npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Northern Times. — 1857-12-16 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

JUSTICE WIGIITMDT.  MURDER AND SUICIDT; NEAR THE EUSTON.  SQUARE STATION.  Yesterday considerable excitement prevailed in the neighbourhood of the Euston-sqnare railway station, London, in consequence of a report that a dreadful murder and suicide had been committed at Harpur's coffee•house, Diummond-street, Euston-square. It appeared that on Thursday last, a man, who seemed to be a foreigner, called with a female, who it was F up?osed was his wife, and asked for a lodging for a short poled. They engaged a bed and remained there till Sunday, when, as they were both about to leave, he (Mr. Harper) stopped them, and represented that he should require some money for the expenses they had incurred. They went back into their room, and nothing more was heard of them for some hours. Between six o'clock and nine o'clock Me Harper knocked at the door once or twice, but, as it was fastened in the inside, he did not open it. About ten o'clock Mr. Haspur saw Sergeant Bendell, S 33, who was passing on duty, to whom he communicated what had happened. The sergeant went up with Mr. Hasps' to a room on the second floor, when the sergeant knocked repeatedly. As no answer was returned, the door was forced open, upon which a very horrible sight was presented to their view. The female was found on the floor with her throat cut, and there was a large pool of blood close to her head. The unfo:tunato man was upon his knees ; he had also a frightful gash across his throat, and there was a razor in his right hand. From this circumstance the inference is that he had cut the woman's throat and had afterwards perpetrated the same act aeon his own. A surgeon w.s sent for, who observed that they had been dead some hours. No noise had been heard in that room in the course of the afternoon, and at present it is unknown what could have lad to the committal of the double crime.  ILimutrann, Monday Evening.—A:despatch from Copenhagen says that the Danish Council of Stale has authorised the minister to bring in a bill for a loan of £300,000 sterling at 8 per cent., secured on the finances of the whole kingdom. ARRIVAL OP TROOPS IN TIiDIA.-719 officers and 18,009 men arrived in India, from all party, between March 19th and Nov Bth Prom England, the arrivals were 430 officers and 10014 ; and from China, 53 officers and 1,514 men.
Northern Times. — 1857-07-09 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

POLICE COURT. -YESTERDAY.  LIVERPOOL.  BEFORE MR MANSFIELD.  DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.—A young man, named Robert Kelly, described as a cooper, residing with his mother in Field-street, Everton, was brought up by officer 500, on a charge of having made a desperate attempt to hang himself The officer, said, he was informed the previous night that the prisoner had threatened to hang himself; in c-msequence of this he went into some waste ground that lies between Field and Canterbury-streets, where lorries were laid down at night. He looked about for some time, when he saw the prisoner hanging from the shaft of a large dray, that he had thrown up on its end. The prisoner tied a black silk handkerchief round his neck, then fastened it to the shaft of the cart, and then tilted it up, and would have been dead very soon, had not the officer cut him down. He was taken to the station, and the usual means were successfully resorted to, and he recovered; he was drunk at the time. The prisoner said he did not remember anything about it. He had been out on the coast of Africa and his head was not all right, and besides this he was on a drunken spree for the last five months. He was very sorry for what had taken place, and said he would stop drinking and behave himself properly in future. In reply to Mr. Mansfield, the prisoner said he lived with his mother, who was described as a respectable person His worship cautioned him as to his future conduct and discharged him. THE "SWELLS" AGAlN.—Jarcies Clarke, OEe Of the swells, who was remanded on the. previous day, was again brought up, by detective Scott, on a charge of having picked the pocket of Mrs. Kate Berrill, of 47, Boundary-place. Mr. Bluelt defended the prisoner. The lady said that, on the 25th June, she was coming from New Brighton by the boat ; she had her purse when leaving, but on her arrival she was accosted by Mr. Whittaker, who asked her if she had lost anything ?—and she then missed her purse, which contained a quantity of silver. Mr. Whittaker (the amateur detective) said he saw the prisoner on the day in question take something out of the lady's pocket, and put it into his own, and while he was speaking to the lady, the prisoner got away, and he did not see him for some days after, when he observed him on board the New Brighton boat. Mr. Block : Did you then arrest him ? No. Why not ? Because I was engaged with some of my friends. Mr. Black : You swore yesterday that it gave you the greatest pleasure in the world to catch a pickpocket. Now, why did you not arrest him then, as you had previously observed him commit a felony ? Because I was then engaged with my friends. Mr. Black : Then your friends afforded you more pleasure than catching a thief ? Yes, on that occasion they did, but I knew I could catch him again. He swore positively to the identity of the prisoner. Mr. Block contended that the most that could be done was to convict the prisoner under the vagrant act, the same as his comrades were convicted on the previous day. His worship sent the prisoner for trial at the sessions.
