npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-02-21 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SHOCKING SUICIDES ON  TYNESIDE.  On Monday morning, at an early hour, the body of an elderly man named John Towers, who has been employed at Branoepeth Colliery as a cartman, was found in the backyard of his house at Willington with his throat terribly gashed, and life quite extinct. Deceased retired to bed with his wife on the previous night apparently in his usual health, and had not previously displayed the slightest indication that he meditated self-destruction. When he got out of bed his wife has no knowledge, but on leaving the bedroom he had seemingly proceeded, dressed only in his night-shirt, to the fireside in the kitchen, where a large pool of blood showed Ihe had cut his throat. He had then gone to the privy, where he dropped the weapon he had used—viz., a large buck-horn handled pocket knife, and he had apparently stood there until in a last agony he had rolled out out into the yard, where he was found. On Monday morning, shortly after the 8-30 a.m, express train from Tynemonth had passed the station at High Walker, the driver's attention was attracted to a man who was standing by the side of the np.line of rails waving an umbrella. The whistle of the engine was immediately blown to warn the man of his danger, and for a moment it seemed as if it was going to be effectual, as the man stepped back for a short distance, but immediately afterwards laid his head on the rail in front of the engine, and VMS instantly killed, his head and face being mutilated in the most shocking manner, his wrist severed from the right arm, while his body was flung almost parallel with the line. The unfortunate occurrence took place at the identical crossing where a young woman was decapitated a short time ago, only in the present instance the melancholy affair happened on the up instead of the down line of rails. The man appeared to be between 35 and 40 years of age, and was respectably dressed, but no memorandum or money was found upon him, the only articles likely to lead to his identification being his stockings, which are of dark brown wool with pink cross strokes,and bear, neatly worked in pink wool, the initials "J. P." The body has not yet been identified.
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-07-31 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SUICIDE OF A FARMER AT GOWPEN BEWLEY.  The peace of the quiet little village of Cowpen Bewley has just been considerably disturbed by the suicide of one of its principal inhabitants under the most lamentable circumstances. It appears that about one o'clock on Tuesday afternoon Mr George Farthing, farmer, retired to his bedroom, telling his wife that he was "going to lie down " for a little while. Mrs Farthing had not the faintest suspicion that her husband contemplated suicide, and consequently took no more notice. At a quarter to two, however, she was startled by the discharge of firearms in the house; and on going into her husband's bedrcom she discovered him lying on the floor, and an old-fashioned six chambered revolver at his side. Blood was flowing profusely from his left temple, and the room was filled with smoke. Mrs Farthing at once raised an alarm; Dr. Wilson, of Norton, was called in, bat his services were of no avail, as the unfortunate man had shot himself through the brain, and death had followed almost instantaneously. The police having become acquainted with the sad affair, Police-constable Cowen proceeded to the house and took charge of the revolver with which the deed was committed. On examining the weapon it was found to have had all the six barrels loaded, but only one of them had been fired. It is rumoured in the village that the deceased had lately had a great deal of domestic trouble, and the general opinion is that he committed the fatal act whilst suffering from an attack of temporary insanity. He leaves a family of three children.  With cruel irony Mr Bradlaugh has just republished one of the many pamphlets which were so often referred to in the debates a few weeks ago, and has dedioated it to Lord Randolph Churchill and Sir Henry Drummond Wolfe, as "some slight acknowledgement of the effectual advertisement they gave to the sixth edition." Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting on behalf of the Episcopal reformed churches in Spain, Portugal, and Mexico, the Archbishop of Canterbury said it was of the utmost importance in these critical times that the cause of Protestanism should be supported, and that men should not be left to Atheism and Litraniontanism.
