npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
Widnes Examiner. — 1911-12-02 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

WOULD-BE SUICIDE'S COMPLAINT.  What the prisoner Richard Pugh said and attempted at Runcorn as stated in last week's " Examiner " reminded me of a case of the kind that came under my own observation years ago. A tramp womau had attempted suicide in a po'ice cell, and I saw her lying on the ground and the brutal gaoler kicking her. His explanation w.s that he was '' teaching her better than trying to kill herself" while she was in his charge. That occurred considerably over 20 years ago, and recently, while on a pedestrian tour in East Lancashire, I fell in wilh a quarryman on tramp between Burnley and Coins. We walked together for close upon four miles. and he confessed that he bad again and again deserted his wife and had repeatedly , been in prison. I ventured to puts few direct questions, and my strange companion proved to be the brother of the inhuman police officer who had used bin heavily-shod feet upon the poor woman so long before. " But," added he " our Ned were different throo me, you know ; he was a converted character—went to t' chapel arid all that, do you see " ? I said I was glad of that, of course but I should hardly have suspected it, " 06, but it's right," eaid he, " I went to his funeral and got to know all about it from a publican in them parts. I told him I reckoned our Ned had been a good customer of his ; and he said " He used to come here regular for a goodish while after he left t' force ; then he signed teetotal and took to going to t' chapel, and we ne'er , saw no more on him at after that." Well well there was lots of room for improvement.
Widnes Examiner. — 1892-05-07 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE.  -A house in Borthwick-road, Stratford, Essex, was the scene of a distressing tragedy, on Wednesday morning. Thomas Dickson, a clerk, and his little girl, aged one year and ten months, were found—tho latter on the bed, and the former on the floor—with their throats cut. It appears that the deceased man sent his wife- out about ten o'clock, and when she returned she found her husband and child lying with their throats cut. Information was at once given to the police, who state that there is no doubt that the affair is a case of murder and suicide. The deceased man, it is understood, has- for some time been in a depressed condition.  " ENWR NOBLE DEFENDERS r  Last Sunday eawr gallant defenders March'd eavvt e full fig on Parade; Au' ther wuzn't a mon or a woman But sed wot a grand seat thay made. Ther wur lung uns, an' short uns, an' fat uns, • AL' thin uns, ez preaud ez cud be; Eh! they pood a. greyt weight off my gizzert— Aw'm noan frickent neaw—not me I We wur gooin' to ha' rucshuns wi' tie Russians, At least so thi newspappers sed ; An' thi thowts e them savage barbarians Ez seldom bin eawt o' ml yed. But, neaw I let um cum ther theausands,. • To this lond o' thi brave an' thi free; We're safe wile we'n gatten such sojers— Aw'm noan frickent neaw—notme! Thoose Frenchmen, fro ovver the tvayter,. Hey crow'd liken game feyghtin' cock; An' made uz believe thay wur comin', To gie uz a deyd ugly knack. But let um cum nn wen they liken— They'll only mini ovver to dee Far eawr Warriots are very feroshus— An' aw'm noan frickent neaw—not me Brother Jonathan. too, he may bluster, An' t4reaten we war's leawd alarms; The' he's welly eawr own blood relation, An' owt to be tiapt.iu eawr as t But, if he duz cum, an' du: swagger,' He'll get i' his ear-hole a flea; Per John Bull nil be theer we his Bull Dogs ! Aw'm noan frickeut neaw—not me l dh, nowe I fer eawr George an' me watch'd urn March eavvt wi' ther conkerin' stride; An' he sed to me," Turn, my owd loker. My buzzUros o'erflowin' wi' pride ! :41irjunts such grand un's !—to lead urn, An' Corporal's brunnin' to•dee, Theau may sleep i' thi bed quite contentet-Theau needn't be frickent—not theee !" " Aw reet," aw replied, " My owd crater, Aw'll weigh wed l thy martial remarks ; Tho' a, notice theau sees, on Review Days, Nowt Strange eawr Woods or eawr Parkes!" Once moor, then, aw thank eawr brave warriors, Wo keep uz fro enemies free ; An help lir to say, wi' eaur yeds up, " Aw'm noan frickent neaw, not me I" •
Widnes Examiner. — 1892-04-30 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

