npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Press. — 1853-05-21 (London, England)

THE NUMBER OF CAPITAL. CONVICTIONS in England and Wales during the fifteen years 1838-52 is set forth in a parliamentary paper just issued at 998, of which 209 were for murder, of whom 148 were executed, 2 transported for life, 11 received a free pardon. and the rest minor punishments. Ninety-five persons were convicted of attempts to murder, accompanied with injuries dangerous to life ; of these 4 were executed, and 05 transported for life. For shooting and stabbing, 13 ; for rape, &c., 68 ; for unnatural crimes. 195, of whom 108 a ere transported for life ; for burglary, 56 ; ditto N..til violence, 107 ; for ' robbery, 20; ditto with violence, 108 ; by persons armed, 12 ; for arson, 1 ; ditto of dwellinghouses, 18 ; feloniously rioting, 12 ; for high treason, 9, of whom 7 were transported for life. Of the 998 persons capitally convicted during the above period. 152 were executed. The sentences of the remainder were commuted as follows :-617 were transported for life ; 79 for 15, 41 for 10, and 19 for seven years; 4 were imprisoned for three years; 19 for two years and above one year ; 34 for one year or above six months ; and 11 for six months anal under ; 17 received a free pardon ; 4 committed suicide ; and one died in prison. A PAIIIJAUENTART l'Arcn states that 14,413401 gallons of proof spirits were distilled in the United Kingdom during the year ending the sth of January, 1853. of these 5,180,312 gallons were distilled from malt only (Ireland and Scotland) ; 15.300,143 gallons from malt. with =naked grain ; 1,108,107 gallons from sugar or molasses, with unmated grain ; and 6,792 gallons from molasses only (Scotland). The quantity distilled in England was 6,303,276 gallons ; in Scotland, 9,041,218 gallons ; and in Ireland, 8,117,708. In the same year 9,820,008 gallons paid duty for consumption in England; 7,172,015 in Scotland; and 8,208,2541 in Ireland; making a total of 15,100,879 gallons, which paid 0,155,7081. in duty during the year. A MEmoutm. has been addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer by the provision and egg merchants of London, acknowledging the value of the proposed remissions of duty on butter, cheese, and eggs, but praying, in the latter case, for a total repeal instead of a reduction from 10d. to 4d. per 110. The plea is that a uniform duty of any kind falls more heavily on the small and cheap eggs consumed by the poor than ou the larger ones, and thus discourages the use of an article of food which is every day increasing in importance to the working  classes. THE CHIEF BARON OF THE 'EXCHEQUER has appointed Mr. J. Templer, who has for some time ably practised as a special pleader, to the vacant Mastership of the Exchequer. THE ORDNANCE SFRVEY of the County of Ayr is to proceed forthwith. A party of Sappers and Miners have already arrived iu Ayr for that purpose.
The Press. — 1853-07-16 (London, England)

