npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1819-09-13 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY 'SUICIDE  OF A YOUNG LADY.  This morning, at an early hour, tile neighbcnirlinod of Bow-street was thrown into considerable confusion, byt he melancholy event 'of a young Lady, of sriperioraccomplishments and education, named BUNELL, who was lately married to an Officer in the Army, who is at present at Brighton, putting an end to her existence, by stabbing herself to the heart with a knife while in the open street, under the following circumstances unfortunate Lady, we understand, is of a very respectable family, possessed of considerable property ; since her arrival in town she has occupied a suite of apartments at the Garrick's Head Tavern, Bow-street, which has been t..vo or three days, in which interval her mind appeared to be labouring under severe depression, and she committed several inconsistent acts. On Sunday she seemed to be in a great measure relieved from that state, and at night retired to her chamber earlier than usual. The following morning she arose at the hour of four o'clock, and was seen at the top of the house of the Garrick's Head with a brick in her hand, parading backwards and forwards. The persons inside were alarmed, and she was extricated front her perilous situation : she afterwards got into the street, and sat on the step of the door, and a knife was seen in her hand. A person who knew her attempted to get it from her, bur she ran very fast in the direction of Catherine-street, and on her road inflicted two or three stabs in her side, fell down, and bled proprofusely. She was taken to Mr. GRAVES, surgeon, in Catherine-street, where every assistance was afforded her, but in vain. Information was given to some friends she bad in London, and likewise to her relations in the country. Her body was taken to the bone-house of St. Paul's, Covent-garden, for the Coroner's Inquest, which will be ',rid this evenin. We have since heard that this young ►ady possessed some talent as an actress, but not in public.  We regret to learn that the Archbishop of died on Wednesday last, after a lingering
The Sun. — 1848-12-15 (London, England)

SUICIDE IN CONSEQUENCE OF PECUNIARY LOSSES. -On Tuesday night an inquest was held before Mr. Payne, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, on the body of J. Buillivant, aged 39, who committed suicide. When de. ceased attained his majority he entered into the posses. slon of a valuable estate. He was induced to advance a considerable sum of money to Owen's Labour Exchange Bazaar in Gray's Inn-lane. In exchange for his money he received what were styled "one-hour" and twohour" notes, entitling him, upon the reciprocity principle, to the produce of one hour or two hours' labour. When, he wished to convert his notes into money he found that they were almost wholly valueless, and he was compelled to take a quantity of articles from the bazaar which were completely useless to him. This speculation swallowed up the bulk of his fortune. With what remained he opened a chemist's shop, in Camden Town, where he carried on a respectable business for some time. Subsequently, however, he suffered severe losses, and at length, beggared in fortune and in hopes, he committed self-destruction, by shooting himself in e back part of the head. The following document was found in his possession :—" Oh, wretched man that I am, unfit for the world and all society, I have been a prey to swindlers all my life. That villian T— has sacrificed me to a triumvirate of swindlers, and I have been more victl. wised than poor Tom Steele. But who knows it but myself, or who cares for it; and, having no address, I am unfit for any business, and competent for none. I cling to life, but nothing but disgrace, which is worse than death, stares me in the face. That villain T-holds an estate which was my father's, and to which:l believe he is no more entitled than the man in the moon, and he has had the audacity to tell me that he was justified in sacrificing me to the swindlers."—The jury returned a verdict of " Temporary insanity."
The Sun. — 1848-01-04 (London, England)

WESTMINSTER.  Elira Bastings, a miserable-looking young woman, the sister of George M'Koy, who is at present in Newgate, under sentence of death, for the murder of Mr. Bellchambers, was charged with attempting to commit suicide.  James Buchanan, a policeman of the B division, stated that, between two or three that morning, he saw the defendant, who was intoxicated, attempting to get on the parapet of Westtninster•bridge. He desired her to go away, when she went a few paces, and then made a second attempt to get to the water. She had thrown a portion of her clothing into the Thames, when he secured her, and took her to the station.  Mr. BRoDERIP inquired whether sho wished to say anything ? The poor creature hung down her head, and made no reply.  Mr: bonagan, an Inspector of the B divisior, having informed the Magistrate that she was M‘lioy's sister, and appeared to be in a very distressed state of mind, _ _ _  Alr. EIiODERIP observed that he should remand the unfortunate creature for a day, and directed the police to endeavour to ascertain whether she had any friends who would take charge of her. Edward and Charles Tierney, two powerful young men, were charged with violently assaulting the police. A policeman of the B division, named Milleman, was passing through Tothill-street on Saturdaynight, when observing the defendant Edward striking at every one who approached him, he took him into custody. The fellow, who was drunk, made a violent resistance, and repeatedly assaulted the officers, as did also the defendant Charles. Another constable, named \Vadhouse, came up, when he was so much injured by the defendant Charles, that he has since been unfit for duty. The defendants made no answer to the charge. Mr. BRODBRIP committed the defendant Charles for a month ; the other for fourteen days.
The Sun. — 1848-01-04 (London, England)

