npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Northern Times. — 1857-07-14 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

SUSPECTED POISONING CASE AT BIRKENHEAD.  TO THE EDITOR OF THZ NORTHERN TIMES.  Sir,—Through a letter signed " Juror," which appeared in your paper on the sth inst., the public were made acquainted with the principal facts of this more than suspicious case—yet, though it is well known that a great deal of dissatisfaction exists amongst the many in consequence of proceedings so disgraceful. No a. tempt has been made to justify them by the few paid public officials who are implicated. Something might have been said or done to vindicate their conduct, and alleviate that suspicion which the circumstances had created. Their taciturnity is significant, and adds fuel to the flame of suspicion which already burns within the public breast.  The medical men have not yet accounted to the public for the death of this poor girl, nor do I think it possible for them to do so truthfully without further chemical analysis. It has been asserted by a respectable merchant in Birmingham, and by the mother of the deceased, that she was poisoned by cantharides administered by other hands then-her own Statements like this merit, a rigid investigation, which in this instance has yet to be made. All the symptoms and morbid appearances were compatible with poisoning by cantharides. It may be a case of manslaughter, suicide, or murder, no matter what, the public ought to be satisfied If the police have deco their duty in this matter, they should be able to inform us who and what the young man is who was to meet the deceased, and for whom she engaged a bed at Dear's eating-house. If the medical men have done their duty, and have any regard for their reputation, would they not court further investigation ? They should be aware that cantharides undergoes but little change, after a long interval of time, and is scarcely more difficult to discover in decayed than in recent animal matter. It has been said that the tests applicable to poisoning by cantharides were not used by those who made the post mortem examination. The relieving officer, Mr. M'Nerney, should also endeavour to assist the public in solving so great a mystery. He is on terms of intimacy with Mr. Sweeny, who is the relieving officer at Birmingham, and who but a short time ago was assistant-overseer at Birkenhead. Through hi.n much useful information might have been obtained.  It is to be hoped that the coroner will not think it incompatible with his duty to institute further inquiries, and either disprove or confirm the assertions made by certain parties in Birmingham. Should this not be done, an inquest may, with some degree of truth, be called a burlesque—comedy  after tragedy. Birkenhead, 11th July, 1857.
Northern Times. — 1857-07-18 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

WEATHER. IN PARIS.---A. 'Correspondent writes : The heat here is really tropical. The sun pours down a volume of fire on. the boielevar ds and open places, and tieneforms the pavements into smoking ovens. The few foot passengers trip along with that nervous jump peculiar to young bears. that are. being t night to duce on heated iron plates. The consremption of ices at the cafes is fearful • but the- restraera nts are deserted, for it is too hot either to cook or to ee,t. The thousands of workmen employed in embellish Ag Paris sneak into shady corners and i lie down to sleep. 'ffben the lazy Englishman slumbers on the ground, he r /clines on his back, throws his legs into curious shapes, rind covers his face with his cap. The Frenchman, on the other hand, lies flat on his nose, and always appears., suffering from incipient stomach-ache. Even the drivers of the water carts, who have the supreme happiness of /tieing partially deluged by every jerk of their vehicles. are disgusted with the sun,_ which defies all their efforts to lay the dust. But the morality of the capital has ga'ined by the heat. Murders are rare, for it is too hot, to get into a passion. The very rogues and pickpockets are too lazy to dash, at the heaps of bank notes contained in the windows ef the money changers ; yet I. am sure they might do so with impunity, for the owners would not give thems.lves the trouble to cry "stop thief," even if the police would dream of giving chase in such matters. Suicides also ate unheard of ; who could stand the heat of charcoal brazier, while it is too great a bore to leg the parapets of the bridges in order to roach the tepid Seine. The fleas, the intrepid Hebrews who brave sunstrokes at the Berirse in order to turn a dishonest penny, and the flocks of 'roving Englishmen and Englishwomen alone display sie,ns of activity. Our dear countrymen are this year more ridiculously dressed than ever, and they appear utterly insensible to the fact that their stupid want of taste and goad breeding is a reproach to England. With costumes more calculated for Bartholomew Fair, if that veaereble institution still existi, than for the capital of Freace, they rush about with perspiring faces from 'eight to sight ; and it might be imagined that the safety of the British empire, and their own persone2i existence, depended on " doing " the Louvre, the Invalides, and the " Boys of Bulong " in one hour wed thew-quarters. I could continue for hours to expar;,ato on the terrible heat that overwhelms us, but it 'would be labour thrown away. This letter will never reach you—it can never reach you; the postman will drop down with the bags from fatigue, or he will sell the letters for waste paper, and rush off to the econoe mical baths; or invest the proceeds ill cheap icetle