CROSR 11(ATITAT. held their annual meeting on Wednesday. The re Wirt stated that, in the course of last year, 111,..046 in digent sick persons hail been admitted on the books for relief, at a cost of 2,5531., and that of these 1452 bad been in-patients, and 15,204 ma-patients, many of whom had been visited at their own homes, and the greater part restored to health► and to their (occupations for the support of their families. This fund for the completion of the Watling and the fitting up of four additional wards for children had enabled the introduet ion of 50 additional beds, and the receipt of be t.ween 400 and toOf I snore iu pat Tents than heretofore. (If the eases relieved, 2,42 k hail been Mies of accident and sudden injury, of which :124 had been of an extremely dangerous character.  THE ItoYAI, HUMANE SOCTETY'S I I ALF Yl•'Altt•Y MEFTINii was held on Wednesday. It appeared from the report that the bathers in the Serpentine for the year numbered 142,00 n, of whom 17 had heel' rl',l'lll4l from drowning, while the watchfulness of the society's servants had loreyetileol eight persona from committing suicide. During the last six months the ►nedi cal officers of the society had tre,04.,1 apparent drowning, of which 49 had hero attended with co►nplete sotreess. 14111111111115', later 14 full ime-tigatiot► of the cases, granted nine silver medals Ga eouragcoons acts of humanity. A donation of tam 1411111141 s I•roni his Majesty the litug ul lluuuter ww, anuututcvd by the becretury.  249  THE litoN'Al. F.TV have celebrated their annual meeting during the past week, Gloucester being the place selected for this year's exhibition. The entries of agricultural implements have rapidly and (with It exception) invariably increased at every successive anithersary. In 1S:19 the number was only •„!:), whirl had expanded last year to 1,5117, mud on the present eceasion amounted to no fewer than 103: The exhibition ground for these instruments occupied all area of I o),ltiN) square feet, and the shedding tinder which they were ranged extended to more than a mile in length. treat in ten.st Was Illallifeall4l in the implements, especially to some thrashing and leaping it of improved construction. The meeting generally was excellently altellaiati, and the exhibition considered 0„,,,„ the average. The early days were spent in preliminiul and private views. Wednesday was the first open day, and on that day the judges inspected the live stock and awarded the prizes. The usual dinner took place at four o'clock, when the awards were read, and a variety of colignittilatoty speeelies made, tinder the presidency of Lord Ashburton. Nearly SOO guests sat down, and the exhibition was vis it (41 by mon. than :1,91N) persons. On Thursday and yestenlay the show yard continued open at. diminished prices of admission. The customary general meeting of memhers of tlne society took 'dace yesterday tatouing at the Gloucester County hall.  Sporting.
The Press. — 1853-09-17 (London, England)

JOHN WOLFGANO GOETHE.  The Posner of Goethe. With a Sketch of his Life. By Edgar Alfred 13owring. London:  John W. Parker and Son. Iloethe's Opinions, .fr. By Otto Wenckstern.  London : John W. Parker mid Son. Is resuming our critique of Uoethe's writings, we notice that, besides his masterpiece of " Faust," which is as little designed to produce a beneficial impression as his other works, he left us that equally great specimen of his powers in prose, " The Sorrows of Werther," which exercised a marked influence on the rising generation. The young men of Ger many began to talk like Werther—to write like Werther—to dress like Werther—and to shoot themselves like Werther. It was the highest compliment these good judges and " good ad mirers " could pay to the author. It is now seventy-nine years since "Werther" appeared; and for the last half-century it has steadily declined in public favour. It is whining in sl►irit—cooked and perverted in tendency— unhealthy and unsound to the core. It could not last, with all the fostering assistance of 'panegyric ; it wanted intrinsic vitality. and it is now withering like a dead tree. It will long continue to figure in catalogues of its author's labours or prolusions, after it COIOWS to will readers. Goethe confessed that he wrote it to get rid of " the perilous stuff." as Ilidwer I.ytton expressively translates it. which he felt within him. lie committed thus a prepense suicide on the dangerous part of his own mind; but when he perceived that the glowing story of Jerusalem s self-murder obtained so many practical imitators ►unong the ►omamtic youth of Germany, that all good people were shocked at this hideous scandal, and horrified at the moral consequences of the new novel, he composed a clever comedy called " The Triumph of Sentimentalism," to arrest the mischief.
Star. — 1814-09-30 (London, England)

