npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1837-11-23 (London, England)

CORONERS' INQUESTS.  Yesterday afternoon a jury was assembled at the King's Arms, Half-way House, Kensington-road, to inquire into the cause of death of Fanny Briers, aged 18, a fine young woman,lately in the service of Mr. Grote, one of the Members for the City. It appeared that the deceased was found drowned in the Serpentine River, Hyde-park, on Sunday morning last. She had on the same morning tapped at the door of her sister, a respectable married woman, with whom she resided until she could procure another place, saying she was going to take a walk. She had more than once expressed her regret at losing her situation in the family of Mr. Grote, and stated her apprehension of becoming burdensome to her relatives. The jury being satisfied that the act was solely attributable to this feeling, returned a verdict of " Temporary mental derangement." Yesterday another inquest was held at the North London Hospital Gower-street, on the body of Edward Routlidge, aged 21, who died in that institution from injuries rece►ved by the collision of a hackney-coach, and cab No. 1,153, driven by deceased, on the night of the 30th ult. The deceased was intoxicated at the time, and no blame can be imputed to the driver of the hackney-coach. Verdict—" Accidental death."  A second inquest was held at the same Hospital on the body of J. Dobrey, aged 31,, a cab proprietor and driver, who died from injuries received by a fall, while attempting to reach the driving seat.—Verdict, " Accidental death."  An eating-house keeper in Ande;ston, who has been but a short time married, committed suicide on Wednesday evening, by cutting big throat with a pen knife. As yet, nothing has transpired from which any cause can be assigned for the perpetration of the rash act.--Glasgow Chronicle.
The Sun. — 1837-05-04 (London, England)

MADRID, APRIL 17.—M. Santa Maines, the Mexican Plenipotentiary at this Court, breathed his last at nine o'clock yesterday, after a lingering illness of several months. His remains have lain in state until this morning at his apartments in the Calle del Desengano, and the funeral will start this evening from the church of Porta Celi. He was a most able and intelligent man, most anxious for the increasing welfare of his country. I understand, from very good authority, that the preliminaries of the treaty of commerce and navigation between Spain and that Republic were adjusted with him about ten days since, at which time he appeared to be perfectly aware of his approaching dissolution, expressing deep regret that be would no longer be in the land of the living when the ratification of the treaty of peace and amity between the two countries is received at Madrid next June. Whether his Secretary is provided with the necessary !powers to assume the post of Charge d'Affaires, or whether another Minister from Mexico must be waited for before anything further can be done, is what I have not yet been able to learn. A suicide of a dreadful and most determined nature took place in Horsham during the night of Monday, the 24th ult., when a man named Peter Pollard, an under bailiff of the Sheriff of Sussex, destroyed himself. Pollard was of the Roman Catholic persuasion, and had the care of the chapel in Horsham belonging to that ancient faith. He lived in the house attached to the chapel, which was also occupied by a family named Potter. He had much habituated himself to drinking for several weeks past, up to within the last day or two of his death, and to the horrid vice of drunkenness his pre mature end may be attributed. He went to bed quite sober on Monday night ; but on Tuesday morning it was discovered that he had left his bed in the night and come down stairs into, a small parlour, where he kept his shaving-box and razor in a drawer ; it is supposed he opened the drawer, took out the razor, and cut his throat. He then returned up stairs to his room and got into bed. Finding, however, that the wound he had inflicted was ineffectual, he left his bed again, and fastening a small cord to the post at the foot of the bedstead, with the other end completed his horrible design, and was found a corpse early in the morning. An inquest was taken, when the Jury, after hearing the evidence, returned a verdict —" That deceased destroyed himself while labouring under temporary degrangement."—Brighton Guardian.