Northern Times. — 1857-08-18 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

SHOCKING TRAGEDY.  LINC)LN, SUNDAY.—Scarcely had the inhabitants of this city and neighbourhood recovered from the effects of the storm, which raged so furiously, than they were startled by the revelation of 'a most shocking case of infanticide and a determined act of self ahstruction. This morning a man named Woolfit, a cork cutter, residinglin Brayord-lane, left his house f-r a lounge at the bottom of the lane, where it is customary for a lot of idle fellows to congregate for smoking and gossip. He left in the house his wife and four children, the time being eight o'clock. In about ten minutes he was recalled, wit h the startling intelligence that his wife had cut off the head of one of his children This turned out to be true. The mother was found seated in a chair, calmly contemplating the body of her youngest child, about seven months old, which was lying on the hearthstone, with its head severed from tha body. She stated to the people who crowded into the ' the place that " she loved her children, but if she had not been prevented, she shou'd have killed them all." The horrid deed had been committed with her husband's cork hatchet, a very sharp instrument, with which, having placed the child on the hearth, she executed the atrocity. A neighbour fortunately happened to ga into the house at this time, and, no doubt, saved the lives of the other three children. A medical man was called in, but of course could do nothing in the case. The mother was conveyed to the station-house, and the body of the child awaits an inquest. We learn that the sir-man had been :for some time in a low way, but nothing in her demeanour or conversation had ied to the supposition that she contemplated an act so shocking as we have detailed. It is notorious that the husband is an idle dissolute fellow, whose treatment of his wife Las been continuously bad, and the air of nonchalance which be assJmed when he entered the house and saw the murdered c'did, formed a subject of indignant comment amongst the bystanders. The case of suicide alluded to is that of an old groom named Griffiths, Who was on the same morning found hanging in a stable in the Angel Inn yard, quite dead.
Northern Times. — 1857-09-19 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THE WENLOOH MURDER.  The final exvnination of TV lliam Davies, charged with the murder of an old woman, named Ann Morgan, took place on Thursday. Witnseses deposed to having heard quarrelling between the prisoner and the deceased. Ann Rowlands stated that on going into the house on Saturday her little boy told her that Billy (meaning the prisoner) had murdered her aunt, the deceased. The deceased was found quite dead and her face covered with blood. John Rowlands, the boy in question, stated that he heard the prisoner and the deceased quarrelling, and saw the prisoner go oat of the house with his smock, face, and hands covered with blood. Ellen Frampton stated that she found a large pocket-knife on the dresser in the kitchen ; the blade was open and smeared with blood. On the Friday the prisoner had shown the knife to witness and Mr. and Mrs. Rowlands. Mr. W. P. Brookes, surgeon, said that when he was called in, about a quarter past 6, he found the body of deceased warm He found several wounds about the face and neck, and also a wound on the left wrist above the thumb, about half an inch in length The place was covered with blood. Witness and Mr. James made a post mortem on the Monday, which satisfied them that death had been caused by the wounds described, which might have been caused by the knife produced. Alfred Stinker, waggoner, said, that on the afternoon of Saturday, about two o'clock, he asked the prisoner where he had besn working since he last saw him, and the prisoner replied, "At home, at the top of the hill." Witness rejoined, " You have no home as I know of ;" to which the prisoner replied, he had a very good one ; and added that, when the old woman (meaning the deceased) died, he should have from £6OO to £7OO. After some other evidence, the prisoner was committed for trial oa the charge of wilful murder. Since his apprehension the prisoner has attempted suicide, but was prevente from carrying his intention into effect.