Northern Times. — 1857-07-09 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

ARRESTS AT GENOA.  The Piedmontese Gazette of the 4th states that the number of persons arrested at Genoa is fiftytwo, including thirty-two Piedmontse subjects— viz ,' twenty-three Genoese, six natives of La Spezia, one of G-hiavari, one of Alessandria and one of Mortara. The remaining twentycomprise one Frenchman, five Parm ese, seven Lombards, six from Romagna, and one from Modena. Forty-two belong to various trades, two are servants, and there are besides two landowners, a journalist, a secretary, a clerk, and two students. To these particulars the Opinione of Turin adds the fdllowing :—" On the Ist several armed men were discovered concealed in a coach-house. They had been there since the preceding day, but had not dared to stir, having learnt that the authorities were on the alert. Mazzini has certainly been at Genoa, and was seen at Albano about the 30th ult, Miss White, an English lady, who, according to the Armenia of Turin, had been ordered away from Genoa, is still there." The Cattoheo of Genoa states that several arrests have been made among the Piedmontese navy ; that the surgeon of the regiment of Savoy stationed at Genoa has cornmitteed suicide by taking poison ; and that there has been an attempt at disturbance at La Spezia. A supplement to the Italia e Popolo the Mazzinian journal published at Genoa, and whose chief editor has been arrested, was seized on the 3rd. On the subject of Mazzini the Gazetta del Popolo of Turin says—" It is stated that Mazzini was concealed at Genoa, and that he was to appear at the head of a Praetorian guard as soon as the attempt had succeeded ; he was then to have established a provisional government in the ducal palace. He is said, however, to have been much astonished on being informed of the small number of persons prepared for the movement; while be had been told that several thousands were ready.
Northern Times. — 1860-01-06 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

EXPLANATION FROM THE REV. H.  S. BROWN. TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES. SIR,—I am informed that my conduct in the very painful circumstances in which I was placed last Sunday, ' on discovering the suicide of one of my domestic servants, has elicited disapproval and censure. Will you, -"t-t, therefore, allow me to make the following brief state- • meat of the facts ? My servant was Seized with fever on Wednesday week, and my own medical man, Mr. Godfrey, of 90, .:7-1' Huskisson-street, was immediately called in. He saw,her twice or thrice a day, prescribed for her, and (I" did everything in his power on her behalf. Even., -71 attention was paid her. lam not aware of our having 11.°. omitted anything calculated to promote her comfort and ''f to secure her recovery. She was removed to iny brother's chamber, and at considerable risk my wife waited upon her, as if she had been one of our own children. She appeared to be going on favourably. We all had strong hopes of her recovery, and had not the slightest reason to apprehend the fit of insanity in which she unhappily laid violent hands upon herself. _ After officiating at Myrtle-street Chapel on Sunday 47 1' morning and speaking at the Concert-hall in the after- :-±' noon, I found on my return what I hope and pray noother man may ever find as he enters his home. I shall not attempt to describe the excitement, the, anguish, the utter prostration that ensued. I had reason to fear the most frightful and fatal results—results worse, indeed, than death, to members of my own family ; and, as a • husband and father, my wife and children were, I think, properly, the first objects of my care. I 10n the advice of men of experience and judgment, the body, as an undesirable, but, on the whole, the least objectionable alternative, was removed at about ten o'clock that night to the only place in which its recep:. tion was possible. The result of the inquest has appeared ' in your columns. I Claim for myself no credit when I say that I in wouldl-''' not suffer the poor girl's remains to be interred with those of strangers, a common grave. It was, of course, only right that I should purchase a freehold grave for' her ; that I should see her body laid in its narrow resting-place ; that I should officiate on the occasion m and defray every expense. In circumstances more favonrable to calm thought I might have found a mode of proceeding less liable to misinterpretation, but I acted to the best of my judg-' meat. The time for being of 'service to the poor girl' .1:3 was gone. I had done all that I could for her while' "L.' that time lasted; and in my treatment of her remains I. ,was not less actuated by a sincere feeling of respect.— I remain your obedient servant, H.
