npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-10-28 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

MRS. ELIZABETH HIRST, widow of a manufacturer, was run over and killed by a train on Tuesday while she was crossing the London and North-Western hallway M Batley. ON Thursday morning the body of Mr. 11. J. Virgin, surgeon dentist, of Sandfield-house, Ileadington, near Oxford, was discovered in the Thames near that city. Several weights were discovered in his pockets, and there is no doubt he committed suicide through monetary affairs. He leaves a large family.  AT the Reading Quarter Sessions on Tuesday John Coney, Jem Goode, C. Mitchell, John Burke, Thomas Tully, James Gilham, R. Parker, and Thomas Symonds were tried for being concerned in a prize fight at Wink. field. Burke, Mitchell, Symonds and Parker were oach sentenced to six weeks with hard labour, and Ooney, Tully, and Gilham three weeks with hard labour, the three last-named being admitted to bail pending ea appeal. THE reign of lawlessness has brought down with ifs shower of sharp sentences. A brute named Binley, aged 30, who had quarrelled over his beer, struck the landlady, and savagely assaulted the police, was thunderstruck on Friday to find himself at the Surrey Sessions sentenced to lye years' penal servitude.  IN the house of a pauper woman, eighty years of age, who has been receiving half-a-crown per week in relief, and who lives at Nelson, near Burnley, was found, a day or two ago, gold, silver, and copper amounting to about £3O. The woman recently applied for 6d, extra relief per week, and it was granted. NEW buildings at the Midland Institute, Birmingham, completed at a cost of between £25,000 and 1:30,000, were formally inaugurated on Thursday. A STRANGE scene was witnessed a day or two since in Russell-street, Strand—a thoroughfare which runs to the rear of Drury-lane Theatre. The Drury-lane Christmas pantomime will shortly be produced; and an advertisement had, it seemed, appeared, asking for one hundred young ladies, who were to be "young, well-made, and pretty." The result of this announcement was that Russell-street was practically besieged, Although only a hundred young ladies were wanted, there were some afteen hundred in attendance. The theatre was invested, the street was blocked, and traffic was stopped. IN consequence of the encroachment of the sea in the neighbourhood of Cromer it has been found necessary to pull down the parish church at Sidestrand, excepting the tower, and rebuild it farther inland.  MR.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-08-26 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.  TIRED OF LIFE.  At the Borough Police-court on Monday morning, I John Legg, an old man, was brought up charged with attempting to drown himself in the river Frome. Freaerick Paull, harness-maker, said he resided at Holloway-row, and on Tuursday last he was coming from Fordington to Dorchester, and saw the prisoner leaning on his arms on Swan Fridge. He appear -d to be asleep, and witness advised him to move on, or he would be locked up. He said. ''And a good job, too, for I have nowhere to go except the Union, and I don't want to go there again; I would sooner drown myself." Witness told him it would be better for him to go t ) the Union than to do that. Prisoner walked up by the side of the river for some time, and witness watched him He lost sight of him for a minute, but afterwards found he was in the water. He called George Dunn, and ran up to where the prisoner was. They got him out of the river and laid him on the bank. P.C. Dunn afterwards came up and took charge of him. The water was about four or five feet deep there. George Dunn, who resides at Orchard-street, said last Thursd ty about 20 minutes past twelve he was at the bottom of the town, near the White Hart, and there saw the last witness. He called his attention to the prisoner who was walking on the bank by the side of the river. About a quarter of an hour after he saw him in the water, and witness and Paull went up to him. They found him rolling in the water which was about four feet deep, with his head under water. They pulled him out, and laid him on the bank. He (lid not speak, en I appeared to be unconse low. When he recovered he said he was tired of his life. P.C. Dunn came and took charge of him. P.C. Dunn said he was on duty in High East-street, about 20 minutes y ast 12, when he received information of a man having gone up the water towards Friary Mill with the intention of drowning himself Witness went along the footway, towqrd the Swan Bridge. and found the prisoner lying on the I ath bar the side of the river. He was very much exhausted. Paull and Dunn were also there. Witness to k him in custody, and brought him to the police st ation. He wts very ill, and 5,1 r. Supt. C rward went for a doctor. Witness rolled him in a blanket, and put him in the cell. The doctor came and ordered him brandy. When he had recovered he was charged with attempting to drown himself, and in reply he sad: "They ought not to have come quite so quick, and then there would have Fern an end to poor old Jack. When I have my liberty I'll do it again, for I'm tired of my life." He said he had no home to g to, and witness advised him to pot) the Union. He replied, "I woull rather drown or hsng myself than go there, because they treat me BO had."