npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Warrington Examiner. — 1874-10-24 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

MISS BRADDON AS A NOVELIST. (From The Spectator.)  Miss Braddon's latest novel is in her second manner, and adap.ed to her second public, the class of seader4 for whose favour she has entered into a brisk, but vain competition with Mrs. Henry Wood. We all remember her first, or blue-eyedmurderess manner, when her women were fascinating fiends, and her men were ennuye's, with a tendency to suicide ; when she was great in upholstery, knowing in horse flesh, cunning in coulisses, and before she developed her present knowlege of classical literature, European languages, Indian history, the fine arts, medical science, and Hoy Scripture. We prefer bar first manner ; it was not dull; her golden-haired ghouls were daubs, but they were not bores; and leer pieposterous, desultory barristers and pompous Cornishmen—why do novaists love to nickr pride and pomposity in Cornwall Y—weie preferable to her profound philosopLers...ker eminent artists, and her grave inscrutable physicians, whom she converts from free thinking, and an evil tendency to stay away from church, by a process so mid srm, that we look for saving grace in her later as confidently as we looked lor bigamy in her former novels. The race-course, the music-hall, the behind-the-scenes, the lodginghouse life, taw dry as were the his of finery with which she contrasted them, were preferable to her dreadfully genteel style, her model young ladies, and her inevitable colonist, with a simple mind, a large fortune, an only daughter, and disease of the heart,, that charmingly convenient complaint which has superseded consumption, of which the novelists of a past generation, who bad to kill their people not suddenly, but sweetly, made lavish use. In short, she was more readable before she removed from Bohemia, and pitted herself against the leading manufacturer of novels for, readers of the lower middle-class, whether "Church' or" Chapel" in their religious principles. She has no chance in the struggle ; she cannot touch her veteran rival in gorgeous common-place, the nice adjustment of murder and morality, servants'-hall episodes, the romance of the apothecary and the greengrocer, funeral etiquette and expenses, the gossip of the backshop, and public elcquence. Miss Braddon lacks the direct, bold, entirely confident Philistinism of Mrs' Henry Wood, and she cannot boast of the undeviating devotion of that lady to the accredited literary morality of this kind of fiction.
The Warrington Examiner. — 1874-04-18 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

LYII3I NEWS.  INQUEST ON A SUICIDE AT 7LIELWALL.—An inquest was held at the Picke. ing Arms. Thel wall, on Thursday evening last, before Mr. T. J. Ridgway, coroner, concerning the death of John Murray, an Irish labourer, who committed suicide on Wednesday morning last. Mrs. Hessian called, said: I live in Bank-street, Warrington, and am a widow. I knew the deceased, who came from Queens County, and had belonged to the Athlone Militia. He was about 20 years of age, and had formerly lodged with me. He left me some time ago, saying he should not come back any more. Had been working at Bank Quay Bottle Works. During Easter week deceased was drinking. About two months ago he had a fall and hurt his head, since which he has seemed quite heavy and dull. Samuel Houghton, a boy of eleven years, sworn: Murrray, the deceased man, had been working for my father. About one o'clock on Wednesday I went up the hay loft to look for eggs, when I saw him (Murray) hanging from a beam. Under his feet were a number of potato boxes. I did not touch the body, but ran down and told Joseph Grounds. I did not see the latter cut him down. About a minute after my father came. Deceased had looked very white the morning before. I hai been working with him at eight in the morning. I did not go after him between eight and one o'clock, as I thought he might be on the spree. He had been drinking on Monday and Tuesday.-3, seph Grounds, called and sworn' said: lam a gardener, and live at Thelwall. About twenty minutes to one o'clock yesterday I was passing Mr. Houghton's farm, and was told a man had hung himself. I went up to the loft and cut him down. The body was quite dead and nearly cold, and was suspended by a double rope placed around the beam. Under his feet were a number of spritting boxes. They appeared to have been placed straight np, and then had tumbled down, One box was leaning against the brick pillar and appeared to have been stepped on, for pieC9 'was broken off. Deceased was a short man., in could not have placed the rope around ths beam overhead without stepping on tho boxes. I did not know the man. The jury unanimously returned the following verdict: "Committed suicide by hanging ; but there is no evidence to show in what state of mind deceased was at the time."
The Warrington Examiner. — 1874-09-19 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

