npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1857-09-10 (London, England)

GUILDHAL G.  ATTEMPTED SIIICIDE.—Kate Fieliagan, a young woman 20 years of age, was placed at the bar before Sir P. Laurie, charged with attempting self-de traction. It appeared from the evidence of police-c mstable 709, that this morning, about a quarter before two o'clock, he was on duty near Blackfriark,-bridge. He saw the prisoner on the steps near the water, and went to her and asked her what she was doing. She said she was waiting for the tide to rise to destroy herself. She was in a very agitated state, but she promised not to destroy herself, and he let her go. Oa his return to the bridge he again found her there, when he took her into custody. After she was locked up she attempted to strangle herself with a piece of bonnet ribbon. This was the third time she had attempted sell-destruction. Her mother, a wretched 'looking woman, was present, and in answer to the elderman's question, said that her daughter was a servant, but had been out of service about two years. She believed the cause of her conduct on this occasion was grief at her father's illness, who was not expected to live out the day. She attempted self-destruction at BlackCriare-bridge about six months ago. Drink was then the cause of it. Police-constable 709 said that the girl told him she had had words with her mother that induced her to leave her home. Sir P. Laurie expressed his doubts that the mother's explanation was the true cause of the prisoner's conduct. Pollee-constable 707—Her mother told him that the prisoner took poison once. The prisoner having promised not to offend again in a similar manner, was discharged. Sir P. Laurie said that a very important inquiry was now going on relative to the number of attempted suicides that had taken place in this way, and how many had been prevented. It would be ready about the end of the month. It was a subject he hal paid much attention to with a view to its prevention, and when the return he alluded to was furnished the public would have an opportunity of judging how far he had been successful. The prisoner then left the dock.
The Sun. — 1857-05-04 (London, England)

MURDER AND SIIICIDE.—A woman named Knight, residing near the parish church at Rotherhithe, has murdered her son and committed suicide. A day or two ago the husband lost his senses, and, to prevent his laying violent hands upon either himself or his family, he was placed under restraint in the asylum, and his wife and child were taken to reside in the house of the uncle, at Rotherhithe. Upon arriving there she seemed to be greatly depressed in mind, and complained bitterly of her state. Her friends, however, cheered her up as well as they were able, and at length considered that she had become reconciled to her fate, and advised her to go to bed with her child. The next morning (Thursday) the uncle got up between 5 and 6 o'clock—his usual hour to go to work—when he retired to the yard to wash his face, and in drawing the water from the butt he was terrified at seeing his relative, Mrs. Knight, rise to the top of the water. Not knowing whether she was dead or alive, he gave an immediate alarm and sent for the aid of the police and others. In the course of a few minutes Police-constable No. 247 of the M division attended, as well as some of the neighbours, who succeeded in pulling the unfortunate woman out of the butt, when they found that life was extinct, and had been so for some time. In another water butt was found the body of the infant child. Mr. W. Carter, the coroner for East Surrey, yesterday held an inquest at the Europa Tavern, Rotherhithe. From the evidence adduced it appeared that the unfortunate woman for some time had been predisposed to insanity, and, there being no doubt that she drowned the child and also herself, the jury returned that Susannah Knight destroyed the lite of her son, George Frederick Knight, when in a state of insanity. [
The Sun. — 1857-05-04 (London, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE. —A woman named Knight, residing near the parish church at Rotherhithe, has murdered her son and committed suicide. A day or two ago the husband lost his senses, and, to prevent his laying violent hands upon either himself or his family, he was placed under restraint in the asylum, and his wife and child were taken to reeide in the house of the uncle, at Rotherhithe. Upon arriving there she seemed to be greatly depressed in mind, and complained bitterly of her state. Her friends, however, cheered her up as well as they were able, and at length considered that she hail become reconciled to her fate, and advised her to go to bed with her child. The next morning (Thursday) the uncle got up between 5 and 6 o'clock—his usual hour to go to work—when he retired to the yard to wash his face, and in drawing the water from the butt he was terrified at seeing his relative, Mrs. Knight, rise to the top of the water. Not knowing whether she was dead or alive, he gave an immediate alarm and sent for the aid of the police and others. In the course of a few minutes Police-constable No. 247 of the M division attended, as well as some of the neighbours, who succeeded in pulling the unfortunate woman out of the butt, when they found that life was extinct, and bad been so for some time. In another water butt was found the body of the infant child. Mr. W. Carter, the coroner for East Surrey, yesterday held an inquest at the Europa Tavern, Rotherhithe. From the evidence adduced it appeared that the unfortunate woman for some time had been predisposed to insanity, and, there being no doubt that she drowned the child and also herself, the jury returned that Susannah Knight destroyed the lila of her son, George Frederick Knight, when in a state of insanity. [
The Sun. — 1857-12-24 (London, England)