LONDON.  FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1814.. PRICE OF 1 OCKS THIS DAY Al TWELVE O'CLOCK Consols 66f 65 fif—Comols for account 66f 67 66a 6ti 5 per Cent. Navy niiii—Oinnium, Iffl4st lf dis. Bonds Si. to 7s. pre —Exchequer Bills Is, dia. to par.  The account of the celebration of the Eleventh .Anniversary of Ilaytian Independence, given in the Preceding p:sge, is far from being void of interest. The heart sickens at the prospect of the storm which 'threatens again to enslave them. May the GOD of Battles protect them, and break the chains of slavery throughout the earth !  Since yesterday, we have received Paris Papers of Monday and Tuesday last. The contents of Mon. day's Papers are in preceding columns—those of Tuesday's are subjoined. The proceedings of the Chamber of Deputies on Monday alone present any thing like interest with respect to the internal affairs of France. M. DUFOUftGERAIS proposed a law for en. couraging the iron and steel manufactories of France. In substance, it amounts to a prohibition of the importation of manufactured iron from any. other country. The projet was ordered to he printed.—The debate on the law of `Naturalization was postponed to another sitting. A Petition was presented from a great number of Emji/oyes in the Revenue under BONAPARTE, who, since the restoration of several Departments to the rightful owners, had been taut of employment, and were literally starving.— The Reporter indeed stated, that many of them had committed suicide from desperation. The petition was remitted to the Minister of Finance, but Baron Louts, who was present, lamented that al. though the recommendation of the Chamber of Deputies would doubtless strengthen the claims of the supplicants, he did not know where to find a fund out of which to afford them relief.  We select a few articles of intelligence from various parts of Europe : our Readers will of course take. the Angsburgh article with due caution : it is of French manufacture as usual.  Great exertions are making by King JoActin! of Naples to secure his seat on the Throne : the Neapolitan Journal attempts to impress a belief that he possesses the affections of the soldiers and the people. We would doubt this assertion were it for no other reason than from its being so repeatedly served up to as by the same cooks, tape ad nauseam.
Star. — 1814-09-01 (London, England)

LORD MAVOR. Guit.nnat.e.—J. Richards, and Mary, his wife. were charged with coining shillings. J. Johnstone, a City officer, stated, that having heard that the pri. sutler had pawned the work of his master, a shoemaker, in fleet-street, he went to his ledgings, and, on entering the room, smelt a strong smell of aqua-I.7.rtis ; aware that this liquid was used in coining, he snspeee.el some such operation was going co, and di. rected his brother officer to seize the prisoner, while he male search. He then found a cup of aqua-fortis boiling on the fire, with some shillings in it, and, on examining.forther, discovered upwards of 200 copper flats in the form of shillings; some in finished, and others in their original state. He also found several pieces in the pockets of the prisoners. Both the man and woman seemed to have been at work. The prisoners were remanded. Hournnee Csmernosote.—About nine o'clock last night a person passing by a field near the. Paragon, in the Kent-road, was alarmed by repeated groans, when, after a moment's hesitation, he entered the field, and was met by a woman staggering forward ; she fell near a bank on the edge of the road, and he then obtained a light from a chaise which was passing, and found her dead, with her throat cut from ear to ear. Several persons were now collected ; on advancing farther into the field a man was discovered with his threat also cat, and two children by his side, covered with blood, bat uninjured. He was still aliie, and after some delay, arising in a great measure from the. indecent impetuosity of the crowd, he was carried off to an hospital. Previous to his removal a pencil and paper were given to him, and it is said, that he wrote a confession of his crime and his address: he was expected to survive. The unfortunate woman is said to he the wife of her supposed murderer, and the two children their offspring. These helpless infants were humanely taken into a house near the spot. This double crime of murder and suicide was perpetrated with an instrument found on the gionnd, ascertained to be a clasp knife, hut which was carried off by the person who tound ft. HtIaTLINCL—An elderly gentleman of the name of Hinchbrook was surrounded by five or six thieves,on Tnesday cioning, before the setting of the watch, and robbed of his watch and pocket-book,containing
Star. — 1830-06-21 (London, England)

