npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1827-07-17 (London, England)

SUICIDE.—During the breakfast hour on Thursday, the inhabitants in Canongate were thrown into a state of agitation by an act of selfmurder, under the most harrowing circumstances. The deceased was bred to the silver plating basiness, and was well behaved, and respectable in his rank in life. Since the beginning of May last, he had laboured under the deepest despondency. '[lie medical gentlemen had advised that he should be kept walking about, or in society, as much as convenient; but he went out with reluctance, and appeared to consider the company of every visitor irksome, except that of his son-inlaw. When his taciturnity could be overcome, it was evident from random expressions, that he was not only existing under constant dread of a prison, but that he also entertained the deepest apprehensions of his future felicity. A few minutes after nine o'clock he sprung out of his bed, seized a razor, and in an instant cut his throat from ear to ear. His wife, who was in another apartment, observed him just as he had inflicted the deadly wound, and gave an alarming scream. Being overheard by her son-in-law, lie promptly entered the house, and found the tin.: fortunate man still standing with the gory implement of destruction in his hand. When he ordered him to lay down the razor, he made towards him, but fell in the attempt, and immediately expired.—Scotsnzan. A singular case came forward at the Sittings of the Tribunal of Police of Fontaine Lebeau (Lower Seine), over which the Mayor of the District presides, who is at once the Judge and Public Minister—which is the practice in the greater number of the burghs and villages where there are no Justices of the Peace. The caserelated to a serpent, which had some dispute with M. the Parish Priest, and this was the occasion :—The Priest, the day before preaching on the subject of original sin, had several times exclaimed " The serpent !"—the cursed serpent which has caused the destruction of so many individuals !"—A serpent—not a BoaConstrictor, but one of those which, in the hands of a musician, sometimes astounds the ears of the faithful—raised himself all at once, and, interrupting the venerable Pastor, in a tone half-furious, half-stifled, " I ! have I been the cause of the destruction of such innucnse numbers ?" cried he. " I know that, for the fifty years, during which I have been a serpent from father to son, I have done injury to no one.— I am but a serpent—but an honest one—let any one say the contrary that can." Having uttered some reproaches against the Cur, who endeavoured in vain to give hirn the most satisfactory explanations, the sensitive serpent was brought betbre the Police Tribunal, and condemned to two days' imprisonment—''because (said the judgment) it is allowable to be ignorant, but it is not permitted to any one to insult the person of the Clergyman, nor to disturb divine. service. The serpent, who is a Norman, is determined, they say, to appeal from this judgment (*).— Journal des Debats. (.) The Normans bear the reputation, in France, of being excessively religious.... Trane.
The Sun. — 1827-07-17 (London, England)

