penge Sessions by his private secretary, who explained the circumstances to the magistrates, adding, with the due solemnity which the case warranted, that "the animal committed suicide the next day out of sheer remorse." "What did the dog do?" asked the chairman. "Hanged himself with a rope," answered the private secretary. "Did he give himself a long drop?" "Quite sufficient for the purpose," answered the private secretary; "the fact is that after its escapade we kept it tied up, and it jumped clean through an open window with the rope round its neck, and was only found when life was extinct, its feet a few inches from the ground." Its owner was nevertheless fined 55., with 6s. 6d. costs. And this was the end of a dog with a conscience. An ordinary mongrel would have treated the affair in a less serious manner.
The Northern News. — 1896-07-25 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF AN EN POLICEMAN.  On Monday evening about six o'cloca apparently very ill, was seen lyinz on the near the Bush Hotel. P.C. Hind had him into the hotel, and Dr. Graham was seat for man was quite conscious, an I tilkel with t stable, but a few minutes after the doctor', lie died. Froai his appearancJ. Dr. Graham that death was dse to p th uh questioned just before death, he denie I that , taken anything poisonous Deceased, who was William Anderson, was up to I 592 0111 of the County Constabulary. Since them been in employ At llawick as a coach:min, at the time of his death out of employ. was held on Wednesday at the L'olice Mr E. Westmorland, deputy cornier.—]), wife, Margaret, of 13 Melton Cresce:it. gave the necessary evidence of identiticat added that deceased had not work. and that he was given to drink, lie was age.—James Graham, tit. Cuthbert's employed at Harrison's Auction Mart. WI known deceased some years. about 4 o'clock, when he wanted to borrow witness could not lend hint. Dee _•aF,e,l then had applied to Johnston. the foreman at the who could not oblige him. lie sail lie was and starving, and would go and drown hints,* had had drink, but was not drunk.—Walter ii barman at the Bush Hotel, who knew decea, sight, deposed that he came into the Busi, between 5 and 6 o'clock and got a glass et Soon after witness heard that a man had Ihri down Outside. and he went out. Ile passed tide where deceased had been sitting, and toak ut glass he had been using. There was a little p, and a white sediment in the glass.—J. W. Jo!, OS watchmaker, Viaduct. and P.C. Hind gave ev:di as to the condition of deceased when found t it the Bush Hotel and his removal into the house, the latter he denied having taken any pois when asked by Doctor Graham what fool he; had, he said that he had had biscuits and be,:.r. was quite sensible, and talked for a time tt muscles contracted, and he died. Witness receiv from a barman, Jefferson, the glass (pr3:1,12e which deceased had used and also a paper " strychnine, poison." and bearing the address of Turnbull, chemist, Hawick.—The deputy conch said that a letter had been received from the Constable of Hawick addressed to Mr McKay which he thought should be read in justice to M Turnbull. The letter was to the effect that decea, on Wednesday asked for a doze of stryclini:w poison a dog and was supplied with ten grains. in . signed the poison order book.—Mr C. W. Grairiiui. surgeon. said he was called to deceased aiut o'clock. and found him in chronic spasms. w,th hi, face dark purple. He was quite consciati.. witness had him removed into the lioV.Th spasms relaxing witness asked him what lie 113,110e/I taking, and he said biscuits and beer. The then came on again, and he died in ten seeonds. rhe symptoms were those of strychnine piSI Witness had examine] the contents of the ft:1111)Kx. and found a considerable quantity of strychnine. —The jury found that deceased hail cohimitted suicide by taking paison while temporarily insane.  I sin,  saw hiat oa M  '
The Northern News. — 1896-08-08 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

CARLISLE AND DISTRICT.  PPOFESSOR AND LADY MARY MURRAY and family have arrived at Castle Howard on a visit. Lady Carlisle is expected to return from the Continent about the 20th inst. AN UNLUCKY Famii.v. Bernard Shannon, Gawthorpe's Lane, and Robert Brown, Rigg Street, appeared at the Town Hall on Tuesday on a charge of disorder. Shannon was in such a condition that another charge of drunkenness was about to be preferred against him but was deferred at the instance of Mrs Shannon. They pleaded guilty and were fined 5s and costs or 7 days. James Shannon, son of tie defendant Shannon, was then charged along with two other boys, who did not appear, with playing pitch and toss in Collier Lane. He was fined is. PRIMITIVE MEIRODISTS AT NAWORTH, —On Monday the Primitive Methodists of the Carlisle and Brampton circuits held a joint demonstration at Naworth. Favoured by beautiful weather the attendance was large, it being estimated that nearly 800 people were gathered together. A public tea was served in the gymnasium to which about 450 people sat down. Mr R. Dalton, Carlisle, presided over an open-air meeting on the lawn, at which addresses were delivered by the Rev. M. P. Davison. Carlisle. the Rev W. H. G. Shapcott, Brampton and Mr Robinson. Naworth and others. Anthems were also rendered by the Heaton Road Primitive Methodist Choir, Newcastle.  THE SuwinE OF A Gitoosi.—The body of the man John Lowther, who jumped into the Eden on the night of Saturday, July 25th, was found on Sunday morning near the Sands. A man named McCann was engaged in watching geese on the Sands, when he saw a pair of boots sticking out of the sand in the river bed. Suspecting that it might be the missing man he went for assistance, and a labourer named Clinton, Durham OE Lane, stripped himself and got the body out. The water at the place was about four feet deep. An inquest was held by Mr E. Westmorland, deputy coroner, and the jury returned a verdict of " Suicide while temporarily insane."