SCORPION SUICIDE.—On Wednesday, the fol. lowing singular illustration of a fact mentioned in natural Iti.tary occurred. A gentleman connected with the Custom-house found in a ease of sugar, in the London Docks, a small scorpion, mea. suring about two inches from one extremity to the other. He tock it home, and placed it on a cold plate under a glass, where 0: little reptile appeared to be almost torpid, but on warming the glass it became full of life. It was then stated by a gentleman present. that he heard that the scorpion, if it found itself in danger of meet. ing with a painful death, would sting itself, and cause its men int. mediate destruction. To ascertain the fact, a circle of about titre, inches in diameter was drawn round the scorpion. and covered with cotton dipped in spirits of wine. This being ignited, the scorpion made every possible effort to escape; but finding escape impracti. cable, and beginning to feel the effects of the fire, it instantly turned up its tail, and, with considerable force, struck the sting into its head. It was dead in an instant. Obeah, or the detestable practice of spells, formerly existed to a great degree among the negroes, but it is now fast disappearing. It was first introduced into our colonies by the Africans, who have their minds filled with superstition. The many who once executed these spells were called Obi people, and pretended to be able to cause the death of all those who offended them, by catching their shadows. Had they only pretended, it would have been well; but their pretensions were often fatally put into practice, and the number of negroes lost on the various estates, in the different islands, rendered it necessary that the Legislature should take it into con. sideration. There is no doubt but that the catching the shadows of their victims, or holding them spell-bound, was only a false pre. tenet invented by the Obi men for murdering them by sinister means. Mr. Barclay, who was present at the trial of a notorious Obeah man on a plantation in Jamaica, tells us that ‘' one of the witnesses, a negro belonging to the same estate, was ask tl, you know the prisoner to be an Obeah man ?" Ees, Al ism, shadow. catcher true.' What do you mean by a shadow-catcher?' Him ha coffin' (a little coffin produced)' him set for catch dem shadow.' What shadow do you mean ?" When him set Obeah for summary (somebody) him catch dem shadow and dent go dead : and too surely they were soon dead when he pretended to have caught their shadows, by whatever means it was effected.' When this practice was found to be attended with such dreadful con.eqiiences. the go. vernment of the several islands, after discouraging it by every means in their power, made it punishable by dead,. This salutary Lw has effectually limited the occurrence of Obeah : the yearly ticcreac of Africans in the colonies lessens the prevalence of sllpt TNiitit,ll; and the light of religion, which is everywhere dispelling tlh: gloom cat ignorance, among many other evils, will remedy this.—Four Year. in She West Indies.
Star. — 1830-05-22 (London, England)

MAY 20.—Arrived the Providence, Barden, front Newfoundland.  The Russian Ambassador and Princess LT EVEN visited the Duke and Duchess of CUMBERLA ND yeliterday at their residence in the King's Palace, St. James's. The Duke and Duchess returned to their residence at Kew• in the afternoon.  The Earl of WEsT3IORLAND made his personal inquiries after the health of the KING on Thursday, at his Palace, at Windsor.  There are now nine journals under prosecution in Paris.—Figaro. M. Sautelet, a partner in the National, and one of the principals in an excellent bookseller's establishment in Paris, blow out his brains on the morning of the 13th inst. Having returned to the office about midnight, he had, according to custom, corrected the proofs of his journal. At daybreak several letters were found upon his table which had been written in the course of the night. M. Sautelet, who was a man of a noble and most loyal character, was naturally of a melancholy temperament. A disappointment in love is assigned as the cause of his suicide.—Fiyaro. Every gun for the expedition to Algiers is provided with a thousand charges. M. de Bourmont is resolved to make a loud noise in Africa.  Madame PASTA, RETBINI, ZUCCOLI, are at Vienna, and Mademoiselle SONTAG at Berlin. The unpleasant circumstances which she has experienced here, made her determine to set out for St. 'Petersburg before she had finished the twelve performances promised to the Russian capital.—Figaro. Sir ROBERT PEEL and the CHANCELLOR of the ExCIIEQUER had a conference with the Earl of ABERDEEN yesterday at the Foreign-office. The start which his M.Air.srv's canvalescence has given to many departments of business is almost incredible. Many shopkeepers declare that they have done as much business within the last few days as they had done in a month before.  On Thursday the First Division of Royal Marines had their annual inspection, and yesterday, at two o'clock, was reviewed on Woolwich Common try Major-Gencral
Star. — 1830-03-31 (London, England)