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-08-14 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ELECTION PEIITION. THE CONSERVATIVE MEMBER UNSEA TED.  Justices Lush and Manisty gave judgment in the Bardwich election petition on Tuesday. The hire of 88 public houses was considered necessary for meetings, but the real motive the electioneering agent disclosed when he stated that the licensed victuallers were an important element,and indispensable in an election. Corruption had largely prevailed, and Mr Crompton Roberts (C) VMS declared not duly elected, on the ground of bribeiy by his agent. The petitioner was similarly to blame. Each party to pay their costs. . .  At tl.c •.:neral ele,-'ion the Right Ron. E. H. Knataibull Hugessen (L) was eleiited without opposition. In May he was created a peer, and upon a new election on the 18th of that month Mr Roberts defeated &radian Goldsmid, Bart (L). It is rather singular that at Oxford, the Wigton Biirghs, and in the above instance the candidates who defeated persons who had been favoured by the Government have been unseated.  News received on Tuesday morning from i Zanzibar reports the sad intelligence that Captain Carter and Mr Cadui head, of the Royal Belgian exploration expedition, have both been killed by the Chief Wrambo in Central Africa. This ma ossibly mean the great robber chief Marc nbo the name apparently having been ..teri in telegraphing. Oo Tuesda> morning the Assyrian Mon h, a steel vessel, built by Messrs Earl for C.. Royal Exchange Shipping Company, and i ,tended to trade between London and New York, was launched at Hull. She is the largest steel vessel built at the port, and is three hundred and seventy-two feet long. She was christened by Lady Brown, wife of Sir John Brown, chairman of the Earl Company, alid there was a large company interested in steel shipbuilding present. The Aurora announces the formation of a new association for collecting money for the necessities of the Pope, entitled the Universal Union for Daily Tribute to the Supreme Pontiff, the amount of the daily tribute demanded from all Catholics being one centime, or six sons, for the month of thirty days. A mason, aged 26, condemned to four years' imprisonment at Cassius, has starved himself to death. From the day of his sentence he refused to take fo)d, and, no compulsion being resorted to, he died at the end of thirty days. His funeral was purely civil, the priest considering him a suicide.  •
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-05-15 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DREADFUL SUIOIDES.  Mr R. T. Combe, a Somersetehire magistrite, committed suicide on Saturday by Wowing his brains out with a revolver. The cause of the rash act is supposed to be the sudden death of his wife. He was chairman of the Illminster bench of magistrates, recorder of Langport, a member of the Somerset Police Committee, and highly esteemed in the county. A shocking affair occurred at Cheetham Hill, Manchester, on Saturday ever.ing. A young man, well connected and in easy circumstances, named Henry Gill, a captain, it is said, in the mercantile marine, bad for some time been paying attentions to a young lady, the daughter of a well-known Manchester merchant, Captain Gill having apartments in Cheetham Hill village, quite close to the house of the lady. His attentions were not approved of by the young lady's father, and she accordingly broke off the connection. On Saturday evening, iu broad daylight, and in the main road, Captain Gill met the young lady and her sister and spoke to them. They were passing without taking any notice of him, when be , took a pistol out of his pocket, placed it to his ear, and shot himself through the bead. The young ladies screamed and ran off, and other people who were passing attended to Captain Gill. He was Jound to be breathing, and was at once removed to the Manchester Royal Infirmary, where he expired shortly afterwards, having remained speechless till be died. The pistol is a new one, and in the pocket of the deceased were found two bullets. It is supposed that, having heard that the young lady would not acknowledge him when they met, he had determined, in case she did not speak to him, to commit suicide, and for that purpose had bought the pistol. For some days past his rejectment had preyed heavily upon his mind.
