npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1846-05-18 (London, England)

CLERKENWELL. 'ArPaEsl; Cone,his Camaeb-street, Islington, was charged by John JohnNpUerStoOkFenAham, MASTER a master TOWARDStaiIor, apprentice, a lad of sixteen, with an assault of a very savage nature upon him. The poor lad, whose body exhirienssiding at , exhibited marks of severe personal violence, his thighs being covered with stripes, was bred in the Foundling Hospital, and bound to the defendant about two years ago, who received a premium of 10/. from that Institution. In order to encourage good apprentices, and to prove to masters that the conductors of the Foundling cherish a parental regard for deserving youths who are bound from it, they make presents to the boys from time to time, upon a certificate if good behaviour from the master. In this case the defendant sent the boy to the Foundling at Ea-ter with a certificate, and the boy received 15s. as a present. He had no sooner returned than the master took the money from him and pocketed it, saying he would buy clothes for the boy with it, although by the indenture he was bound to clothe him. On Tuesday morning last, the master returned home after an absence of half an hour, and called the prosecutor to account for his time, saying be had done nothing during that half-hour. The lad replied he had been at breakfast. The muter thereupon took up a yard measure, and beat the boy for ten minutes with it, so as to cover his arms and thighs pe:ISTRATE said the master behaved like a trent, beaten him in a most savage manner. Even in the awnidlt hlhesa stripes. The factory districts, about which they heard so much, half an hour was allowed for breakfast. lie would fine the defendant 51.—The money was paid at once,  -01;3aemtwane,einia,Sinixg thei Regent's Workhouse The three orr SUPPOSED SUICIDE OF A FOREIGNE tahnedaspepvrtraon'celeockofoiat Wednesdayfog evening, dthettobacslati?. Canal, near the Skew-bridge, adjoining St. Patlerasg4 deceased (who had evidently been in the water was of extremely dark complexion, with black hair and oeu•r• days) five feet four inches high. He was attired in a dark cloth shooting. an: coat, with fancy sporting buttons, black waistcoat, and draboeilon . trousers. There were no marks of violence on his person. The body was removed to St. Pancras Workhouse, where it awaits i identity.
The Sun. — 1846-05-18 (London, England)

