npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1887-02-24 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SHOCKING SUICIDE AT ACOCK'S GREEN. On Friday in last week Mr. Couchman, coroner, held an inquest at the Barley Mow Inn, Solihull, on the body of Joseph Hodgkins, Malvern House, Warwick-road, Acock's Green. On Thursday the deceased was found dead in a ditch upon his estate, by his farm bailiff, Thomas Hull. Between nine and ten o'clock in the morning deceased called at his farm, as was his custom, and took a gun and several cartridges and went across the fields in search of a hare which the farm bailiff informed him he had seen in the fields that morning. Deceased then appeared in his usual health, and gave instructions for luncheon to be provided for him on his return. As the deceased did not return according to promise, Hull, fearing that something had happened to him, went in the direction of the wood where his son informed him he had last heard the report of a gun. In a ditch in the middle of the wood he was startled to find his master, in a sitting position, quite dead, with his scalp blown away, and with the gun resting between his legs. There was a piece of string, about two feet long, attached to the trigger, and it was supposed that deceased had held the end of the string in one hand, and pressing his foot in the centre had fired the gun. He saw the deceased in the morning, he chatted to him about the farming stock, and gave him instructions as to the future management of the farm.—Dr. Bradford said the deceased had been under his care for the last five or six years. During that time, hewever, he had enjoyed good health, and witness had no reason to suspect so sad a termination of his life. He was a bachelor, and lived with his unmarried sister. NN'hen witness saw the body life had been extinct some time. The injuries to the head would cause instantaneous death.—The jury returned a verdict of " Suicide whilst temporarily insane."
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1887-09-29 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SUICIDE OF A MOTHER.  An inquest was held on Monday, at Hendon, on the body of Martha Stocker, aged 69, a widow, lately residing there, who was found drowned in the waters of Brent Reservoir. Charles Stocker, boatman at the Welsh Harp, said the deceased, who was his mother, and the widow of Charles Stocker, boatbuilder, had resided with him for three months, having quarrelled with • daughter with whom she had formerly lived. Sixteen years ago another daughter was drowned in Canada in view of the deceased, and as the anniversary of her daughter's death approached she became depressed in spirits. The other night she apparently retired to rest as usual, but the following morning she was missing from the house. He found a pencil-note lying on the kitchen table and her spectacles beside it. The note, addressed to the witness, was as follows Dear Charley and Nelly.—When you read this my body wifl be in the water close to your little white shantie. No one but Annie drove me to do this wicked thing. I hope the Lord will forgive me. God bless you all ! "—The witness explained that the " shantie " mentioned referred ,to his boathouse, and the Annie alluded to was his sister, with whom the deceased resided nine years at Chiswick. His mother had lately had a dream which troubled her, in addition to the remembrance of her daughter's loss, and also the death of her husband, who was shot twelve months after her daughter wae drowned. When the witness found the note he hastened to the Brent Reservoir—the water of the Welsh Harp —and discovered his mother's bonnet and shawl upon a raft beneath an oar, and her body was close by in 6ft. of water. He tried to restore animation. —The jury returned a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1887-06-16 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SUICIDE OF A STOCKBROKER. In the Queen's Hotel, Waterloo, Mr. S. Brighouse, county coroner, held an inquest on the body of Charles Brice Hobbs, sixty-seven years of age, who lived at Tower Lea, Crosby-road North, whose body was found by the Serpentine pond, Waterloo. Charles Watt Hobbs said the deceased was his father. He lived at Tower Lea, Crosby-road North. He was a stock and share broker. He was sixty-seven years of age. AVitness last saw him alive about, half-past nine On Monday morning. He saw him dead the same day. Deceased had been in failing health for some time past. Nothing beyond great nervousness and depression of spirits indicated that his mind was affected. Elizabeth Corn, cook in the employ of the do. ceased, said she saw the deceased alive on Monday morning. He said he felt confused and depressed, and that he had strange noises in his head. Deceased had for the last three years been depressed in his mind.  William Henry Thompson, gardener for Mr. William Rollo, of Waterloo Park, said that on Monday morning, about half-past ten, witness's attention was vaned by a boy to a man lying near the pond called the Serpentine. The lad said he was afraid he would fall into the water. Witness went, to him and haind him lying there face downwards with a bullet wound on the right side of the head. A pistol was grasped in his hand. Witness gave information to the police. Police-constable 1,365 (Robert Turner) said that .on Monday, in consequence of information he re. ceived, he went to the pond called the Serpentine. He f 1 the deceased lying dead with a pistol dal led in his ham l. He found no writing on the body to show how he came by his death. ..He removed the body to the mortuary. The Coroner asked if the mortuary and the deceased's residence were not both in the same township. ‘V it ness es, sir.  Thi. Coroner. ‘Vlty s not the body taken  Witne,s. There was no sergeant here at the time, and I thought it would he best to brio, the body down luTe. The Coroner having briefly -unlined up the lir. entnstanees of the VaSe, the jury let timed 41 ver. diet t hat the deveasei I et month ed suicide whilst in a tit of templitary  . . An address has been forwarded froni the Lan. easter Town Folineif congiatniating her Maj(tity on the fiftieth anniversary of her accession to No Throne.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1887-11-17 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