The Sun. — 1837-08-29 (London, England)

MRS. S. C. HALL'S NEW NOVEL, " UNCLE tHooenxitalctEt.h"—e liMterrs. arHal y taste has steotn floheermcuoch in untryh Irish ske tches to Heretehe writings, s while they appeal deeply to the home feelings and affections, are characterised by an inimitable humour, that gives double piquancy to the pleasantries of Irish character. In this work she has taken new ground. The story is of a truly English nature, mid abounds in vivid pictures of British life, drawn with the authoress's accustomed delicacy and beauty. The great charm of the work consists in its being written naturally, and with true feeling ; and we have no doubt that it will become one of the most successful of this lady's productions. On Sunday afternoon an accident of a most distressing nature occurred on board the Ariel, a Woolwich steamer, while passing down the river with passengers. As she was passing St. Katherine's Dock, between five and six o'clock, Mr. Swiesland, the mate began to collect the fares of the people, when one of his children, a beautiful girl, five years of age, began to amuse herself with the bolt of the gangway doors, on the larboard side of the vessel, and while her father's attention was otherwise engaged she pulled the doors open, and pitched forward under the rail into the river. The father saw her as she reached the water, and cried out " My child, my child !—she's overboard, Sir!" The vessel was 'going at full speed, and Captain Rule, the master, instantly ordered the vessel to be backed astern, which was immediately effected. The agonized father jumped into the boat astern, which was soon lowered, but by that time, from the way the Ariel had in the water, she was a hundred yards from the spot where the girl fell in, and she had disappeared. The father kept his eye on the spot, and continued rowing towards it ; the child again appeared on the surface, but before he could reach her she sunk again and was drowned. Swiesland has ever since his severe loss been in a state of distraction bordering on madness, and on board the vessel the Captain had great difficulty in preventing him from committing suicide. He is a steady and respectable man, and the afflicting loss he has sustained has excited great commiseration. A few days ago, a live kitten was put into a box containing a ferret and some young ones, as food for the old one. Instead, however, of immediately killing and devouring the little animal, the ferret took it under its care and protection, and brought it up along with its own young. The kitten remains with them at present ; but from the confinement of the place, an the overweening attachment of the old ferret in keeping it well covered with hay, it is in a weakly state, not being allowed a sufficient quantity of air and exercise. It grows up with the young ferrets, and is now about the same size. If the kitten is at any time taken from the box and placed upon the ground outside, it is immediately fetched back in the mouth of its foster-mother, and covered up in the litter along with the young ferrets. The ferrets belong to Mr. Bower, of Rossington, near this town.—Doncaster Gazette.
The Sun. — 1837-08-29 (London, England)

THE ENFIELD CATASTROPHE.--MCS. Pegler, the lady whose life was so desperately attempted by Buissc n, a Frenchman, last week, who, on failing in his attempt, committed suicide, he has ever since been in most distressing state. The awful shock completely overpowered her ; she has not spoken since, and seems nearly unconscious of all around her. Though the coroner's inquest, in his case, rt turned a verdict of" temporary insanity," there were circumstances connected with the outrage of very considerable aggravation. Buisson had paid his addresses to Mrs. Peeler some time, and had been received with favour. At Mnlsummer last, when the lady was in town, he met at her residence in Finsbury-square a young lady of great attractions, whom at the request of Mrs. Pegler, he undertook to see home. On the way he wished to take a coach, which the young lady declined, but subsequently he forced her into one of the new cabs, and drove to a house of bad character, where he made most improper overtures, which she indignantly resisted. The young lady threatened to acquaint Mrs. Pegler with his conduct, but delayed doing so for some time. In the meantime his attentions were con•tinued to Mrs. Pegler, and received as before ; but, on learning what his conduct had been, she instantly broke with him, and he then adopted the diabolical resolution of putting an end to her existence, which he attempted in the manner which has been already made public. When the attack was made, in the agony of her alarm Mrs. Pegler promised to forgive everything, but even this could not arrest the frantic rage of the wretched man. if we wished for the dow•nfal of the Church, we could not do better than counsel the Clergy to proceed in their foolish career. Look at the degrading position of the Moderator of the Church—the highest officer of the Establishment—and a satisfactory proof is afforded of the truth of our statement. The Rev. Dr. Gardner, of Bothwell,  like his brethren, was a keen partizan of the Tory candidate, Mr. Lockhart. He canvassed for him, and almost preached for him ; one of his parishioners had determined to be neutral, but the Rev. Moderator bad it in his power to make this voter's situation uncomfortable, and hence, in obedience to the wishes or commands of the Rev. Moderator, he gave his vote fur Lockhart. What has been the consequence ? The Rev. Moderator has been burnt in effigy in his own parish, and his usefulness as a Minister of religion is gone. Turn again to the case of the Rev. Mr. Smith, of Cathcart. This gentleman is registered as the occupant of the manse and glebe of Cathcart, in Renfrewit ss shei rme ,s andhe hva so I ael(sl o at been P o Il registeredo ks b aw• s oin n Ltahnea r3k(sl h iinst. s ; Abluint isterof Cathcart, although neither manse nor glebe is in that county. Still the Rev. Gentleman has voted in Lanarkshire, and the Tory Press is angry that the oath of occupancy was put to him.—Scots Times.