GUILDHALL.  MOST DISTRESSING CASE OF ATTEMPTED SI:ICI:Ir..— Yesterday John WI son, fifty years of age, was chareted beGt: Alderman WOOD with having attempted to drown hinisett at Blackfriars-bridge at halfpast three o'clock that morning. The prisoner was fortunately ebstreed by a watchman on duty before be had thrown himself in, and on expressing his determination to commit suicide was removed to the conipier.The prisoner,whis appeared much distreas.d, sad he had kept a coal and potatoe shed in Harrow. street, blint-street, Borough, where he resided a considerable time. At four o'clock in the morning of Feb. 13, he was alarmed by a noise in his shop, and having got out of bed to ascertain the cause was attacked by two ruffians who had effected an entrance. Ile 'wired one of them, when pre!sently he received a stab in the thigh I with a sharp instrument. Notwithstanding the blood flowed pro. fusely he struggled with the villain until the second joined hint in the attack, when the prisoner received a second stab it: the arm, was knocked down, and overpowered. lie lay some time in a state of in. sensibility, during which time the villains escaped, carrying off 1L sous. and lfls. all he possessed in the world. In consequence of this loss, and not being able to prevail upon his coal.merchant to give him credit, he and his family (consisting of five children, and his wife, who at present lies dangerously ill) were reduced to the utmost distress, which preyed upon his mind, and drove him in a Moment of despondency to attempt self destruction. In his packet were found several bills, and also two letters, the one addressed to the Rev. Mr. Smith, who be said was his cousin. In this letter the unfortunate man earnestly besought Mr. Smith to look to his wife and children. The second letter, directed to a person named Perrington, contained a similar request.—The Alderman inclosed the two letters to the gentlemen to whom they were addressed, and I said he would be moat happ to subscribe to a sum sufficient u' purchase two and a half of coals to set the poor man up again.--He was remanded.
Star. — 1830-10-23 (London, England)

CORONERS' INQUESTS.  Yesterday, an inquest was hold at the Marquis of Wellington, South-street, Lambeth, to enquire into the death of Mr. R. Bolam, tailor, residing in the same street. The deceased. accompanied by a friend, was proceeding down the river in a lighter ; when near Southwark-bridge, the deceased, in stepping from one end of the vessel to the other, staggered and fell overboard. Ile was promptly rescued from his perilous situation, and taken to Ow nearest public-house, where the necessary assistance was afforded him. and he was on Sunday removed to his residence, where he expired on 31onday morning. The jury returned a verdict of Died by the visitation of Bon.  An inquest was on Saturday last held at .harden, Wiltshire, before W. ADYL, Esq. on the body of 3lary Evens. The deceased was a widow, about 43 years of age her husband haying died a few years since' leaving her with four children. Since his death, however, she has had one illegitimate child, and within a short time was expeaed to give birth to a second : feelings of remorse at her immoral conduct, it is supposed, urged her to the com. minion of the crime of self-destruction. The woman with whom she lived deposed in substance as follows :—The deceased called me from my bed on Wednesday night, and told me that she was seriously W, and repeatedly said " that she was sure she should die." 1 asked her if she had taken any thing, and after a little hesitation, she acknowledged that she had swallowed poison. She vomited violently for some time, and died in the greatest agony. She had eaten a hearty supper, and went to bed in perfect health. Before going to bed, she caressed her youngest child in a very unusual manner, and wished me " good night," which she was not in the habit of doing. A respectable surgeon examined the stomach, the coats of which were entirely destroyed by arsenic; and a quantity of pills containing arsenic were found under the pillow of the deceased, with the word " patio" written upon it. It appeared that she had never exhibited the slightest indication of insanity, or of mental aberration. The Jury, in musequence, renamed a verdict of " Felo de se," and the Carotin issued his warrant to the clergyman, to cause the body to be interred at ten o'clock at night, without the usual burial service.