npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-04-27 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

INSTRUCTIONS. Every competitor must cut out Et annexed coupon, and write in the eight names of his selection, togetht with his own name and address. The names, ecc., must be legibly writ:.ll in ink. The coupons mast be delivered either by hand or by post at the office of Birkenhead News 64 and 66, Chest:, street, Birkenhead, not later th:: Monday, June 20th, 1887. The coupons must be enclosed in eve lopes endorsed "Guess Competition The name and address of the winner with full particulars of the comßet tion, will be published in the Birkenp, News. The awards of the adjudicators will final.  The Rev. Dr. Knox said they had heard a deal of talk about the liberty of the subject with which they must not interfere, but if a man attempted to commit suicide they would arraign him before a magistrate and interfere with his liberty, at least for a considerable time; yet when the question was mentioned they were told they were not to interfere with the liberty of the subject, they were not to be allowed to prevent his killing himself by slow poisoning on a Sunday. They, as clergymen living in large laborious parishes, would be most grateful to the women of England if they could effect the closing of public houses on Sunday, as practically they would have little or nothing to do except to preach on Sundays. Their schools would be fall to overflowing, and they would not perpetually have women at their windows begging for clothing for their poor wretched children they had made naked by their drunken habits. lie thought it was simply owing to the indifference of the working classes that they had not taken up the movement. It had been said that nations could not be made sober by Act of Parliament, but he contended they could; it had already been none in Sweeden andlNorway. If the matter was placed in the hands of the ladies he was sure something would be done. A few years ago he had canvassed his own parish, and fotind that six out of every seven were in favour of closing their houses on Sundays. The Rev. Dr. Knox then proposed "that this meeting having heard the statements brought before it, and impressed with the importance of immediate and vigor one action, to secure a successful issue pledges itself to do all in its power to have the borough of Birkenhead canvassed from house to house for signatures to the memorial to her Majesty the Queen from the womea of Birkenhead.' (Applause.) The Rev. Mr. Browning, curate of St Mary's, seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. A committee was then formed for organising and carrying out the work, and consisted of Mrs. M.rples, Mrs. Porter, Miss Clint, Bock Ferry; Hrs. Calder, Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Wise, Mrs. Banks, and Mrs. Holt, with power to add to their number. The Rev. Van Horn also addressed the meeting, which was terminated with the usual votes of thanks.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-09-10 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE SAD SUICIDE OF A TRAM DRIVER.  TO THE EDITOR OF THE BIRKENHEAD NEWS.  SlR,—Permit me, through the medium of your paper, to make a must urgent appeal to your readers on behalf of the widow and nine children (another is shortly expected) of the late H. Wildgoose. The poor feLlow was in bad health, through which he was compelled to give up the situation he held for so many years—with credit toihimself —on the Birkenhead Tramways. He invested his little all in a pony and cart, and went round trying to sell fish. .he venture turning out a failure he committecVsuicide. I can vouch for his having been a thorough decent fellow. The last time he spoke to me was to ask me to help some children he knew that had been left orphans. I now ask your readers to help his widow and fatherless children. Any amounts sent to me will be acknowledged in these columns. The following amounts have already been subscribed : wiison & Jones 0 2 0 Mr. Dalby 0 2 6 Geo Williams Wm Hinson 0 2 6 Cross & Floyd 0 1 0 A Stewart 0 1 0 W Rudd A Lilwall Dr Jones O7O Mr Gostenhoter 0 2 0 W H James 0 2 0 Jos Craven O2O , F Willmer 0 1 0 Jos Brewin lO 6 J J Foster ..... 0 1 0 Mr Milnes 0 2 6 Mr Mansell Mr Martin 0 2 0 8 Williams A Friend 0 1 0 B w Moore Mrs Berry J Gamlin 0 2 0 A Friend 0 1 0 C James 0 1 0 Mr skinner ... 0 2 0 Mr Hambleton Miss Moran... Mr Jones Mr Brown 0 2 0 Mr Heald Messrs Pryce and Paterson Messrs Mackie and Gladstone 0 5 0 mr Jackson Mr Middleton 0 5 0 Mr Laygock 026 G B mawson. 026 B Moore 050 F Amore O5 0 MrJones 0 5 0 I Yours, ttc., 86 and 86a, Grt September 9th, 1887.  Mr Draper 0 5 0 Messrs Robb 0 5 0 Mr Heathcock 0 2 6 Dr Stansfield Mr Venables 0 2 0 Messrs Davies and Sons 0 5 0 Mr Skinner Mr Burn 0 2 6 Mritoberts F N Cumhie 0 2 6 Mr Male 0 2 6 13 Lloydgones 0 2 6 DEC BC H J 11 John Harvey Mr Mills 0 2 6 Mr Mossop 0 2 6 Mr Eitis Mr Simpson 0 2 6 Mr Fortle R Moore 0 2 6 I J R Hughes Mr Rowlands Mr Burroughs 0 2 6 Mr McKay ..... Geo Litt 1 0 0 , Fll Craven Alderman Wilimer 0 2 6 Mr Edwards 0 2 0 A IP Squarey. , E H Bryson Omnibus Co. ..... i Mr Iredale 0 2 0 i The Writer I AJob i T tintham 0 2 6 i Mr Cook 0 5 0  £l4 16 0  J. LLOYD Conxnux, range-road, Birkenhead,
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-07-23 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