Northern Times. — 1857-07-16 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

SUICIDE OF A COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER.—On Tuesday seems but a man-trap invented in the interest of the a traveller, named Henry Woodcock, about 36 years of age, sharks. Committed suicide at Barnsley, by taking a large quantity of opium. The deceased, who was in the employ of Mr. Our course is across the broad, unquiet Bay of idoorhouse, draper, &c., of Pontefract, arrived at Barnsley Bengal. Again we lose sight of land, journeying day after On Monday afternoon, and, as usual, put up at the Devon- day without apparent p ogress in that eternal blue circle shire Arms Inn, ol)se to the railway station. He retired which seems to realise the mathematician's definition of to bed wparentiv in good health and spirits, having in- space as a circle whose centre is everywhere, and whose `formed the landlady that he was about to leave his circumference is nowhere, without an event throughout employer. Not coming down in the morning by 11 o'clock, the day, except that ever and anon a shoal of flying fish the landlady felt rathr uneasy, and went and knocked at the:bed-room door. No answer being returned, assistance spring up from the smooth sea, and go off in radii, dotting was got, and the door forced open, when the unfortunate and skimming their transparent wings glittering in the Man was found in bed, apparently in great agony. Medical sun, and then splashing into the sea again at a safe disaid was at once obtained, and the stomach pump brought tance from the dolphin which is prowling after them below. into requisition, but all was unavailing. In his pocket One of these poetical creatures fl-,w through my port, and was found a large quantity of opium, as well as some in came flop upon me in my sleep a few nights since; the his hand. The quantity, it was thought, had been taken coed, during the night, and bad been absorbed in the blood, so d' wriggling, prickly, gaspin thing gave me a more that medical skill was ineffectual in rallying the deceased, horrible fright in the dark than 'I ever felt in my life. who lingered till nearly four o'clock in the afternoon. No The Straits of Malacca are not so narrow that we can reason has been assigned for the rash act. The deceased, often see the land, but on the morning of the 13th of May wh3 was very much respected, has a wife and one child. we enter a British possession, which I must say something He was under three months' notice to leave his situation) about. and his employer Mr. Moorhouse, came to Barnsley ia After long steaming in smooth water in the neighbourthe morning for the purpose of becoming acquainted with hood of well-wooded islands, enjoying reputations for the customers in deceased's round, and was greatly shocked on his arrival to find him in the agonies of death, piracy, cannibalism, flying monkeys, gigantic serpents,
Northern Times. — 1857-09-17 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MELANCKOLY SUICIDE.—A. very melant,tholy case of suicide has j occurred at Norwich, the victim being Miss Cooper, matron of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. It appears that on Saturday some little unpleasantoess took place between the thcetried and the board of management. Oa Tuesday morning one of the servants beard violent screams proceeding from her apartment, and on going to it found the deceased in convulsions, suffering great agony. It is thought she took some powerful poison. This is the second matron of that establishment who has destroyed herself from similar circumstances. Toe one prior to the appointment of Allies Cooper drowned htiself in one of the baths in a very determined manner. Immix WATER FlLTZRi.—Since the people of Liverpool have had the Pike water crushed into their stomachs several invtntians, in the shape of filters, hare ben introduced to ar,ir notice—all, no doulY, good in their way, and all claiming excellence. Without offering any opinion on the merits of the inventors, we may be permitted to remark that we have eareful'y examined the patent filter of Mr. Saundev, of Parker-stteA, and the result of our investigation may be shortly enumerated as 1 llows :—The " Pike wash," in all its impurity, is put into one of these filters. The water is dirty and yellow in colonr—thick with all sorts of impurities at its introduethao. Having passed through the filter. it is beautifully c'ear, indeed brilliantly sparkling. We do not know what effect it has on the quality of the water, but as to purifying it from all deposit of vegetable and animal matter, and making it cle,r as crystal, there can be no mistake, and in these respects the filter cannot be too highly valued. The vessel is simple in construction, but most tff:!ctive in operaien, and we should say for domestic use it is of great value. Clnsideting the advantages it possesses, the cost is inconsiderable, and few families, if they saw the improvement made in the water, would be without one of these useful utensils.  A FACT RELATING TO THE POTATO DISEASE is we'l known that most of the growing potatoes began to show signs of disease in the early part of August, and in other vpars the black spot no sooner appeared than thebl::c''enea top followed in a day or two. This year, however, we have had tha spot or blackened leaf for a month or more, and yet the tops are not quite dean ; but there are several instances where lateial green !hoots ;re making their appearance. This shows that dry wca' her is the most co:geniol to the potato pat, and that wlain th 3 cycle of dryer sunamers re urns the potato__4lisease will leave us.  RE
Northern Times. — 1857-08-24 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

LOCI; BLANC AND THE THEO.tY OF TYitANNICLDE.— We have been permitted during the pist week to look over some proof sheets of the ninth volume of M. Innis Blanc's " History of the Revolution," which incidentally finrnisa a decisive reply to certain charges recently circulated with industrious malice against the republican refueeras in ibis country. The following are the reflections with which he concludes the chapter devoted to 1161 trat and Charlotte Corday :—" We may here repeat, in conclusion, and with all the authority of the facts just detailed, what we have already said in another work—that assassination is a mistake as well as a crime which ought to be left to aristocrats and tyrants. When Henri 11. allures the Duke of Guise into the Chateau de Bois, and causes him to be strangled by the bravos of the ante-chamber, when the royalists attempt the' life of Napoleon by an infernal machine—these are crimes worthy of those who commit them, but democracy refuses to be assisted thus. Stich means are essentially opposed to its genius and principle. For who can, without presumption, arrogate the right of siting himself as an avenger of liberty or as the Nemesis of destiny, in the place of a whole people, almost in the place of history? The stroke of a dagger is usurpation. Where is the power answering to that monstrous right ? What ; then the first corner by raising his arm may change the course of historic laws. Any man in the street by pulling the trigger of a pistol may convulse the world ! No, it is not moved thus. Evil, when it exist in the midst of a society, springs from a vast number of causes, amongst which the existencedeemed, has only of an ind powerful be may be is accorded the honour of holding a people's life in his own. an occidehnoralevperre-eminence. To no man Reggi rig Pardon of Pascal's shade, it appears to us that he has war.tonly degraded humanity in making the fate of the universe depend on the length of Cleopatra's nose. The occasion is only the surface of the cause, but we, too, often confounded the one with the other. We think to destroy tyranny by destroying the tyrant. Vain Evil, whenever it exists, is at the root of things. It does I not exist b?cause it has a representative, it is represented because it exists. You have stabbed Caesar He reappears in the more terrible form of Octavius. Have you compelled Nero to commit suicide ? You de not escape Vitellius. Marat expirdi bathed in blood. See Hebert succeeds. It avails nothing to destroy the personification when you leave untouched the principle personified, which always finds instruments for its work." --,Leader.