SUICIDE OF FREER, THE ACTOR.—Yesterday morning Mr. Ctiarles Freer, the well-known actor of a quarter of a cernury ago, committed suicide by cut lug his throat with a razor. He bad been re-oding until very lately in Lambeth, and removed a few days ato to a small room in Bridge-court, Bridge-street, Parliament-street. He was in very indigent circumstances, having no means of obtaining a livelihood, and being nearly 70 years of age, was past all theatrical employment. It appears that between six and seven o'clock in the morning one of the people in the house happened to go to his room, and to their astonishment, found him in bed in a pool of blood, which, after further examination, was found to have proceeded from an extensive wound in his throat. An alarm was given, and a surgeon sent for immediately, who arrived and did what was necessary with the wound. A police constable was also called in at the same time. The poor man was then sensible, and told those about him that he bad inflicted the wound himself with a razor, indicating where the weapon wets to be found. He was at once removed to the Westminster Hospital, but, from the exhaustion causal by loss of blood, he only survived half an hour after being laid in the ascident ward. Information has been for warded to Mr. Bedford, the coroner for Westminster, and an inquest will be held this evening. AOCTDENTAL DEATHS„--CORONER'S INQUlRY.—Yesterday afternoon Mr. Walsley held an inquiry at the Elephant and Castle, Camden Town, into the circumstances attending the death of Lucy Ballsner, a widow, aged 70. Death arose from extravasation of bybloodff onoe athe o nbrain, occasioned position inn in which h all probability deceased yeepaaratedly was found lying, and partly from a severe injury on the forehead, the latter to all appearance having h; en produced by the deceased falling while in a partial state of stupefaction from drink, for it appeared she was given much to gin-drinking, and a bottle which bad contained that liquor was found near her. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. In the second case, that of a female child, the daughter of a house decorator, earned Butcher, it appeared that the deceased was one of twins, and while the mother was about her daily avocations she was suddenly seized with the pains of labour, and gave birth to the deceased on theft tor, Were medical aid could arrive. The injuries the deceased received to the head on the occasion, caused death, but the other chill was reported to be doing well. A verdict of accidental death was likewise recorded in this case, and the inquiry terminated.
The Sun. — 1857-01-13 (London, England)

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—Harriet Pope was brought before Mr. Beadon, charged with attempting to commit suicide by drowning herself in the Serpentine. Parsons, one of the officers of the Humane Society, sail he nas on duty at the receiving-house on Sunday week, when the bell rang, and on opening the gate he received charge of the prisoner, who bad just jumped into the Serpentine near the bridge. He had been informed that when the alarm was given a person who was passing at the time threw off his coat and jumped in after the prisoner, very nearly losing his own life from his humane conduct, in consequence of the struggles of the prisoner and the difficulty he had in rescuing her from the water. The prisoner was kept at the receivinghisuse until 4 o'clock thatday; and then being sufficiently recovered she was wrapped in a blanket, and sent to St. George's Hospital, where she had remained ever since.. Mr. Beadon assed the prisoner what she had to say to the charge ? The prisoner replied that she had been driven to attempt suicide in consequence of ill-usage from her husband, who had turned her out of home, and taken up with another woman. The husband, who was in court, came forward and said, it was true that he had parted from his wife, but it was in consequence of her inveterate habits of intoxica tion. Everything was either sold or pawned for drink, and after repeated attempts to reclaim her, he had separated from her, and made her an allowance of 7s. a week. She was in the habit of coming to his employers quite drunk, to demand more money, and her connuct had nearly lost him his employment. It was only on the night before she threw her,elt . into the water that he sent her 10s., and the next morning she had not a farthing left. Police-constable A 147, said the employer of Pope gave him a most excellent character, and complained of the drunken habits of his wife. The prisoner said she wanted a larger allowance from her husband.  The husband said he could not afford it. If his wife had a guinea a week she would not have a penny the day after she received her money. Mr. Beadon consented to discharge the prisoner on the husband giving her money for present support, and promising to allow her a weekly sum according to his means. The officer of the receiving house wished to know whether he was bound to attend the court to give evidence in those oases where he had nothing more to say tha❑ he admitted a case of drowning into the society's house. In the present instance the police insisted on his coining to the court with the prisoner, although it might be injurious if anything should happen during his absence, such as a call fur assistance, and he not there to give it. Mr. Beadon did n' .t think the officer need attend in any case except where he personally assisted in preventing the felony of suicide.
The Sun. — 1857-09-15 (London, England)