DOMESTIC INFELICITY AT SENCOMBE.  ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. OF A WIFE.  On Wednesday, at the Wallasey Police Court, Kate Dew, wife of Thos. Henry Dews, fishmonger, living in Birkenhead-road, Seacombe, was brought before Messrs. W. B. Marshall and T. R. Bulley, charged with attempting to commit suicide by cutting her throat on the 29th June. Since the wellmigh fatal attempt on her life, the woman has been in the Seacombe Cottage Hospital, and appeared to be still in a weak state. Dr. Stewart M'Nicol said that on the night of the 29th Jane, shortly after midnight, he was called by Thos. Henry Dews, the husband of the prisoner, to visit his. wife at their residence, Birkenhead-road, Seacombe. He found the woman lying on the shop floor insensible, bleeding from a wound in the throat. The knife produced was found underneath her. After dressing her wounds he had her removed into another room on the same floor. Two days afterwards, when she was in a fit condition, she was removed to Seacombe Hospital, where she had remained till that morning. The wound was about 7 inches long, and laid bare the windpipe and the large vessels. If she had not been attended to speedily she would have died through loss of blood. If the knife had been sharper it would have severed the windpipe. The woman had been confined shortly before, and was suffering at the time from melancholia. She still required great care and attention. Thomas Henry Dews, said that on the night of. the 29th. June, when he came home from work, he noticed that his wife was dull, and asked her what she had on her mind. She then said, "I have had a child before, which you knew nothing about." He then sat down to write a letter to her brother-in-law ,who had deceived him as to his wife. She said, "You are writing to my brother-in-law," and he said, "Yes." He could not speak to his wife after that, and could not help thinking that the brother-in-law had treated him very meanly He went out for an hour, and on retnrning went up stairs to go to bed. The child was crying, and he said, "Give me the child." His wife then went down stairs, and in two or three minutes someone shouted, and he went down stairs and saw what she had done. He further said that they were married on the 18th May, and that he had not seen her then for over eight months. The child was born on the 12th ,Irtm It was now at his mother's. He could not trust himself and the child with his wife again. The Clerk: Do on desire to take care of her if she is released ? Dews I conld not trust myself with the responsibility, because I am afraid of her. Never again. I have been deceived from beginning to end with her. The child I will look after. .  The Bench pointed out that the law would compel him to take care of his wife. Mr. Dews answered that the law could imprison him, but it could net compel him to live with her. . .  It was stated that a sister of the prisoner was willing to take her. The Bench decided to adjourn the case for a week, by which time the woman would be stronger. In the meantime she would be serA to Walton.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-03-12 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE VACCINATION DELUSION.  TO THE _EDITOR OF THE BIRKENHEAD NEWS  can assure the writer of "What People are Baying" that not only Wallasey, bpt ilirkanhead also, possesses not merely one, bhi thousands who "disbelieve in the virtues of vaccination;" bat they have discovered a method of evading this modern Herodian massacre by flight, not to the " city of refuge" for anti-vaccinators (Leicester), but by flight from the house given as the place of birth to the Registrar to another residence immediately after the law as to the registration of births has been complied with. I think this, an opportune moment to call attention to tbre way in which the ratepayers' money is being worse than wasted on the artifical, disease producing, imposture—vaccination—if the amounts now paid out of the poor-rates to infect the poor at the ratepayers' expense with the most venomous and virulent filth, which corrupts the body, undermines its health, debases the mind, and destroys every attribute of intelligence, if the public money which is being used to accomplish all this and much worse, which I would publish if I could, were taken out to sett and irrevocably sunk to the bottom, it would be the best bargain the ratepayers ever got for their money in connection with the health of the poor. Barely when your columns record cases of suicide within short intervals of each other, which there is every reason to believe were instances in which the persons were crushed to death by the prospect of inability to meet the demands made upon him, it is high time that the ratepayers should begin to think for themselves on this subject and not believe the fallacious theories used to bolster up one of ths most gigantic swindles ever imposed on human credulity, by those who are getting millions of pounds every year, not alone in vaccination fees, for that is but the smallest part of the plunder, but by the still further mal-treatment of the legion forms of disease which it can be proved would never be in existence at all only for the crime of vaccination.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-03-12 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