Northern Times. — 1860-02-11 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

ANNUAL STATISTICS OF THE CORONER'S COURT.  The animal return of the business and cases which have come before the Borough Coroner's Court during the past year, has just been made up, with a copy of which we have been favoured. From this it appears that the number of inquests held in the year 1859, was 690; and those were on the bodies of. males, 469 ; females, 221. Total expenses for witnesses; snrgeons, post mortems, car hire for jurors, rent of office, taxes, &c., £1,467 4a. lid. Each inquest cost £2 2s. 6,td. There were also 523 cases of sudden death reported, in which the Coroner did not consider' in inquest required. Inquests were held on 185 'days in the year, beside adjournments. Number of jurors who signed the inquisitions.. . D 0... who wrote their names Do. who signed with their mark . Number of witnesses examined _....... Do. who wrote their names .... Do. who signed with their mark Inquests are seldom held on any but the poor, except in cases reported froM the Royal Infirmary, the hospitals, or dispensaries, for where an accident happens in a respectable family, and the family surgeon is satisfied there is no blame to any one, he gives a certificate in order to spare the feelings of the family, and the death is registered without an inquest. ' In the. year 1859 there were inquests held on 93 children suffocated in bed, and of these 32 were found dead on Sunday mornings, 17 on Monday do., 12 on Tuesday do., 8 on Wednesday do., 9 on Thursday do., 8 on Friday do., and 7 on Saturday do., showing that children are suffocated (or overlain as it is called) in bed by the mothers when there is money in the house to get drink. There were also 56 children of tender years burnt and scalded, on whom inquests were held, 38 of whom received the injuries that caused death from Saturday night to Tuesday morning. In 17 out of every 20 inquests held during the year, drink has had more or less to do with the cause of death. 26 males and 17 females died from excessive drinking, and 41 males; and 4 females received .injuries that caused their deaths whilst in a state of intoxication. Of the 17 males and 5 females that committed suicide, 16 was through drink. Inquests on persons who died in the Northern. Hospital Ditto, Infirmary Ditto,. South Hospital Ditto, Liverpool Workhouse and hospital l5 Out of the 690 inquests held during the year, 378, received the injuries that caused the death, north of a line drawn from the Town-hall to the corner of Shawstreet, thence to Boundary-street North.—The following is a tabular statement of the cases and the manner in which they have been disposed of :  :2220 2002 . 218 .1912 . 696 .1216
Northern Times. — 1860-02-08 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

EXTRAORDINARY FRENCH STORY.—The Journal de la Niere contains the following :—" It may be remembered that an account was lately given of the discovery, in a field at Lacelle-sur-Loire, in the Nievre, of not fewer than seventeen human skeletons. The matter was considered very extraordinary, as the field had never served for a cemetery, and there was no record of any person having been interred in it. What made the discovery seem stranger was that some years back, in cutting a road in the same field, ten skeletons were found there. The excavations having been continued in the field, fifteen other skeletons have been found within the last few days, makinr, a total of 42 ! Soule of the local: journals have spread the report that the skeletons were those of travellers murdered by the keeper of a road-side public-house to whom the field belongs, and that this man and his wife had in consequence been arrested. The journals added that the daughter of the couple, knowing ,of the crimes, committed suicide some years back. But from an inv6sti.L gation made by the local authorities there appears no reason whatever to suspect this innkeeper. The man has always enjoyed an excellent reputatißn. He is not the owner of the field, and moreover, his house has only been built some twenty years, whereas several of the skeletons, according. to medical men, have been interred at least thirty. Nevertheless, the conviction of the authorities is that the forty-two persons whose skeletons have been found were really murdered ; and the probability is, they think, that the murders were committed by the occupiers of one of three houses standing in the field in question, which bears the name of Le , Champ des Braults, and is a short distance from the village. From a grindstone and remains of different articles being found with some of the skeleton's, the belief is that such persons were hawkers. , Even if the perpetrators of the murders should be ,discovered, they cannot be proseented,'inasmuch as the' skeletons show that the crimes must have been committed from thirty to twenty years back, and Art. 647 of the Criminal Code declares that no prosecution for a crime punishable by death can be instituted after ten years without any proceedings having been taken."