ANECDOTE OF THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPTL—I think the most curious fact, taken altogether, that I ever heard of the eleutrio telegraph was told me by a cashier of the B ink of England. " Once ripen a time, then, on a certain Saturday night, the folks at the Bank could nut make the balance came right by just 1001. This is a seri ous matter in that little establishment : I do not mean the cash, but the mistake in arithmetic; for it Pensions a world of scrutiny. An error in balancing has been known, I am told, to keep a delegation of clerks from each office at work semetimes through the whole night. A hue and cry was of course made after this 1001., as if the ()id lady in Threadneedle-street would be in the 9azette for want of it. Luckily on the Sunday morning a clerk (i❑ the tnidula of the sermon, I dare say, if the truth were known) felt a suspicion of the truth dart through his mind quicker than any flash of the telegraph its(ll. He told the c:rief cashier ou Monday morning that perhaps the mistake might have occurred in pack ins some boxes of specie for the West Indies, which ha•l been rent to Southampton for shipment. The suggestion was immediately acted upon. Here was a race —lightning against steam ! and steam with 43 hours' steel given. Instantly the wires asked whether such a vessel had left the harbour ?" Just weighing anchor,' was the answer. 'Stop her,' frantically shouted the electric telegrapb. It was done. Have up on deck eel tain boxes marled so and so ; weigh thorn careful!y.' They were weighed ; and one—the delicquentfound heavier by just one packet of a hundred soy reigns than it ought t) be. 'Let her go,' said the mystezi. u telegraph. The West India folks were debited with ju_t 100/. more, and the error was corrected without ever looking into the boxes or delaying the voyage by en hour. Now that is what may be call I 'doing business.' _Letters of R, E. H. Gruson.  SUICIDE Paoli
The Sun. — 1857-09-15 (London, England)

HAVELOCK. It now appears that the cowardly assassin had not ventured to meet the victorious troops, even with all the advantages of an entrenched and fortified position. He had fled before them in dismay, and on the 17th July his Fort was occupied without even an attempt at resistance. The sanguinary ruffians who embrued their hands in the blood of women and children would not dare to nrset in fair fight armed men, although less than one-fifth of their number, who were trebly armed in the justice of their quarrel. Of course, the fortress was completely destroyed, and no less than la g MI% were captured, an important addition to (Tr artillery, and a still greater loss to the rebels. u thst occasion NBNA SAHIB escaped. But his jufzum'" career was rapidly drawing to a close. Ho could not Possibly hope to escape the avengers of Mood—the ministers of a siern justice that were tracking his footstep; and determined to inflict exemplary justice on the most guilty of all Who raised their felon bands against those whom they were bouud to protect by every tie of honour minly feeling. It is sail that after his flight from Bithoor, lie destroyed his entire faintly and then committei suicide. This is by n, means justly be regarded as a improbable, and it w'oull nisaf.l act of retribution that would strike terror ilfGe the whole body of the rebclg. It was nearly a fortnight after the capture and destruction of Bithoor that tl:c battles of the 29th and 30th July were fought. Colonel NEILL had Joined FrAvenocie on the 221 July, and it was at 13,1P•1r El Gunge, about 18 miles from Cawnpore, ou ibe road to Lecknow, that they encountered tb.e mutineers more than 10,000 strong, whom they completely defeated and put to flight, taking 15 guns. This would make no less thin 28 cannon captured from the enemy, a most important achievement under the circumstances of the case. It would seem also that another battle had-taken place the following day, in which Hay.s.Loox had
The Sun. — 1857-10-31 (London, England)

