npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1879-01-25 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

CURIOUS STORY.  In his report for 1877-78 Captain Burton, Assistant Agent, Governor-General, Rajpootana, gives an account of a curious event which occurred in the State of Bikaneer. Early one morning about 70 or 80 Sidds, or Hindoo fakirs, who held villages and occupied extensive lands, rushed into his oompound, making a great disturbance and shouting out that their chief priest, the Mohunt, had been unjustly arrested by the durbar, and that unless he was immediately released they would all kill themselves opposite his door. These people are in the habit of mutilating themselves, or even committing suicide, when they consider themselves. oppressed or ill-treated by the durhar. Captain, Burton, however, failed to pacify them, and accord., ingly consulted the Bikaneer vakeel in the presence of the Skids. The vakeel stated that there were several grave charges against the Sidds who had beenlarrested, that their cases would be carefully investigated, and that it was right Jussoonath, the priest, should remain in confinement until he had answered the complaints against him. The Siddis were still as stubborn as ever; they declared the raj was oppressing them, and being armed with swords, knives, and daggers, which they frequently flourished, they said they would commit suicide unless their request was acceded to. After this they, in a body, went and sat outside the compound for two days, making much noise. On the third day it was reported to Captain Barton that the Slade had prepared four excavations, in each of which a man was seated ready to be buried alive, while the others declared they were about to destroy themselves. At first they refused to desist, but eventually became quiet, though they would take no food; and about the fifth day some were even dying of hunger. On the sixth day Jussonath was released on bail; on the seventh the Sidds partook of food, and on the eighth they left the spot where they had encamped themselves. It appeared there were many points to be argued between the durbar and these Sidds, and that both parties were to blame, the former wishing to extort, in the shape of revenue, as much money as possible from the latter, who were trying to evade payment. The matter, however, was amicably settled after several months, and the Sidde returned to their villages.
Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1879-08-16 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

THE PARISH CHURCH SCHOOLS, HALIFAX.—On Thursday, through the kindness of Mr. Joshua Appleyard, some 400 young persons connected with the Parish Churoh Sunday School, Halifax, were taken by special train to Blackpool, in a saloon carriage. The Rev. F. Pigou, vicar of Halifax, and some other gentlemen accompanied the train. Tea was provided at Raikes Hall Gardens, and subsequently an entertainment programme was gone through for the benefit of the young folks.  POISONING CASE AT BATLiY.—on Wednesday afternoon Mr. Taylor, coroner, held an inquest at the Black Bull Hotel, Batley, on view of the body of a young woman, Rose Ann Brown, who poisoned herself on Monday by taking a packet of vermin powder. It appeared from the evidence that the deceased had lost her work at the will about a month ago, and that since then she had suffered from depression of spirits. The jury returned a verdict of suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity. THE Miners' Conference now being held at Manchester on Thursday resolved that a national emigration association should be established, any ()lass of workmen in the United Kingdom to be eligible to membership. Branches are to be formed in every district, and the association is to be of a voluntary character. Its object will be to find suitable places for emigration, and for this purpose it was resolved money should be raised by the association to purchase land and pay the expenses of members migrating or emigrating. HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND PILLS will be found the best friend to persons afflicted with ulcerations, bad legs, sores, abscesses, fistulas. and other painful and complicated complaints. Printed and very plain directions for the application of the Ointment are wrapped round each pot. Holloway's alterative Pills should be taken throughout the progress of the cure to maintain the blood in a state of perfect purity, and to prevent the health of the whole body being jeopardised by the local ailments i bad legs, old age's great grievances, are thus readily cured, without confining the patient to bed, or withdrawing from him the nutritious diet and generous support so imperatively demanded, when weakening diseases attack advanced years or constitution& eviuoing premature deoreptitude,
Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1879-04-26 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