EXAMINER. SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 1892.  and she went along Bolton-st. She said she was going lk> Mrs. Grey's. We had no quarrel. I parted friendly with her. She did not say she was going to take away _ . . . .  J her lite.  J.- I had been in- her-company about twenty minutes, having met her on the Fair Ground. She said " Good night," and we parted it friendly fashion. At that time I had no suspicion that she was going to drown herself. She neither said nor did anything to lead me to that belief. She had told me that if anything happened to her she dare not. go home. She wanted me to take her to Dublin, and I said I was not in the circumstances to take her. I never saw her after I left her at the Finger-post. I heard on, Sunday she was drowned, and her father came and had a talk with me. The Coroner.—You spoke to her on the Wednesday night ?—Yes. Did you at that time lead her to believe that considerinr, her position you would marry her P—l never led her to believe I would not marry her. Mrs. Lucy Greig was the next witness. She said deceased had told her she was in trouble, and dare not tell her parents. She said she should have to drown herself, and she dare not go home if her father found it out. She said she had written to Houghton twice while he was in Dublin, but had no answer, and when he returned he seemed as if he wanted to have nothing more to do with her. She said she would have to make a hole in the water. She had told Houghton her condition, and he had said "If that be so it cannot be helped," and since then he had been cold and shunned her.  John Borchelt, of Victoria-st., and Sergeant Strong having given evidence of the finding of the body, The Coroner said the circumstances were quite clear. She was afraid Houghton would desert her, and the fear of her parents discovering her state led her to commit this act. The jury had only a legal duty to perform. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity.
Widnes Examiner. — 1892-11-26 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE GLASGOW ATROCITY.  DECLARATION BY THE PRISONER.  The gardener William M`Ewan or Keown, who is in Custody charged with the murder of Mary O'Connor, whose horribly mutilated remains were found in West Lodge, Pollokshields, Glasgow, on the morning of the 13th October, was on Tuesday brought before Sheriff Birnie, and emitted a tleclaration. Since his capture— which was effected, it will be remembered, in the policies of Sir John Stirling Maxwell, near the Half-Way Inn between Paisley and Glasgow, when he attempted to commit suicide by cutting his throat—Keown has been confined to the Royal Infirmary, where he has been carefully watched by a policeman dav and night. On Tuesday forenoon be was removed to the county buildings in a cab, accompanied by two policemen and a sheriff's officer. The prisoner was dressed in a dark grey tweed suit belonging to himself, which was lound in West Lodge after the tragedy. Bound his throat, the wound on which is now almost completely healed, he had a bright blue bandage, and over it a large red muffler. No handcuffs were used. In the cab Keown conversed pleasantly about the weather, and expressed regret to those who accompanied him at having to appear before the sheriff in the black wide-awake headgear and yellow cloth slippers with which he had been provided by the Infirmary authorities. From the cab to the cells,where he was confined for a few minutes before he could be taken to emit his declaration, the prosoner walked with a brisk step, and allowed no outward signs of concern, notwithstanding the gravity of the charge against him. During his confinement Keown has grown a short reddish beard, and has aged considerably in appearance. He is a man of about 34, but lookfully ten years older. During his stay in the Infirmary he has been seen by no one save his agent and tbe authorities. His removal on Tuesday was kept strictly private, and his arrival at the clunty buildings was witnessed by no one save a few officials. After making his declaration, Keown was removed in a cab to Dukestreet prison, where he is now confined, charged with murder. The trial has been fixed to take place on the 27th December, at the Chrisimas sitting of the Circuit Court in Glasgow. The Crown authorities have resolved to take M'Neilly, the sailor who was in the house on the night of the tragedy, as a witness at the trial, instead of preferring a charge of complicity in the murder against him.  The General Medical Council resolved on Tuesday to take steps to put a stop to the system under which unqualified men carry on the practice of dentistry with the assistance of qualified dentists as " coverers."