SUICIDE AT WARWICK.  On Saturday last an inquest was held before Mr. Greenway, on the body of Thomas Reynolds Platt, a land-surveyor, residing in Warwick, and of the firm of Platt and Smythe, who was found in a spinney in the parish of Milverton, with his throat cut, and a pen-knife in his hand. It was evident that he had himself committed the fatal act, as his pockets bad not been rifled, and there were no marks of violence on any other part of his body. It appears that POlllO time since, this unfortunate individual entered into partnership with a Mr. Smythe, a Catholic ; and, curious enough, it was stipulated in the heads of the articles of partnership, that Mr. Platt, although a Protestant, should attend the Catholic Chapel once every Sunday. He had, for some time past, exhibited much mental inquietude, expressed great horror of Popery and of priests, and signified his determination of living and dying a member of the Church of England ; but he feared lest this resolution should be known to the Catholics, and he imagined that any itinerant Irishman would murder him, if requested to do so by a priest. He had in his pocket a memorandum book of receipts and expenses, at the end of which the following was written in pencil, evidently in contemplation of the rash act he afterwards committed : " Man, whoever thou art Who findest my ,body, show this to the public, as it will be of service tc your country, which is about being destroyed. I die the victim of the Catholics and the saints (saints in appearance, no morco Smythe, whom I joined, on his part nothing but pretences, in business ; and Evans. Oh ! my poor mother and friends, and oh ! my country ; may God, in his mercy, preserve both." Joseph Shipton, Esq., of Warwick, solicitor, said he parted with the deceased about four o'clock on Saturday afternoon last, at the stile leading out of the public road from Warwick to Leamington, between Emscote and Warwick, about half a mile from Warwick ; he was going towards Warwick by the public road, witnesa going the footway across the fields and St. Nicholas Meadow. The deceased had lately consulted him about his affairs, and appeared rather odd, but he did not suspect his intellects were, deranged. Witness Saw the deceased on Saturday in the office ; he stayed three quarters of an hour ; produced letters, and went into a statement that Mr. Smythe, with whom he was connected, had not performed his promise ; he had got into pecuniary difficulties, and there was a contrivance to prevail on him to embrace the Catholic religion ; he repented having been led into that connection with Mr. Smythe and Mr. Turrille, at Hampton-cottage. He appeared much in fear of the Catholics ; and said he was to be a sacrifice on the public scaffold by them. He said there was a conspiracy between Mr. Wild and Mr. Turville to take away his life. The Jury found a verdict of insanity.  Mr. NORTH arrived from England this morning, after having been returned to Parliament for the Borough of Melcomb Regis, belonging to the Marquis of Anglesea.—Dublin Evening Post.
The Sun. — 1827-11-01 (London, England)

SUICIDE.  Yesterday afternoon, an inquisition was taken at Bridewell. Hospital, before THOMAS SHELTON, Esq. the Coroner, and a respectable Jury, on view of the body a Mr. Wm. Parker, aged 37 years, who committed suicide under the following circumstances : Geore Gilbert, a labourer in the employ of Mr. Thc;Mas Cape!, coal-merchant, on Monday afternoon about twelve o'clock, observed the body of a man sticking in the mud, a barge was on it, and from that circumstance it could not be, removed till the tide floated the barge, which occurred about six o'clock, when it was taken to the engine-house in a shell.  John. Harper, a beadle, deposed that the last witness came and informed him that the body of a man was floating in the river. Witness identified it as the body of Mr. Parker ; there were three wounds on the throat ; he searched hie person, and found some papers, Sd. in copper, and a clasp knife opal], the blade of which was covered with blood. Mr. William Packer, stone-mason, of East-street, Red Lion-square, had known the deceased from childhood ; he was first cousin to witness's wife. The deceased was, unhappily, addicted to excessive drinking. On Sunday night last a person named Raper, who was assistant to the deceased in his busi: ness, called on witness, at the same ,time giving him a letter which was found in the deceased's bed-room. Witness immediately went to the deceased's house; which he went over, but the deceased was absent. The witness here produced the letter, which he said he believed to be in the handwriting of the deceased,: and which was read by the Coroner, and in substance was nearly as follows 4‘ Dear Wife,-4 hope you will attend to the requests am going to make. Pray to God to forgive me for the act I have committed ; of late I have been the most miserable of men ; my brain has been distracted, I had not been in a; bed from Monday till Saturday night; excessive drinking_ has brought me to such unhappiness ; for God's sake. caution the poor children when they grow up, against: drinking; I hope my dear -- Oh my God. I hope you will manage the business better now I am gone, and, that you will save hundreds, as you frequently told me It ought to have done. I forgot to say, that I have left 13/. 10s.: in the parlour in a bag. I hope, please God, you will soon: recover from your illness. I have been a wicked man,; and do pray for my soul : I hope God will forgive me, but really, dear wife, I have so many troubles, I cannot; endure it.—From your unhappy husband,  " W.
The Sun. — 1827-12-11 (London, England)

