npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1830-09-09 (London, England)

DREADFUL MURDER AND SUICIDE.  The town of button in Ash&ld, Nottinghamshire, has recently been the scene of a mitt horrible event. A young man named Henry Shooter, aged about 17 years, was apprenticed to a respectable surgeon at Delprr, in Derbyshire. In earlier life.an aunt, who was particularly fond of him, endeavoured by every Means in her power to amass property for his benefit, but failing in her attempts through circumstances over which she bad no coutroul, it preyed so upon her spirits that she attempted to destroy herself and Nearly succeeded. The young man has at time* evinced a flightiness of disposition, and to the curPrise of his parents who reside at Sutton in Ashfleld, he arrived at their house from helper at two o'clock on Tuesday morning, and having knocked them up and gained adinittauce, his mother prepared him a mess of warm bread and milk, and they continued sitting and conversing together for some time; at last his mother proposed his going to bed, and took a pan of coals up stairs to warm it as he appeared to be in a very heated state. She had only been up stairs a few minutes when she heard her husband, the father of the youth, cry out 44 I aria stabbed," and on going to the top of the stairs her son rushed by her, but making a desperate thrust at her with some instrument which cut her in the ear. He then entered his room and fastened the door. His father seized the tongs and follows:I hint up stairs, but almost, immediately descended again and fell at the bottom, the blood flowing profusely from his neck. Assistance was immediately called in, the room door forced open, and the .young mein was found literally wallowing in blood, having cut his, throat and divided the left carotid artery. He expired shortly afterwards; and in about twenty minutes the father was also a corpse, the wound having been inflicted on the subclasian artery. The instrument used to effect these dread. ful occurrences is a surgical one, called a catlin, which is used in cases of amputation before the saw is applied. It is about four inches long in the blade, sharp pointed, and double-edged. An inquest is sitting this day (Wednesday) but the result cannot be known before post time.
The Sun. — 1830-10-13 (London, England)

DREADFUL EVENT AT WOOLWICH  BARRACKS.  Considerable excitement has for the last few days prevailed at Woolwich, by a rumour that Lieutenant Edward John Jones, of the Royal Horse Artillery, had been killed in a duel by a brother officer, and that it was the intention of his relatives to bury him without any investigation of the circumstances.— This report, however, proved' ,to he incorrect, although the deceased met his death from the effect of a pistol-shot under very afflicting circumstances. An inquest was yesterday held at the King's Arms Tavern, Woolwich, before Mr. Charles Carter, jun. From the .evidence it appeared, that on Tuesday night last (the 6th inst.) the deceased, who lived its his quarters at Woolwich Barracks, went to his bed-room in apparently good health and spirits. The next morning, about seven o'clock, Will Sinclair, his groom, went to his room, as was it usual custom, and was astonished on finding two candles burning in the sockets of the candlesticks, and his master not in bed, nor,from the undisturbed state of the clothes, had he been in bed. Upon looking behind the screen which divided the room, be discovered the deceased, quite dead, sitting on the sofa, with his head reclining over the side, weltering in blood, which appeared to have come from his mouth, although Isis lips were closed, An alarm was immediately made, and the attendance of suegeons procured, who declared him to have been dead for some hours. The deceased was undressed, with the exception of his drawers and stockings, about which a pistol was found hanging, which appeared to have been recently discharged. Upon opening the lips of the deceased, the upper jaw was found to he completely shattered, and the ball lodged in the back part of the head. The deceased had, a short time before he entered his bed-room, been spending his evening with a party composed, in a great measure, of his brother officers, where he appeared in high spirits. Several present there were examined ut the inquest, and all gave it as their opinion that the deceased, who is highly connected, bud never meditated suicide, and that the discharge of the pistol must have been caused by some accident whilst he was inspecting it.. Verdict accordingly— " Accidentally shot." The inquest was attended by numerous friends and brother officers of the deceased, and it excited considerable interest.
The Sun. — 1830-06-08 (London, England)