The Northern News. — 1896-08-08 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

LONDON TRAGEDY. A SCHOOLMASTER'S REMARKABLE LETTERS.  At the St. Pancras Coroner's Court on Saturday, Dr. Danford Thomas opened the inquiry into the deaths of Frederick William Saunders, 26, assistant schoolmaster, of 13, Portland-st., Soho, and Alice Maud Mary Coley, 21, parlour maid, of Caversharn, near Reading, who were found shot on Thursday at a private hotel, 91, Euston-rd., under mysterious circumstances.—James Caley, gardener, of Caversham, stated that the deceased woman was his daughter, and be knew she was engaged to Mr. Saunders.— Robert Henry Saunders, of 6, Mandeville-st— Marylebone, stated that the male deceased was his brother. Both his brother and Miss Caley appeared very much attached to each other, and were daily looking forward to their marriage.—Florence Grosvenor, housemaid at the hotel, stated that on Thursday morning the lady ordered breakfast, and when witness brought it Mr. Saunders took it in, and at the same time paid for it. About 10-30 she heard a bang, and a few seconds after there was another. Soon after witness went upstairs, and, seeing the door open, she thought they had gone away, and she went into the room to tidy it up. Lying on the bed she saw Mr. Saunders with a revolver lying by his side near his right hand, and on the same side of the bed, but on the floor, was Miss Caley.— Police-Sergeant Kemble said he found letters in Saunders's pockets. The first was addressed to Mr. Saunders, and said— "Do not grieve, father, as this is for our best." The second letter was as follows: "To the reader of this letter.  Matters Have Gone Wrong suddenly. A fortnight ago imputations were cast upon the good name of my dearest Alice. These I refused to believe, and they were indignantly denied by Alice herself. We were blackmailed—at least I was—for money to quiet the mouth of the slanderer. But now, having got the money, he threatens opposition to our marriage unless a certain final payment be made. I have been unsuccessful in obtaining the amount of money he demanded, and Alice and I have decided to spend the last night together, as the greater amount of our money has gone in payment of the blackmailer; and the horror of exposure, though I am firmly assured of her innocence, has been too much for me and her to bear. But we have decided for a long rest as preferable to the heart-breaking effects of an impostor's exposure, and the ultimate scorn of friends and relatives. We don't fear leaving the world together, but we regret the pain and sorrow it may cause to others."—George Saunders, a brother of deceased, stated that he could not account for the letter, and he knew of no one blackmailing deceased. The wedding would have been satisfactory to both families.—Ultimately the jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Saunders, who it was also found subsequently committed suicide. They made no comment as to his sanity.
