npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1869-03-23 (London, England)

FELO DE SE. —An inquest was held at Driffield relative to the death of 'Ann Cotton. The deceased has lived for nine months as housekeeper with Mr. W. B. Shaw, tailor and draper, Burlington, from whose service she was discharged in consequence of her master believing that she had made some false accusations against him. On being discharged she went to a druggist's shop, purchased some vermin powder, which she took, and it caused her death. Verdict—" Fero de se."  HAS INSANITY INCREASED ? An elaborate wtatistical paper, by Dr. Lockhart Robertson, read before the Medico-Psychological Association, and the discussion that followed it, go far to prove the correctness of the opinion expressed three years ago, that the alleged increase of insanity was a myth, and that the number of the insane, in proportion to the population, was not really augmented, the apparent increase being clue to the kind( r and more skilful treatment now adopted in the asylums for the insane poor, which had materially diminished the average yearly mortality among them. Thus, while there are more insane to be accounted among us, it isnot because cases of insanity have increased, but that the insane roor are better cared for, and live longer than they did. That this view is correct is proved by the fact mentioned by the secretary of the association, Dr. Tuke, who stated that in his experience, and as the result of his examination of the question, the number of the insane in the higher and middle classes, in proportion to the population, had not increased at all. The association generally concurred with the conclusions arrived at by Dr. Robertson, which is satisfactory as being likely to assist in the dissipation of the very wide-spread but erroneous idea that our increased intellectual activity as a nation Las entailed upon us a corresponding increase in the number of our insane.— The Lancet.
The Sun. — 1869-03-23 (London, England)

FELO DE SE.—An inquest was held at Driffield relative to the death of Ann Cotton. The deceased has lived for nine months as housekeeper with Mr. W. B. Shaw, tailor and draper, Burlington, from whose service she was discharged in consequence of her master believing that she had made some false accusations against him. On being discharged she went to a druggist's shop, purchased some vermin powder, which she took, and it caused her death. Verdict—"Felo de se."  HAS INSANITY INCREASED —An elaborate statistical paper, by Dr. Lockhart Robertson, read before the Medico• Psychological Association, 'and the discussion that followed it, go far to prove the correctness of the opinion expressed three years ago, that the allegedincrease of insanity was a myth, and that the number of the insane, in proportion to the population, was not really augmented, the apparent increase being due to the kinder and more skilful treatment now adopted in the asylums for the insane poor, which had materially diminished the average yearly mortality among them. Thus, while there are more ineene to be accounted among us, it isnot because cases of insanity have increased, but that the insane poor are better cared for, and live longer than they did. That this view is correct is proved by the fact mentioned by the secretary of the association, Dr. Tuke, who stated that in his experience, and as the result of his examination of the question, the number of the insane in the higher and middle classes, in proportion to the population, had not increased at all. The association generally concurred with the conclusions arrived at by Dr. Robertson, which is satisfactory as being likely to assist in the dissipation of the very wide-spread but erroneous idea that our increased intellectual activity as a nation has entailed upon us a corresponding increase in the number of our insane.— The Lancet.
The Sun. — 1869-04-19 (London, England)

THE 0172.  A DDITIONA T. PARTIC I7L ATV, (TIES DAY.) This dreadful tragedy appears to excite still greater interest than it did either on Saturday or yesterday, and farther investigations have brought to light th it the unfortunate female who was the fi:st victim was not named Talian as reported in the morning papers, but Stallion. She was the widow of a highly respectable mechanic, and for many years in the employment of Messrs. Poutifex the well-known coppersmiths, of Shoe-lane. The statemeat that she bed born four children by the suicide awl murderer is incorrect, she having only three children, who were left by her late husband living with her, and one boy apprenticed at the above-named firm, who, we are informed by the lad's uncle, took one apprentice beyond their usual number entirely out of respect to his late father. The friends also state that the accounts of Mrs. Stallion's habits of intemperance have been much exaggerated, and they have every reason to believe that the fearful deed was committed by Tillett in revenge for her having resisted his advances and refused to share with him the money she was in the habit of receiving. The unfortunate boy, described as ono of Tillett's sons, and who suffered seven days' imprisonment for tome youthful indiscretion a few days ego, was not Tillett's son, but one of the poor woman's late husband's, who diud in March, 1861. Up to a late period Mrs. Stallion had borne the character amongst her own friends and family as being a very hard working and steady woman, and if she had lately given way to any little excesses they would ba attributed entirely to anxiety of mind caused by the delay of realising the little property left by her late husband for the benefit of the children.
The Sun. — 1869-11-06 (London, England)