—Pr'soner was committcd for trial at the next Quarter Stssions.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-10-14 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE BRIGHTON RAILWAY MURDER. The trial of Mapleton, otherwise Lefroi, is fixed to take place at Maidstone Assize, before Lord Chief Justice Coleridge on the 25th inst. Mr. Dutton, the solicitor acting for the accused, has the greatest confidence in the innocence of Lefroy, and the explanation that he has given of his con. duct. The prisoner enjoys excellent health, and is in capital spirits, and in no way apprehensive of the result of the trial, the near approach of which causes him, to all appearances, very little anxiety. The defence is that another party committed the murder, and that Lefroy's disguise and concealment were to escape warrants that had been long out against him.  A STATUE of the once famous orator, George Dawson, was unveiled at Birmingham on Wednesday, and has been publicly accepted on behalf of the town. A MEETING of creditors of the Rev. Eversfield Botz7 Piggot, rector of Gate Burton, Lincolnshire, was held at Lincoln on Wednesday. The statement of affairs of the debtor showed that the total liabilities were £7,943. and the assets £96. A composition of ss. in the k was offered, but not accepted. In the end g composition of 10s. was agreed to, op security being offered. A DESPERATE attempt to commit suicide is reported to have been committed by Mr. Willoughby Wood,one of the county magistrates for Stafford. Some little time ago he took poison, but his life was saved by medical skill. He has since been watched closely, but he has now succeeded in cutting his throat, and in such a manner that his life is said to be despaired of. THE grand jury at Washington ioruially indicted Guiteau on Saturday in a true bill of eleven counts. A telegram from Washington states that the popular excite• ment with regard to the trial is increasing. THE Rev. Dr. Evans, Master of Pembroke Coller, Oxford, was re-elected Vice-Chancellor of the University on Saturday. SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT will visit Glasgow on the 24th ,nstant, to deliver his promised address to the Glasgow Liberal Association. On the following day Sir William will be presented by the Corporation with the freedom of the city. MR.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-11-25 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

SUPPOSED MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN WILTS.  A child, about eight months old, not yet identified, having been discovered floating in the pond at White parish, in Wilts, an inquest on the body was held on Saturday afternoon.—Evidence as to the discovery of the body on Tuesday last having been given, Mr. It. A. Ross, a medical gentleman of the village, was called. Re expressed the opinion, from a post-mortem examination which he had made, that the child had beaa thrown into the water when alive. There was no mark of violence. Re should say that the body had been in the water about a week.—Evidence was then called to show that a few days previous to the discovery a woman, with a child of six months, had passed throush the village. The child had a red hood and dark socks, so that it was easily identified, and similar articles of dress were found with the dead body. The woman called at a wayside inn, and said that she was on her way to Southampton with the child, that she had waked from the neighbourhood of Bath, that her husband had deserted her, and that her children and she were going to him. A biscuit and some fat meat were given the child, and the womau, wary and footsore, resumed her journey. She was next seen in the vil'aze of Whiteparish itself, with a bundle and an umbrella, and a young man, who rode to the perish pond to give his pony some water. said that the woman was sitting on the hank, when she remarked, "Why the don't you keep ire the niiddle of the road I' —'The jury returned a verdict of "Wilfal murder against some person or parsons unknown."—The county police have apprehended Ruth Bendle, of Westbury. Soon after her apprehension, while passing apond. she jumped in, but was rescued, and now,lies in precariotui state.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-09-16 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

