npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1868-04-15 (London, England)

PRISON DIETARY.  The Howard Association, instituted under the patronage, of Lord Brougham, for the promotion of the best methods of penal treatment and crime prevention, issues a circular urgh g the necessity for an inquiry into the subject of prison dietary and general treatment. It cites the evidence of the witnesses and the opinion of the jury at the recent inquest on the body of the man Barrett, whose death was stated to have been accelerated by the low diet on which he was kept in the House of Correction. One witness, who had been imprisoned in Coldbath-fields, said that for seven weeks "he had one pint of gruel and six ounces of bread for supper. He had no meat at all given him for these seven weeks." The association thinks that while prisoners ought not to be pampered, they "should be so treated as to be discharged in a physical, and, if possible, moral condition for obtaining an honest livelihood. It may be remembered, too, that some men will starve on what will sustain others, and that even the difference of soil and of employment in various prisons renders a varying treatment necessary." As regards prison gruel, it has already been condemned by authority, the Government commissioners on Irish gaols having recently recommended its discontinuance, its nutritive value being next to nothing. The association is of opinion that on the whole those prisons which are under the control of the magistrates are better managed than those under the control of the Home Office. "At Pentonville and Millbank, for instance, which are in the latter category), an increase of attention is required in respect to the infliction of prolonged cellular confinement, even though limited to nine months." Such confinement drives many of the prisoners mad. The chaplain of Pentonville, writing in 1866, says : " I watch with anxiety the not improbable consequences (of this confinement) upon certain temperaments of mind and body. My impression is that the numbers on the daily sick lists have been greater than of late years. I have noted amongst minor cases three of attempted and two of affected suicides, several prisoners with symptoms of idiocy, and others of insanity." Upon a late occasion at Millbank there were observed as many as a hundred imbecile and epileptic convicts confined in long galleries, padded several feet high with thick matting to prevent the prisoners from injuring themselves against the walls.  The reported death of Dr. Elliotson is contra Dr. W. H. Russell goes to Ireland to chronicle the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales for the Times.  Her Majesty has presented an autograph copy of ter " Journal in the Highlands " to the Royal Edinbuth  Asylum.  A Mr. Collins and his wife have made the overland journey from Bangkok to Moulmein in 43 days. The distance travelled was 650 miles. Mr. Collins says the journey ought to be accomplished in from 15 to 18 days.
The Sun. — 1868-04-15 (London, England)

PRISON DIETARY.  The Howard Association, instituted under the patronage of Lord Brougham, for the promotion of the best methods of penal treatment and crime prevention, issues a circular urgi: g the necessity for an inquiry into the subject of prison dietary and general treatment. It cites the evidence of the witnesses and the opinion of the jury at the recent inquest on the body of the man Barrett, whose death was stated to have been accelerated by the low diet on which he was kept in the House of Correction. One witness, who had been imprisoned in Coldbath-fields, said that for seven weeks "he had one pint of gruel and six ounces of bread for supper. He had no meat at all given him for these seven weeks." The association thinks that while prisoners ought not to be pampered, they "should be so treated as to be discharged in a physical, and, if possible, moral condition for obtaining an honest livelihood. It may be remembered, too, that some men will starve on what will sustain others, and that even the difference of soil and of employment in various prisons renders a varying treatment necessary." As regards prison gruel, it has already been condemned by authority, the Government commissioners on Irish gaols having recently recommended its discontinuance, its nutritive value being next to nothing. The association is of opinion that on the whole those prisons which are under the control of the magistrates are better managed than those under the control of the Home Office. "At Pentonville and Millbank, for instance, which are in the latter category), an increase of attention is required in respect to the infliction of prolonged cellular confinement, even though limited to nine months." Such confinement drives many of the prisoners mad. The chaplain of Pentonville, writing in 1866, says : " I watch with anxiety the not improbable consequences (of this confinement) upon certain temperaments of mind and body. My impression is that the numbers on the daily sick lists have been greater than of late years. I have noted amongst minor cases three of attempted and two of affected suicides, several prisoners with symptoms of idiocy, and others of insanity." Upon a late occasion at Millbank there were observed as many as a hundred imbecile and'epileptic convicts confined in long galleries, padded several feet high with thick matting to prevent the prisoners from injuring themselves against the walls.  The reported death of Dr. Elliotson is contradicted.  Dr. W. H. Russell goes to Ireland to chronicle the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales for the Times.  Her Majesty has presented an autograph copy or her " Journal in the Highlands " to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum. A Mr. Collins and his wife have made the overland journey from Bangkok to Moulmein in 43 days. The distance travelled was 650 miles. Mr. Collins says the journey ought to be accomplished in from 15 to 18 days.
The Sun. — 1868-11-25 (London, England)

OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.  PARIS, TUESDAY, Novernberl4. ;;, -The judgment hi the prosecution against the Indepen• cant du Centre sums up very neatly the whole question of the justice of the legal proceedings on account of the Baudin subscription. The tribunal declares in brief that none of the penal laws, not even the most vague, can justify the Government in thinking that a deed is punishable because it is displeasing. The judgment adds that the seizing of the second number, which contained the subscription lists, whilst the first was permitted to go free; and the proseiption against the proprietor of the paper, whilst the subscribers, who must be equally culpable, are not cited, are also unfavourable to the Government. Homage to the dead is perfectly lawful. Beside;, how could a journal which is published in the provinces have any connection with the demonstrations in the Montmartre Cemetery? The offence of " manccuvring " against the Government implies a series of acts more or less complex ; but in this case not only was there but one simple act—the publication of a subscription-list—but it was impossible that the incriminated journal could be charged even with complicity in others, as it is published remote from the capital. The true basis of penal legislation being the moral law, conscience and good sense alike reject th application of an indefinite law by immoderate eateniion or captious analogy. Some applause followed the delivery of this great judgment, but it was quickly repressed, both by the officials and the audienca itself, whp'h sufficiently indicated, by its attitude of silent andAntense interest, its sense or rue importance •f this judicial verdict on the side of liberty. The Procureur-General has resolved to appeal against the decision.  Mdlle. Nilsson has done a graceful action which deserves to be recorded, exhibiting as it does a generosity and self denial rare indeed amongst singers. She has written to the director of the Grand Opera, restoring to Madame Carvalho the character of Marguerite, in " Faust," and offering to sustain any other character included in her engagement. Mdlle. Nilsson adds : " I the more owe this homage to the celebrated singer, as I made my first appearance on the French stage by her side, and received a welcome which I can never forget."  A very strange instance of determ'ned suicide is reported from Rochefort. A girl precipitated herself from the second story of the house in which she lived as domestic servant. All maimed as she was, she was ab:e to drag herself to a well, into which she threw herself and was drowned. Count Augustus de In Rochejacquelein is dead. lie was chiefly known by the fame of his brother, the immortal hero of La Vend6e, but he gained some distinction of his own during the wars of the First Empire, ci vhich he was one of the very few survivors. The news of M. Berryer, who was erroneously reported to be dead, represents him as gradually sinking. lie has expressed a wish not to be buried in Paris, lest his funeral should Le made the subject of political demonstrations.  „
The Sun. — 1868-03-17 (London, England)