THE DOUBLE SUICIDE IN MARY LEBONE.—(INQUEST THIS DAY.)'-An inquest was held this day, at noon, in the Fitzroy Arms, Clipstone-street, before Mr. Wakley, on the bodies of Alexander Thomas Williams and Susanna Williams, who kept the Star coffee-house in Cleveland-street, and of whose double suicide we gave yesterday an account. The deceased lived on the most affectionate terms; the husband was thirtyone years of age, and the wife twenty-four. It appeared that he had been subject to headache since his return from India, where he served some time in army. He was about to advertise his business for sale this week, in consequence, as a witness said, of the hardness of the times. The house was closed at twelve o'clock on Saturday night, and nothing was, up to that time, observed peculiar in his manner. At a quarter to one, Henry Mathews, a carpenter, who lodged in the house, was attracted to the bedroom of the deceased, by the screams of the wife, and seeing the body of the man hanging, he made an alarm, which brought a policeman and others to his assistance. The body was taken down, and whilst Mr. Hatfield (the surgeon), with Mathews and the policeman, were engaged in endeavouring to resuscitate the still warm body, other persons found Mrs. Williams in the shop with her throat cut, and a bloody razor lying near her. She was still living, and seemed to possess her senses. She made a gurgling noise, attempting to speak, and struggled up on her feet, when she instantly fell forward and expired. Mr. Hatfield left the husband's body when he heard ofther case, and proceeded to sew up the gash, when he found that life was extinct. The jury found " that Alexander Williams committed suicide, but that there was no evidence as to the state of his mind at the time. That Susanna Williams committed suicide, being at the time in a state of delirium, occasioned by the shock which she received on seeing the body of her husband suspended in the bedroom."
The Sun. — 1848-02-17 (London, England)

CORONER.—Did you sign a certificate as to his state of mind ? Witness—No•  Miss Rhodes—For a very good reason; because he had not got 1001. a year.—(:laughter.) Mr. iVilmot here described the steps he had taken by direction of the Commissioners of Lunacy to remove the deceased to York-house. his endeavours to effect her removal were thwarted for some time by 1)r. Quail, but possession of deceased's person was at length obtained, just as she was on the point of embarking for the continent with that individual. The witness added, that he had acted throughout the affair from motives of humanity alone. Mr. Perceval here rose, and begged he might be allowed to say, in justice to Dr. Quail, against whom very painful allusions had been made, that evidence of his kind treatment of the deceased would be forthcoming if the inquiry were adjourned. The CORONER again said that, in a case of this kind, affecting so seriously the liberty of the subject, and disclosing such an extraordinary state of things as regarded the law of lunacy, it was highly nezessary that every circumstance opened during the investigation should be properly cleared up, and that no person whose name had been in any way implicated ought to be prevented from bringing forward witnesses in his defence. Dr. Turner would probably not be able to attend for a few days, and therefore they had, perhaps, better adjourn for a week.  The jury having consulted together, the inquiry was adjourned for a week.  All the particulars connected with the pugilistic contest between Lane and Walker will !appear in Belts Life in London of Saturday and Sunday. Price of Bell's Life sixpence. Bell's Life is regularly publishel in time for all the Saturday afternoon railways. The average sale of Bell's Life is twenty-seven thouiand. SUICIDE OF THE MOTHER or
The Sun. — 1848-01-06 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.—EIiza Bastings, the woman who was charged at the Westminster Police•court, on Monday, with attempting to commit suicide, was yesterday given over to a person who represented himself to be her husband, and who promised to take care of her. Mr. Broderip, in very feeling terms, admonished her:upon the heinousness of the offence she had attempted ' to commit.  Advices from Paris mention that the failure of M. Julius Cohen is of more importance than was contemplat-d. The Bank of France alone is said to hold 60,0001. of his acceptances. The Frankfort failures and their results were still the subject of much anxiety, although nothing definite had transpired as to the houses upon whom the losses will chiefly fall. It was known, however, that these losses will certainly be severe at Paris, Vienna, Hamburgh, and Amsterdam.  BIRTIIs. On the 21st ult., at Colkirk Cottage, Norfolk, the wife of Arthur A. Heitland, Esq.,*of a son. On the 31st ult., the wife of the Rev. George Perry, Shudy. camps Vicarage, of a daughter. ,n _ 'On the let inst. at Dun Edin, ear Edinburgh, the wife of, Alexander Boyle, Esq., of a son, who lived only two hours. On the Ist inst., at Honfleur, France, the lady of Hamilton Hall, Esq., of a daughter. On the 2d inst., at Norwood, the wife of 11., E. Goodhall, Esq., of a son. On the 3d inst., at Rutland-gate, the wife of Daniel Tnp. per, Eq., of a daughter. On the 3d inst., at the Vicarage, Isleham, Cambridgeshire, the wife of the Rev. H. P. Dawes, of twins, daughters. On the 3d inst., the wife of Edmund Stansfield, Esq., of Downing College, Cambridge, of a daughter. On the 3d hist , at the Union Brewery, Lambeth, the wife of Samuel Chapman, Esq., of a daughter. On the 3d inst , in Eaton-square, the lady of the Rev. R'. Ward, of a son.
The Sun. — 1848-01-06 (London, England)