Northern Times. — 1857-11-18 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CHILD MURDER AT STAFFORD.  SUICIDE OF AN ACCOMPLICE.  On Friday, a young woman, named Benton, was committed by the Stafford Coroner, for concealing the birth of her new born child, at the house of a gentleman named Webb. Benton implicated the groom, Benbow, who, she alleged, was the father of the child. Benbow has not been married more than two mouths, his wife being a respectable young woman cf the neighboarhool. He was asked to hold the horse of the surgeon examined at the it.qaest ; bat it was ascertained that he had soon after given the horse into the charge of another servant, saying that he was going to his own house for his cat. Two or three hours having elapsed without his making his appearance, a tnesseager was sent to his house to make ince:irks for him, when his wife stated that he came in for his coat about two hours before, want upstairs, and then left the house, saying a stir was being made at his master's • about Ellen's child. Nothing further was seen or heard of him until Eundu morning, about nine o'clock, when a labouring man in the service of Mr. Sandy, had occasion to go into a field cf his master's near a plantation at Rowley, a'.out a qnarter of a mite from the town, nod on getting on:scrne rails round a hay rick, he observed a man's hat lying on the ground in the plantation. He immediately crossed the fence, and withia a yard of the hat, he saw the dead body of a min, partially covered with twig; and faded leaves. An alarm was given, and the body was shortly afterwards recognised as that o?' Benbo.v He was lying on his back, the tight arm bent over the body, and the left arm thrown straight out; both arms were firmly clenched, and contained grass and leaves, as if he had torn them from the earth in his death grasp. A seer was on the left cheek, ant the face preieuted a fLrid appearance. In his pekets ware his watch, some silver, and a few other articles ; and, in a paper, something acid, which leads to the supposition that his death was the result of poison. It is concluded that he destroyed himself almost immediately after he left his master's house. The body, which was removed to the police-station, awaits the coroner's inquisition.
Northern Times. — 1857-07-30 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THE EMPERORS OF RUSSIA. AND OF THE FRENCH.—The Ernperar of Russia, who arrived on the 25th at Berlin, will leave directly for St. Petersburgh, by way of Stettin. He will return in the month of September, when it is supposed that the meeting between him and the Emperor of the French, now neguciatity, is to take place. THE CHANCELL'Ht OF THE EXCHEQUER'S ELECTION FXPrNSES.—The total expenses of the return of Sir G. C. Lewis for the Radnorshire borough, at the last election, ameunted to only £3O 2s. This includes £lO 83, the auditor's fee (incurred after the election), reducing the actual election expenses, therefare, to something under £2O. We should imagine there are few members in the house who have been returned at so cheap a rate.  .... LOVE AND SUICIDE —Yesterday a yo;ing girl, named Georgina Hooper, aged 19, lately residing at Hackney, London, committed sukcide. She had been keeping company with a young man who had discarded her for another girl, to whom he was about to be mdrrierd. The fact so preyed on her mind, that she left home unobserved by her parents, and at the time above named, she was seen to priTipitate herself into the water of the Regent's canal, adjoining Vicorita-park. She was taken out, but lite was extinct. 'nth BRITWII MNISTER A SABB AT EI•IiEFP FR. --The Christian. will be grat;fied to learn that the British Minister. tat Washington, Lord Napier, sets a.good example as t 'keeping the iabbath, steadfastly reusing to receive vi,'''.coirs on that day. We undsrstand that a Commodore 'va our Navy not long since called at Lord Napier's residence on the Sabbath. The servant who came to the door informed him that his lordship did not receive visitors on Sunday: " But lam Commodore Dupuy," replied the visitor, "It makes no diTrence, sir," said the servant, be will not receive you." " But go tell him Commodore Erastuts Danny, of the United States' war steamer Susquehanna, has called." " I'll do so if you insist upon it ; but I know he'll not receive you, for it i; not his custom to receive visitors on Sunday." The finale was that the Commodore had to depart without seeing t.,40 Minist3r.—New York Presbyterian.