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-05-15 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

MURDER.—Henry Blades, stituency to see whether the mi- screamed and ran off, and other people who had exercised an important influence on the for the cost.—lt was agreed to give Mr • He Riceardeoe Mr Mansergh s repert, which he Nte was 260. At who murdered his wife at Skipton, York- nority of ten, in which we were were passing attended to Captain Gill. He electors in other constituencies. 1879, the nUM- shire, by strangling her, was brought before left three weeks ago, was not in reality a was Sound to be breathing, and was at once observed their opponents always coupled might lay before a meeting of the Tees 141, while the the magistrates on Saturday, and committed fictitious minority, brought aboutby means to removed to the Manchester Royal Infirmary, intelligence and wealth with Conservatism. Bridge Company. —The Board decided to pay was 463. for trial on the capital charge. A fund is which we need not now allude. (Cheers.) I where he expired shortly afterwards, If this were so, Chelsea stood second to none, Mr Mansergo £l,OOO on account of his Tip to last being raised for his defence. Sympathy is had a thorough confidence that had it not having remained speechless till be died, not even to Westminster. The late Govern- charges for work done in 1876, together with natty had felt for the prisoner on account of the pro- been for misunderstanding and misrepresen- The pistol is a new one, and in the pocket of meta fell in a shower of stars, and was £79 for disbursements ant clerk's time. —On • respect vocation he had received from the drunken tation you, the citzens of Oxford, would never the deceased were found two bullets. It is succeeded by an Administration of which his the recommendation of tile Finance right hon. friend Mr Chamberlain was a Committee, it was agreed to give Mr Stor oarted habits of his wife. He had been seeking her have left me in a minority at all. (Cheers.) supposed that, having heard that the youngg member. Not being himself a member of the notice that at the expiration of three mouthy. Ingo, at various public-houses on the night of the Feeling that so strongly, I determined that lady would not acknowledge him when the,v Cabinet he could not tell them much about his services as collector and assessor would for murder, we would, on the very first opportunity, met, he had determined, in case she did not home affairs; and as regarded foreign affairs not be required. speak to him, to commit suicide, and for that i 8 Tea
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-07-10 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

MALTON.—On Tuesday evening, Dr Wood, the North Riding Coroner, held an inquest at Appleton-leHtreet,Malton, on the body of an old man named Matthew Banks, who was cut to pieces by a passing train on the previous night on the Melton and Thirsk Railway. The old man was seventy-seven years of age, and he seemed to have committed suicide in a most deliberate manner. The fireman of a train, when approaching a crossing near Appleton, saw a man come out of the long grass in a gutter by the side of the lane, crawling on bis hands and toes, and when the engine was within twenty yards of him he deliberately threw himself across the line. It was impossible to pull up in time, and the whole train passed over his body, which it cut in two. The verdict was returned of suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity. AN IMPROVEMENT IN TII6 AI/IMOD OF STOPPING ENGlN6B.—Messrs Wade and Sons, worsted spinners, Mill-street, Bradford, have in operation an improved method of stopping engines. It is the invention of Mr James ' Tate, the foreman mechanic at the Millstreet works, and is likely to prove of considerable service both in the regular working of machinery and in the prevention of delay in tbe stoppage of engines at critical perio Is. A small pressure cylinder, eontaining a piston, is worked by steam being admitted into the bottom of the cylinder; on the piston moving s stop-valve wheel is turned by means of a rack and pinion. This action is instantaneously obtained from any part of the premises by the use of electric wires, the transmission of the electric current being secured by touching a button fixed in each room; for as 800.1 SE the circuit is completed the magnet moves a catch which closes the steam valve, and thus stops the engine.  NARROW Escrrs or Tunes Yours.—On Friday evening, at Ramsey, Isle of Man, three young boys took out a lugger punt, and were driven out to sea as the wind freshened. They had only one oar, and on Saturday had not been heard of. A Ramsey .iorrespondent says :—" The fishing boat Abstainer went out in search of the missing boat and three boys that were driven to sea on Friday evening. After calling at the lightship, they went northward, and during the afternoon found the lads three miles off the Point of A yre, drifting towards the Mull of Galloway. They had been 18 hours without food, and had been drifted in different directions. About 30 steamers passed them during the night, and they narrowly escaped being run down."