The Sun. — 1837-04-03 (London, England)

EAST INDIA SHIPPING.  Arrival at Manilla.--The Fanny, Taylor, from Liverpool. Passengers per True Briton, Capt. Beach, from Madras, expected :—Mr. Maclean, Mrs. Hamond, Mrs. Colonel Downes, Mrs. Claridge, Mrs. John Moorat, two Misses Mooratt, Miss Foothead, Major Shaw, Captain P. Hammond, A. Owen, Esq. ; W. Spied, Esq. ; Doctor M'Lcod, John Moorat, Esq. ; the Rev. W. Mitchell, and sixteen children and servants.  Per the Urania, Captain Noakes, from Bombay to Liverpool, expected.:— Mrs. Colonel Hunt, Mrs. Guarde and three children, D. Brackenridge, Esq. ; G. A. Turnbull, Esq. ; Mary Barns, and one European female servant. Per the Hugh Lindsay (steamer) from Bombay to Suez : Mr. and Mrs. Wedderburrie, Mrs. Milburn, Colonel Archibald Robertson, Captain Kenneth, 21st Regiment ; Messrs. Hunter and Bainbridge, B. C. S. ; Mr. Ashburnor, Messrs. Pidcock and Gubbins, B.C. S. ; Mr. Fawcett, B. C. S. ; Lieutenants Hill and Holt, Bombay Army ; Lieutenant Sparrow, 13th Bengal Infantry ; Lieutenant Malory, Madras Cavalry; Messrs. Higginson and Steinfast, merchants; Mrs. Ashburnor, the Editor of the Bombay Courier, and Mr. Rogers, veterinary surgeon.  Per the Hector, from Bombay, expected :—Captain Dalway, 2d Queen's Royals ; Mrs. J. B. Egan and child. Per the Lady Faversham, Captain Webster, from Bombay, expected :—Six men, two women, and six children, and his Majesty's 20th Regiment. Per the Lady Raffles, from Bengal, expected :—Captain Warrum, Lieutenant Bevan, Ensign Wilson, and Mr. Marrieve.  Per the Australia, from Bombay, expected :-_Mrs. Moresby, Mr. George Pollexfcn, -merchant ; Ann Purchase, servant to Mrs. Moresby.  Their Majesties intend to patronize and honour with their presence a ball' for the benefit of the distressed Spitalfields weavers, to take place about the Ist of June, upon which occasion all the ladies will appeal. in dresses of Spite], fields manufacturo.  The Duke of Richmond has ordered three hundred quarters of seed oats to be distributed amongst the most needy of his Highland tenantry, who have met with losses during the late inclement weather.  The Duchess de Dino gave a grand ball on Wednesday, which was attended by the elite of the fashionable Parisian society, and by a number of foreigners of distinction. Prince Talleyrand, being indisposed, was present only for a short time.  A lamentable suicide was committed at Barrow, in Lincolnshire, on Saturday night, by Miss Sergeant, daughter of an opulent farmer at that place. During the day some words had taken place between herself and a brother respecting some money. About half-past eight, she swallowed a large quantity of laudanum, and notwithstanding every exertion to save her life, she expired at ten. An inquest was held on Monday, before Mr. Harris, of Caistor, when the Jury returned a verdict of Febo de se. Deceased is stated to have been a fine young woman, 18 years of age.