INFANTICIDE AND SUICIDE.—An inquest was taken by Mr. TODD, on Saturday last, at East Wel' low, near Romsey, on the bodies of SARAH, the wife' and JOHN, the infant and only son, of Mr...lonst PETTY, respectable inhabitant of that place, whose deaths °court° under the following distressing circumstances :.—The de' ceased Mrs. Prrrv, who bad been married several yesoit and was the mother of four children, of whom the youngest (the deceased infant) was about two years of age, had Pr some time been labouring under severe depression of spirit! occasioned by erroneous impressions en the subject of rehgion. On Friday last, she appeared somewhat calm, ,b 5 slept unsoundly that night. Very early on Saturday morning her husband left her, as he had been accustomed,' and went into the children's room on the opposite ail of the passage. At about five o'clock the decease" got up, and having dressed herself, and the infant 0 usual, called her husband, who did not immediatelf rise. Before six, however, he was alarmed at hearing her go into the bed-room, and shut the door, a circumstance so unusual as to induce him to go to the spot ; hut before he arrived there his fears were much increased by hearing her turn the lock. No reply being returned to his demand of admittance, except a faint shriek from the child, he ran down stairs, overwhelmed with terror, for a hatchet, to burst open the door; but, before his return, it was opened by the deceased herself, presenting to the distracted husband a scene of the utmost horror. On the floor, which was deluged with blood, lei the body of his infant, with a cord twisted round its necks and its head nearly severed from the body. Close to the door stood his unfortunate wife, then in the act of repeating a gash already made in her throat by a razor, which was with difficulty wrested from her hand. The corn" mission of these leads was succeeded by the most violent phrenzy, and, after struggling for about half an hour In the bands of her husband and some neighbours, whom the cries of the other children had attracted to the spot, th• unfortunate woman expired of her wounds. Verdicts..." " That the said SARAII PETTY killed the said infant, Jourr PETTY, by cutting his throat, and afterwards destroyed herself by the same means, being at the time of the corn' mission of each of the said acts in a state of unsound mind."—Hants Advertiser.
The Sun. — 1824-03-16 (London, England)

FOR THE SUN.  SPANISH BONDS.  MR. EDITOR—In consequence of an observation in the Courier of the 11th inst., allow me to , ask you what you think might be the consequence of the English Government refusing its protection to the Spanish Bond.holders would it not be telling all nations and states that have borrowed money from English merchants and capitalists, that they were at perfect liberty to get as much money as they could under any pretence from English subjects, for that Government did not think it worth while to interfere ; and are 100 millions, already abroad in Foreign Loans, of no consequence to England ? and further, would not any Power contemplating war with England insidiously begin by first getting, by way of Loan, as much money as it could from English subjects, and by such means strengthen themselves, and weaken the English Government, who could not have what its enemy had previously got ? And would not foreign Governments, on the settlement of any Peace, say, you cannot ask us for debts due to your' subjects, as you abjured such right in the instance of the Spanish Bonds ? Would not this conduct in the English Government be political suicide ? Would it not be saying to them thus :—you know you Cannot beat our sailors and ships, our navy is too strong for you ; you know we ace invulnerable at sea ; give up that mode of attacking us, and adopt the one we have now pointed out to you, namely, borrow all the capital you can from our subjects, offer them good interest, and get hold of the money, then attack our trade by shutting your ports against us, and then England's at your feet. Of what use is the boasted trade and industry of the nation, if foreigners are thus invited by the Government to swindle us of the profits of that industry ? I remain, Sir, Your's respectfully, A
The Sun. — 1824-10-20 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.  'There is now in the -workhouse of St. Martin'sin-the-Fields, a young man, who has snore ;ban once lately attemeted the dreadful act of, self-destruction. and who is now lying in a precarious state in consequence of the last attempt of this kind, which took place onSawtitilirdcialye- 80 some. His , e.itsrtiloer‘oyvflyserai,aoersp,seaeaccngtoutsi liarly distressing one. lie. is now about was bred to the wine trade, in commenced business on his own account, with good of success. He married, and for some time lived happily, his business was prosperous, but he met with losses, became a bankrupt, and was driven upon the world without a shilling. He, however, procured a situation as a clerk to a wine merchant, where he remained a considerable time, but for the last few months he has been without employment, and almost desti. trite of the means of subsistence. To add to his misery, his wife deserted him, and went to live with a man in Jermyn•street, St. James's, where she still resides. A short time ago the unfortunate husband made an attempt upon his own life,' which was frustrated, and on Saturday last he went to the I3lack Horse public-house, in Oxendon-street, Haymarket, where he wrote a letter to his wife, informing her that his miseries could no longer be borne, and that no earthly power should then prevent him from putting in execution the design which he had long formed, of seeking refuge from misfortune in the grave. He added, that he had procured that which would very speedily end his sufferings; in short, before ! she got the letter he should, in all probability, be no more, and if she chose she might have an opportunity of seeing the corpse of her husband, if she came to the house from whence he wrote. The wife, upon receiving this note, went to the Black Horse, where she found her husband extremely ill, the drug which he had taken hailing begun to operate rather powerfully. Having, with great coolness, informed the people of the house of the contents of the letter, with a gratuitous remark of her own, that she knew he bad no real intention of destroying himself, she went away, leaving them to do the best they could with the unfortunate nian.• Medical assistance was procured, stud he was, conveyed to the workhouse of St. Martin's, where he confessed that he had purchased small quantities of opium at different shops, until he had procured what he thought would be sufficient to destroy life, and he had taken the whole of it. Powerful emetics, and other remedies usual in such cases were administered, and during the whole of Saturday night the medical attendants remained with bins, the greatest difficulty being experienced in preventing him from falling into a sleep, which must have been the sleep of death. The skill and attention of the gentlemen succeeded finally in saving Isis life for the present, but he is, as we before ranted, still extremely ill. His affectionate wife has carefully abstained front obtruding herself into his presence.
The Sun. — 1824-09-15 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.  `tzlarinquest was taken yesterday at one o'clock before T. Sit E I.T ow, Esq. at the sign of the Feathers, Whitefriars, on the body of Henry Rutheithury, formerly a master. builder of Cheltenham, who put a period to his existence in thce back area of the chambers, situate at No. 11, King's Benchwalk, Temple, on Sunday morning, by cutting his throat with a pen-knife. Evidence having been adduced as to the finding of the bOdy, and .the approaches to the spot, the surgeon who was called in to examine the body deposed to the state in which he found it; the windpipe was completely severed, and there was also several stabs on the body which were doubtlessly given by the same instrument. The principal wound was of itself enough to cause instant death. From the wet that had fallen in the course of the morning much of the blood must necessarily have been washed away, but a very considerable quantity of blood which had congealed still remained. He considered the rain to have caused the two marks of blood, having made a sort of eh inn I between them. When the witness was called in, the deceased was past all hopes whatever of recovery. Norris, Esq., deposed to going into the area and examining the body of the deceased. A* the body lay, it was at first suppotted that he must have attempted to have climbed over the wall front Mr. Hope's wharf and fell on his head; this however was not the tact; tOr on he (the witness) desiring the porters to turn over the body, the knife now produced was found covered with blood. With respect to the two Marks of blood, he had no doubt that originally it was but one mass, but the rain had made it appear two. The rain had also washed away many marks which would otherwise,no doubt,have clearly proved how the unfortunate man got into the situation in which he way found. There however still remained much coagulated blood on the ground. On examining the body, the hands, face, and extremities were quite cold; but on feeling the breast, some slight warmth still remained. From the appearance of the deceased, witness felt no doubt that he must have 'been insane at the moment of committing the awful act. Richard Heath—Had known the deceased for five years. He formerly resided at Cheltenham, and was a master builder. For the last week witness thought Inm, from his manner, to have been In a continual state of intoxication. On Saturday wick hu was in poisession of some money to pay his men, 1.1)16 he did. Witness, in the frequent interviews he had vi th him, always considered him intoxicated or mad, which latter opinion arose in his mind from the melancholy end he had come to.  Richard Marshal and Samuel Gould deposed to various ex. traordinary acts of the deceatied within the.lait fortnight, such as giving orders and then altering them • at times raving and throwinv his arms about, and swearing ;hat everybody robbed him. Gould also &petted to his, on tinJ occasion, sleeping in a saw pit thu wholu night. Front the general tenor of the evidence adduced, it was clear the unfor:unate man was deranged, and the Jury brought in a virdict accordingly.
The Sun. — 1824-01-01 (London, England)