ONE OF THE REAL UNEMPLOYED.  Louisa Glover, 52 years of age, wife of a wood turner, was brought up at Worship-street Police. court, London, on a warrant charged with having attempted to oommit suicide. A police•constable said that at seven o'clock in the evening he was galled by the prisoner's husband to the room they occupied, the husband stating that his wife had taken poison. He (the officer) found the woman lying on • bed on the floor, vomiting, and in answer to his questions the woman stated that she had taken some acid which was used by her husband in his business. The divisional surgeon was sent for and he applied the stomach pump, after which, by the medical gentleman's direction, the prisoner was removed to the London Hospital for treatment. In reply to further questions put to her, she said she had taken the poison because she was afraid of having to enter the workhouse.—The husband said that he had had no work for a long time. He had gone out to seek work, and had told his wife that unless he got it they must go to the workhouse at night, as everything had been made away with, and they had had but the barest food for a long time.—The whole appearance of the husband was that of suffering poverty, though, like his wife's, his clothes were neat. It was further statel that they had no children, and that the man was a good workman. He said that if h. had a little money to buy wood he could make some saleable articles.—The magis. trate having called the attention of the parish relieving officer to the case, said he would allow the husband a sovereign from the poor-box.—The wife, having promised not to repeat the offence, was ordered to be bound over to be of good behaviour for three months.  AT Liverpool three police constables have this week been dismissed the force- one for assaulting a prisoner in the Btidewell, and the other two for denying that they saw the assault, though they were present.  IT ir stated that Mr. Bowman, husband of Madame Bowman, known for her prominent connection with the Cass ease, has just died, from the effect, it is said, of shock at the accusations recently brought against his wife and daughter.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1887-08-18 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

BAND OF MURDERERS.  AN organised band of murderers has been detected in Servia. The number of their victims is said to be over sixty. A fortnight ago a Russian carpet merchant named Abramovics arrived at Pirot to make his annual purchases. He took up his quarters at one of the large inns of the town. Towards ten o'clock, while he was making merry with a party of friends, two gendarmes called at the inn and requested Abramovics to follow them to the Prefecture. As he had not returned by two o'cleck the next day, some of his friends went to make inquiries at the Prefecture, and there they ascertained that he had not been seen, and that no order had been issued for his arrest. Meanwhile, some peasants found his body in an old intrenchment. Information was given to the Deputy Prefect, who forthwith sent troops to arrest the lieutenant of gendarmerie and all his men. The former was with difficulty prevented from committing suicide. According to a statement made by two of the gendarmes, they received orders from their lieutenant to take Abramovics to the police station. When he arrived there he was shown a warrant of arrest issued against him charging him with being a spy. He was told that he would be taken to the Bulgarian frontier, and that his effects had been sent on before him. He was put into a one-horse conveyance; but, instead of being driven to the Bulgarian frontier, he was taken to the intrenchments, murdered, and robbed of 1,500 napoleons. The prisoners are said to have confessed afterwards that during the last two years sixty people had been murdered in the same way. Twenty-two gold watches and a large number of rings and lockets were found at their houses. Two correspondents of French newspapers who were at Pirot during the war are supposed to be amongst their victims. A telegram from Semlin states that the lieutenant of gendarmerie under arrest charges the Deputy Prefect of Pirot with complicity in the crimes. He has likewise been taken into custody, and is reported to have confessed, alleging that in the case of Abram°. vies and of another murder he acted on superior orders. An official commission of investigation has been sent from Belgrade to Pirot.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1887-08-11 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