JOURNALIS3I.—A new comic paper, Punch and Judy, has taken the field, been collared by Punch, and carried before "the beak." Punch alleges that the name is an infringement of his rights, but the judge did not see it, so all Punch did for his little brother was to give him a good advertisement. Judy has adopted an artful style of advertisement. The back page, sweetly illustrated, deludes the public into the belief that there is something there for them to read and be amused at, and they find gymnastics, machine-made jewellery, and other trade announcements enticingly displayed. A comic sheet, The Chip Basket, edited by a mere boy, the son of Mr. Silver, has been sent to us from New York, and it is creditable to so youthful an editor. Echoes has changed into The Period, which for some time has been announced, but we have not yet seen a copy. The Times has a comic habit of announcing births as deaths; first plunging families into mourning, and then telling the afflicted to wipe away their tears, for they only moult to say that a child had been added instead of the mamma subtracted. The Times must delight in producing revulsion of feeling, for the joy at the unexpected death of the heir-at-law must turn to the point of suicide on learning that a son and heir had been born. Although occasionally very heavy reading, at times the Times is the most comic of all papers, though perhaps the home friends of Mr. Currie, of the Bengal Civil Service, whose wife the Times announced as having died at Nynee Tal, when it meant a daughter had been born, may not see it in this light.--Mr. Joseph L. Shipley, formerly assistant editor of the Republican (Sp ingfield), but for some years ono of the ekitorial writers of the Boston Journal, has accepted the editorial charge of the Scranton Republican, the leading daily paper in the flourishing city of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and will assume the duties of the position almost immediately.—The Kennebec Journal of Augusta has been enlarged, and made the largest paper in the State of Maine.—Rev. Sidney Dean has retired from the Providence Press Company, of which he has been agent and treasurer, and from the piper, of which he has been editor.
The Sun. — 1869-11-20 (London, England)

BUDGET OF PERSONAL.—The llon. Nathaniel Niles, United States Minister to tipper Italy during Mr. Polk's Administration, is very ill at his residonoa in Now York.—Stephen M. Vail of New York has been appointed Uuitod States .Consul for Bavaria.- -The Commissioner of Indian Affairs has received official information of the death of Satauta, late chief of the Kiowas, and leader of the Indians in the desparato Wachita laver fight with the forces under Gen. Ouster about a year ago. -Goo. Gienger, manager on the farm of Ileverdy Johnson, jr., in Baltimore County, committed suicide on Saturday, Oct. 3(1, by hanging. —Senator Sprague has had a daughter born auto him.— James T. Fields, the Br‘ston publisher, has returned home from Europe.—Co i.modoro Vanderbilt has received a barrel of apples. It took only 12') to till the barrel.—Mrs.. Gaines is still bothered by litigation about her propel ty in New Orleans. - Mr.:. Catherine Goss is en old lady over SO, who recently walked up Mount Washington, New Hampshire; its height is G,-111,) feet above th, sea level. Sanduskai, a Russian foroterly on Gen. Le,;',' staff, now works in a Mehil, Sa D;c!cenWHI'S library au:l correspoul,Lci aro said to be rotting iu the loft of a Jersey imrn. -Mr. and Mrs. llow.trd Paulhave returned to Amalie t from Europe.—An American paper says, " John Stuart Mill is :-.ll»ken of as a c.tndid:tte for Parliament front Tipperary." Not so, indeed ; fox Irish organs urge Mr. O'Donovan Roses the Fenian  „ ...„ prisouer in a ” British Bastille," as the man for Tipperary. —General Wade llaniptol and D. 11. Hill are gutting up a "Military Institute" at Clu.rlotte, North Carolina. —Gee. D. Prentice, of the Louisville Journal, e•tlls George Francis Train "a cipher !nulling a figure to plss for sonnet Mug." Paul du CuaillU, the famous African explorer, is in Philadelphia.—General Butler, whilst travelling in a sleeping  car between Washington and New Yuri: rue, ntlybad  two overcoats and his pocket-book stolen from him. lie  is after those officials who leave their posts but continue
The Sun. — 1869-09-21 (London, England)

WATCHMAN.—Jtintes Mitcham, a watchman in the service of the London and St. Katherine Dock Company, was charged with stealing a bottle of brandy.  The prisoner was leaving his duty after a night's watching in the London Dock and he was stopped by Hamilton, a constable, and a bottle of brandy taken out of hie coat pocket. lie could give no account how he became possessed of it.  Mr. Benson said the prisoner was specially employed to protect property in the dock, and had taken advantage of the trust reposed in him to rob the dock company, who would not employ him again. He sentenced him to two months' imprisonment and hard labour. AN lliconaminLE.—Hannah Van Souter, who has been in custody 300 times, and convicted 100 times of various offences, was charged with being drunk and disorderly. She was tried three weeks ago at Middlesex Sessions and found guilty for attempting to committ suicide, and was discharged by Mr. Sergeanteox, the assistant deputy judge, on a report of the chaplain of the Clerkenwell Prison that she was very penitent, and that an asylum would be provided for her. Last night she was drunk and making a disturbance. She offered to fight anybody and everybody. Assistance was procured, and she was carried to the station-house. It was stated that the prisoner was a native of Ireland, and married to a Dutchman, who had long since abandoned her on account of her profligacy. Mr. Benson said the prisoner was incorrigible. He was glad there was no criminal charge against her. He sentenced her to pay a fine of 40s. or be committed to prison for a month.  The Prisoner-:-.What am I sent to prison for ? Sure the next time I am sent to prison it shall be for something, or my name is not Hannah Van Souter.
The Sun. — 1869-10-23 (London, England)