BOUOUGII .POLICE COURT  WEDNESDAY. (Before Mr. Preston.)  ArremPrun SUICIDE —Patrick Casey, of no settled plAce of abode was chargee on remand with having satempted to commit suicide on board the ferryboat at Woodside. The prisoner was also charged with being of unsound mind. Bridewell-keeper Parker stated that the prisoner was still very peculiar in his manners.-Bent to the workhouse for a fortnight.  STEAIJNO A DAEl3B.—Ellen Halgate, residing in Egerton-street, was ehraged, on remand, with having stolen a cotton skirt, the propert of Mary Parr, 13, Highheld South, Roc Ferry.—Annie Moffatt, a young woman residing at 248, New Chester-road, stated that she first saw the prisoner about a week ago, when she offered a dress fer sale as her father's shop for a shill.ng. She declined to purchase the dress. The other evidence had been gone into at the previous hearing of the case.—Tbe prisoner was committed for trial at the next sessions.  EXTENSIVE Tnzrrs. Margaret Agnew, a middle-aged woman, residing in Byrom-street, and who appeared in the dock with a baby in her arms, was charged on remand with having stolen a pair of flannel drawers, the property of Henry Singleton, 46, Williamstreet, on the Ist inst.; two-and•a-half yards of carpet, the property of Ann Williams, 22, Garnett-street; two sheets, the property of Julia Brennan, 55, Bt. Anne-street; and a quilt, skirt, and other articles, the property of Eliza Charters, 137, Oliver-street.—Eliza Charters, beerhouse keeper, 137, Oliver-street, identified the bed quilt produced as her pr perty. She missed it on the 9th October last year, from a bed in the back bed-room. A skirt was also stolen at the same time. She did not know the prisoner, nor had she ever seen her before. The extinlea were worth 16s. —A pawnbroker's assistant in Grange-road stated that the prisoner offered the quilt produced in pawn. The prisoner said the quilt belonged to a woman named Mrs. Smith. He sent her for Mrs. Smith and detained the quilt, but she did not return.—Detective Potts proved arresting the prisoner and charging her with the offence.—All the other cases had been gone into.—Mr. Preston committed the prisoner to gaol for three months.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-03-09 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.  At the Borough Police Court, on Monday, before Mr. Preston, a young man named Patrick Casey, of no address, was charged with having attempted to commit suicide by endeavouring to jump into the river Mersey from the ferry steamer Woodside; also with ' being a lunatic and not under proper control. P.C.30 (Vernon) stated that about half-past three he was on duty in Chester-street near the Woodside Ferry. He saw a crowd follow. jug the prisoner up the street. Witness went up to the crowd, and on being told that prisoner had been trying to commit suicide by jumping into the river arrested him. A fireman on board the Woodside, named McLaughlin, stated that be was working on board the boat on Sunday afternoon. Prisoner was on board the vessel which left St. George's landing stage at three o'clock. As witness was coming out of the firehole he observed prisoner take off his hat, cuat, and boots, and seeing that he was about to jump over the side, seized hold of him and retained him till they got across. Bridewell-keeper Parker said on receiving prisoner in custody, on Sunday afternoon, he noticed the man appeared somewhat strange in his mind. In reply to a question from witness be said he was going to Ireland, and the Queen was going to pay his fare. He also s ated that be bad served in the Royal [Artillery, and been discharged the previous morning. In reply to Mr. Preston prisoner stated that he was not going to do away with himself, but only Roing to accidentally fall overboard in order that he might have a wash. (Smiling.) He was rather dirty. He had been in the army about nine years, and was only recentlj discharged. Prisoner was remanded till this morning.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-07-16 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

RYZAT WILDNESDAY AND SATURDAY  SATURDAY, JULY 16, 1887.  TnE Board of Guardians had under its consideration, on Tuesday, the case of Hignett, the poor old man who recently committed suicide at Oaten by banging himself. In the course' of an elaborate statement the chairman, Mr. Woodcock, endeavoured to clear himself and his colleagues from the strictures recently passed on them by the coroner, the jury which sat on the body, and the general public. That he acquitted the Board of guilty negligence may be at once admitted. But no one ever supposed that the Guardians had designedly been harsh. The worst thought against them was that they had displayed a want of discrimination. So Mr. Woodcock really only half performed his task when he spoke as to their good intentions. We are afraict that his words will not carry the conviction that the action of the Board in regard to the Hignetts was, from the first, wise and well-considered. Take the facts as he himself stated them. Higuett was 74 years of sge ; his wife was 69. They applied for relief, but their application was refused because they had at home a son who was alleged to be capable of earning four shillings per day. This was done, though the Board and its officers might easily have discovered that they were persons of good character and that Hignett had sought work under the Corporation, which had previously employed him till his illness, and been repulsed on account of his advanced years. It appears that the Board is not in the habit of assisting in such cases. We accept Mr. Woodcock's statement as to this. But we say that it is quite time the Board altered its procedure. What was evident to Mr. Worthington ought to have been evident to it, and we very much fear that the enquiry was hurried. But what would have happened had the Board been convinced of the wants and worthiness of the Hignetts ? According to Mr. Woodcock, the poor old couple would have been offered admission to the workhouse. That would have been giving them a stone when they asked for bread with a vengeance. Persons who have lived to be three score and ten and who have worked hard and conducted themselves respectably all their lives probably regard the " house " with as much loathing as the prison, even though they may be incapacitated by their infirmities. Hignett killed himself because lie could not procure work, despaired of getting help from the Guardians, and altogether found the struggle for existence greater than he could bear. Yet the Guardians think that if such a man ought to be assisted by them at all he ought to be assisted with an offer of the " house!" In truth, they have a' great deal to learn.  \ \",..  • '1 'a  *t'*  .1,