MEATH. OF JOHN WEEKS, THE BOXLEY FRATRICIDE. TUNBRIDGE WELLS, FRlDAY.—During the week an uncommon degree of excitement has prevailed in this district of the county, owing to the discovery of the supposed suicide of John Weeks, who in the month of August, 1844, murdered his brother Edward, by stabbing him at the village of Boxley, near Maidstone. It may be remembered that the brothers lived with their aged mother, and the unfortunate transaction was the result of a series of quarrels. A Coroner's jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against the deceased, and for his apprehension her Majesty's Government offered a reward of 1001. He, however, succeeded in making off, and nothing was heard of him until his corpse was identified in the followin most extraordinary manner. On the morning of the 2d instant the body of a man was found floating in a pond near the village of Brenchley, a few miles distant. Bruises being found on his head, and a bundle, containing his clothes, his hat, and an empty purse, being picked up in, the pool. gave rise to a suspicion that he -had been robbed and the,n murdered by .being thrown into the, water. The, body was then identified :as that, of a, man who had passed by the name of Thomas Saunders, and had been employed at a neighbouring farm; but was discharged on the 11th receiving his wages and money he had _eutrusted to his master-81. He was not heard of after tards until found in the'pond,' and the circumstance of only 6d. being dis, covered in his pockets, strengthened the suspicion that the deceased had been unfairly dealt with. The parish constable subsequently ascertained,' however, that the corpse had been robbed of two sovereigns, nine ball sovereigns, and some silver, by three men and three women, whom he captured. They acknowledged that they i had takenk money, and had unfairly distributed it. They wereenthe .t examined before a county magistrate, and were committed for trial for the felony_ The surgeons deposing that the bruises could not have caused death, circumstances induced parties to think that the deceased was :cide Weeks, and a 'cup belonging pro,-: by the mother of Weeks to have btoeltohnegeddecteoashed wersaosh, The body of the deceased was explete identification was established by the hmuomt heed; aanndd ist sister of Weeks. The body was re-interred. It is supposed the deceased committed suicide.  -..,
The Sun. — 1846-04-28 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. —On Sunday afternoon a respectable-looking man, considerably advanced in years, was brought to the Denmark-street station, charged with the intention of committing suicide. Ile passed the charge-room in a state of great excitement, exclaiming at intervals, Oh, why did I not do it effectually 1" A cabman, who accompanied him, stated that being at the Irongate-stairs, near the Tower, he heard the prisoner ask a lad, who had charge of a boat, what would be the fare of ferryage across the river, as he had particular business over the water. The cabman observing something very peculiar in his demeanour, stopped to see the issue, and the lad's father, who was also present, observing that there was something bulky in the prisoner's pockets, Girt perceiving that they were heavy stones, suspected his purpose, and refused to let his son have anything to do with the fare. The old gentleman, finding he was observed, walked away in great confusion, followed by the cabman, who with praiseworthy humanity kept hint ' in view until they met a constable near the Mint, when he was given I into custody. On searching him four large stones were found in his coat pockets, deposited there, in all probability, to secureitiheerivceerrtainty of his sinking, should he succeed in plunging into t He refused to give any account of himself, but a paper addressed to, W. Black, Esq., 27, Mark lane, was found on him. Inspector Donegan, who was on duty, sent the prisoner, under the care of Sergeant Eves, to Mark-lane, when it was ascertained that he resided at Lansdowne's-cottages, Lower-road, Islington, where he was taken,' and the attendance of Mr. Dawson procured, the family physician, who took.charge of Mr. Black, promising to hold an immediate con: saltation with his friends as to the best mode of proceeding.
The Sun. — 1846-08-19 (London, England)

BOW-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)  James Hall, a well-dressed middle-aged man, was pieced at the bar, having been remanded from yesterday, upon a charge of attempting to commit suicide by cutting The prisoner was seen by a gentleman, named his throat. Johnson, running through the middle of the road in King-street, after a gig in which were two gentlemen. He stopped in the middle of the road, and the gig drove o him aside andn. Mr. Johnson, seeing blood on his cravat and hands, led examined his throat. The prisoner said he had hcudt nothis a throat with a razor, and would have killed himself his brother taken the razor from him. Messrs. Henry and Chesterton Hall, attorneys. the prisoner's brothers, attended this morning, and made a long complaint to the effect that the prisoner had been a great annoyance to them for the last 20 years; that he had been entirely supported by them, and was always importuning them for money, which they were frequently induced to give him for the sake of his wife and children. They hoped the magistrate would do something to protect them from such annoyance. It had been stated that he was a member of their firm. Now this was utterly untrue; they were certainly partners, but the prisoner had had nothing to do with the office for twenty years. Mr. C. Hall said that he and his brother were in the gig and the prisoner was standing beside it importuning them for money, and repeating a threat he had often made, that he would cut his throat. They drove on, and he ran after them as described by Mr. Johnson. He laid-One hand on the back of the gig, and with the other took out the razor and cut his throat. He, Mr. C. Hall, took the razor from the prisoner, who,then let go of the gig, and they then drove on. The prisoner made a long statement, denying what had been said by his brothers relative to their private affairs. He said he had been ruined by his brotaers, who hadpossession of his mother's will, and refused to show it, They had allowed him a weekly stipend, but they only did so to keep him quiet, and prevent him from troubling them about the will. He was an attorney like themselves, but they had prevented him from taking out a certificate. It was their misconduct towards him that caused him to attempt to destroy himself. Mdch more of a personal nature, totally uninteresting to the public, was said QU both video, _  Mr. HENRY said that he had expected the surgeon of the prison would have made a report on the defendant's state of mind, but as he had not done so it would be necessary to remand the defendant, and send a request to the surgeon to make a report. In order that the prisoner might not be in a state of temporary excitement, which might deceive the medical man, he would remand him till Saturday, and would give him time to become cooL The prisoner begged hard not to be sent to prison agn'n, and said that his wife and children did not know where he was. What would be the result if he was found to be sane? Mr.
The Sun. — 1846-08-19 (London, England)