Widnes Examiner. — 1892-11-26 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT ST. HELENS.  A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.  At St. Helens on Monday, before the Mayor (Mr. Arthur Sinclair) and other magistrates, Laura Cumberford, a young married woman, living in Parr Stocks-road, was charged with attempting to commit suicide. Chief Constable Wood stated that between four and five o'clock on Sunday afternoon prisoner jumped into what is known as the " Stinking Brook," near her own hcme. She had been married about eleven years, and had four children, but lived very uncomfortably with her husband. On Saturday night he badly assaulted her,, and gave her a black eye ; and on Sunday morning he again assaulted her. She said she would go and commit suicide, and he told her to go. She then went and jumped into the brook, but a man named John Jump went in and pulled her out. He (the Chief Constable) believed she had attempted to take herlifn before.—The Mayor asked If the husband was in court, and a workingman stood up. Chief Constable Wood: I believe he brutally illuses this poor woman, and further proceedings may be taken against him for it.—The Mayor spoke very kindly to the poor woman, and told her it was as much against the law to take her own life as to take anyone else's.—Mrs. Comberford : I have nothing to live for. My children have no pleasure, and I have not. I would rather die than be illused as I have been.— ale Mayor to the husband) : What have you to say P—The husband : On Saturday night the woman followed me out, and I would not let her come with me. She started screaming, and I threw my hand out and gave her a clout in the face, and pushed her against the wall. She went screaming and got other women out. —The Mayor: What are you ?—The Husband : I work at Wlcechnie's copper extracting works, and get 345. a week.—Mrs. Comberford said she would not live again with him.— Husband : I don't want to live separate, but I want her to keep to herself, and not to go to others —The Mayor : You must have assaulted her very badly for her to go and attempt to take her life.—Husband: Many a thing is done in a passion which we are sorry for afterwards.—The Mayor : Who gave her that black eye P—Husband : I gave it to her.—Mrs.Comberford : He has given me mails, a one before. I have nowhere to go, but I will not live with him. When this is aver he will have revenge on me.—The Mayor : Would some of the neighbours take you for a few days ?• Ha will perhaps have more sense if you separate for a bit. —Husband: It she separates now, I will never live with her . any more.—The Mayor: You see that black eye. It is all very well to say that, when she has been driven (foolishly, no doubt) to try and take her life.—Ultimately, acting under advice, Mrs. Comberford took out a summons against her husband for assault. Mrs. Comberford promised not to make any more attempts upon her own life, and was discharged.
Widnes Examiner. — 1892-07-23 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

BRAVE RESCUE AT STOCKTON • HEATH— ( „I • A boy was bravely rescued from 'drowning; at Stoekton Heath on Monday morning. The lad was grandson of Mrs. Wilkes and was playing, along with 1 other children, on the banks of the canal near LOndon Bridge, when two of them fell into the water. The screams of the ehildre'n at once attracted the attention of Mr. Robert Isherwood who is in the employ of Mr. Robert Davie, and hem to the spot. Seeing what had occurred he threw off his coat and waistcoat and at once jumped into the water. he was just in time to save one -child, which was unconscious. and was not restored-to- animation for some time. This is, it is stated, the second- time Mr. Isherwood has displayed lits• courage in the saving of life. The other child was unfortunately drowned.