GUILTY, BUT INNOCENT.  AN INCIDENT ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE OPERATION OF THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT.  The merciless cruelty with which poor and defenceless young women are liable to be treated in places where the Contagious Diseases Act are in operation, is so amazing, that many persons find it difficult to believe that such tyranny can exist in a country like our own. One of the reasons why so little is heard of the victims of these laws, is because the secret police who are employed in this service, interfere only- with those who appear to be the most friendless, and therefore least able to defend themselves.  A respectable, fatherless girl, just verging into womanhood, who gained her living partly by laundry-work and partly by labouring in the fields, was fixed upon last autumn by these police at Woolwich, as a suitable person to place upon the Government Register of female prostitutes. They obtained an order from a magistrate to compel her to submit to periodical surgical violation for six months, in order to ascertain from gine to time her sanitary fitness for the vilest uses of men. But conscious of her own innocence, and determined that no power on earth should make her a prostitute, and force her to gain her daily bread by the shameful life to which the secret police and the magistrates had doomed her, she refused to submit, whereupon she was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment—a punishment which might have been indefinitely repeated but for the circumstances following. Much to the annoyance of the police, who carry on their operations as noiselessly as possible, the case of this young working woman managed to find its way into a London daily newspaper. A few of the opponents of these infamious laws at once set themselves to rescue her from the fangs of this truly diabolical system. They applied in open court, with a special reporter present whom they had provided., and demanded of the magistrate who had condemned her, that she should be released from the order he made.  The matter could now be kept quiet no longer. As the secret police were unable to produce any evidence that she had ever committed an immoral action' the Judge, after reflecting on the poor girl's character by suggesting that her condition in life was such that she might have become a prostitute, thought it wise to give her her liberty on the condition of entering into her own reoognizanoes in £5 for her good behaviour for three months I  The frien-ds who had demanded her release, immediately took her away, and found a comfortable situation for her in the family of a Wesleyan minister. In that situation she is at this moment. What would have become of her had her case not been made public (as hundreds are not), it is impossible to say. Other respectable women in a similar position have escaped from this horrible slavery by commiting suicide. Perhaps she would hare dose the same,
Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1879-03-15 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

SUICIDE OE A YOUNG LADY AT FAWLEY.— Miss Lavinia Keighley, Bagley, who has for many years resided with her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Edroyd, House, Farsley, by whom she had been adopted, was found drowned on Wednesday in a reservoir belonging to the Bunny Bank Mill Company, Farsley. Deceased, who was about twenty-one years of age, had been in low spirits for a week or two in consequence of a .thisunderstanding which had arisen between her and a young gentleman, son of a Bradford worsted spinner, to whom she had been engaged, and which had resulted in the engagement being broken off. About seven o'clock on Tuesday evening she dressed herself as though going for a walk. Before doing so she shook her aunt warmly by the hand, and said "God bless you, aunt; Ido love you." On being asked where she was going to, she replied "To "Miss Naylor's," a friend of her; not far from home. On 'her not returning at her usual hour, inquiries were made, when it was ascertained she had not gone, as stated, whereupon, a relative of the family went to her father's house at Bagley and to a married brother's house, and to other places where it was thought likely she might be visiting. Not being able to glean any information respecting the young lady, it was suggested that the reservoir in question should be searched. On proceeding thither, a muff and a shawl were found lying on the lowest of three reservoirs, which are situated near together. Steps were at once taken to drag the dam, when her body was found. It was at once .."oved te her late home to await an inquest. Twq letters were found in he purse, both of which tend to show thet helyas sui!aring from gmeaeipn spirits!' '  .
Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1883-10-06 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

SUSPECTED MURDER AT LIVERSEDGE.  On Tuesday so inquest was opened at the Cross Keys Inn, Hightown, Liversedge, by Mr. T. Taylor the district coroner, upon human remains found In  a boiler tank in the inins of Clough Mill, Hightown, at noon on Sunday, and regarding whioh grave suspicions of murder had been raised. Mr. Wm. Cordingley was chosen foreman of the jury, who, having been sworn, proceeded to view the remains, and afterwards inspected the place where the deceased was found. The hole In _which the  _ body was discovered is situate immediately in front of the boilers, and was used as a receptacle for the contents of ashes from the flues, as well as being the entrance to the bottom flue. It appeared to be the general opinion of the jury that to commit suicide in such a position was practically impossible. A strong stench emanated from the place. Portions of human hair were found on the bottom of the exhaust pipe which crosses the aperture. On the jury re-assembling at the inn the following evidence was tendered: _  Samuel Mellor, a young man residing in Cloughlane, Hightown, said: I am a hurrier in a pit, and have resided near the Clough Mill three or four years, having been there previous to the factory being destroyed by tire. The mill was burned down exactly three years ago to-night. I have been about the ruins of the will many times, but Sunday was the first time that I visited the firing place. had been in company with a companion named Wm. Sowden, rambling about the neighbourhood, and neither Sowden nor I having seen the boiler place, I pushed aside a plank which guarded the entrance to it, awl we went inside. Bowden, who was in front of me, went to the ashes place, one of the plates of which was partly removed. He saw something which looked like & skull in the hole, and poking it with his stiok asked me what it
Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1883-01-06 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