CONNELL. He is pained at seeing a former colleague cutting so sorry a figure, and, in his charity, he endeavours to redeem the unfortunate delinquent from contempt, by resorting to hyperboles. There is more mercy than justice in the regrets uttered by the Liberator. Let us examine the circumstances of this movement in the Repeal Association ; and when we have glanced at the few and simple facts of the case, common sense will compel us to acknowledge that the Arms Bill was not a greater anomaly in a liberal and enlightened Parliament, than a party advocating physical force was an anomaly in- Conciliation Hall !—that the withdrawal of the former was not likely to entail more credit upon the national legislators than the expulsion of the latter was likely to redound to the credit of the Repeal Association. The fact is—Mr. O'CONNELL establishes a society to agitate for the abrogation of a certain Act of Parliament, with an expressed proviso that that object should be struggled for • only by " peaceful, legal, and constitutional means." A few inexperienced interlopers, after the association has long continued under the guidance of its veteran founder, declare in favoui of physical force, and malign that venerable patriot for not coinciding in their opinion, when, without the assistance of Mr. O'CoNNELL, they would have bad no organised body of repealers to regale with those sentiments. And what, let us inquire, is the nature of this physical force movement ? Why, according to the assertion of the Liberator (no small authority, by the way, in legal matters), it involves a principle by the adoption of which the association would be guilty qf high treason! O the sagacity of that patriotism of the Young Irelanders, which has developed itself in the Nation, according to their recusant leader, "by the extraordinary vigour of its style, by the dazzling splendour of its prose, and by the glowing beauty of its verse ! " Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN had formerly a kind of negative public existence—he has now, however, committed nothing less than political suicide.  Madrid papers of the 12th have been received.  It was rumoured in Madrid that MARIA CHRISTINA has expressed herself in favour of a Coburg Prince as the future husband of the
The Sun. — 1846-08-19 (London, England)

BOW-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)  James Hall, a well-dressed middle-aged man, was placed at the bar, having been remanded from yesterday, upon a charge of attempting to commit suicide by cutting his throat. The prisoner was seen by a gentleman, named Jbbnson, running through the middle of the road in King-street, after a gig in which were two gentlemen. He stopped in the middle of the road, and the gig drove on. Mr. Johnson, seeing blood on his cravat and hands, led him aside and examined his throat. The prisoner said he had cut his throat with a razor, and would have killed himself had not his brother taken the razor from him. Messrs. Henry and Chesterton Hall, attorneys. the prisoner's brothers, attended this morning, and made along hadn beenre t annoyanceentirely supported by them, and complaint to the effect that the prisoner to them for the last 20 years; he had bee agawas always importuning them induced to him n.They hoped the ens. fir money, which they were frequently for the sake of his wife and children. gistrate would do something to protect them from such annoyance. It had been stated that he was a member of their firm. Now this was utterly untrue; they were certainly partners, but the prisoner had had nothifig to do with the office for twenty years. Mr. C. Hall said that he and his brother were in the gig and the prisoner was standing beside it importuning them for money, and repeating a threat he had often made, that he would cut his throat. They drove on, and he ran after them as described by Mr. Johnson. He laid one hand on the back of the gig, and with the other took out the razor anti cut his throat. He, Mr. C. Hall, took the razor from the prisoner, who!then let go of the gig, and they then drove on. The prisoner made a long statement, denying what had been said by his brothers relative to their private affairs. He said he had been ruined by his brothers, who had possession of his mother's will, and refused to'show it. They had allowed him a weekly stipend, but they only did so to keep him quiet, and prevent him from troubling them about the will. He was an attorney like themselves, but they had prevented him from taking out a certificate. It was their miscorduct tJwards him that caused him to attempt to destroy himself. Much more of a personal nature, totally uninteresting to j the public, was said on both sides.  Mr. HENRY said that he had expected the surgeon of the prison would have made a report on the defendant's state of mind, but as he had not done so it would be necessary to remand the defendant, and send a request to the surgeon to make a report. In order that the prisoner might not be in a state of temporary excitement, which might deceive the medical man, he would remand him till Saturday, and would give him time to become cool.  - The prisoner begged hard not to be sent to prison again, and said that his wife and children did not know where he was. What would be the result if he was found to be sane? Mr.
The Sun. — 1846-08-19 (London, England)