DREADFUL AND DETERMINED SUICIDE. --About nine yesterday morning, a roost extraordinary sensation was created in the house, No. 51, Great Wildstreet, Lincoln's-inn Fields, from the circumstance of • streams of blood being seen to issue from beneath the door of a bed-room on the second floor, occupied by THOMAS VAGGIIAN, a youth 17 years of age, son to the proprietor of the ohand out-door apprentice of Mr. WATSON, coachharnesssdo tnaker, in Long-acre. On forcing open the room unfortunate youth was found extended on the floor, naked, and weltering in his blood, and his head completely blown to atoms, the skin of the lower part of the face hanging on his breast. By his side lay a large sized rifle-pistol, which had evidently been recently discharged; and one of the pockets of his small-clothes, which were on acl,ll. da b er. y the thedoboerdor. house, he e' sfidthee chamber was covered with brains was completely filled with gunp oand blood, and a single Pane of glass fitted in the door, was forced out by a portion of the scull, which was found on young female, from whom on the assigned for the rash act, illa hopeless passion for a you the stairs. The only cause preceding evening he received a letter containing a lock of his hair, which had been received by her on a former occasion. A further investigation of this horrible transaction awaits the inquiries of a Coroner's Inquest, which is summoned for this day, en a Warrant from THOWS STIRLING,Esq., Copper.  Mr. KNIGHT stated that in this case, upon bill and affidavit filed, the late Vice Chancellor had granted an injunction to restrain proceedings at law ; that a demurrer had afterwards been put in to the bill, which, upon coming on to be heard, the present Vice Chancellor had allowed ; the consequence was, that the injunction had fallen to the ground, and the proceedings were not going on at all; under these circumstances he was instructed to pray that his Lordship would order the demurrer to be advanced to he heard before him upon an early day, as it was moot important the proceedings should not go on at law. His Loansurr, after a little consideration, ordered it to stand for Friday.  IN
The Sun. — 1827-11-08 (London, England)

CONSTABLE V. EMANUEL AND ANOTHER.  The testator in this case, Mr. Edward Emanuel, died at Paris on the 18th of March, 1825, a bachelor, aged 26. He left a will iii his own handwriting, dated the 6th 'of July, 1821, just prior to his departure from England, by which he bequeathed legacies of 13,000/. to his brothers and sisters, constituting his brother, Henry Emanuel, still a minor, residuary legatee. A legacy of 2,000/. was also left to Mr. Robert Constable, who attended the testator as his travelling tutor. Probate of the will, and- of a codicil executed shortly before the testator's death,. was granted in July, 1825, to Mr. Constable and Mr. Samuel Stiebel, who were coexecutors with Mr. - Stiebel and Mr. Henry Emanuel, the residuary legatee. At this time the existence of a still later testamentary paper was not known. In November, 1823, a bill was filed in Chancery by Mr. Joel Emanuel, the father and guardian of the residuary legatee, with the view of invalidating the legacy of '2,000/. left to Mr. Constable, on the ground that he was an attesting witness to the instrument. The Court of Chancery decided, however, upon the principle laid down by this Court in the case of "Brett r. Brett," that the property being personal, the legacy was not void under the statute. Subsequent to the filing of the bill, a paper was alleged to have been discovered by 'Air,Constable, in a book belonging to the testator, which had been executed a few days before his death (which was occasioned by an act dsuicide), and which directed his tutor to pay sundry debts, including one of 35/. to himself, and recognized the legacy of 2,0001. The decision of the Court of Chancery had rendered the evidence of this paper pperfluous in regard to the legacy, and the only object of the present suit to decide the validity of the last codicil, was to sanction the claim or 35/., and to decide the question of costs. Dr. LUSHINGTON and Dr. JEssr, ADDAMS, for Mr. Constable, contended that the paper was intended to operate as a codicil, and was a valid instrument. Dr. JENNER and 1)r. PICKARD, for Mr. Joel Emanuel, argued that the circumstances of the case, and the evidence on both sides, threw a strong suspicion of forgery upon the paper. The COURT pronounced for the codicil, and directed the costs of all parties to be paid out of the estate.  .
The Sun. — 1827-11-30 (London, England)