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-02-07 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ENTERTAINMENT AT ST. PAUL'S SCHOOLS. —A. literary and musical entertainment for the benefit of the funds of the North Riding Infirmary passed off very successfully at St. Paul's School room on Tuesday evening, when several members of the church choir and other *gentlemen, as alao ladies, combined in providing a most enjoyable evening's amusement. The pianoforte performances ,of Misses Anderson and Macpherson and 1 the violin solo by Miss F. Anderson are specially deserving of praise; and the trios and quartettes of Messrs Goose, Warner, Stead, and the Rev. Fisher Brown met with well-merited applause. Quite a new feature was introduced by Mr Goose, who related a tale, "The Bloodhound's Revenge," in a manner which held the audience spell-bound throughout. Readings were given by the Rev R. F. McCausland, Dr. Malcolmson, and Mr Angus Macpherson. SUICIDE OF A YOUNG WOMAN IN THE Wasa.—On Tuesday morning the body of Elizabeth Cole, the daughter of respectable parents residing in Milburn-street, Sunderland, was found floating in the River Wear. On Monday night she made an excuse for leaving the house, and was never again heard of till Tuesday morning, when her body was found. By the mid-clay post on Tuesday, young man, who had formerly been deceased's lover, but has not recently been going with her, received a note from her intimating that she had made up her mind to drown herself. He communicated at once with her relatives, but the information was of no further value than to decide that the unfortunate girl had committed suicide. On the sands near to where deceased's body was found the police have discovered traces which make it appear that she had been sitting and walking on the sands for a considerable time, , and it is thought probable that she had spentl two hours before her desperate act there.
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-02-07 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DISAPPOINTED  LOVER.  Mr Crofton Maynard, coroner, held an inquest on Wednesday afternoon, at the Butchers' Arms, Coronation-street, Sunderland, upon the body of a young woman named Elizabeth Maria Cole, who was found floating in the river Wear on Tuesday morning last.—Thomas Cole, porter at the Infirmary, and residing at No. 1, Milburnstreet, Bishopwearmouth, identified the body of the deceased as that of his daughter, Elizabeth Maria Cole, aged 19 years. He saw her last on Monday morning at 6.30, on leaving home for work. She left home early in the evening with the object of searching for a situation. Nothing had occurred at home to disturb or annoy her. About three weeks ago she had quarrelled with a young man with whom she had been corresponding for two or three years, and he thought tbat was the only reason of her committing snicide.—Henry Anderson, painter, residing at No. 5, West-street, Bishopwearmouth, stated that he saw the deceased last on Monday night about six o'clock at the top of West-street, when she asked him if he would go with her again. On refusing to do so she asked the reason, and he explained that it was in consequence of her keeping late hours, and witness thought he might get the blame of it, as he did not know whether her parents knew they had quarrelled. He left her at a quarter-past six, and never saw her any more. On Tuesday morning, on returning from work, he found the following letter in deceasel's handwriting waiting for him "My dear Henry,—l take the pleasure of writing these few lines to you for the last time of writing to anybody in this world; so I am going to bid you good-bye this time,and for the last. As you will not forgive me, I hope God will take me to Hie home. lam going now. When I spoke to you this afternoon I thought you had forgotten all, but an you have not I cannot live any longer. So goed-bye, and may God bless you, and I hope He will. I hope weshall both meet in heaven. I Excuse this letter, as this is the last. I cannot stop for any more. So good-bye, Harry." The envelope was dated " Sunderland, February 2nd." On leaving him the deceased never threatened to commit suicide.— Evidence having been given as to the finding of the body, Dr. Francis (police surgeon) said that he • had examined the body at two o'clock that afternoon. There were no marks of violence whatever upon it, and he thought it had been in the water fully thirty hours. She had died from suffocation caused by drowning.—The jury returned a verdict that the "Deceased had committed suicide whilst labouring under temporary insanity."  Salmon fishing opened generally in England and Wales on Monday. The prospects are rather gloom), owing to the prevalence of the disease.  The canal reservoirs in the neighbourhood of Birmingham are getting very short of water. The rainfaU for the four months wading January was only 4.27 inches, the average being 10-7 inches.