The Sun. — 1837-09-06 (London, England)

CHAIN DROPPING.—On Friday a servant girl on her way from Portobello to Edinburgh was persuaded to give 10s. for a ring, which was valueless ; and on Saturday a simple lad from Cumberland was actually persuaded to part with 111. for a chain and two seals. In both cases the means of imposition were the same, being found in their presence, they became, of course, entitled to half their value, and a professed jeweller joining the party just when he was wanted, gravely informed the victims that the articles were worth double the money which they gave for them. It is to be regretted that in almost every case these scoundrels escape the bands of justice.—Edinburgh Courant. A scene occurred at the Court of Requests at Tattershall on Thursday the 24th ult., which for the credit of humanity, it is hoped, will not have many equals. An apothecary of that place, was summoned by a creditable but unfortunate female who had borne him a. child, for 2/. 65., the balance of an account due to her on a contract for the child's maintenance. This the defendant met by producing a bill of 21. Is. 6d., for attending her in her confinement, and for medicines furnished to her during the first three nzonths of her pregnancy. The Commissioners did not approve of the doctor's making work for himself and then charging for it, and ordered that he should pay the full sum with costs ; and they likewise fined him ss. for swearing in Court.—Lincoln Gazette. A man of the name of Anderson had procured some poisonous mixture, strongly impregnated with whisky, to wash the feet of some cattle, and carelessly left the bottle partially concealed on the way-side. Two unfortunate men, named George Armstrong and Watson, discovered the bottle, and drank the contents. The sequel is already told ; the one died 24 hours afterwards, and the other about the middle of last week.—Dumfries Courier. Yesterday afternoon a coroner's inquest was taken before Mr. Carter, at the Wheatsbeaf, Elstead, near Cobham, on view of the body of Wm. Kemp, aged 61, who committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor, under the following circumstances. The case excited considerable interest, in consequence of the report that the deceased destroyed himself from having, while a pauper in the Hambledon union, been discharged from receiving parochial relief. It appeared from the evidence that the deceased, who was a labourer, and had a wife and family, was in the receipt of 2s. 6d. a week from the union. He was a man a very desponding disposition. During the last few days lie was observed to be particularly melancholy, and he was closely watched by his unfortunate widow. On Saturday last he had been missing for some time, when, on account of his continued absence, some persons went in search of him, when he was found with his throat cut, and by the side of him was a razor. A medical gentleman was sent f ):, o used ruothoJ3 for the r,eovery of the deceased, but without effect, and in a few hours death put an end to leis miseries. Verdict, " Temporary insanity."
The Sun. — 1837-12-08 (London, England)

CORONERS' INQUESTS.  Yesterday an inquisition was held at the Hero of Waterloo, Waterloo-road, on the body of Mr. Alfred Hopkinson, who destroyed himself by drowning in the Thames, on Friday, the 10th of November last.  It appeared from the evidence that deceased was on good terms with all his family, and that he enjoyed their full confidence from the circumstance of his conducting the business of his father. Deceased was afilL2ted with an eruption on his hands which had baffled medical advice, and having been I-a:— jetted in proposals of marriage to a young lady to whom he, was attached, it is conjectured he attributed it to his unfortunate affliction, and fell into a state of despondency, which led to his suicide.  The jury returned a verdict of " Temporary Derangement." Yesterday evening an inquest was held in the Board-room of Middlesex Hospital, before Mr. Stirling and 'a respectable jury, on view of the body of Mr. Frederick Chipps, aged '24, who was killed under very dreadful and affilcting circumaances. It appeared from the evidence that the deceased was a checsemonger, and resided at No. 17, Rathbone-place, Oxford-street. He was exceedingly partial to pigeons, a number of which birds he kept on a large platform erected on the top of his house. On Sunday morning last, between eight and nine o'clock, he went on the roof to make some arrangements amongst his pigeons, when he unfortunately missed his fo..ting, and was precipitated head-foremost into the back-yard, a height of nearly fifty feet. The unfortunate young man was taken up in a frightfully mutilated coalition, and conveyed to the above hospital, where he expired shortly afterwards from the (headful injuries he had received. The deceased was a very respectable steady }ming man, and at the tine of the fatal catastrophe was perfectly sober. What adds to the sad calamity, he was to have been married in a few days to a young femal,, the daughter of a respectable tradesman in the mlgh')curhood, who is in a state of severe afitction at the tn!lanchuly occurrence.—Verdict, " Accidental death."  Owing to the heavy fog on Saturday night last, near London, and which prevailed to a t'onsiderable distance from it westward, the London, Bath, and Bristol mails di,l not reach this town on Sunday last until nearly four hours after their usual time of arrival.— Taunton Courier.  Yesterday morning a fine young woman, of the name of Ann Tilbrook, residing as•servant at /,1,). 46, Wells-street, Oxford-street, unfortunately fell into the haA area, from the second floor window during the time she was cleaning it, a hei,!,ht of thirty feet. It appears that the unfortunate female, after cleaning the inside of the window, insisted on standing outsitle of the sill though repeatedly requested not : in a few minutes afterwards she fell, it is supposed, f,om her head turning giddy. Assistance being promptly procured, she was raised from the stone pavement apparently lifeless, and conveyed on a shutter to Middlesex Hospital, where she lies without the remotest hope of recovery.