OVERDOSE OF CHLORAL.  An inquest has been held at Saxonbury-lodge, Ryde, upon the body of Lady Catherine Petro, widow of the late Hon. Arthur Petra, and youngest daughter of the late Earl of Wicklow, who was found dead in her bed on Wednesday morning. Miss Mary Rush, a governess in the family, deposed that on Tuesday in last week, the deceased was in her usual health, which was apparently very good. On the following morning the housemaid called her at half-past seven, but failing to wake her, roused witness, who ran Into her ladyship's bed-room and found her lying on her left side with her face buried in the pillow. Finding she was ooldndsee• ly dead, medical aid wait at once summoned. Her ladyship had been in the habit of taking chloral as a sleeping draught, and by the side of the bed witness found a bottle of chloral, which had been obtained from a neighbouring chemist the day after Christmas Day. Mr. John Powell, of Maryborough, Queen's County, eon-in-law of the deceased, deposed that he had been staying with the deceased for several moulds. He knew deceased was in the habit of taking chloral as she could not sleep. He had no reason to believe that the deceased would commit suicide.  Mr. E. A. Rich, surgeon,lllyds, stated that he was called in to see deceased, latio had then been dead several hours. He found two bottles, both labelled "chloral," on the washstand, and also a tumbler which smelt of chloral. He thought from the smell of the' glass, and from the fact that the water bottle was full, it had been drunk undiluted. On examining the bottle he found that 16 teaspoonfuls had been taken out. A teaspoonful would be 10 grains. He had known people take as much as 80 grains when used to it, but 30 grains would be the IltaXiMloll dose to give. tie bad neon to be. lisve that the deceased had a fatty heart, and in such a case chloral would be very injurious, as it had a tendency to weaken the heart. He had no doubt that de died from heart disease, and while under the Influence of chloral. The jury returned a verdict that "the deceased died from the effects of an overdose of chloral taken incautiously and inadvertently."  there were 22,000 troops in the island. The total _ to nearly 24,000 in 1878, but in 1879 sank to 18,684, At the present time there are in the three minttricta—Belfast (hisjor•General Sayer), Dublin Clarina), and Cork (Major-General Torrens)—seven regiments of cavalry, fifteen batteries of artillery (besides depots), three companies of engineers, five companies of eommissariat and transport, and 29 bat. talons of infantry.
Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1883-12-29 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

LAND SPECULATORS IN NEW GUINEA. A man named Pries, a'bootmalcer, living in Piinlico- The Rev. G. T. Lawes, of Port Moresby, New shot his wife on Vauxhall Bridge on Thursday night, Guinea, has writteu a letter to Mr. George Palmer, and endeavoured to commit suicide. The man and 51. P., with reference to the proceedings of certain woman were seen talking excitedly upon the bridge, Australian land speculators at Redscar Bay and on and suddenly the man Irew a revolver from his pocket the New Guinea coast. Mr. Lewes complains and fired two shots at the woman, who shrieked and that although these persons profess to have purchased fell to the ground. A passer-by seized the man, who large quantities of land from the natives, the then threatened to shoot him; but other persons arriv- latter were ignorant of the real nature of the ing he was secured, after a desperate attempt to shoot transactions to which they were supposed to be himself, and was given into custody. In his possession parties; while in one case a chief, whose cupidity were found a revolver, six discharged and 34 loaded was excited by presents of tonialytwks and tobacco, cartridges. The woman was conveyed to St. Thomas's signed away a fertile tract belonging to persons Hospital in a precarious condition with a bullet in her who had never given him authority to sell, and head and a second wound in the chest. The woman, who, in fact, disclaimed all knowledge of who is 48 years of age, has been living apart from her what had taken place. According to Mr. husband. The prisoner VMS brought up at the W'est- Lawes, in the district of Kabadi certain specuminster police-court on Friday, and remandertit being lators claim to have acquired 15,000 acres of land. stated that the prisoner had been suffering from valued by a scientific agriculturist at £2 an acre, delirium tremens. , for the modest sum of £7O, which was represented not in money, but in what at the Antipodes is called "trade "—viz.' such articles as axes,red cloth, beads. and tobacco. Mr. Lewes suggests that Mr. Palmer as an influential member of the Aborigine.) Protee tion Society, should bring them under the notice 1E her Majesty's Government.
Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1883-10-27 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