THE CAUSE OF THE DEFEAT OF THE SONDERBUND. The National publishes the following story of the Jesuits of Lucerne :—The Reverend Fathers, it appeared, possessed a Gothic reliquiary of most exquisite workmanship. In order to provide against the hardness of the times which the war might bring on them, they bethought them that they would turn this reliquiary into money, and a Hebrew dealer in curiosities, residing at Geneva, purchased it of them, and paid them in Napoleons. Whether it was that the sight of the. gold dazzled the eyes of the Reverend Fathers, or whether it was that they cared nothing for the relic shut up in the reliquiary, certain it is that the purchaser was permitted to carry away with his purchase a little phial, sealed with several seals, which was shut up therein. Some time after, the Genevese dealer sold to a Parisian dealer the reliquiary, but whether with or without its precious contents does not appear, in consequence of the little interest which either vendor or purchaser attached to the matter. But the Genevese dealer was much astonished a few months afterwards, when matters were going badly at Lucerne, at receiving a letter from the Reverend Father, Superior of the Jesuits of Lucerne, demanding from him " a little bottle con- • taining something of a black colour, a relic to which the inhabitants of Lucerne appeared to attach the highest value, but which was of no value to the ppm'' chaser, and had not been included in the bargain. The dealer replied that the reliquiary. bad been again sold by him, and that it was actually in the possession of an amateur in Paris. lie now received another letter much more pressing than the first, in which he was informed that the bottle contained the blood.' of St. Francois d'Assises—that the inhabitants of Lucerne attached the utmost importance to its pos. session, and that it must be restored. The civil war interrupted this correspondence, and the misfortunes of the arms of the Sonderbund must be attributed to the absence from Lucerne of the blood of St Francois d'Assises. The Geneva curiosity-dealer, who is an Israelite, offers the correspondence of the worthy father's for sale.  SUICIDE OF A NEWSMAN:-...:Yesterday Mr. Bed+ ford held an inquest, at the Bedford Head, Maiden-lane. on the body of William Hancock, aged 67, a newstuan. residing at No. 14, Maiden-le.r.e. The deceased had for the last year been suffering from cataract, which par tially incapacitated him for business ; and not long ago he attempted to drown himself by leaping from a, Gravesend steam-boat ; but after recovering, expressed his sorrow fopwhat he had done, and it was not deemed necessary to place him under restraint. On Wednesday week he was found in bed with his throat cut, and a com•. ' mon table-knife by his side. He died on Sunday last. Mr. Tompson, surgeon, said the deceased appeared to bro recovering from the wound, which in itself might nek have caused death. He could not state positively what was the cause of death without a post mortem examine. tion. The inquest was adjourned until Friday, in order that the body might be opened.
The Sun. — 1848-01-17 (London, England)

ARTIST.—On Salt.lr:l43' Mr. WO/. lev, M.P., held an inquest at the sign of the Queen's if Keppel-terrace, Chelsea, on the body of Mr. Joseph William Brett, aged 34 years, who committed suicide under the following distressing circumstances :  —lt appeared from the evidence gone into, that the deceased was the son of the Rev. Jeseph Brett, a clergyman of the Established Church, and resided with his parents both aged persons, living in a cottage, No. 4, Keppel-street South, King's,road, Chelsea. The deceased was an artist, and one of the very numerous unsuccessful competitors, for the prizes offered for subjects for the cartoons to embellish the new Houses of Parliament. The subject the deceased chose was that of "King Richard pardoning the Soldier who shot - him." The blight of disappointment, there is no doubt, operated most severely on the deceased's mind, although he never complained of it, and appeared in general cheerful. His health had, however, for a long time before his death been failing, and he had become so weak as to be unable to use his right arm and hand. On the evening of Tuesday last deceased was seen alive by his parents about hall-past ten, at which time he was in bed. About nine o'clock on Wednesday morning his father, who is very near-sighted, went into the deceased's bed-room (the front parlour) and saw him lying in bed, as he at first thought with a red handkerchief round his neck, but on closer examination he found that it was blood, and that the deceased was dead. No alarm was, however, made until half-past one o'clock in the day, when by the advice of a neighbour the police was called in, and Mr. Smith, a surgeon, pronounced life to have been extinct for some hours. It was then found that deceased had cut his throat with his left hand with a razor, which was found in bed, the handle and blade having been tied round will a handkerchief. The wretched appearance of the deceased's room, also of the interior of the house, bespoke the poverty of the unfortunate family, who, however, still prize the picture of the deceased, who, it is stated, had refused 3001. for it. The coroner and jury commiserated greatly with the feelings of the family, and returned a verdict, " That the deceased was found dead with his threat cut, supposed by his own act, but as to the state of his mind at the time there was not sufficient evidence to show."
The Sun. — 1848-01-17 (London, England)