The Sun. — 1837-01-12 (London, England)

DREADFUL MURDER.—A private in a regiment of Hussars, stationed at Versailles, was walking near the Swiss Waters, when he was seized by two persons and thrown into the stream. He managed to scramble out, but was again precipitated into the water by the two individuals. He kept himself up, and after they bad fled, got to land in an exhausted state. The Hussar had not the least knowledge of the men who had attempted his life. The next day he received an invitation to breakfast with two inhabitants of the city, which he accepted, telling a comrade to finish his work for him and then to join him. The latter went to the place where he expected to find his friend, but was told that the Hussar had not been there. The man who gave the invitation, who is a brewer in Versailles, and his friend, who keeps a pork-shop, were immediately arrested, but the evidence not being sufficient, they were released. It was affirmed, that one ground of suspicion against the brewer was that the Hussar was attached to his daughter against the father's will. One day last week the body of the soldier was found at Port Manly, tied up in a sack, and completely cut to pieces, so as to exclude all suspicion of death from suicide. The most active inquiries are now making to discover the perpetrators of this horrible crime. An intended strike of the coal-miners has been amicably settled. The coal proprietors having recently raised the price of coal, the workmen conceived they were entitled to a small advance in their wages out of the extra profits received by their employers, and gave notice to that effect. The consequence has been an advance of the wages of this deserving class of operatives, in the vicinity of Oldham. The rise will be from 4s. to ss. per week to good workmen, when fully employed.
The Sun. — 1837-04-01 (London, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE EXTRAORDINARY.--• TAO village of Greoux, in the Lower Alps, has lately been the scene of a dreadful murder and suicide. The grave-digger of the place, by name Marquis, partially supported himself by his occupation of turning up one mass of earth in order to make a cavity for the reception of another; but in the dead time (viz.--that in which his neighbours were all alive) he eked out a subsistence by executing little commissions and errands for them. His harmless and inoffensive disposition became at last roused by the overbearing temper and conduct 01, his wife. A misunderstandinr, arose concerning a two-franc piece, which he had just earned, and which she discovered in his hand by seeing it glitter; and she demanded the moneys wishing in the fullest sense of the expression to " take the shine out of him." For the first time he refused, persisting in retaining it, to pay a debt. The quarrel was at length compromised by an agreement to divide the proceeds of digging a grave for which he had received instructions. In order to expedite it the lady (little dreaming of filling the vacancy about to be created) assisted her peace-loving lord and master, but the job was scarcely completed before he terminated her existence by repeated blows on the head with his pickaxe. He left her on the spot, gave the two-franc piece in dispute to the first person he met, with directions to pay it to his creditor, and coolly proceeded to the belfry of the church to ring the knell of his murdered wife. The sounds attracted the inhabitants of the village, to whose inquiries he replied from the roof, " My wife is dead, and Marquis is going to die," but, suddenly bethinking himself that the forms of etiquette would be disregarded if he neglected to sound his own requiem, he stepped back, deliberately tolled the hell, and, returning to the outside of the steeple, leaped down, expiating at once bit crime with his life.—French Paper.