ACCIDENTS AND CRIME.  THE inquest was resumed at Tiverton, on Monday, on the body of Archibald Reed, river keeper, who was found in the river with his throat cut on July 30. Suspicion fell on poachers, and a verdict of wilful murder against some persons unknown was returned.  A YOUNG man, believed to be a journeyman painter, committed suicide by jumping from Clifton suspension bridge on Monday. It is stated that he swam for two or three minutes after falling in the water, but this is doubted. This is the 25th suicide from the bridge since its erection.  ALL the bcidies of the persons drowned by the upsetting of the sailing boat " Dawn of Day" in the Yarmouth Roads, on the 28th of last month, have now been recovered. The body of Mrs. Hurst, of Sr. Thomas-road, Finsbury Park, London, was picked up off the Newcombe Sands on Friday, and that of her husband was found in the Yarmouth Roads on Saturday. A FIRE has been burning for several days past upon the mountain situate between Brynmawr ond Llangynider, the property of the Duke of Beaufort. A number of men have been engaged endeavouring to prevent the outbreak, which already covers an area of nearly two square miles, from spreading, but as yet their efforts have been of little avail. A large quantity of grouse and other game has been de -t royed.  QUARTERM ASTER ARMITAGE, of the 6th Brigade, North Irish Division, Royal Artillery, stationed at Dungannon, on Monday night was ordered to go and see the commanding officer, and instead went to a drucgist's and purchased a quantity of cyanide of potassium, used for cleaning gold lace, and drank a glassful, dying a few minutes afterwards. Just b..fore the rash act he wrote a note addressed to his wife saying he had committed a serious crime, and he could not meet his commanding officer. He hoped that God would forgive him, and added that he had been cruelly treated in this world, and that he hoped Gad would bless his wife and children.  A FIRE occurred at Plymouth, on Monday night. which threatened to spread disastrously, owing to, the extreme beat and lack of water. It originated in some stables, and was not subdued until an extensive block had been totally destroyed. Three horses were burned to death, and one brought out so charred that it had to be shot,
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1895-07-11 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

ASTON TOL I CE CIOURT  MONDAY.—Before 'Messrs. A. Hill. A. W. 'WM. and Alderman Johnson, J. gmallwood. and FA wards.  Charge of Stealing a Watch.  Elijah Cooper. of no fixed residence, was bronght up on a charge of stealing a silver Geneva watch, value 18a. the property of Lily Woodward, of 260, Lichfield Rand, on the 31st May last. The prosecutrix stated the prisoner was her brother, and had been out of mirk for a long time. She did not wish to press the charge.—Police-constable Long, who had charge of the case, said prisoner had been living with his sister. and went away for a week. On his return he entered the house by the back of the premises. and took the watch, which he pledged fgr ss. Prisoner was an army pensioner, and had been in India for nine years. He gave himself into custody to witness—The magistrates remanded the prisoner for a week.  An Old Offender.  William Wilson, alias Byfield, hawker, of no fixed residence, was placed in the dock charged with stealing Ms. from the till of Henry Loch, 44, Carlyle Road, on the 25th March last. On the date named Mrs. Loch saw the prisoner in the shop when he offered her collar studs for sale. She refused to purchase any and after he left the amount named was missed from the till. He was followed for some distance, but was afterwards lost sight of. There was a long list of previous convictions against prisoner. and he was now committed to take his trial at the Assizes.—Prisoner asked that he might be dealt with summarily, and said he had been trying to get work ever since he was in prison on the last occasion but failed to do so. The Charge of Attempted Suicide.  Walter Barrett, who is charged with attempting to commit suicide by cutting his throat with a razor, on the 30th, in Witton Lane. was again remanded. A Refractory Pauper. Geo. Wilson, who absconded from the Aston 'Union Workhouse, on the 6th inst., was gent to gaol for twenty-one days' hard labour. Vagrancy.  Chas. Hy. Jewell, 22 court, 5 house, Church Lane, for playing a game of cards milled "banker" on the 6th Met. was tined Is.  Albert Jones. 6 oourt, 5 house. Villa. Street, Birmingham, turner. for playing pitch-and-toss in Wellesley Street on Sunday was fined ss. Henry Allen. 4, Alexandra Place, Villa Street, metal spinner, for a similar offence in Villa Street, on the 6th inst.. was also fined ss. A Wandering Lunatic.  Wm. Payne, 302, New John, Rtreeb West, Birmingham, of no occupation, was charged with wandering abroad in Logells Road on the 6th inst., and was discharged on his friends premising to take care of him in the future.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1895-05-02 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

CYCLIST SHOT BY HIS WIFE.  Particulars have been received of the murder by his wife (who also committed suicide) of Medinger, the French cycling champion, so well known in the cycling world. Medinger married about 10 years ago a young lady, Mlle. Eliza Weber. who was of Engli.h parentage, although born in Switzerland. They first met under romantic circumstances. Al she was driving in the Avenue Victor Hugo, the horse ran away. Medinger, who was cycling, seized the reins, and saved the young lady. Mlle. Weber, who was very well off, fell in love with him, and they were married. After a couple of years he began to neglect her systematically, and at last seldom returned home. A short time ago he promised to leave off seeing the person of whom she had just cause to be jealous. She, believing him, went to see her father and mother at Mauleon. An anonymous letter undeceived her. The wife hurried back to Paris, and a stormy interview between her and Medinger followed. On Saturday some friends whom he had invited arrived to lunch with them. At table Madame Medinger said she would shame him by telling of his doings. A violent quarrel ensued. The guests left and Medinger went upstairs for his hat; the wife followed him. The parlourmaid, hearing two shots, cried "Murder." When she and the neighbours went to see what was the matter they found the husband and wife lying dead on the door. She had shot him in the head, and then renting the revolver to her forehead shot herself.  The body of an aged lady was cremated recently near Melbourne, this being the first case of cremation of a European in Victoria, though the corpses of several Hindus have been burnt in the Colony. The scene of the cremation was a little bay on the seashore between Sandringham and Beaumaris. The coffin was placed on the beach at the base of a cliff, and logs were piled round and over it, and some dry brushwood sprinkled with kerosene was laid among the logs. The mourners, carrying wreaths of white flowers, stood round the pyre, while the son of the deceased lady applied the light. When the fire had died out nothing was left but a heap Of hiselr nil iamnlriner °shoe
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1895-05-02 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