SUICIDES.  SUICIDE OF AN ARTIST.-011 Saturday Mr. Wakley, M.P., held an inquest at the sign of the Queen's Ilead, Keppel-terrace, Chelsea, on the body of Mr. Joseph William Brett, aged 34 years, who committed suicide under the following distressing circumstances : —lt appeared from the evidence gone into, that the deceased was the son of the Rev. Joseph Brett, a clergyman of the Established Church, and resided with his parents both aged persons, living in a cottage, No. 4, Keppel-street South, King's-road, Chelsea. The deceased was an artist, and one of the irery numerous unsuccessful competitors, for the prizes offered for subjects for the cartoons to embellish the new Houses of Parliament. The subject the deceased chose was that of "King Richard pardoning the Soldier who shot him." The blight of disappointment, there is no doubt, operated most severely on the deceased's mind, although he never complained of it, and appeared in general cheerful. His health had, however, for a long time before his death been failing, and he had become so weak as to be unable to use his right arm and hand. On the evening of Tuesday last deceased was seen alive by his parents about hall- past ten, at which time he was in bed. About nine o'clock on Wednesday morning his father, who is very near sighted, went into the deceased's bed-room (the front parlour) and saw him lying in bed, as he at first thought with a red handkerchief round his neck, but on closer examination he found that it was blood, and that the deceased was dead. NO alarm was, however, made until half-past one o'clock in the day, when by the advice of a neighbour the police was called in, and Mr. Smith, a surgeon, pronounced life to have been extinct for some hours. It was then found that deceased had cut his throat with his left hand with a razor, which was found in bed, the handle and blade having been tied round with a handkerchief. The wretched appearance of the deceased's room, also of the interior of the house, bespoke the poverty of the unfortunate family, who, however, still prize the picture of the deceased, who, it is stated, had refused 3004 for it. The coroner and jury commiserated greatly with the feelings of the family, and returned a verdict, " That the deceased was found dead with his throat cut, supposed by his own act, but as to the !tato of his mind at the time there was not sufficient evidence to show."
The Sun. — 1848-01-27 (London, England)

LAMENTABLE SUICIDE AT WINDSOR.  WINDSOR, TUESDAY EVENING. - Considerable excitement was created throughout the town yesterday morning, in consequence of a report that Mr. Thomas Hyde, a highly respectable inhabitant, about 60 years of age, who had carried on an extensive business for several years past as a wholesale and retail bacon factor, in Thames street, had committed suicide, by first cutting his throat on the banks of the Thames close to the town, and afterwards throwing himself into the river. The report unfortunately proved correct. The body was taken out by two watermen and conveyed to the King's Arms, and afterwards to the residence of the deceased. The unfortunate man expired the same night. An inquest was held upon the body this afternoon, at the Townhall, before J. IV. ➢lachin, Esq., the coroner, when the following evidence was adduced : Charles Hicks, a waterman, who was standing on indsor-bridge shortly after seven o'clock yesterday morning, saw the body, on its side, floating down the stream, and he, with another man, got it into a punt and pulled the body on shore. On taking it to the King's Arms public-house, close by, and unbuttoning the shirt collar, he found the throat cut, and the wound still bleeding. There were not the least signs of life. He went to the house of deceased to acquaint the shopman, when he was told his master had only left the house at seven o'clock that morning. The deceased had no shoes or hat on.  George Brown, another waterman, who assisted th last witness to take the body out of the river, gavee similar testimony. Edwin S. Collins, assistant to Mr. Alderman Soley, surgeon, deposed that he attended deceased, who was in a state of suspended animation, shortly after he was taken out of the water. There was a bleeding wound under the chin. After some time animation was restored by the usual means. Deceased was then conveyed to his own house, in Thames-street, and afterwards attended by his own family doctor. Mr. Edward Andrews, surgeon, who had attended Mr. Hyde's family during the past seven years, stated that, for the last three weeks, the deceased had been suffering under a general derangement of health occasioned by lowness of spirits. From his knowledge of him, he had no doubt he had been liable to attacks of insanity during the preceding fortnight. His death, which took place the same evening, was in consequence of the effects of immersion in the water. The jury returned a verdict of Temporary Insanity.