THAMES.  A ROMANTIC WOMAN.—ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.—EIIen Mansen, a woman about 25 years of age, was brought before Mr. Paget, with being drunk and disorderly last night, and attempting to commit suicide. On Tuesday last the prisoner was before Mr. Woolrych, at this court, en a charge of being drunk and disorderly. She was then Ellen Hickie, and a sailor said he was prepared to marry her, with all her faults, and Mr. Woolrych said, " well, take her away.marry her,and keep her from strong drinks." He did marry her, directly after he left the court, at a neighbouring church, and the bride,bridegroorn, and friends made a jolly day of it, and all the parties were uncommonly merry. Yesterday the prisoner got tipsy again, and ut a late hour she repaired to that modern tarpeian rock, the swivel bridge over the lock of the. London Dock. in New Gravel-lane, and then made an attempt to drown herself by getting over the railings, but instead of falling into the water she fell into the recess in which the bridge swings, and was seriously hurt. A pclice-constable named Thomas Gurant, 432 K, procured assistance and carried her to the station-house. Mr. Paget—ls this:woman in a sound state of mind ? A very healthy, robust-looking sailor here got into the witness-box and said she is right enough, sir ; she was three sheets in the wind last night, and wanted to tumble into the water.  Mr. Faget —ls it true you married her last Thursday ? The sailor—Yes, sir; but I had known her eight years before that, and always stopped with her when I came home.  The prisoner said she was very sorry, and would not do  it again. Mr. Paget—This is very shocking indeed. You have now a chance of becoming a decent and respectable woman if you lead a life of sobriety, but you will come to sorrow and ruin if you indulge in strong drinks. You have had a narrow escape of your life. Take her home with you Manse; and keep her sober.
The Sun. — 1869-07-24 (London, England)

SCENE IN A LIVERPOOL CHURCII.  St. Margaret's Church, Liverpool, has lately been the scene of outbreaks and disturbances. The services in connection with its orening were continued on Thursday, and the congregations were largo both morning and evening. Lord P. G. Osborne preached in the evening, and at the conclusion of his sermon he addressed some °beer vations to those present on the subject of tolerance. Ile begged them to he charitable to those opposed to them in doctrine. Should a competent court decide that the teaching of the real presence was not the teaching of the Church of England ho was willing to minister no longer, but there was no fear of his going to Rome. It was most un-Christian and un-English to condemn a man while he was on his trial. They, the Rituali.sts, should nct be called dishonest now when a judi cial opinion had not boon given. After the sermon the officiating clergymen and choristers, bearing c•osses and binnerets, walked in procession down the sista chanting the hymn. This was very distasteful to some of the congregation, who were heard to mutter their displeasure, while others walked out of the church. While this was going on inside the church an excited scene was taking place outside, and the murmurs and hootings could be heard by those inside the sacred building. When; the doors were thrown open for the congregation to depart, a mob of about three hundred persons collected and hooted the worshippers. Mr. Horsfall, by whom the church was built, bad to make his escape by tLe back door of the vestry, and it was some time before the clergymen could leave the vestry. A force of police was present, and also a number of detectives, but they could do little in such a mob, and had great difficulty in clearing the streets. It is expected that the police authorities will shortly adopt more stringent measures to put a step to these disturbances.  A letter from St. Petersburgh states that Komisarow, the peasant who saved the life of the Czar, did not commit suicide, but was murdered by being hanged in his own house, and that several persons have been arrested as accomplices in the crime.
The Sun. — 1869-04-12 (London, England)

