npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1864-02-16 (London, England)

ATTEMPT TO MURDER.  A correspondent of the lrish Times says that on the morning of the B.h inst. a publican in the town of Leitrim, named John .I.l‘Donagh, ordered his servant to go on some errand before he arose from his bed, and when she had gone he rose up and went down to his shop, where he armed himself with a large bacon knife. He returned to bed, his wife being still asleep, and commenced stabbing her in many places, having first—the better to secure her—placed himself with his knees on. her body. She received at this time one bad stab in the breast, and another in the groin ; and in her struggles she endeavoured to deprive her husband of the knife, which he drew through her hand, inflicting another terrible wound. She succeeded in getting out of bed after all this, and ran into the yard, where the ruffian followed her, shouting that he would do for her; he took hold of her round the body and commenced once more stabbing her, but she defended herself as best she could with her arms, and her screams attracted the attention of some neighbours, who came over the yard wall to her assistance, but it is much to be feared not in time to save her life, of which it need scarcely be said there is but little hope. The would-be murderer, when disturbed, ended his dreadful work by leaving the knife stuck in the forearm of his victim. The police, who were in immediate attendance, arrested APDonagh, and secured the knife and bloody clothes. 111‘Donagh made two attempts to commit suicide after his arrest ; first, in the police barrack, and when taken out of that by the constabulary be made a race for the canal, into which he jumped, and would have been drowned but for the spirited conduct of a policeman, who promptly went in after him and dragged him out. He has now been fully committed on the charge of attempting to murder his wife. It is believed that the couple always lived very unhappily together, and that he was jealous of her.
The Sun. — 1864-02-16 (London, England)

ATTEMPT TO MURDER.  A correspondent of the Irish Times says that on the morning of the B.h inst. a publican in the town of Leitrim, named John M'Donagh, ordered his servant to go on some errand befote he arose from his bed, and when she had gone he rose up and went down to his shop,, where he armed himself with a large bacon knife. He returned to bed, his wife being still asleep, and commenced stabbing her in many places, having first—the better to secure her—placed himself with his knees or her body. She received at this time one bad stab in the breast, and another in the groin ; and in her struggles she endeavoured to deprive her husband of the knife, which he drew through her hand, inflicting another terrible wound. She succeeded in getting out of bed after all this, and ran into the yard, where the ruffian followed her, shouting that ho would do fcr her; ho took hold of her round the body and commenced once more stabbing her, but she defended herself as best she could with her arms, and her screams attracted the attention of some neighbours, who came over the yard wall to her assistance, but it is much to be feared not in time to save her lire, of which it need scarcely be said there is but little hope. The would-be murderer, when disturbed, ended his dreadful work by leaving the knife stuck in the forearm of his victim. The police, who were in immediate attendance, arrested M'Donagh, and secured the knife and bloody clothes. M'Donagh made two attempts to commit suicide after his arrest ; first, in the police barrack, and when taken out of that by the constabulary he made a race for the canal, into which he jumped, and would have been drowned but for the spirited conduct of a policeman, who promptly went in after him and dragged him out. Ho has now been fully committed on the charge of attempting to murder his wife. It is believed that the couple always lived very un‘ happily together, and that he was jealous of her.
The Sun. — 1864-09-28 (London, England)

LONDON.  da, the deaths of 1,229 and 606 females, were (From the Registrar-General's Report.) persona Inweek that 6 d , registered in London. If the deaths from epidemic cholera in 2e3n wereed o n males S ltu r Ythe 38th week of 1854 be excluded, it will be found that the ofwhom average numbet of deaths in the corresponding 10 years, 1854-63, was 1,074, and if this result be corrected for increase of population, it becomes 1,181. Consequently the deaths of last week are slightly above the average mortality. From zymotic diseases, in the aggregate, the deaths last week were 389; in the previous week the number was 383. Diarrb vaa was fatal in 78 cases-60 of these were children under two years of age. Three children died from cholera. Ten deaths were caused by smallpox. Measles proved fatal to 56 children. Five deaths from this disease occurred in the sub-district of Bow, 4 in that of Kensington town, and 4 in that of Amwell, Clerkenwell. Scarlatina caused 73 deaths ; of these 6 occurred in the sub-district of St. John, Westminster, and 6in that of Greenwich West, Twelve deaths occurred from diphtheria--three of these in Plumatead. One hundred and twenty-eight persons died from disease of the brain and nervous system, 56 from diseases of the heart, and 148 from diseases of the respiratory organs (exclusive of phthisis, which caused 132 deaths). Forty-one persons lost their lives by accidents of various kinds. No loss than 11 parsons were killed by vehicles in the streets. Three childrea and one adult lost their lives by burning. Five persons were drowned and five children were suffocated. A woman committed suicide by drinking paraffin oil. The widow of a chemist's assistant died at 31, North-street, Pentonville, from aspyhitia arising from debility, want of support and sustenance. The deaths of four nonagenarians and one centenarian are recorded ; the latter was a lady residing in Church-street, Stoke Newington—she died of fever and exhaustion at the age (as stated) of 105 years. Last week the births of 975 boys and 978 girls, in all 1953 children, were regist red in London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1851-63 the average number (corrected) was 1,881.
The Sun. — 1864-02-22 (London, England)