BETRAYED AND LOST FOR EVER.  A curious work, entitled "Bride Aus der Mille" originally written in Danish and just translated into German, which has had a remarkable circulation, is supposed to be a chronicle of the experiences of a lost one, who has resided for some time in the place reserved for "the devil and his angels." One great sin the writer confesses to have committed while on earth. He seduced a poor village girl, and very cruelly forsaking her—in accordance with his mother's advice, who deemed her too fa. beneath him in station ever to become his wife—had driven i:er to a life of shame, and eventually to suicide. And in hell the expectation possessed him that he must meet her. Accordingly an acquaintance one day asked him if he knew Undme. "On my answering no, he continued, ' There she is.' My eyes turned in the direction to which he pointed, and I saw a youthful, stately, female form in very slight clothing and with dishevelled hair. Her clothes clung to her limbs, they seemed to be wet through. She was busy wringing out first her dress, and then her black hair. She now looked up. I shivered with horror; it was Anna! Yes, it was she. The same regular and beautiful features, the same elegant form; and yet she was completely changed. Oh ! how frightfully changed! Certainly the same features, but how relaxed and brutal! Passion, vice, despair, had branded her with their iron mark. She appeared many years older, and yet, perhaps, only a few years had elapsed between her fall and her death. And her death—of this there could be no doubt—was the death of despair in the waters. I trembled likea malefactor at the sudden sight of thescaffold. This was my doing; this debased, lost, but once beautiful and noble form! There she sat, wringing her clothes and her long hair, and then she wrung her hands, and sigh followed sigh. Oh, what sighs The full bosom heaved and sunk, as if it would burst. At first I thought I must flee away. It seemed as if one word from her mouth would kill me. But I knew not what power seized me, I suddenly pushed towards her. Did I wish to cast myself at her feet? She now for the first time became conscious of my presence. She rose, gazed on me with a look of horror and disgust, and fled. It was impossible for me to approach her. By the power of thought alone she always kept herself at the same distance from me. At last she vanished from my sight amid a troop of new corners, who were making their sad entry into hell. Then I turned, as if scourged by furies."lol
Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1883-11-03 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

SAD SUICIDE OF A SURGEON.  An inquest was on Thursday held at Kensington on the body of Mr. Adolphus Haffenden, aged 5:2, a surgeon, who died from the effects of poison. A barrister, named Croft, deposed that since the charge recently made against the deceased of procuring abortion, he had appeared strange in his manner. He was depressed, and there was a sort of wildnet-s about his looks. He was also extremely feverish, and looked like a man who did not know what he was about. He had never spoken of being tired of life. His condition, in the opinion of witness, was due to the charge made against him, which he had denied. Another witness named Layard said that Mr. Haffenden had stated to him on several occasions that the cruelty to which he had been subjected by the making of the charge and his arrest was more than he could bear. He said that to be taken to the dock at the police-court was more than he could stand, and that he would break down. But he would try and bear it like a than. He had not slept well, neither had he taken food. On Tuesday morning last witness was fetched to the house by the footman, and saw Mr. Haffeuden lying dead in bed. Mrs. Haffenden gave Layard the keys. and in a drawer in the writing table he found a letter in Haffenden's handwriting and a bottle.—Mr. G. Parr, a surgeon and partner with • Mr. Liaffenden, stated that he was called to the latter on Tuesday morning and found him unconscious, with cold skin, fever pulse, contracted pupils, and all the signs of narcotic poisoning. He died about half-past 5. He had taken bromide, as he was unable to sleep. He had been able to eat but irregularly. Witness added that, to a man suffering from depression, want of food, and sleep, a small dose of a narcotic would likely be of a fatal result.—The Coroner, in summing up, said that the only question was whether the narcotic was taken to procure sleep or death. The letter had an important bearing in the case, but the evidence was consistent with either theory.—The jury returned a verdict "That death was due to a dose of opium taken while in an extreme state of mental depression." The British ifedieal Journal states, in reference to the suicide of this unfortunate gentleman, that it is in possession of information shewing that the course which he took in the medical treatment of the case was not the subject of any sort of concealment, and that eminent medical men, to whom all the particulars had been submitted, were prepared to go into court and to justify his treatment of the case. The prescriptions which he gave in the case have been examined and found to have contained only wilines , and ammonia, and to have been of a perfectly harmless nature.