NEWTON PETTY SESSIONS.—At these sessions on Saturday before Col. McCorquodale, and Messrs. Birley and Houghton, a charge of committing a breach of the Licensing Act by opening her house at illegal hours, was preferred against Jane Hayes, beerhouse keeper; William Kirwood was summona for being on the premises during illegal hours; and Mrs. Hayes was fir ther charged with allowing him to be present. It was alleged for the defence that if Kirkwood had any ale at the time stated it was without her knowledge. The cases were dismissed on payment of the costs.— Win. George Owen, a little lad, was charged with trespassing in a field belonging to Mr. Adam Cartwright, on the 18th ult., and doing damage to wheat to the extent of Is. The case was dismissed.—John Martin, Richard Nuttall, and Isaac Smith were charged with damaging grass growing in a field belonging to Thomas Stone. Defendants were each fined Is. and costs, Col. McCorquodale remarking that the Bench were determined, if possible, to put an end to trespassing.—Richard Hilton, Richard Bailey, Charles Ratcliffe, Richard Owen, John Goulding, Philip Hughes, and John Skyan, all lads, were charged with injuring and spoiling a quantity of bricks belonging to Thomas Stone, LI 4s. being claimed as compensation. Each fined in the costs, ss. 6cl.--Roger Haslam was charged with assaulting Samuel Kelsall, at Burtonwood. Mr. E. J. Nicholson appeared for the complainant. Defendant, who was drunk, went to complainant's father's house, became very violent, struck complainant a violent blow in the chest, and insulted his sister. He was eventually ejected from the house. Fined £5 and costs.—Martha James was charged with having, on the 17th ult., at Earlestown, attempted to commit suicide. On the night in question prisoner called her sister-in-law into her bedroom' and told her she had done for herself, as she had taken some laudanum. Medical aid was called in, and Dr. Watkins and Dr. Noon and his assistant were in attendance on prisoner during a good portion of the night. As soon as she got better she was apprehended. Prisoner was committed for trial.—The following persons were fined for drunkenness :—Samuel Brown, Patrick Maloney, Thomas Maloney, and John Bain.— Michael Halloran and Michael Murphy were charged with committing a breach of the peace by fighting at Earlestown, on the sth inst. Defendants were bound over to keep the peace.—Estber Ball was summoned for allowing the chimney of her dwelling-house to be on fire, on the 31st ult. She was fined 6d. and costa.
The Warrington Examiner. — 1870-12-10 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

WOULD-BE SITICIDE : THE EFFECTS OF DEINIC—A man who gave the name of Joseph Maddocks, and who had a very vacant stare, was charged with attempting to commit suicide by trying to throw himself under the wheel of a cart, in Church-street, between 7 and 8 o'clock this morning. It appeared that defendant belongs to Salford, and had been out on the "spree" during the past week. Having found his ' way to Warrington he paid a visit to the police station at one o'clock this morning, telling the night officer in charge that he had been " sent to see." The constable observing that he was suffering from the effects of ' drink detained him until day began to break, when he was discharged. He had not proceeded far when he was perceived by a man named Cayley to sit down in the luichale of Charch-street in front of a horse and cart that were coming up at the time, his object evidc etiv being -,iicidc Cayley ran to him and dragged hi - when he m—le a second attempt to throw hi .1- r the wheels. He was again rescued and takc., ~.istody by P.C. 14. The charge of attempting commit suicide was, however, abandoned, and defendant pleaded guilty to being drunk and incapable.—Fined ss. and costs, or seven days' imprisonment. Being destitute of cash he was removed to durance vile, the chairman observing that bread and cold water would effect a certain cure. NEGLECTINGHIS Woax.—Matthew Glynn, a " hand " in the employ of Mr. Edward Bolton, glass manufacturer, pleaded guilty to absenting himself from his work, on the 28th and 29th ult., contrary to the rules and regulations of the establishment. Ihe bss thus sustained by complainant was computed at 10s.—Defendant said he was quite willing that the time he had lost should be deducted from his wages. As an arrangement was entered: into that defendant should pay the 10s., at the rate of 2s. 6d. a week, and pay costs, and go back to his work, a conviction was not pressed for. John Coonaham was fined 2s. 6d. including costs, for not being in charge of his horse and cart in Bewseystreet, on Wednesday, the 30th ult. Dittrxx AND iNDECENT.—Thomas Hindley (who did not appear) was fined on the evidence of P.C. 9,20 s. and costs, or 21 days, for being drunk aad indecently exposing himself in Bridge-street. There was the usual retinue of "drunks," who had to pay the usual penalties.
The Warrington Examiner. — 1870-05-07 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