SUICIDE AT BRIGHTON.  An inquest has been held at Preston, near Brighton, respecting the death of Mr. Hew Calabron Dalrymple, who was reported to have committed suicide by shooting himself on Saturday evening. The first witness was Mr. Francis Barchard, of Horsted-place, Sussex. He said that deceased was nearly 20 years of age, and that he last saw him alive at hishouse at about a quarter-past eleven o'clock on Saturday evening.. The decease was then in a very excited state. He had had a quarrelwith a lady, and she refused to "make it up." This quarrel happened on Thursday, and from that time to Saturday deceased was very excited ; he gave way:to paroxysms of grief, and sobbed as if he was in very great distress. This witness also stated that the deceased had suffered from water on the brain, and also from an attack of paralysis. The physicians had told him that the paralytic attacks would recur, and the witness believed that the knowledge of this preyed on the mind of the deceased. When he arrived at the house of witness on Saturday, the deceased expected to find that the quarrel with the lady had been " made up." He was, however, disappointed. Witness was not aware that the deceased had a revolver with him. The Rev. H. H. Wyatt, at whose educational establishment the deceased had been staying, said that he bad appeared to be In a very depressed state of late. When he returned to school, about a year ago, the deceased had a revolver with him, and his mother wrote to witness asking him to look after it. On Friday witness went into deceased's bedroom, and found him on his knees, with his head on the bed. He was sobbing violently. Witness mentioned the lady's name, and asked if the grief was about her. The deceased intimated that it was. Evidence was given of the finding of the body. It was lying on a bank, with an overcoat folded and placed under the head. The collar had been taken off the neck, which was bared. Evidence was also given of the nature of the wounds. A verdict was returned to the effect that the deceased had committed suicide whilst he was temporarily insane.
The Sun. — 1868-03-17 (London, England)

SUICIDE AT BRIGHTON.  An inquest has been held at Preston, near Brighton, respecting the death of Mr. Hew Calabron Dalrymple, who was reported to have committed suicide by shooting himself on Saturday evening. The first witness was Mr. Francis Barchard, of Horsted-place, Sussex. He said that deceased was nearly 20 years of age, and that he last saw him alive at hishouse at about a quarter-past eleven o'clock on Saturday evening. The deceased was then in a very excited state. He bad had a quarrel with a lady, and she refused to "make it up." This quarrel happened on Thursday, and from that time to Saturday deceased was very excited ; ho gave way:to paroxysms of grief, and sobbed as if he was in very great distress. This witness also stated that the deceased had suffered from water on the brain, and also from an attack of paralysis. The physicians had told him that the paralytic attacks would recur, and the witness believed that the knowledge of this preyed on tho mind of the deceased. When he arrived at the house of witness on Saturday, the deceased expected to find that the quarrel with the lady had been " made up." He was, however, disappointed. Witness was not aware that the deceased had a revolver with him. The Rev. H. H. Wyatt, at whose educational establishment the deceased had been staying, said that he had appeared to he in a very depressed state of late. When he returned to school, about a year ago, the deceased had a revolver with him, and his mother wrote to witness asking him to look after it. On Friday witness went into deceased's bedroom, and found him on his knees, with his head on the bed. He was sobbing violently. Witness mentioned the lady's name, and asked if the grief was about her. The deceased intimated that it was. Evidence was given of the finding of the body. It was lying on a bank, with an overcoat folded and placed under the head. The collar had been taken off the neck, which was bared. Evidence was also given of the nature of the wounds. A verdict was returned to the effect that the deceased had committed suicide whilst he was temporarily insane.
The Sun. — 1868-07-27 (London, England)