The Northern News. — 1896-01-25 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

SAD TRAGEDY AT BRIGHTON.  At Brighton, on Monday night, an inquest was held concerning the death of Lilian Rose Pett (12), the victim of the sad tragedy, which occurred at the eastern end of the town on Friday afternoon.—Mrs. Pett, mother of the deceased, said her husband was a retired grocer. On Friday he left home with deceased and their other daughter Ella, nine years of av,to go for a walk.He asked witness to follow them. She did so, and on arriving at Fasten Place, Groyne, she saw a crowd, and was told two girls and a man had fallen into the water. Her husband had been very depressed for a long time, and she had often thought he would commit suicide. He had been a fond father and was in good financial circumstances, but he had had influenza several times.—Jas. Swallow, draper's porter,declared that he saw a man push a girl over the Groyne into the water and then go over himself. The Groyne was stated to be 271 t. above the water, the parapet being about 3ft.— Police-constable Blackman deposed that in a hat found on the Groyne the following letter was discovered : "Life is unendurable ; you will find me on the left side of Bango Groyne. Your sorrowful husband. Have destroyed last will, so former one leaves you all." The letter was addressed to "Mrs. Pett, 70, Queen's Park Road, Brighton."—Polie,constable Heath, on duty at the hospital watching Pett, said two hours after admission Pett made a statement, admitting pushing the girls into the water and jumping in himself. Mr. Pett had said, "I have been very depressed the last ten weeks." When the doctor told him Lilian was dead Pett replied, "I am very glad to hear it."—The jury returned a verdict of "'Wilful murder" against Pett, adding that he was insane.
The Northern News. — 1896-05-30 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE TRIAL OF MRS. DYER. SENTENCE OF DEATH.  The trial of Annie Dyer for murdering children entrusted to her care was resumed before Mr. Justice Hawkins, at Old Bailey, on Friday. Mrs. Palmer, prisoner's daughter, was brought up in custody from Reading, she also having been committed for tri..i on the coroner's inquisition in respect of a child not mentioned in the indictment against Mrs. Dyer, gave an account of how her mother received Doris Marmon and Harry Simmons. Witness stated that her mother had been thrice in Gloucester County Asylum, that she had attempted to commit suicide on different occasions, and that she at times appeared most strange in her manner. Prisoner first went into an asylum in 1891. Before that there had been trouble about a child prisoner had charge of, the parents not being satisfied as to its whereabouts. Prisoner afterwards went to live near Bristol, and had other children to nurse or adopt. In 1893 the parents of other children called again and brought a policeman. Prisoner tried to drown herself but failed. In 1894 prisoner had three children in the house. Witness handed one child to her mother to adopt. It was six months old, and prisoner subsequently told her that a woman had taken a fancy to it, and taken it away. That hapened at Cardiff. Mrs. Amelia Sargent proved handing the child Simmons to prisoner to adopt. She afterwards identified the dead body in the mortuary. Charlotte Culham, of Harlesden, spoke to seeing in the room occupied by Mrs. Dyer when she visited her daughter certain packages. The husband of the last witness deposed that bricks in his garden were similar to those found with the dead bodies. John Tollor, engineer, Reading Prison, said he met prisoner on the night of April 3rd at the spot where the bodies were found.—The case for the prosecution having closed Mr. Kapaida, for the prisoner, said the defence was one of insanity. He proceeded to call evidence in support of his contention. Dr. Logan, who attended the prisoner in 1894, said he believed the woman was insane, due to disease of the brain. Dr. Forbes Winslow, who examined the accused in Holloway Gaol, expressed the opinion she was insane, and not feigning insanity. The Treasury called rebutting evidence, and Dr. Scott, medical officer of Holloway Gaol, gave it as his belief that the woman was not mad, but feigned insanity. A brother of accused stated he had never heard of insanity in the family. The jury found a verdict of guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to death in the usual manner.
The Northern News. — 1896-05-30 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

LOVER'S SUICIDE.  About noon, on Friday, P.C. Theobald, of the Birkenhead police force, had his atention drawn to a young man who was lying in the Birkenhead lower park covered with blood. The young man had evidently shot himself with a revolver, the bullet entering the front part of his forehead and blowing away the top pelt of the head. He was unconscious, and, obtaining assistance, the officer removed the injured man to the borough hospital, but death took place about three o'clock. During the afternoon deceased was identified as George J. M'Cready, whose parents reside in Bedford-rd., Bootle, and who has lately been employed as a barman at the Talbot Hotel, Ormskirk. A letter was found on him addressed to his father, and another saying that he could not live any longer, and referring to a young lady to whom he was about to be married some time ago, but for some reason or other the marriage did not take place. An inquest was held on Saturday, at Birkenhead, touching the death of George Joseph M'Crealy, aged twenty, a barman, lately employed at the Talbot Hotel, Ormskirk. On Friday afternoon, receased was found in Birkenhead Park with a bullet wound in his head, from the effects of which he died in the hospital shortly afterwards. A-fivechambered revolver was found beside him, and upon him was found a letter addressed to his parents, who live at Bootle. Liverpool. The letter was as follows : "Birkenhead, Friday, 1896.—My enr  Parents,—l am out of my mind I cannot five this life any longer. Twice I have been parted from (here follows an illegible name). I have tried to engage myself to Miss (name illegible) at Skelmersdale. You will learn more particulars if you go to the Talbot Hotel. I cannot say any more. I earnestly hope you will forgive me. You have all ben very good and kind to me. I conclude with my best love to all at home.—Your broken-he-rted George." A verdict of "Suicide during temporaty insanity" was returned.