DOUBLE MURDER & ATTEMPTED SUICIDE  IN LONDON.  A terrible crime was c mmitted on Tuesday at No. 20, Lancing-street, Easton-sou ire, London, a street composed of tenements of the humbler classes. It appears that the house in question is occupied by a printer named Emmett, a man aged about 40 years, who has resided there with his wife and four children for some time. Emmett, it would appear, had been suffering with an ulcerated leg, and has become somewhat depressed. His wife bad occasion to go out shortly after nine, and on he return she was let into the house by her son, who up t ) that time had been playing in adjoining room with a pack of cards, one of the lodgers in the house had ale) been engaged in her household duties, not having noticed anything particular as having taken place. When Mrs. Emmett went into the back bedroom she found the bed saturated with blood, and the bodies of her two children, aged one and four respectively, lying in a large pool of blood, and on the floor was the insensible form of her husband, who had a slight scar on the left side of the neck and a large contused wound on the forehead. The police were at once communicated with, and Emmett wal removed to the University College Hospital, where he now remains. The doctor then proceeded to the scene of the tragedy at No. 20, Lancing-street, and he first examined the body of the elder child, a boy aged f or years. This body had a pointed wound on either side of the neck, exactly over the carotid vein. Desth must have been instantaneous, and no one without some knowledge of anatomy would have inflicted such a wound. In the second case the body was that of a child aged one year, and this body had but one wound, similar to the other, and inflicted with great force and accuracy. There is no doubt but that Emmett was out of his mind. He is described as a very inoffensive man, and, like his wife, much respected by the neighbours. The wound on his forehead is supposed to have been inflicted by a hammer, which was found at the bedside, as well as the knife with which the children were stabbed.  SHERREN AND SON,  PRINTERS, BOOKSELLERS, & STATIONERS  HAVING all the necessary Machinery and a staff of thoroughly Practical Worlonen, are in a position to  Execute any PRINTING ORDERS in the Best Style  and on the most reasonable Terms.  TO
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-12-23 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

DEE AND SUICIDE.  aust before Midnight on Saturday, a young roan, Mimed Charles Henry Wilson, aged nineteen, attempted he murder his sweetheart, Mary Jane Firth, in a house in B ook-street, Leicester. Wilson, it seems, returned that night from Nottin.,,ham, and called at the house of a man named Hubbard, in Brook-street, where he met his sweetheart Firth. The girl declined to go with Wilson or to hare him any more fora sweetheart, alleging that he as lazy, and would not work, and was no goods Mrs. Hubbard left the house for a short time, and on her return she found the young woman Firth crying, in explanation of which she said that Wilson had threatened her with a knife. Wilson then said, "Will you go home with me?" to which Firth replied "No, not while you have got that knife." He denied having a knife, and Mrs. Hubbard informed him that she would not have him in her house ' It he behaved like that. Just then Mrs. Hubbard's husband came horn , and he had no sooner passed Into the backyard than Wilson drew a very large butcheee knife and attacked the girl Frith. In a moment the big knife was plunged deep into her neck, and two terrible stsbs, four inches in length and very deep, were given n her shoulders. The girl and Mrs Huhbard screamed, but the la ter had a babe in her arms and was powerless. Her husband rushed in, and Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard seized Wilson by the bands and a terrible struggle ensued. Wilson plunged the knife into the poor girl's side and inflii ted another severe wound on the back of her head, Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard being unable to h Id him, as he was a very powerful man. Hubbard and his wife, however, behaved very bravely, and, nothwithstanding that they both had their fingers badly cut by the big knife, which had been made very sharp, they at last succeeded In holding Wilson's hands while the girl Fritb, streaming with blood, ran into the street. Assistance was IP ,OLI rendered her, and she was taken to the infirmary. It was then found that five very dangerous wounds had been inflicted, all of them bleeding very profusely. As soon is the young woman escaped, Hubbard got the biz butcher's knife out of Wilson's hand, and then ran fr as-istance. No sooner had this been done than Wilson seized a table knife which was lying on a loaf of bread, and commenced an attack on his own throat. He Inflicted a terrible wound, and was hacking away at his throat when he fell on the floor. He was seized. and owing to the loss of blood was easily overpowered and the knife taken out of his hand. A doctor was called, but the man was in such a critical condition that he was at once removed to the infirmary. The affair has caused great excitement in the town. The young woman bears a very good character, but the man is said to be an idle, worthless fellow. It is however, very doubtful if Wilson will recover.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-04-08 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