—Mr.. Worsley, coroner, held an inquest at the Mulberry-Tree Inn, Stockton Heath, Warrington, on Wednesday morning, on the death of this boy, James Henry Burney, about nine years of age, on Mortdav morning. Mrs. Eliza Wilkes said her three grandchildren; deceased John Thomas, and Ada Burney, went to the canal to get a ball from their father which he pro-mised-them the night before. The father's boat, however, bad left early in the morning, and the children mugt have remained to play. Deceased, according to the evidence of thekrother,wasfloating,a piece of Ong tied to a string, When he-ifipped and fell in. and caught I hold of witness's leg and dragged him in also.—John ! Isherwood, gardener to Mr. Robert Davies, was ! working about 200 yards away,and hearing the screams ran to the spc,t. The canal is very deep, and Ilfteerr yards wide, but witness swam across and rescued Jr' Thomas Burney. Witness did not know much at restoring the apparently drowned, but he held the slightly upside down, and let the water run out Of mouth and nostrils. After seeing the lad breathe •st ness left him in charge of his friends and went and changed his clothes. Dr. Parker soon afterwards arrived, and completed the restoration of the boy, although it was two hours before be could spealc....lsher. wood said there was no sign whatever of the other boy being in the water, but as he was missed the canal was dragged, and the body found by a waterman named Yates. There was nobody about at the time of the occurrence. In answer to the coroner, Isherwood ' that eleven years ago he had effected a similar ‘t the same place, and had also saved a would-hechi hauling him out with a boat hook.—The ronet, In summing up, referred in appropriate terms • Isherwood's bravery, and said he would lay the facts )efore the Royal Humane Society.—A verdict of "Found drowned" was returned.  stated , rescue al. ,a suicide b, coroner, to Ish^ In- Li, Or
Widnes Examiner. — 1892-03-12 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED. SUICIDE AT  WARRINGTON. At the Warrington Borough Police Court, on Monday, before Aldermen Oreenall (the Mayor), Harrison and .Wright, Timothy Sauce, tailor, of Corporation Buildings, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Corporation-st., on Sunday morning, and James Sauce, his sou, was charged with attempting to commit suicide by cutting his throat also with threatening to cut his mother's throat the same night.—Police Sergeant Smith deposed to going to the house of the defendants with Inspector Spinks in consequence of complaints about them and finding Timothy behaving in a very violent and abusive way. As they came out at the front door Timothy came running after them with a yard brush threatening to do for Inspector Spinks. They took him in custody, and he became very rough, but with the help of P.C. Marsh thoy got him to the police station.—The defendant said the ' reason the charge wh.4 made was that he said to Inspector Spinks" You are a great man since you have been carrying a stick."-Mrs. Sauce gave evidence against the prisoner James Sauce, and in a r very rambling and inzoherent statement, told the 1 magistrates that he had cut his throat with a razor and threatened to cut hers also with it.—The defendant pleaded not guilzy to the charge.—Catherine Sauce, his sister, corroborated her mother, and said he threw an ashpan at her.—lnspector Spinks said after locking up Timothy Sauce, he went back with Sergeant Smith to the defendant's house and James's mother said she dare not stop in the house as he had threatened to Out her throat, and had cut his own. He hd a clear cut on the right . side of his neck, and it was bleeding. Witness said " Whatevet have you been doing ?" and the prisoner replied" I don't know: I have had a drop of drink." lie was not Sober, and he was locked up. —Timothy Sauce, took his eon's part and said hie mother and sister did not know what they were saying, and they wanted to transport the poor fellow. Anybody could see that the cut he had was not from a razor. It showed,no love on their part  to bring him to that court-house on such charges.— Inspector Spinlt's said Timothy was a decent fellow on the whole, but he'would stick up for. his ion; he had been to the station two. oethree timesltbout was fined b's. and James was bound over in the shm of £5 to keep the peace for six months; in default 14 days.