The Weekly Journal. — 1903-07-17 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

EST.  Last night. at the Temple Bar Hotel, HartMr. J. Hydop-Bell. Coroner, held an inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of George Halliday, painter's labourer. who was found at his boom.. 67, Alfred-street, Hartlepool, on Thursday, about 1-5 p.m., with his throat cut. . .  dt the outset the Coroner remarked that there had beer an epidemic of suicides throughout the country. He did not remember an many in this district before. He had had five eases in less than ten days, and two or three bad been in the Hartlepnols. ;ibere was one case of attempted suicide in agitillos. *al at the present time. Fredk. Bate, Blandford-street. shipyard labourer, said that at 5-43 in the morning he saw Halliday in the Union Dock, and jumped in to rescue him. The man was making no effort to get out be himself. Some workmen threw witness aline, and both were pulled to the quay side. The Coroner commended witness for his pronipt action, the jury concurriag in this. Dr. Coombe: spoke to attending the deceased early yesterday morning, and also to being called about 12-45 p.m.. when he found Halliday dead with his throat cut. The wound, made by a table knife, extended from the left ear to the right ear, and the arteries and veins were severed. Witness had known the man for some years, and had treated him for nervous debility. Mrs. Halliday fvridowi. in the course of bar evidence, said her husband had complained of a pain in his head during the past fortnight, and had been depressed since Sunday. Other evidence was given by John Robert McKay, who helped to get Halliday out of the water. To this witness the man had said, "Let ine go, and I'll go in again. If you let me go I'll be at peace there, and all my troubles ended, if I'm only there." He further said that he "had a wife against the world." Deceased was a betting man, and had had two or three good wins lately. He "plunged" on big races. Betting papers from abroad were produced. A verdict of "Self-destriwtion by cutting his throat, after having attempted to drown himself, whilst in a state of unsound mind," was returned.  -I
The Weekly Journal. — 1903-10-16 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

TEN ITTEGLET TRAGEDY.  VERDICT OF ' WILFUL MURDER " AGAINST A MOTHER.  Mr. J. C. Malcolm, Coroner for the eity of Leeds, held an inquiry yesterday into the alleged murder of a baby by its mother, Margaret Norwood (n), Warwickshire-street, Banson Tuesday last. The woman is the wife af Toni Norwood. who is employed at the Leeds Steel Weeks, and, having os alleged) cut the child's throat, she afterwards attempted her own life by the same means. Mary Ann Mays. sister-in-law of Margaret Norwood, said she had attended the latter during her confinement, and was with her on Tuesday afternoon. She then appeared to be fairly well. About four o'clock the mother expressed a desire to go and lie down, and went upstairs. About five o'clock witness went to the room, and saw her standing with her back to the window. Her throat was cut, and she was covered with blood. On the bed lay the baby, also covered with blood. "I think," added the witness. "she had leaned over the bed, and let her blood flow over it."  The mother cried oat something about "my baby." Hearing witness scream, the grandmother of the little one came upstairs. The mother became excited, and tried to get the razor, which was lying on the bed, hut she was dragged into a chair, and the doctor and police were sent for. "Oh, my baby' I've murdered it!" was the mother's agonised cry. Ultimately she was taken to the General Infirmary, where she now appeared to be progressing favourably. Witness added that once before the poor woman had attempted suicide by taking laudanum. This was on the 6th of August. Dr. William Rodgers, who had attended the woman in her illness, said he had no suspicion of homicidal tendency. When the police-officer entered the house the mother said, " I know what I have dose; I have murdered my baby," and she appeared much distressed.  The jury returned a Terd let of "Wilful murder" against Margaret Norwood.