SUICIDE OF A CONGREGATIONAL MINISTER..  On Friday an inquest was held at Witham, Essex, on the body of the Rev. J. L. Collins' 38, Congregational Minister at Finchingfield, near Braintree, who was found drowned in the River Blackwater, at Witham, on Thursday. The principal witness was the Rev. B. W. Saunders, Congregational Minister at Wethersfield. He deposed that en Friday, the 18th March, the deceased told him he feared some people were trying to injure him in his ministerial work. He thought somebody had set the children in the day.sehool to watch him and the governess. He csanrek witness there was no ground for the suspicions which he thought were entertained with regard to him. He appeared to be in great distress and cried. On the following Monday he said someone had sent him one of the almanacs issued by the Inman Company, and he thought it was a hint that he ought to leave Finchingfield and go to America. He slept at witness's honse that'ilight, and a doctor was called in to see him. On the following morning he left for Ipswich. The deceased had received many anonymous letters, which more or lehs upset him. , The letters were produced and read. They expressed hatred towards the deceased, and said he had no friend in the parish except the schoolmistress, who "was proud and equally hated." They also advised him to leave the place. Mr. Saunders, continuing his evidence, said the schoolmistress had eonfessed that she had herself written these letters.—A deacon of the deceased'S chapel, who was present, said the evident object of the woman was to drive the deceased into her arms.—Mr. Saunders said the deceased said he was uneasy in consequence of these anonymous letters, and in consequence of troubles at home. He was under the impression also that a policeman was coming after him.—Further evidence showed that the deceased left Ipswich for Witham on Saturday week. He had probably been in the water since then, never having been seen subsequently.—.,The Coroner and the jury characterised the letters which had been addressed to the deceased as iniquitous. A verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind" was returned. It was stated that Mr. Collins's mother died insane.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-04-08 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

HOME RULE.—It is stated that Mr. Parnell will be married shurtly after E ot r to a young American leis, of great beauty and wealth. There will now not he a single reason for Mr. Parnell to continue his inflammatory speeches, and it is to be hoped, for that gentleman's good and that of his country also, that the lads, in question will turn out to be an out-and-out Home Ruler, What rejoicings there will be in some quarters when it is an accempliehed fact that Mr. Pernell is really "settled I " Fun. On Sunday evening some alarm W5B caused on the Suspension-bridge by a man being seen to climb up the Clif ton railings. He was promptly seized by a gentleman who was passing close by ; he struggled hard to be released, and asked ehy he was meddled with. The more he struggled the more firmly he was held by the bystanders. At length, after some blows had been freely exchanged. he was secured and laid on the ground. It was explained he was not making a dssperate attempt to commit suicide, but W9B simply the lamp-lighter, and had climbed up the railings as usual to light the lamps 1 A strike of telegraphists throughout the country is an event which few persons would like to contemplate ; but such a crisis is by no means outside the range of possibilities. The telegraph clerks in the province have log been dissatisfied with theiee position. Again and again they have appealed to the Postmaster-General for redress. For a time matters looked hopeful for .thetrb but their recent interview with Mr. Fawcett has dashed all their hopes to the ground, and a strike is freely spoken of. It is scarcely possible to realise what would happen if, even only for a few days,. the whole country was cu t off from electric intercommunicition. The aspect of the London daily papers, moreover, would he simply pitiable, for it would be safe to say that neer@ than half of what appears in a morning paper passea over the telegraph wires. EXTRAORDINARY DISEASE AMONG DERR —An unknown disease resulting alresey in tile death ef over a hundred valuable animals, has broken out amongst the deer herds in the Duke of Portland's park at Welbec.k, Nottinghamshire. More deer are dying daily, and at present no means have been found ts stop the spread of the affection. A postmortem ex smination of one ef the bodies Las been made by Mr. Henry Moore, veterinary surgeon, of Worksop, and he states that he found a smell thread-like worm infesting the bronchial tubes of the lunge and small intestines, the irrit ition of which caused congestion aud inflammation of both organs, the symptoms being 94 gm' vated by the late prolonged wet and severe weather. The parasites are white, ne thicker than a hair, and an inch long. It is reported that similar disease has broken out in other English deer parks.