SUICIDE IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.  On Friday afternoon last r case of suicide occurred at the Wye station on the Ramsgate branch of the Southtiastern Railway. The fast train from London to Earnsrate, which leaves the former place at 12.45, arrives at Wye at 2.49. Just as the train was moving out of the station, Mr. &Main, one of the foremen on the permanent way, saw a gentleman sitting alone in a compartment of a first-class carriage, and a stream of blood was spouting from his head. He immediately caused the train to be stopped, and the carriage was detached from it. The gentleman was found to have a new Tranter breech-loading pistol tightly clenched in both bands, and it was evident that he had but a few minutes before placed the muzzle to his forehead and shot himself. Ile was still alive, although bleeding copiously from the wound. He was carried to the Victoria Inn, and in a few minutes two medical gentlemen arrived, but they could not do anything for him, and he expired about seven o'clock, without having recovered consciousness. The deceased was about sft. 10in. high. He had a number of his own photographs in his pockets ; also a certificate denoting that " G. A. Appleton, Esq.," had been admitted a member of the Royal Academy. The deceased's pocket-book was filled with lead-pencil sketches of figures and scenes, some of a grotesque character, but all indicating artistic talent. Cn ono leaf of the pocket-book was written "G. A. Appleton, Tavistock Hotel, Covent Garden," and on another " G. A. Appleton, born at Hornsey, London, 182 G." The pocket-book contained memoranda skewing that the deceased left Melbourne in the latter part of last April in the ship Highflyer, and that he had had a capital passage, and had visited the exhibition of the Royal Academy since his arrival, and a letter from a friend in Australia, directed to "G. A. Appleton, Esq., Tavistock Hotel, Covent Garden." On a copy of Punch found in the railway carriage was written, " Coroner's verdict—Found dead, with Punch." There was also some writing, evidently pencilled while the train was in motion, and addressed to a gentleman in Cripplegate, London, whom he desired to take possession of his things at the Tavistock Hotel ; and he added that he was afraid " his comforter" was somewhat too small in the bore for his purpose, and that he bad better have purchased " one of the muzzle-loading fraternity," but that he had sacrificed to appearances. He was well dressed, had a gold watch and chain, and a scarf pin, a first-class ticket to Ramsgate, and lls. 3d. in money. At the inquest on Saturday evening a gentleman named James, residing in Nichol-square, Cripplegate, identified the deceased as an artist who had arrived from Australia on the previous Saturday. Mr. James stated that he knew nothing of, the deceased except through a letter of introduction which he brought from his (Mr. James's) brother, Who resides in Melbourne. The last time Mr. James saw the deceased was on Thursday evening, and he was then remarkably quiet in his manner ; although he could not be said to be melancholy. The jury returned a verdict of temporary insanity.
The Sun. — 1868-07-27 (London, England)

SUICIDE IN A- RAILWAY CARRIAGE.  On Friday afternoon last c case of suicide occurred at the Wye station on the Ramsgate branch of the SouthEastern Railway. The fast train from London to Ramsgate, which leaves the former place at 12.45, arrives at Wye at 2.49. Just as the train was moving out of the station, Mr. Belham, one of the foremen on the permanent way, saw a gentleman sitting alone in a compartment of a first-class carriage, and a stream of blood was spouting from his head. He immediately caused the train to be stopped, and the carriage was detached from it. The gentleman was found to have a new Tranter breech-loading pistol tightly clenched in both hands, and it was evident that he had but a few minutes before placed the muzzle to his forehead and shot himself. He was still alive, although bleeding copiously from the wound. He was carried to the Victoria Inn, and in a few minutes two medical gentlemen arrived, but they could not do anything for him, and he expired about seven o'clock, without having recovered consciousness. The deceased was about sft. 10in. high. He had a number of his own photographs in his pockets ; also a certificate denoting that " G. A. Appleton, Esq.," had been admitted a member of the Royal Academy. The deceased's pocket-book was filled with lead-pencil sketches of figures and scenes, some of a grotesque character, but all indicating artistic talent. On one leaf of the pocket-book was written "G. A. Appleton, Tavistock Hotel, Covent Garden," and on another " G. A. Appleton, born at Hornsey, London, 182 G." The pocket-book contained memoranda sheaving that the deceased left Melbourne in the latter part of last April in the ship Highflyer, and that he had had a capital passage, and had visited the exhibition of the Royal Academy since his arrival, and a letter from a friend in Australia, directed to " G. A. Appleton, Esq., Tavistock Hotel, Covent Garden." On a copy of Punch found in the railway carriage was written, " Coroner's verdict—Found dead, with Punch." There was also some writing, evidently pencilled while the train was in motion, and addressed to a gentleman in Cripplegate, London, whom he desired to take possession of his things at the Tavistock Hotel; and he added that he was afraid " his comforter"- was somewhat too small in the bore for his purpose, and that he had better have purchased " one of the muzzle-loading fraternity," but that he had sacrificed to appearances. He was well dressed, had a gold watch and chain, and a scarf pin, a first-class ticket to Ramsgate, and lls. 3d. in money. At the inquest on Saturday evening a gentleman named James, residing in Nichol-square, Cripplegate, identified the deceased as an artist who had arrived from Australia on the previous Saturday. Mr. James stated that he knew nothing of the deceased except through a letter of introduction which lie brought from his (Mr. James's) brother, who resides in Melbourne. The last time Mr. James saw the deceased was on Thursday evening, and he was then remarkably quiet in 1114 manner; although he could not be said to be melancholy. The jury returned a verdict of temporary insanity.
The Sun. — 1868-10-21 (London, England)