VAUGHAN, B.A.—This distinguished iyoung minister died on Monday, at his house, Alexander-street, Westbourne-park. He was eon of the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, principal of the Lancashire Independent College. A telegram transmitted to Lloyd's, from Revel, mentions that the steamer Napoleon, Capt. Amery, from Hull to Cronstadt, is aground on 1303,gae, with 11 feet of water in her hold. A portion of the cargo, consisting of 100 bales of cotton and five casks of wine had been saved. The direction of the Dutch Rhenish Railway CJllipany announce a twelfth call of 24E1. per share, payable or. the 15th of January. This call being made for the purpose of redeeming the loan of 2,400,0006. due no the let of March next, the certificates of that loan will be received at par in payment of the call. Three suspensions were announced from Liverpool yesterday—Messrs. J. S. de Wolf and Co., shipowners ; Gould and Davies, wine merchants and ship ch tndlers ; and Robert Morrow, Sun, and Garbutt, timber merchants. The liabilities of Messrs. ds Wolf and C•. are, it is feared, considerable. In London the suspension has occurred of .Nlessrs. J. Ha'y and Co., merchants in the New York and Canada trade, and Messrs. J. Jaffrey and Co.; of Great St. Helen's, ship and insurance brokers. The non-receipt of remittances from America has in each case been the cause of difficulty. The liabilities of Messrs. lialy are stated at 60,0001 , and a favourable liquidation is anticipate!. L-Aters from Liverpool explain that the. failure of the negotiations fur the relief of the Borough Blink was caused, not by any withdrawal of the Liverpool banks from their offer to give guarantees, but from a difference ofd iaw between themselve3 and the Bank of Eogland wn the precisJ terms of those guarantees came to be discussed, SUICIDE OF A FRENCH RAILWAY OFFICIA his L.—The chief of the railway station of Montigny blew out brain* afe w days ago, in consequence, it is said, of his havieg appropriated to his own use some of the mon Heey of the company, the discovery of which he feared. has left a wife and several children. Miss Burdett Cautte has taken a residence in the vicinity of Torquay, for the ensuing winter.
The Sun. — 1857-05-15 (London, England)

HONG KONG.  Mr. DUNLOP asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with reference to the fact, appearing from the Pail anientary paper No. 147, of last session, that, while the emigration officer at Hong Kong had refused to grant a certificate for more than 81 Chinese coolies being taken to sea by the John Calvin, bound for Havana, that vessel carried away 297 such passengers, of whom 110 perished on the voyage, by suicide and disease, and 23 more in quarantine and hospital at Havana : whether the conduct of the master, in taking pas• engers exceeding so greatly in number that for which the certificate was granted, was a contravention of the Chinese Passengers' Act of 1855, and, if so, whether instructions had been siren for enforcing the penalties under the hood granted at Hong Kong in terms of that act ; or, if it be not, whether her Majesty's Government would propose an amendment of the act to remedy a defect which gave occa-ion to kidnapping and its consequences : and, whether any communication Chad been made to his department of an explanation having been demanded or received from the British Consul General in Cuba of the ' statement, so far as regards the John Calvin, contained in his report on the cases of that vessel and the Duke of Portland, that he had minutely inquired into them, and Ithat there was no blame whatever attached to the masters of that vessel ? Mr. LABOUC HERE said that the officers at Hong Kong only licensed for SO coolies, and that the others I were carried against that license. The authorities were considering whether th© law was sufficient to prevent such conduct, and if so, measures would be accordingly taken, and it it was found the law was defective he should take steps to amend it. With regard to the conduct of the Consul at Havannab, no blame was justly imputed to him.
The Sun. — 1857-05-15 (London, England)