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-04-29 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE—An inquest was opened on Frid.iy night at Leiston, in Suffolk, on the body of Thomas Sodring, aged 38, a draught.man, desciibed as of Manchester. Deceased. whose friends were in, good circumstances, went to London a few weeks hack, then travelled to St. Petersburg, afterwards proceeding to Leiston to visit some relatives. On Thursday he told his friends that he bad been in Russia, and had seen the execution of the Nihilists there. Ho said it was a terrible eight, that when one poor fellow was hanging the rope broke twice, and he seemed to suffer dreadfully. He said it had upset him very much, and that he had not felt the memo since. He took a newspaper from his pocket, and pointed out the fact that the I eport did not mention anything about the breaking of the rope. He went to bed. appearing much upset, and was subsequently discovered with two straps round his neck. They had been pulled very light, and had caused suffoi ation. Having heard the evidence, the Coroner deemed it necessary to adjourn the inquiry, remarking that it was an extraordinary case. A comical, though somewhat pitems complaint, is made by an officer in the Royal Navy, who makes public the fact that while returning by the underground railway from Charing-cross to Notting Ilill, he had the misfortune to fall in with a detachment of the Salvation Army. His ride with them does not seem to have been ev.-rything that was comfortable. He says :—"These fanatLe, evidently third-class ticket-holders, crowded into a firstc ass compartment, and commenced shouting their warsongs. With scarcely a moment's pause these bowlines were continued to South Kensington, when, my patience exhausted and my equanimity upset, I gently remon4rated. The result was the following chorus hurled at me:  Chorus (to the tune of "So early in the morning"). Oh I he's going to the devil. He's going to the devil, ite's going to the devil. As fast as ever he can." The "(Meer of the R ,yal Navy" is certainly deserving of a good deal of sympathy. There is something decidedly unpleasant in being told by a bawling crowd that you are going to the devil,
The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-09-09 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

ERNE AB BAS.  ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT FROME ST. QUINTON, On Saturday, at the police-court, Eli ca Groves, wife of William Groves, master tailor, of Frome Quinton. was charged with attempting to commit suicide by poisoning herself with belladonna. From the husband's evidence, it appeared that on the night of August 29th, about half-Past ten, he was with his wife in their bedroom. She had arranged to visit some relatives in Somerset, and was going on the following morning. He remarked it was not worth while for him to go as somebody would meet her on her arrival. She accused him of wanting to get rid of her, and immediately went downstairs in her night-dress. Witness followed her and went into the sitting-room, and proceeded to light a lamp. In the meantime she had gone into the pantry, had poured some belladonna from a bottle into a glass, and drunk it. The belladonna had been prescribed for him some time a..to for a had leg. She went back into the bedroom, and said "I have taken a glass of that stuff; I shan't be here long ;" and handing him some money she said, "You take these purses, they are yonrs, not mine." Dr. Greenwood was at once sent for.—The doctor proved visiting Mrs. Groves and find. ing her suffsring from narcotic poisoning. He used the usual restorative means. and after a day or two she recovered. She was always a dull and eccentric woman, but be was not led to suppose she was insane. —For the defence the Rev. F. Douglas How. rector of Frome ht. Quinton, said he had known Mrs. Groves for more than two years, and during that period he had frequently had conversation with her. He considered her to be of very weak mind, She was invariably depressed, and he was not surprised to hear she had attempted to commit sui ide.—The Bench, after what the rev, gentleman had said, did not feel disposed to commit her, and on her husband promising to take care of hershe was discharged.