SUICIDES IN THE REGENT'S CANAL.  "WHAT is "an unsound mind ?" According to coroners' juries anybody is of unsound mind who destroys his body. Yet the noblest of heathen, EPICTETUS and MARCUS AURELIUS, believed that suicide was a perfectly logical and justifiable action. True, they were " heathen," and the two girls who threw themselves into the Regent's Canal on Friday were " Christian." We doubt, however, if the Christianity was more than surface deep, was at all better than, or even nearly so good as the heathenism of those great "seekers after GOD " whose lives and teaching Mr. FAnnAn has just described in one of the most fascinating books ever published. Moreover, religion apart, there seems to be actually no trace whatever of insanity in this case, or in countless others, which, if jurors were honest and not deterred by the thought of "maimed funeral rites," they would return as self-felony. In the Regent's Canal case there was every element to disgust, scarcely any to excite pity. Two girls deliberately walk up to a bridge over one of the foetid London canals, and on their way pass two other girls, and tell them that they are going to " make away with themselves." The second couple accompany the first as though the four were taking an ordinary walk. Arrived at the bridge, the first couple take off some of their clothing, and one of them finds a fourpenny-piece in her pocket, which she gives to the second couple, because it will be of no use to her in the canal, and she has not heard of the obolus which CHARON demands for ferrying across the Styx. The two suicides climb on to the parapet, and, holding hand in hand, leap through the dark night into the darker water. The two spectators say " Good GOD !" pick up the clothes and put them on " because it is a cold night," pocket the fourpence with as much satisfaction as the heir to some crabbed uncle pockets a fortune, and then walk home, agreeing to tell no one until the next morning, fearing, we suppose, that the suicides might be rescued, restored to life, and reclaim the bonnets and the fourpenny-piece. An inquest is held ; all these facts are stated, with the additional information that
The Sun. — 1868-10-21 (London, England)

SUICIDES IN THE REGENT'S CANAL.  WHAT is ic an unsound mind ?" According to coroners' juries anybody is of unsound mind who destroys his body. Yet the noblest of heathen, EPICTETUS and Mailers AnnELurs, believed that suicide was a perfectly logical and justifiable action. True, they were " heathen," and the two girls who threw themselves into the Regent's Canal on Friday were " Christian." We doubt, however, if the Christianity was more than surface deep, was at all better than, or even nearly so good as the heathenism of those great " seekers after GOD " whose lives and teaching Mr. FARRAR has just described in one of the most fascinating books ever published. Moreover, religion apart, there seems to be actually no trace whatever of insanity in this case, or in countless others, which, if jurors were honest and not deterred by the thought of " maimed funeral rites," they would return as self-felony. In the Regent's Canal case there was every element to disgust, scarcely any to excite pity. Two girls deliberately walk up to a bridge over one of the foetid London canals, and on their way pass two other girls, and tell them that they s are going to " make away with themselves." The couple accompany the first as though the four were taking an ordinary walk. Arrived at the bridge, the first couple take off some of their clothing, and one of them finds a fourpenny-piece in her pocket, which she gives to the second couple, because it will be of no use to her in the canal, and she has not heard of the obolus which CHARON demands for ferrying across the Styx. The two suicides climb on to the parapet, and, holding hand in hand, leap through the dark night into the darker water. The two spectators say " Good GOD ! " pick up the clothes and put them on " because it is a cold night," pocket the fourpence with as much satisfaction as the heir to some crabbed uncle pockets a fortune, and then walk home, agreeing to tell no one until the next morning, fearing, we suppose, that the suicides might be rescued, restored to life, and reclaim the bonnets and the fourpenny-piece. An inquest is held ; all these facts are stated, with the additional information that