DREADFUL SUICIDE.  Yesterday afternoon an inquest was held at the sign of the Red Lion, St. John's-street-road, Clerkenwell, before Thomas Stirling, Esq., Coroner, on the body of Lucy Morris, aged 19, who poisoned herself.  Mr. William Taylor, assistant to Mr. Spencer, surgeon, of 53, St. John-street-road, on Wednesday morning, about four o'clock, was called on to attend the deceased, who, he was informed, had taken laudantri. On his. arrival he found her in a state of insensibility. He administered active remedies, which were ineffectual, and he resorted to the 'stomach-pump, and extracted,a.quantity of laudanum from the stomach. He. foUnd a phial, which had contained the stuff. He had no doubt but the poison had caused her death. Mr. Richard Ward, cheesemonger, of 85, St. John-street-road, deposed that the deceased had been in his service for the last two months. She was of a gloomy disposition. She . had quarrelled with her mistress, and received warning to quit her situation. On WedneSdaY morning witness was awoke out of his sleep by his sOn, who was unwell, and on proceeding to the chamber-door of the deceased, vaxerq she usually left her Belt, he. was alarmed by groans, and on entering 'ate room he  found her struggling in great agony, and quite in• sensible.  In answer to questions put by the Coroner and Jury, he said he could not account for her having taken poison. He knew nothing of the phial found near her bed. Poison was never kept in the house to his knowledge. He was not aware of her connexion with any young man. She one night returned home intoxicated, and said she had been with a young man who gave her a glass of rum. Martha Matilda Krew slept with the deceased for two nights previous to her death. On Tuesday night she went out, and retured with a phial, which she put into her pocket, and on going to bed she placed them under the pillow. She sm►led and said that her mistress should suffer for this; she had refused to let her go out, but she was determined to to: go out shortly. Witness could not tell her meaning when she said so. The Jury returned a verdict—" That the deceased committed the act herself, being at the time in a state of temporary derangement."
The Sun. — 1827-10-30 (London, England)

SUICIDE.  Yesterday afternoon an inquest was held at the house of Mr. Sidgier, the Ship, Camden-street, Islington, on the body of a respectably-dressed femaleAnamed Eleanor Moore, aged 25, and of a most prepossessing appearance, who was found drowned in the New River, near the,above house, on Friday night last. Charles Freddick, a watchman, about half-past ten o'clock on the night above mentioned, heard a sort of splashing in the water, and shortly afterwards, on "Watch !" being called, he hurried to the spot, where the drags being immediately brought, the body of the deceased was drawn to, the surface, and conveyed to the above house, where medical aid was as quickly as possible procured. Mr. S. Clarke, surgeon, of Lower-street, Islington, a little before eleven o'clock, was called to view the deceased. She was quite cold, and had been dead a considerable time ; he could not take upon himself to say whether she was pregnant or not. Some trifling articles were then produced, which were found in her pockets ; among which lip a paper with her name, and an a44ress to Fayaerhouse, Lower-road, Islington, written on both *es. John Hawkes, a keeper in Fisher-house (a receptacle for lunatics), was then sworn. On being shown the paper found in the pocket of the deceased, he recognised it as the harol.writing of Eleanor Moore, and stated that he first became acquainted with her at the house of an eminTLQ..." bookseller, in Paternoster-row, where she lived servant, and where he attended as a keeper to her master, who was of unsound mind ; that they corresponded together, and about three months ago he met her by appointment, when she informed him that she had left her situation in Shoe-lane, and did not wish to get another, but for him to marry her. He told her that he could not think of marrying her, unless she kept her situation, as his salary was not sufficient to maintain a wife. He had not heard of her or seen her since; he had frequently heard her say she wished she was dead, but did not consider her insane. The Jury returned a verdict of " Temporary Insanity."
The Sun. — 1827-03-30 (London, England)