THE SUSPECTED MURDER. AT HAYDOCK. - James Wane, Thomas Platt, Isaiah Davies, and James Harrison were placed in the dock on a formal charge of suspicion of murder, but it was stated that a discharge would be asked for, as no evidence could be found criminatinE,r the men. Inspector Dickinson, of the Wigan division of the Lancashire Constabulary, laid the facts of the case before the Bench. He said that on Sunday afternoon, the 24th April, about half-past two o'clock, Platt, Davis, and Harrison were seen walking in seine fields at Haydock occupied by a farmer named (Wen. From thence they proceeded to the canal bank, where they met a woman whose name was unknown, with whom they walked for some distance. The three men and the woman were then watched by Mr. o,,ven's son and some other young men, and were seen to go again into the fields, where, after proceeding a short distance, Davis and Harrison left Platt and the woman by themselves. After the woman and Platt had been together seine time, the latter joined his companions and the former went in the direction of the canal. This was about three o'clock, and at halfpast three the woman was found •drowned by young Owen and his companions. At the inquest, held at the Waggon and Horses, Haydock, two or three witnesses spoke to seeing both the young men and the woman, one of them, named John Addison, giving evidence to meeting the woman on the canal bank, near where she was found drowned, with her apron up to her eyes, crying. A verdict was returned at the inquest of "Found drowned." Every inquiry had since been made by the police, but to no other purpose than to convince them that the woman had either accidentally fallen into the canal or had committed suicide. The only other feature in the case was that connecting the man Wane with it. On the day the woman was found drowned he was drinking, and when the conversation turned upon the finding of the woman, Wane put his arm round the neck of a man named William Rylands, aud said, "I am very sorry; I met the woman on the canal bank, and put her in; I did not think she would be drowned, but it appears she as been." He was very drunk at the time, and from inquiries which the police had made, there could be no doubt whatever that his statement was untrue. He (the inspector) should therefore ask that all the men be discharged.— Mr. Swift of St. Helens, who appeared on behalf of Platt, Davies, and Harrison, also asked that they be discharged.—ln reply to the Bench, Wane said he never saw the woman in his life, and knew nothing about her. He was willing to be bound over to appear at any time he Inight be called upon. He was then bound in the sum of £4O to appear at any time when called upon. after which all four men were discharged, Mr. Pierpoint remarking that if the woman had been wroagfully put into the canal, lie trusted the police would do all in their power to bring the matter to light.  -
The Warrington Examiner. — 1870-05-07 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