IMPERIAL -PARLIAMENT.  HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.) HONG KONG. Mr. DUNLOP asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with reference to the fact, appearing from the Parlatmentary paper No. 147, of last session, that, while the emigration officer at Hong Kong had refused to grant a certificate for more than 81 Chinese coo lies being taken to sea by the John Calvin, bound for Havana, that vessel carried away 297 such passengers, of whom 110 perished on the voyage, by suicide and disease, and 23 more in quarantine and hospital at Havana : whether the conduct of the master, in taking pas engers exceeding so greatly in number that for which the certificate was granted, was a contravention of the Chinese Passengers' Act of 1855, and, if so, whether instructions bad been given for enforcing the penalties under the bond granted at Hong Kong in terms of that act ; or, if it be not, whether her Majesty's Government would propose an amendment of the act to remedy a defect which gave occa.ion to kidnapping and its consequences: and, whether any communication ,had been made to his department of an explanation having been demanded or received from the British Consul General in Cuba of the statement, so far as regards the Jobn Calvin, contained in his report on the cases of that vessel and the Duke of Portland, that he had minutely inquired into them, and that there was no blame whatever attached to the masters of that vessel ? Mr. LABOUCIIERE said that the officers at Hong Kong only licensed for 80 coolies, and that the others were carried against that license. The authorities were considering whether the law was sufficient to prevent such conduct, and if so, measures would be accordingly taken, and if it was found the law was defective he should take steps to amend it. With regard to the conduct of the Consul at Havannab, no blame was justly imputed to him.
The Sun. — 1857-07-07 (London, England)

CLASS 11. Eliza Doyle (sister of the late Colonel Sir John Milley Doyle, ; in consideration of the chstingui-thed military services of her brother, and of the destitute circumstances in which she is left by his decae Mrs. Jane Margaret Backhouse ; in consideraton of the distressed circumstances in which she has been left at the death of her husband, Mr. George Canning Backhouse, who was murdered while d,scharging the duties of her Majesty's commissary judge at Havanna!' Mrs Margaret Gavin ; in consideration of the distressed circumstances in which she Ills-been left on the death of her husband, Dr. Gavin, who was accidentally killed in the Crimea while employed in the public  £5O  100  s rvie Mrs. Anne Thomp,on, in consideration of the gallant services of her son, the late Capt. Thompson, C. 8., who died of the wounds which he received at the memorable siege of Kars, and of the straitened cixcurnstances iu which she is now placed. Ellen Maria Hay and Fanny Anne Hay, is consideration of the long and faithful services of their father in the Admira'ty departments, and of the straitened circumstances in which they are now placed Anne Csthcart, in consideration of the mi. 150  Went military service of her late father, the late Lieutenant-General Sir George Cathc,rt, K.C.8., who wav killed at the Battle of Inkerman, and of the narrow pecuniary means in which his family have been left  £5OO 'We have no'hing to say against the grants allotted in any case. Tile public gift was well bes owed and r:c!dy deserved. All that We plead is th-tt the pensions in the last category given aboveshould have been awarded from another fund. Ampleprovision for the bereaved sister of Colonel Doyle, mother of Captain Thompson, widow of Mr. Gavin, or daughter of General Cathcart, was due fiorn the naiim to the services of those late gallant officers, but clearly belonged t the vote for military pensions, and should have been defrayed out of the army estimates, instead of being drawn from the pittance allo-ted by Parliament for the relief of distressed "Genius." The debts were richly due, and ought to be paid. But the pay.tient would have been made with better grace if not accompanied by a robbery upon a fund ostensibly devoted to another branch of the national liability to its servants and benefactors.—lllorning Chronicle.  The Presse of yesterday btates that a Baron de 13., who I,:st his fortune by speculations on the Bourse and who subsequently raised money on drove yesterday trom the Rue de Rivoli, where he occepie l a hands me apartment, i o Notre Dame, where he commuted suicide by throwing himself from the tower. He held in his hand a summons which he had received from the Procur. ur Imporial, to atiswer a charge of krgery. His body was conveyed t r the Morgue. Information has reached us of some disturbances which have broken out in the, S ,uth of Spain, but they appear to have Leen without importance, and were energetically suppressed,