MURDER.  With the details of what is usually called the Beauchamp murder the public is by this time sufficiently disgusted. Lest, however, there should still exist some relic of sympathetic sentimentality in the general mind, we will touch upon a volume lately published in Kentucky containing the confession of Beauchamp. It carries with it marks.of au- • thenticity, and we have no doubt of its being genuine. As a specimen of the excessive blood-thirstiness of this wretched pair we give the following passage, 1 which describes their courtship " She refused the offer of my hand, but with such a burst of feeling as would have rendered her persisting in that refusal tenfold more painful. But she told me there was an insuperable objection within her own bosom to marriage, but that, her heart did ' not find that objection to me.. In this she long persisted, hut would never tell me what that fatal barrier to my happiness was. At lengthl resolied to take no denial, but to know the secret objection. She then told me, with a firmness. which spoke that it was the, voice of fate, that the hand which should receive her's would have to revenge the injury had done her. She said her heart could never cease to' ache till Col. Sharp should die through her instrumentality; that he had blighted all her happiness; and while he lived, she would feel unworthy of my love. But, she said', she would kiss the hand and adore the person who would revenge her; but that no, one else, save myself should do it. " No conditions, nor any earthly Proposition she could have made me, could have filled me with so, much delight. Whenever I had contemplated a marriage with her, I had always.esteemed the death of Colonel Sharp a necessary consequence. I never for a moment could feel, that I could suffer a villian to live who had been the seducer of one I pressed to my bosom as a wife. And to hear her thus require what I had so much calculated on. and desired, was peculiar pleasing to me indeed. • These feelings I expressed to her, and told her it had been my firm purpose to take Colonel Sharp's life, if I married her.',  A marriage which began with such ominous de terminations-could not fitly end btit by suicide or on the scaffold. They practised firing with pistols Until Mrs. B. became an expert shot. Her subsequent wish tras to kill Colonel Sharp with her own hands. lie gives an account of a rencountre with Sharp in 1821, when he insulted and struck him with the hope of provoking him to fight a duel, but in vain. Then come the particulars of the murder, which are horribly offensive. He had with him a mask made by his wife, and a knife, the point of which she had poisoned. The whole book is full of detestable sophistry and revolting details.--New York Enquirer.
The Sun. — 1818-07-21 (London, England)

BLE SUICIDE.  COEONER'S INQUEST.—Saturday an Inquest was held at the Jolly Brewers, kVardour-street, Soho, before A. GELL, jun. Esq. Coroner for Westminster, on the body of Mr. James Fox, aged 30 years, who put a period to his existence in the folio wing dreadful manner :—Froin the evidence of Mr. Andrews, the landlord of the Jolly Brewers, and a man who slept in the same room with the deceased, and other witnesses, it appeared that the deceased was brother-in-law to Mr. Andrews, was a single man, and lived on his income. A few years ago he had a fall on board of a ship which fractured his skull, in consequence of which be had to undergo trepanning, and had a silver plate put into his head. Of late he was subject to temporary fits of insanity. The deceased occupied an apartment in Mr. Andrews's house, in which he had been but three weeks, during which time he exhibited such marks of derangement of mind, that it was deeMed necessary to have a man to sleep in the same room with him, and knives, .forks, and other sharp instruments, were kept out of his way. Friday night he went to bed about I] o'clock; there was always a rush-light at night burning in his room. About two o'clock in the morning, the man who slept in the room with him was atvoke by hearing the deceased get up ; he watched what he was about, when, by the light, he observed him take something-. from his pocket, which appeared like a razor ; the man immediately jumped out of bed, and laid hold of him, to pr. vent his committing suicide ; a hard struggle took place between them, the man using his endeavours to force the razor from him, whilst the unfortunate maniac kept shilling the razor from hand to hand, each time making a cut at his throat, and inflicting several dreadful gashes on himself ; at length, by one desperate effort, he got the razor in his right hand, and with one stroke he cut his throat from ear to ear, and nearly severed his (iced from his body. Both fell to the ground. The other man's cries for assi•tanee alarmed the family, sonic of whom hastened to the spot, but too late to prevent the dreadful catastrophe. Verdict—lnsanity.  DISCOVERY of a MURDER by