SAD OCCURRENCE: DASTARDLY' CONDUCT OF A MARRIED MAN. A most painful event occurred at Newton on Monday last, casting a gloom over the whole neighbourhood. This was the suicide by drowning of a most respectable young woman, named Elizabeth Gleave, aged only 18, domestic servant of Mr. Barclay, one of the overseers at McCorquodale's printing works. It appears that she and a young man named Michael Ward have been courting, but for some reason or other he refused to go. out with her last Sunday. An acquaintance of Michael Ward, a married man named John Jones, who was aware that there was some little lover's quarrel between the young folks, went and told Lizzie that he knew why Michael would not take her out, and if she would go with him, he would show her the reason for it. Either by direct expression or by inuendoes, he led the young woman to believe that Michael was walking out with another girl, and if she would go with him he would take her where she could have ocular demonstration of her lover's supposed delinquency. Lizzie took Jones at his word and went out with him. Jones took her round by Hermitage Green to Winwick, where he pursuaded her fo enter the Swan Inn and have some drink, which took such effect upon her as to milder her partially insensible. He then took her in the direction of . Newton, but what took place on the road no one can tell, certain it is that the poor girl was exceedingly ill and sick. Her belief that her lover was untrue to her, and the shame to which she had been brought by Liles, prayed so much on the poor girl's mind, that, after writing two letters of farewell —one to her lover Michael Ward, and the other to her young mistress, Miss Barclay—she committed suicide by throwing herself into the ornamental lake at newton, on Monday. Miss Barclay, enteliug the house after the unfortunate young woman had left, found the letters, and seeing one directed to herself, she opened it, and discovered that poor Lizzie, whom they looked upon as almost one of their own, had destroyed herself. Lizzie had indicated in her letter to Miss Barclay the spot where she intended throwing herself into the lake, and upon Miss Barclay immediately putting herself in communication with the police, the lake was dragged, and the body found at the exact place mentioned by the unfortunate girl. The inquest was held yesterday before C. E. Driffield, Esq., at the Blue Lion, Newton, when the above facts were given in evidence. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide while in a state of temporary insanity." The coroner praised Michael Ward, the lover, for the hoLest and straightford manner in which he had given evidence; but administered a severe censure upon John Jones the married man, for the manner in which he had behaved to the girl. The following is the unfortunate girls' farewell to her lover : Newton, May 2,
The Warrington Examiner. — 1870-08-27 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

SHOCKING TRADGEDY AT BATH.-011 Monday last, a murder, an attempted murder, and a suicide, in a family occupying, to say the least, a respectable position in society, took place at Bath, the murderer being a schoolmaster named Prankard, living in Spencer's Bellevue, and the vie ims his two daughters. Mr. Prankard was a gentleman of prepossessing appearance a man of education, and of comfortable means. His eldest daughter, Miss Minnie Prankard, was about 21 years of age, and was about to leave home for a situation on the continent. Her father was much opposed to her leaving home, and he had an altercation with her and her sister, the subject, there is reason to presume, being the young lady's approaching departure. The quarrel took place in the schoolroom, and five minutes after its occurrence the servant, who was in the kitchen below, heard four pistol shots fired in rapid succession. She at once went up, meeting.on her way with her master, who was rushing up to the top of the house. The girl took no notice of him, but at once entered the schoolroom, where she found Miss Prankard lying on the floor dead, with a pistol wound in her head, from which the brains were exuding. Her younger sister was then trying to escape into the next house through the window, and, with the assistance of the servant, her purpose was effected. She, too, had been a victim to her father's passion, having received two wounds in the head, to which, it is feared, she must succumb. Then, as to the father, he was seen to go up stairs, and in this direction search was made for him. In a garret, the door of which he had fastened, he was found quite dead, lying across the foot of the bed. He, no doubt, had taken poison, a strong dose it must have been, for death could not have been other than instantaneous. No firearm has yet been found, but some caps and a powder-flask formed part of the property on Prankard's person. It is likely that the instrument used was a revolver. Inquests were held on Tuesday on the body of Mary Methuen Frankard, aged 24, who was shot by her father, a schoolmaster, on the preceding day, and on the body of the murderer, who afterwards poisoned himself. The jury returned a verdict of Wilful murder against the deceased man in the case of the daughter, and of temporary insanity in the case of the suicide." The wounded girl, Kate Prankard, lies in a , critical condition, but hopes are entertained of her I recovery. It is feared that a third daughter has fallen by the hand of the murderer. She was taken away from home by her father on Friday last, and up to the present time nothing has been heard of her.
The Warrington Examiner. — 1870-07-23 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