CONNELL. He is pained at seeing a former colleague cutting so sorry a figure, and, in his charity, he endeavours to redeem the unfortunate delinquent from contempt, by resorting to hyperboles. There is more mercy than justice in the regrets uttered by the Liberator. Let us examine the circumstances of this movement in the Repeal Association; and when we have glanced at the few and simple facts of the case, common sense will compel us to acknowledge that-the Arms Bill was not a greater anomaly in a liberal and enlightened Parliament, than a party advocating phyaical force was an anomaly in Conciliation Hall !—that the withdrawal of the former was not likely to entail more credit upon the national legislators than the expulsion of the latter was likely to redound to the credit of the Repeal Association. The fact is—Mr. O'CONNELL establishes a society to agitate for the abrogation of a certain Act of Parliament, with an expressed proviso that that object should be struggled for only by " peaceful, legal, and constitutional means." A. few inexperienced interlopers, after the association has long continued under the guidance of its veteran founder, declare in favour of physical force, and malign that venerable patriot for not coinciding in their opinion, when, without the assistance of Mr. O'CONNELL, they would have had no organised body of repealers to regale with those sentiments. And what, let us inquire, is the nature of this physical force movement ? Why, according to the assertion of the Liberator (no small authority, by the way, in legal matters), it involves a principle by the adoption of which the association would be guilty if high treason! O the sagacity of that patriotism of the Young Irelanders, which has developed itself in the Nation, according to their recusant leader, "by the extraordinary vigour of its style, by the dazzling splendour of its prose, and by the glowing beauty of its verse!" Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN had formerly a kind of negative public existence—he has now, however, committed nothing less than political suicide.
The Sun. — 1846-08-19 (London, England)

CHARGE OF INFANTICIDE.—ALLEGED RAPE.—Yesterday an inquest, which was adjourned from Friday last, was resumed and concluded by Mr. William Baker, Deputy Coroner, at the Black Horse, in the Kingsland-road, on view of the body of a newly born female infant, the offspring of Mary Fisher, a single woman, which was found in the soil of a water-closet by Policeman Coles, G 126, at No. 4, Great Leonard-street, Shoreditch, where she was living; the particulars of the first inquiry in reference to which have already been given. The inquiry was adjourned for a post mortem examination, which was made by Mr. John Hall, surgeon, Paul-street, and Mr. R. Davis, surgeon, Worshipsquare, who were of opinion, from the lungs floating in water, and other appearances, that the deceased had breathe& There were no external marks of violence. The mother of deceased said, that she was assaulted some months ago, against her wish, by a man, a stranger to her, who led her among some ruins, where he effected his purpose while she was in a state of insensibility, and that on her recovery she: found her shaWl in her mouth, and her dress was torn. Verdict, "That the deceased child was found immersed int the soil, but by what means it became so immersed, whether by accident or design, there was not sufficient evidence to the„ jury."  SUICIDE OF ONE OF THE PARISH SURGEONS jvr BnIGIITON.—On Monday morning Mr. Thomas Belden pa, rish surgeon at Brighton, not making his appearance a the usual hour, his servant became alarmed, and on knocleing at the door she received no answer. She then info'rmed the inmates with whom he lodged, who sent for the chief officer of police. The officer broke open the door and found Mr. Baldey lying in bed quite dead, with a small phial and a glass standing on the drawers at his bedside. On examining the contents of the glass it was found to contain prussic acid. A coroner's inquest was held on the body in the evening, w hen it was proved that deceased had purchased an ounce of prussic acid at a chemist's, and it is supposed that he took the whole. Deceased had been unwell for some time, and in an apparently low state of mind. The jury returned a verdict of "Temporary insanity." Deceased had been a parish surgeon several years.
The Sun. — 1846-08-19 (London, England)

ATTEMPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE BY A SOLICITOR.—ShortIy before the closing of the Court, James Hall, described on the police-sheet as a solicitor, carrying on business at 16, Boswell-court, was brought up in the custody of police-constable 40, F division, charged with attempting to commit suicide, by cutting his throat with a razor. The constable said that about four o'clock in the afternoon he was called into a lithographic establishment, in Gatestreet, Lincoln's Inn-fields, where he saw the defendant in the parlour, with his neckcloth loosened and covered with blood. Mr. Houseman, 163, Strand, said that on passing through Great Queen-street with his brother-in-law, a gig with two persons in it passed by at a rapid rate, and at a short distance was the defendant, with his throat apparently cut, and his hands smeared with blood. There were some persons following him, and upon his inquiring of the defendant what was the matter, the mob collected and they got him into a lithographic establishment, where, upon examining, he found a mark at each side of the neck, and, upon reasoning with the defendant, he said he had made up his mind to destroy himself, that he would not return to his family, and that re had made up all his papers, as nothing would induce him to alter his determination. Mr. George Johnson, 37, Burton-crescent, who was in the company of the last witness, said that the defendant was in a very excited state, in consequence, as he stated, of having experienced some ill treatment from his brother. After a short time he became tranquil, but persisted in saying he would commit the act. The defendant during the examination held his hand to his lace, and declined saying anything, except that it was a family difference, and It was his brother who drove away in the gig. The proprietor of the house in which the defendant was found said, that from inquiries he had ascertained the brother refused to supply the defendant with some money he required, and he borrowed a razor to destroy himself. Mr. JARDINE ordered him to be remanded until his friends could be sent for to take charge of him.
The Sun. — 1846-08-19 (London, England)

ATTEMPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE BY A SOLICITOR.—ShortIy before the closing of the Court, James Hall, described on the police-sheet as a solicitor, carrying on business at 16, Boswell-court, was brought up in the custody of police-constable 40, F division, charged with attempting to commit suicide, by cutting his throat with a razor. The constable said that about four o'clock in the afternoon he was called into a lithographic establishment, in Gatestreet, Lincoln's 113 w-fields, where he saw the defendant in the parlour, with his neckcloth loosened and covered with blood.  ➢ir. Houseman, 163, Strand, said that on passing through Great Queen-street with his brother in-law, a gig with two persons in it passed by at a rapid rate, and at a short distance was the defendant, with his throat apparently cut, and his hands smeared with blood. There were some persons folio wing him, and upon his inquiring of the defendant what was the matter, the mob collected and they got him into a lithographic establishment, where, upon examining, he found a mark at each side of the neck, and, upon reasoning with the defendant, he said he had made up his mind to destroy himself, that he would not return to his family, and that he had made up all his papers, as nothing would induce him to alter his determination.  Mr. George Johnson, 37, Burton-crescent, who was in the company of the last witness, said that the defendant was in a very excited state, in consequence, as he stated, of having experienced some ill treatment from his brother. After a short time he became tranquil, but persisted in saying he would commit the act. The defendant during the examination held his hand to his face, and declined saying anything, except that it was a family difference, and it was his brother who drove away in the gig. The proprietor of the house in which the defendant was found said, that from inquiries he had ascertained the brother refused to supply the defendant with some money he required, and he borrowed a razor to destroy himself.  Mr. JARDINE ordered him to be remanded until his friends could be sent for to take charge of him.