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-12-25 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

HEAVY WEATHER IN THE  ATLANTIO.  Steamers arriving both at Liverpool and 7 h New York report having encountered vr, e severe weather in crossing the Atlanti . e steamer Canopus, which arrived at ston on the sth inst., from Liverpool, enco ntered strong westerly gales during alutiost the whole of the passage, with heavy bead seas. On the 24th November she shipped a Bea which carried away one o/ her boats. During the voyage the Canopus passed two derelict vessels, one of which, the India, was boarded. She was found to be waterlogged, and had a large hole stove in her port aide. The rudder was gone, and all the hatches were off. The other wreck was a vessel of about 100 tons register, and was passed bottom upwards on the 24th November. The steamer Pereira, , which reached New York on the 7th inst., had a most eventful passage, during which one of her passengers committed suicide through fear and excitement. She left Havre on the 20th November, and very soon afterwards encountered the full fury of the gales. She dipped and rolled alarmingly, and her decks were continually swept by heavy seas. She had a number of passengers on board, and the bad weather had continued] for several days they went to the captain and asked him not to drive the vessel so fast, they being of opinion that her speed was too great. During the interview one of the passengers, a young Frenchman, named Claude Micosiler, cried out that they must all go down, as nothing could save them, and be then climbed up the poop and jumped into the raging sea. It was impossible to lower a boat, but a life buoy was thrown to him. He grasped this, but could not remain his hold, and he drifted away and was lost. The gale continued until the 27th, on which day one of the sailors was severely injured by being swept along nearly the whole length of the deck by a heavy sea. On this day, also ,the steering gear broke, but, fortunately, the duplicate steering apparatus could be brought into use. Daring all this time the passengers were in a state of the most abject terror; some implored the stewards to tell them if the ship was going down, while others secured their valuables about their persons, fully expecting the vessel to founder every moment. On the 28th, however, the weather moderated, and the steamer reached her destination on the 7th inst. ,01'.
The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-09-25 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DIFICIILTY.—Thomas Lockley, a boy of 15, pleaded guilty, before the Wolverbamp• ton magistrates on Monday morning, to having thrown stones at another lad, severely injuring him; also with inciting other boys to illtreat him. The magistrates' clerk said this was one of the oases referred to in the home Secretary's circular. Magistrates had no power to order a flogging, and the Home Secretary objected to such boys being sent to prison. If he were fined, he bad no goods upon which to destrain in default of payment. It was decided that the case should be laid before Sir William Harcourt, and his &civic* asked in the matter. REVOLTING OUTRAGE IN IRELAND .—An outrage of a pecuniary revoltiug nature is reported from Glen, County Limerick. Mr Gerald, the manager of the Munster Bank, left home a few days ago, and visited the estate of Ballahill relative to the payment of some bills which had passed between the landlord and tenant. On his return to Glen he found that his two setter dogs had been banged on a tree. On the tail of one of them was a pieoe of paper containing some writing, in which regret was expressed that the owner was not in the place of the dogs.  MURDER AND SUICIDE ILA gg shocking affair was ';uvestfgated before the ,oroner at Apperley Bridge, near Leeds, on Monday. A fortnight ago Rachel Riley, aged 46years, a single woman, who shared a house with her sister at Eccleshill, left home, taking with her her sister's boy, a fine lad of five years. The sisters had worked at the mill, but as they had. suffered in health, Rachel was anxious as to what would become of the boy, and made a remark to that effect. On leaving the house she said, " If aught occurs tell them that there's been naught wrong between me and my sister." The police and others hava since searched tnrough the district, and on Tuesday the bodies of Rachel and her sister's boy were found floating in the Aire. It is supposed that the woman first drowned the lad and then herself—Au open verdict was returned.  A