DARING ESCAPE OF A WOMAN FROM GAOL.—About six o'clock on Sunday morning it was discovered by t he officials in Newcastle gaol that one of the prisoners, named Mary O'Neil, had escaped. O'Neil, who is 27 years of age, and a married woman, was tried at the late sessions for picking 12s. from the pocket of a woman. She was found guilty, and, having admitted previous convictions, was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. On the sentence being pronounced the prisoner shouted "Thank God, that's not for life. I'll come back again and be as bad as ever." On being removed from the dock she created such a disturbance in the temporary cells in the Guildhall that the police had to take her at once in a cab to the borough gaol. There she was confined in a cell situate in the northwest angle of the building. She continued to he refractory in her conduct, and, having threatened to commit suicide, two other female prisoners were placed beside her as a precautionary measure. At ten o'clock on Saturday night O'Neil was visited in her cell by a gaol official, and all was apparently right at that time. On Sunday morning, on the usual rounds being made, it was discovered that the woman was gone. The modus operandi had been somewhat as follows. She had in the first place either sawn through, broken, or wrenched out a couple of bars in the window, and by that means made her escape from the cell, and obtained an entrance into the laundry or washhouse. The deterneined woman had next contrived to get out of another window and on to the top of the laundry. The roof of the laundry is nearly on a level with the boundary wall of the gaol, and, getting eosne a this'When s wallt the a res ewoman w a sm hadm made, herself t apiece f t o downsou not very long, however was discovered hanging t rote, oavne d pr the wall, one end of it tied to the roof of the laundry. As the rope hun,g only a very short way down the outside of the boundary wall, the daring gaolbreaker must have dropped fully 20 feet before reaching the grouud lemsug hold of the rope.—.Yothern Zxpress.
The Warrington Examiner. — 1870-07-23 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

DREADFUL SUICIDE ON THE B 0 WDON LINE. On Thursday afternoon the passengers by the 2.25 train from Bowdon were startled when just outside Stretford station by hearing a report of fire-arms in the train. The driver of the train also heard the report, and looking back he saw smoke proceeding from a compartment of the carriage nearest the engine. He .at once ran along the foot-board of the train, and looking into the compartment, which was a second-class one, he saw that a gentl:nnan had shot himself. A passenger in the same carriage, but in another compartment, looked out of the window, and saw blood trickling from under the door of an adjoining compartment. At Knott Mill, where the train stopped, the gentleman was found lying on the floor of the carriage quite dead, and holding a on-3- barrel pistol in his rigut hand. Decased's skull had the top blown off, and the pistol had evidently been placed against the forehead. His brains ware found scattered about the carriage, and a small bullet was found •in the compartment. The train proceeded on its journey to Oxford-road station, where the body was removed to the Oxford-road Hotel. It proved to be that of Mr. E. T. Heslop, stock and shareoker, carrying on business in Manchester, and formerly a member of the Manchester Stock Exchange, residing at Enville-terrace, Northeuden-road, Sale. The train leaves Sale station at 2.32, and Mr. Heslop taking a second class ticket got into a compartment with Mr. Waltham, of Sale. At Stretford Mr. Waltham got out, and Mr. Heslop did • the same, and entered another second class compartment alone, from which compartment the shot was heard fired as soon as the train had emerged from the station. Deceased was about 50 years of age, and leaves a wife and four or five children. No motive is assigned for the act, but it is rumoured that the deceased had been in pecuniary difficulties of late, aud the probability is that these had so preyed on his mind as to cause Lana to commit the deed in a fit of insanity. The affair created great excitement on the line during the afternoon and evening.