YOUNG SELF-MURDERERS.  Suicide is no longer confined to the old. Weariness of life seems to come very early now-a-days. The juvenile burglar, the young forger, and the infant homicide have become so common as to be hardly subjects of wonder. Their deeds have been glorified in romances ; they are handed down to the coming generation as examples of bravery and pluck. Why, then, should there not be the juvenile felo de se? Whatever reasons there are for not having him, there can be no doubt that we have got him, and the class to which he belongs seems to be increasing amongst us. Only the other day a boy who did not have his dinner just at the proper time first nagged with his mother until she spoke sharply to him, and then went and hanged himself. Shortly after this the papers told the story of a girl, some 11 or 12 years of age, who was forbidden to go sweethearting with the lads in the town. She determined that love's young dream and her life should end together; and so went -and drowned herself. Now we have quite as sad a story of two servantgirls, of Easmgwold, one 14 and the other 13. After church on Sunday night they had a walk with the " lover" of one of them. They were found a day or two afterwards in a pond in the neighbourhood. They had repeatedly, we are told, threatened to commit suicide, and on the very day of the occurrence had declared, sadly, that they, would never be at church again. A verdict in their case has been returned of felo de se. Is not the newspaper press itself to some extent ehargelble with being the cause of these sad affairs? By continually having presented to it what is being constantly done, must not young minds—especially where not properly balanced by good home training —become impressed with the possibility of going and doing likewise ?
The Sun. — 1869-04-12 (London, England)

YOUNG SELF-311IRDERElt S.  Suicide is no longer confined to the old. Weariness of life seems to come very early now-a-days. The juvenile burglar, the young forger, and the infant homicide have become so common as to be hardly subjects of wonder. Their deeds have been glorified in romances ; they are handed clown to the coming generation as examples of bravery and pluck. Why, then, should there not be the juvenile .felo de se? Whatever reasons there are for not having him, there can be no doubt that we have got him, and the class to which he belongs seems to be increasing amongst us. Only the other day a boy who did not have his dinner just at the proper time first nagged with his mother until she spoke sharply to him, and then went and hanged himself. Shortly after this the papers told the story of a girl, some 11 or 12 years of age, who was forbidden to go sweethearting with the lads in the town. She determined that love's young dream and her life should end together; and so went and drowned herself. Now we have quite as sad a story of two servantgirls, of Easiugwold, one 14 and the other 13. After church on Sunday night they had a walk with the " lover "of one of them. They were found a day or two afterwards in a pond in the neighbourhood. They had repeatedly, we are told, threatened to commit suicide, and on the very day of the occurrence had declared, sadly, that they would never be at church again. A verdict in their case has been returned of felo de se. Is not the newspaper press itself to some extent chargeable with being the cause of these sad affairs ? By continually having presented to it what is being constantly done, must not young minds—especially where not properly balanced by good home training —become impressed with the possibility of going and doing likewise ?
The Sun. — 1869-01-09 (London, England)

SOLDIERS GOING ON A JOURNEY.  A correspondent sends to us a description of a scene at Euston Station, the metropolitan terminus of the London and North - Western Railway, which he says should make every lover of his country " blush from head to foot." A detachment of soldiers who had served in India, and were on their way to their headquarters in Manchester, were brought into the station to be forwarded by that train ; but the process of getting them safely seated and sent off was almost more than a match for the patience and energy of the officers in command. Nearly every second man was under the influence of drink ; and as every soldier in such a predicament was sunk in the sot, the exhibition was painful in the extreme. Caps were mis. s'ng, coats were torn, and every sign of military smartness and discipline was ' conspicuous by its absence.' Some of the more boisterously inclined, when locked in the carriages, climbed out at the windows ; one man had to be bound hand and foot and thrust under a seat, and another man attempted suicide while in the train. Yet (our correspondent continues) these men bad spent years in India; many had undergone great hardships and perils ; and all were on their way to get more money, which would be wasted in similar excesses. " Surely," exclaims our informant, " these gallant but weak-minded fellows could have been kept, during their transit through London, from thus degrading themselves and the service they represent ; and surely the new Secretary of War has a splendid field of reform open to him in devising, if he can, some plan by which the British soldier c be protected against his most seductive but bitterest enemy—intoxicating drink."  The Tipperary magistrates are holding private investigations respecting Mr. Baker's murder. A farmer named Keatinge has been arrested. At the Northallerton Sessions the girl Scales, who poisoned the family with whom she lived as servant, at Pickering, was put upon her trial. She is only 13 yoars of age, and it v.-as evident—though the fact may afford little satisfaction to the sufferers—that she mixed the poison with the sugar rot with a felen'ons intent, but merely to punish two members of the family who had annoyed her. This was the view the jury took of the case, and she was therefore merely sentenced to one day's imprisonment, and then to be ent home to her mother.  Mr. Birley is at present the " minority" member for Manchester. Mr. Ernest Jones was the candidate in the Liberal interests defeated. Mr. Birley's elect:on is z,upposed to be void, inasmuch as lie belongs to a firm which is execut• ing Government contracts. Mr. Milner Gibson is proposed ls the Liberal candidate in case Mr. Birley goes to the wall. Int Mr. Jones thinks ho has a prior claim. From some nvouncements made in the local papers yesterday, it ap::rs that they are going to have a ballot before the eloctior • cc who is best liked amongst the Liberals of the con•  Nem, —  _  tg 11-11 y 111111 (,}1 r -- , •