SUICIDES.  A Coroner's Inquest was held on Saturday last at the Boar and Castle Tavern, Oxford-street, before THOMAS STIIILIATG, Esq., Coroner, on the body of Anthony Caldares, a waiter in the house. Sarah Cooper, a servant in the house, stated that the deceased had lived some time in the huuse,-in the capacity before stated ; he had formerly been in a respectable line of business, but becoming much distressed, lie had failed, when his wife and himself were oblted to go to service ; he had;however, been in pretty good state cf health, excepting that at intervals he drank rather freely, which was supposed to have been occasioned by his distressed situation, and his intellects werein souse degree injured, occasioned, it was supposed, by a wound he had received in his head. On Christmass-day he drank a quantity of brandy, and nearly a similar quantity on the following day. On Saturday morning she was rather alarmed on hearing the deceased cry out from the kitchen, and on hastening there she found the deceased apparently in a fit, and a cup standing near, containing some oxalic acid. Medical assistance was immediately procured, but before it arrived lie was dead. William Lamb, a waiter in the house, gave nearly a similar testimony ; but stated that the deceased had been latterly very different in his manner, frequently in an outrageous, and sometimes in a desponding state.  Mr. Dean, a surgeon, of Oxford-street, opened the body, and from the appearance of the stomach, he was of opinion the oxalic acid had occasioned his death. such a quantity had the unfortunate man taken, that it had mixed with his blood; the bottle also which had contained it was wholly emptied. It was intimated that other evidence was ready, if necessary to be called, to prove the deceased's insanity. The jury, however, expressed themselves satisfied, and returned their verdict —" That the deceased poisoned himself by taking a quantity of oxalic acid, labouring at the time under a state of mental derangement." Another Inquest was held the same day, at the Robin Hood, St. Giles's, on the body of Alexander Mackenzie. From the evidence, it appeared t deceased resided at 28, Churchstreet ; he had lately been much distressed in his mind, and on Friday night last he put an end to his sufThrings by hanging himself. Verdict—lnsanity.  CURIOUS FOSSlLS.—Captain
The Sun. — 1824-09-07 (London, England)