The Daily Times. — 1861-01-28 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THE • LATE APPALLING .ACCIDENT AT ST. VINCENTh ROCKS, BRISTOL;  The police have, after considerable trouble, been successfnl in discovering who the unfortunate man was who met his death on Thursday last by falling from the summit of the Lion's Head Cliff, the loftiest of the range of St. Vincent's Rocks, under the circumstances already detailed. The ill-fated man turns out to be William Edward Blanning, aged about fifty years, who carried on MO' tttslaosa of a boot and shoe maker at No. 4, Narrow Wine-strect; St: Peter's, Bristol.  On Friday at elven o'clock the city coroner, J. B. Grindon, Esq., held an inquest on the body at the General Draper Tavern, Hotivelig. The jury having been briefly addressed by the learned officer, proceeded to view the body, the shockingly mutilated appearance of nhiall, especially about the head and face, caused a thrill of horror to run through them.. Maria,Bldnning, 'widow of the deceased, John Dunkingfori (a friend of. his), Oliver Owen and the,other boy who fatind the body, and policemen Wm. &Web 110, and John Wilkins,.l2r, were eumined. It appeared from the statement of the constables, who had examined the spot where the catastrophe occurred, that the deceased must have caught by the heel as he descended, as one of his boots—of which the body was minus when found—was discovered wedged into a cleft in the rock. The disordered 'state of his trousers, noticed on Thursday, was also clearly caused by his striking against the cliff, as his trousers were not unfastened from the buttons? but had been forcibly tornusunder. It was proved that poor Planning had been ill, and in a very low state for a fortnight before, although not so bad as to. lead to the conclusion that he committed suicide.  The jury returned an open verdict of " Died by a fall from St. Vincent's Rocks."
The Daily Times. — 1860-08-01 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

SUICIDE OF THE MANAGER OF A  LIVERPOOL BANK.  Mr. Jeremiah Chaffers, who has for many years occupied the position of manager of the Royal Bank in this town, committed suicide early yesterday morning, by hanging himself at his residence, Belleview, Anfield. The deceased had been for some time in bad health, and is said to have been very much depressed since the death of his brother. A short time ago, a proprietor of the bank expressed dissatisfaction at the manner in which Mt Chaffers performed his duties, and gave notice of a motion for his dismissal. There can be no doubt that ill-health, the death of his brother, and his threatened dismissal preyed very much on the mind of the deceased, and led him to commit the act which caused his death. As far as the business of the bank is concerned there will be no difficulty, Mr. Chaffers having left everything in such a state as would almost lead to the conclusion that he was preparing for his permanent absence. There will, of course, be an inquiry before the coroner. The following circular has been addressed by F. Shand, Esq., chairman of the directors to the depositors in the bank, and will no doubt set at rest all anxiety as to the state of its affairs : The Royal Bank of Liverpool, • 31,it July, 1860. Sir,—The sudden death of Mr. Chaffers, late manager of this bank, throws on the directors an unexpected amount of responsibility; but they arc happy to assure you that there is nothing irregular in his accounts, and that the poSition of the bank is such as to create no anxiety intheir minds as to the depositors. The directors will immediately apply themselves to the appointment of a new manager,nnd in the meantime the bank will be carried on as natal. and I hope may continue to enjoy your personal confidence.—I remain, sir, yours faithfully, F. SHAND, Chairman.