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-07-16 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.  At the Borough Police Court, on Thursday, before Mr. C. S. Satnuell, deputy stipendiary magistrate, an elderly man, named John Thomas, residing at 20, Thomas.street, was charged with having attempted to commit suicide by jumping into the West Float. A man named John Crosby stated that on the 12th inst. a man was fishing in the West Float, when the prisoner walked up to him and asked him if there was any objection to him bathing in the dock. The man told the prisoner that there was, and that if he wanted to bathe be had better go to some place where he could walk in and get out again. The prisoner then said "I do not want to get out again," and then walked away. Upon being informed of what the prisoner had .said, he (the witness) went in search of a policeman, as he thought the prisoner intended to commit suicide, and while in conversation with the mate of a vessel the prisoner came up to him and said "Can you jump ?" He replied "Yes," whereupon the prisoner said "So can I," and then threw himself into the dock. The mak+ at once obtained a boat and they went after the prisoner, but by the time they got him out of the water he was nearly "done for." They laid him across the thwarts of the boat and got the water out of him, and afterwards he was taken to the Borough Hospital. One of the prisoner's sons stated that his father resided in lodgings. Ho had been out of work since Christmas, and since then he had been living with his (witness's) grandfather. He returned to Birkenhead a short time ago, under the impression that be could obtain employment, but he failed to do so. He did not know why he should have attempted to take away his life, except it was through drink. His sons had helped him, and he need not want for anything if he would keep off the drink. Mr. Samuell said it was very unfortunate that the prisoner could not obtain employment, but that was no reason why he 3hoold take drink. He thought the best thing would be to send the prisoner to the workhouse. The Prisoner consented to go there, and he wee remanded to the institution for a week.
The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-02-26 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SUICIDE OF A DRAPER.  On Wednesday Mr. Charton, borough coroner, held an inquest at the Victoria Hotel, Cleveland-street, on the body of Thomas Mc Watt, a draper, who carried on business at 129, Conway-street. Sarah Jane McWatt, wife of the deceased, who was forty six years of age. stated that she last saw her husband alive on Monday night between eleven and twelve o'clock, at which time they both retired to bed. As rule the deceased got up about eight o'clock, lit the fire, and boiled the kettle, but on Teesday morning she missed the deceased when she woke, and in consequence of what her daughter said to her she went into the passage at the bottom of the staircase and there found the deceased suspended by the neck from the bannisters, with a clothes lime. The deceased had been in depressed spirits for the past three or foils months in consequence of not being able to meet his business accounts, which amounted to about £54. The deceased had never threatened to commit suicide.  The Coroner, in summing tip, said that this was a very distressing case of suicide. It appeared that the deceased lied been suffering very much, as a good many other people in Birkenhead have been suffering for the last three or four years, from the effects of bad trade. He supposed that Birkenhead was never known to have been in a worse state than it was at the present time since forty years ago, at which time it was quite as bad and everybody seemed to become bankrupt; all the leading men failed, and the place appeared to be deserted. However, by the energy of its inhabitants, Birkenhead appeared to have risen up again, and now become, as they were all aware, a very important place. He was quite aware that for some time past Birkenhead had suffered very much, particularly in the shipbuilding trade, which was the life and soul of the borough. Of course, when depression took hold of the shipbuilding trade it extended to almost every class. The deceased had evidently been greatly depressed in spirits on account of his inability to meet his bills. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst temporarily insane."  BAuAr Wamassr.—A ball, in aid of the anniversary fund of the Wallasey Independent Friendly Society, was held at the clubroom, at the Black Horse Inn, Wallasey, on Monday last, and was well attended, most of the young people of the village putting in an appearance. A very enjoyable evening was spent in dancing to the strains of a capital oaring band supplied by Mr. F. Howard, of Birkenhead, and was brought to a close by a geech by tbs worthy Steward, Mr. W. Joysen'