ABROAD. Medinger, the well-known French cyclist, has been shot dead at Paris by his wife with a revolver. Madame Medinger afterwards committed suicide. The tragedy is attributed to jealousy. A regrettable accident has happened to the Duc d'Orleans at Lebrija. His horse slipped and fell upon its rider, who sustained a fracture of the tibia. Two doctors in Seville started immediately and reduced the fracture. The Duke was hunting at the time. •  A telegram has been received from Java to the effect that 180,000 Amsterdam lb& leaf tobacco, together with the barns and dwelling-houses have been totally destroyed by fire on the Kalainjer plantation, Gortnelar estate, Java. The dam of a great reservoir at Bouzey, near Epinal, burst early on Saturday morning. The escaping water rushed into an adjoining canal, the banks of which also gave way, and the whole volume of water tore down a narrow valley for nearly 10 miles,finally emptying itself into the Moselle. Several villages were inundated, large numbers of houses were swept away, the destruction of property of all kinds was very great, and it is already certain that more than 100 lives were lost.  --The Calcutta papers are discussing the eventual policy of the Government with regard to Chitral, and are of opinion that a simple withdrawal is not possible, as Chitral is now in our hands, and is practically without a ruler. The Lower House of the Hungarian Diet has again resolved by a large majority to send the Freedom of Worship Bill back to the Upper House for the reinsertion of the clause giving equal rights to pereons of all creeds, which the magnates have twice already cut out of the measure. Serious disturbances are occurring throughout Formosa. The Chinese soldiers at Tamsui mutinied and killed their general, but were dispersed by the Sovemor's body-guard. The position is critical for foreigners in the island, but several European warvessels are stationed at different norts.  Artificial Teeth exquisitely fitted. Natural in appearanoe, comfortable in use, and warranted to lad a life-time. Fitted complete at one visit without the extraction of loose teeth or stumps, or the least pain. Success guaranteed or no charge made. Teeth from 2s. fal ; sets from one guinea. Dental repairs completed while waiting.—Mr. W. J. Watson, 1, Corporation Street, Birmingham (first door from New Street, on the left). Consultationa free daily, 10 till 7; Saturdays, ti,ll 3. Gas for painlesa extremeness, book eid.
The Warwickshire Herald. — 1895-05-23 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

EXTRAORDINARY FULFILMENT OF A  DREAM.  On Friday Coroner Wynne Baxter held an inquiry at Bromley respecting the death of Emma Fitch, aged 15 years, a match-box maker, who was found drowned.—Julia Fitch, the mother, stated that deceased left home on Sunday evening, the 12th, to go for a walk, and nothing further was heard of her till her body was discovered floating in Limehouse Cut. Deceased had frequently stayed out till midnight, though witness had continually warned her of the danger of being in the streets so late. Witness said that she ascertained that the deceased left her sweetheart at 12.30, saying she was going to drown herself. The next morning deceased's hat and shawl were found lying against a wall near the canal works at Stinkhouse Bridge.—Christian Hay said he kept company with the deceased, and was with another man, named Neill, his sweetheart, and the deceased, on Sunday. They went into two public-houses and had a glass of ale in each. After witness and the deceased left the other two they walked about till midnight. When witness wished to bid her "Good night" she commenced to cry, and said she was not going home, asking him to stay with her. He refused, and went to tell deceased's mother, and when he returned he could not find her.—The coroner: A most mysterious case, according to your story.—Ada Conelly, deceased's companion, said that on thr Sunday when she met the deceased the latter appeared distressed, and said: "Oh, Ada, I dreand I drowned myself. I saw myself leave C r 3 and Walk to Barchester-street and drown myselt." Deceased's body was found close to Barehester-street, go that the girl's dream came true.—The coroner. That makes the case all the more extraordinary, for there is nothing, so far as I can see, to cause her tc commit suicide.—Dr. Talbot stated that he had ex• amined the body and found nothing to show that fleath was due to anything but suffocation by drownIng.—The jury returned a verdict of suicide whilst temporarily insane.