Widnes Examiner. — 1892-10-01 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SHOCKING SUICIDE AT WIDNES.  The Criunty Coroner, Mr. S. Brighouse, on Wednesday held an inquest at Widnes Accident Hospital, respecting the death of Elizabeth Halliwell a single woman, 43 years of age who had resided at 51 Derby-road, Farnworth. The deceased lived with her sister, also a single woman, and together they earned their living by dressmaking. For some time past she had suffered from indigestion and a few weeks ago she went to Preston, her native town, and was treated there for this complaint by Dr. Moore. She returned home on Saturday the 24th September, and appeared in good health. On Monday night she retired to rest as usual, and on the following morning her sister heard a strange noise in the yard. on going there she found the deceased in the closet with her throat cut, a large carving knife lying besides her. Dr. O'Neil was siimmoned and that gentleman at once ordered her removal to the Accident Hospital, where she died on Tuesday at noon. A verdict of ". Suicide.whilat temporarily insane " Wee rlturtwd. STlOCifft4a BURNING PATILITir.  Mr. S. Brighouse, county coroner, held an inquest on Tuesday afternoon, at the King's Arms, Prescot, touching the death of Alice Soden, twenty-nine years of age, wife of John Soden, of 1 Holmes-buildings, limiest-en. The "evidence showed that on Sunday evening last Mr. Soden and the children retired to bed about ten o'clock,leaving the deceased downstit,rs preparing food for her husband to take with him on going to work the following taorning. Nothing more was beard of her until midnight; when tbe eldest girl awakened her father, and he was shocked to see his wife standing undressed on the bedroom floor, her clothes lying on the floor outside burning. A neighbour named Stevens was called in, and Dr. ,Barlow was sent for, and found deceased was burned all over the body. The doctor attended her up to her death, which took place on Monday afternoon. The deceased was subject to epileptic fits, and she told her husband that she was winding up the clock, when she bad a fit and. fell in the fire.—The jury returned a verdibt of " Accidental death."
Widnes Examiner. — 1892-10-15 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

CAPTURE AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF WEWAN.  M'Ewan, the man who was being sought by the police for his supposed complicity in the murder, was captured on Wednesday afternoon, under the following circumstances. At five minutes to two, while three gamekeepers of Sir John Stirling Maxwell were walking along the road between Glasgow and Paisley, their attention I was attracted by a man proceeding in a leisurely manner lon the other side of the hedge. The head gamekeeper, named Cox, thinking he was a poacher, asked what he was doing there, but the man gave no answer. Another of the keepers put the same question, whereupon the man pulled out a small pocket knife and began to cut his throat. The three gamekeepers jumped over the hedge with all speed, and prevented him doing himself further harm. The keepers then concluded 'that the man was the fugitive M'Ewan, and one of them accordingly ran for a policeman, and found one at a place called the Halfway House. The constable immediately came and identified M'Ewan as the man wanted. The fugitive was carried to a smithy, and a policeman, who was scouring the :country on a bicycle in search of M'Ewan, hurried to the nearest subsurban telephone station and telephoned to headquarters in Glasgow. An ambulance wagon from Govan was ultiMately obtained, and M'Ewan was conveyed to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. He did not speak on the road, and when he arrived at the Infirmary he was greatly exhausted, and his face was ghastly pale. His neck had been bound up with a child's pinafore. On his being carried into the casualty ward Dr. Henderson found that M'Ewan had inflicted upon himself a diagonal wound from the left ear to the middle of the throat, three inches long and one inch deep, but as the blood was coagulated it is impossible to say as yet whether the wound is dangerous or not. The doctor, however, expressed himself as hopeful that M'Ewan will recover. The news of the arrest spread rapidly, and a large crowd peered through the Infirmary railings to get a glimpse of the unhappy man as he was carried into the ward.  The murdered woman was identified during the afternoon as Lizzie O'Connor, an unfortunate. A man named M'Neilly, who was brought up on Wednesday in custody in connection with the revolting tragedy, is a sailor employed in the steamship Furnessia, which is just now lying in Glasgow harbour. He has stated that he and M'Ewaia met a woman in the street and persuaded her to accompany them to West Lodge. She went with M'Ewan into the room he occupied and remained there, as far as he (M'Neilly) knew, all night. He slept in another room of the house, but left early in the morning in time to reach his work at six o'clock. M'Neilly denies having seen the murder committed or taken any part in it.