The Daily Times. — 1860-07-24 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

ADULTERY AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.  NEwcAstit, July 21.  The quiet village of Newsham has been thrown into a great state of excitement by a report which proved to he true, that a navvie, named Joseph Chapman, had attempted to take away his life by cutting his throat with a razor. A few months ago, the navvie, who was working on the railway at Prospect Hill, absconded with the wife of one of the villagers, named Cleghorn. Shortly after their departure, however, the woman, repeutifig of the step she had taken, and being tired of travelling the country with 'her gallant, applied to her husband to forgave her and receive her hometO her family. The husband agreed, mid Mrs. Cleghorn returned home about a month ago. The navvie came back also, and, as it were, haunted the place where she dwelt. He has been freqUently seen in the neighbourhood by several 6f the neighbours, and it appeared that he had taken lodgings about Percy Main. Yesterday morning he was seen coming into the village about eleven o'clock. Shortly afterwards he was found, with his throat cut, in a small outhouse used for keeping poultry. Mrs. Cleghorn, coming to the door, saw some blood, and finding that it proceeded from her wounded lover, she called a cartman, who was loading coals at the time, to come and remove the injured man before her husband came home. Dr. Trotter, of Blyth, happened to be in the place at the time visiting his patients, and he speedily sewed up and dressed the wound. Dr. Ward, of Blyth, was also sent fort as was also one of the overseers, and Chapman was conveyed by Sergeant Buglass to Newcastle Infirmary, where he now lies in a Most cbingerous state. Dr. Ward says the wound is a very serious one. nttmour asserts that the foolish fellow had some poison on him, but whether he took any is not ascertained.
The Daily Times. — 1860-10-24 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CORONER'S COURT.-INTERESTING STATZTICS.  Mr. Blake, the intelligent beadle of this court, has made out the following returns, which will be embodied in the Head Constable's annual report, up to 30th September of this year : Return shewing the number of inquests held during the year, within this Borough, commencing with 30th September, 1859, and ending the 29th September, 1860, under the various heads :—Under 7 years : Male, 132 ; Female, 125 ; Total of deaths in which inquests were held, 257. From 7 years to 16 years : Male, 27 ; Female, 31; Total number of deaths in which inquests were held, 58. From 16 years to 60 years : Male, 239 ; Female, 83 ; Total number of deaths in which inquests were held, 322. Above 60 years : Male; 42 ; Female, 21; Total of deaths in which inquests were held. 63. Murder : Male, 13 ; Female, 12. Manslaughter : Male, 4 ; Female, 8. Justifiable homicide : Male, 0 ; Female, 1; Suicide : Male, 29 ; Female, 8. Accidental deaths : Male, 275; Female, 154. Injury—causes unknown : Male, 11 ; Female, 5. Found dead Male, 81 ; Female, 44. Excessive drinking : Male, 7 ; Female, 7. Other causes : Male, 20 ; Female, 21. Amount of expenses for the year, £1,179 ls. 4d. Each inquest cost £2 2s. 21d. Return shelving that from the 30th September, 1859, to the 29th September, 1860, inclusive, there have been 617 cases of death reported to the Coroner's Court, by the police and others, into which the beadle made personal inquiries. From the report made by him to the coroner inquests were not necessary in any of these, thereby preventing an expense to the borough of £1,302 15s. 41d. This estimate being based upon the cost of inquests during the year ; the average cost of each inquest held being £2 2s. 21d. This includes coroner's fee, witnesses' expenses, surgeons, analyses, and car fare for the conveyance of the jury.