SUICIDE.---(PORTSMOUTH, SEPT. 4.)--Yesterday morning Mrs. Harding, of the Blue Anchor, at Horndean, put a period to her existence, by throwing herself into a well, at the back of the house, of 142 feet deep. The deceased had for some months past been in a low desponding state of mind, and had excited the care and almost constant watchfulness of her husband ; but unfortunately, on her awaking early yesterday morning, and finding him fast asleep, site, without die. turbing him, got up, half dressed herself, and went to the well; thought the husband was soon awoke by the noise which he was the shutting of the well-lid, and missing his wife, he hastened down stairs and ran to the well, when be heard the deceased in it faintly crying out for help, and begging that the bucket might be let down, which was immediately done, and a man went down to her assistance, but before he could get down she was dead, and had sunk to the bottom of the water. The body was soon got up, and medical assistance called in, but the . vital spark hail fled. A Coroner's inquest was held on the body, the same day, before Sir. LONGCROFT, and the following verdict returned—" The deceased, in a fit of temporary derangement, destroyed hersel f."—( mpsh ire Chronicle.) A shocking accident occurred on Saturday, in Great Marlborough-street, at the house of Mr. Butcher, whose son (a fine child of three years old) was playing in the kitchen, whilst the cook was preparing dinner, when the child by some means upset a frying pan of boiling fat, the whole of which went over him, and scalded him in a most dreadful manner. Mr. Leech, surgeon, of Poland-street, was immediately sent for, as also Dr. Gordon, of Hanover-street. The child is not yet considered out of danger. A serious accident happened yesterday afternoon to a fine little boy, about live years of age, the son of Mr. Buck, Pulteney.terrace, Islington : he was looking nut of a window on the second floor, and overbalancing himself, tell into the street. A tree, on which he fell, in some measure checked the violence of his descent, but we are sorry to say the injuries he received were so severe, that little hope is enter. tained of his recovery. He was conveyed to st. Bartholomew's Hospital. A forgery, a very close imitation of the notes issued by the Commercial Bank of Scotland, is in circulation. The public cannot be too much on their guard against deception on this score, as more than one knowing person has been taken in by the forgeries in circulation. The most material difference between the forged notes and the genuine is, that in the former the names of the cashier and accountant are eng-raved in imitation of writing, in place of being actually written. The Government stamps, both according to the improved and the old method, are as well done upon the forgeries as upon the genuine notes.
The Sun. — 1824-01-21 (London, England)

DISEASES OF THE MIND.  We were a few months since favoured with  the perusal Of some remarks, upon this most interesting subject, which were privately osculated among the friends of the writer,' with the view of chewing that the Medical Education of this country fhowever excellentrwas defective, inasmuch as in none of our schools was there to be found a Professorship exclusively devoted to the consideration of the varied aberrations of reason.  We are now happy to find by the Edinbarough Papers, that a course of Lectures has already been commenced in that city by Dr. A. Morison, who is said to have displayed an intimate and minute acquaintance with the Nature ; the causes and the cure of these diseases; and to have devoted his attention to such cases, both in this country and in France, as well as in various other parts of the Continent, and in treating of them to have been influenced not by the wish of establishing any favourite theory of his own, but by an anxiety to impress the importance of the subject upon his hearers. The paper we first altuded to was a proposal for establishing a lectureship on diseases of the mind, the proposition was supported and encouraged by the highest medical authority, the late Dr. Baillie, Sir H. flalford, and others ; and it has met with the countenance of individuals (some in the highest station) who consider philanthropic measures from purely benevolent feelings. Deprived of reason to what a state is man reduced ? he is not only estranged from all the pleasures of society, but too often becomes a disturber of its tranquillity; to the very objects of his • once fond affection he becomes dangerous, or at the least the cause of the most alarming apprehension ; the painful feelings • which arise from the only alternative cow seemingly left to relatives, that of depriving the patient of his freedom, are view_ ed domestically dreadful and overpowering. The afflicting forms under which this sad dispensation at first appearsought unquestionably to be well understood by the Medical profession generally ; they oughtto be so wellgrounded in theory as atonce to discern the signs of approachinginsanity ; none of our readers can require instances to be adduced to convince them that in many cases suicide might be prevented, and we venture to pronounce our own firm belief that by early and due attention to the incipient stages of insanity, its further progress mightsometimes be arrested. We are altogether unacquainted with the individual who has pointed out this new path in the Profession of Medicine, and undertaken to be the first guide ; but we most heartily wish him success in theaccomplishment of his object, and have no doubt of its resulting to the great benefit of mankind. •