SAD STORY. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. - Charlotte Hehl, a married woman, about 50 years of age, residing at 21, Charles-street, Middlesex Hospital, was charged before Mr. Ty rwhitt with attempting to destroy her life. George Hell, an old man, the husband, who said he was a music engraver, stated that on the previous day his wife attempted to hang herself to the bed post. She had secured the rope to the bedpost, than fastened it round her neck, and jumped off the bedstead, and but for his promptly cutting the rope she would have been strangled. Mr. Tyrwhitt asked the husband whether she had ever attempted such a thing before ? The husband said she attempted a similar thing about twelve months ago, when she was brought before the magistrate at this court, who advised him to take her home with him.  The Chief Clerk asked how the prisoner's face became so disfigured ? The husband saii that while under the influence of liquor a few nights ago his wife attacked him like a tigress. He kept her off as well as he could, but as there was a death struggle he had to strike her in self-defence. Mr. Tyrwhitt said the husband might have struck his somewhere else but in the eyes; but he (Mr. Tyrwhitt) should have thought there was no occasion to have struck her at all, and that he could have held her. It was a sad business, and the wile appeared to have been badly used. The prisoner said she was greatly in fault. Mr. 'Tyrwhitt asked the prisoner whether she drank, and she mi.:a she did. • _ _ _ - _  The husband eaid his wire was an habitual drunkard. _ _ _  Nr. Tyrwhitt again observed that the prisoner had boon roughly used. Ho would remand her for a week, and hoped she would attend to what was said to her, or she would surely come to a miserable end—self murder being a most dreadful thing.  The prisoner, whose taco was much disfigured, was then remanded.
The Sun. — 1864-06-10 (London, England)

VUITRY.  YEAR'S WORK OF A CORONER.—T he Social Science _Review publishes a sketch by Dr. Lankester of his work as coroner for the central district of Middlesex in the year ending July 3i, 1863. The population of the district is stated at 805,975 (meaning probably at the census of April, 1861), and he held 1,080 inquests (203 of them at hospitals, prisons, or asylums), one for every 746 persons. The proportion is very much higher in St. Giles's ; yet the medical officer of that parish has to state that in 1862 45 bodies were interred without an inquiry when there ought to have been one. "It is intolerable in a civilized country," he says, " that persons dying in this way should be interred without inquiry ; in at least two cases there was prima facie ground for suspecting poison." Dr. Lankester states that "the registration of death and the burial of the body without any medical certificate is of very common occurrence in London." Very unsatisfactory medical certificates are also accepted by some registrars ; sometimes the niedi cal man never saw the deceased either alive or dead, Irregular certificates ought always to be referred to the coroner. In the course of the year there were 53 deaths of new-horn children with verdicts of wilful murder or neglect, very often on the part of some person unknown ; there were besides 8 deaths of new- born children from "unknown causes, and 8 " accidental deaths," making 69 inquests on new-born children. It is, says the coroner, a fearful picture of the moral condition of the district. The crime of infanticide is very much more frequent in some parts of central Middlesex than in others, and the subject seems one that demands investigation. The crime appears to be most frequent among women in domestic service. Sixteen children were picked up in the streets that had never breathed. The absence of any registration of stillborn children is undoubtedly a source of crime. Children are often brought to the undertaker for burial as stillborn without any guarantee for that fact, and where women can find accomplices this pre• Bents a very ready method of getting quit of children without any inquiry as to the cause of their death. As many as 90 children were suffocated in bed, some of than first-born children of young mothers ignorant of the necessity of fresh air for the life of the offspring, others the children of parents who had gone to bed not sober and caused their child's death by culpable neglect. With regard to inquests on adults, the coroner reports that 70 of the 1,080 deaths were suicides. The largest number of the suicides was by poison, and this is effected often by articles extensively used in various branches of industry, and therefore easily. procured for an improper purpose. The year's inquests imply that the tendency to commit suicide is more than twice _as great among men as among women, and that men pr_ a prefer hanging or the knife, women poisoning or drowning. In large proportion of these cases habits of intoxication had preceded the act of suicide.
The Sun. — 1864-06-10 (London, England)

VUITRY  YEAR'S WORK OF A CORONER.--The Social Science Review publishes a sketch by Dr. Lankester of his work as coroner for the central district of Middlesex in the year ending July 31. 1863. The population of the district is stated at 805,975 (meaning probably at the census of April, 1861), and he held 1,080 inquests (203 of them at hospitals, prisons, or asylums), one for every 746 persons. The proportion is very much higher in St. Giles's ; yet the medical officer of that parish has to state that in 1862 45 bodies were Interred without an inquiry when there ought to have been one. "It is intolerable in a civilized country," he says, "that persons dying in this way should be Interred without inquiry; in at least two cases there was priina facie ground for suspecting poison." Dr. Lankester blasts that "the registration of death and the burial of the body without any medical certificate is of very common occurrence in London." Very unsatisfactory medical certificates are alsi) accepted by some registrars ; sometimes the medi. cal man never saw the deceased either alive or dead, Irregular certificates ought always to be referred to the coroner. In the course of the year there were 63 deaths of new-horn children with verdicts of wilful murder or neglect, very often on the part of some person unknown ; there were besides 8 deaths of new• born children from "unknown causes, and 8 "accidental deaths," making 69 inquests on new-born children. It is, says the coroner, a fearful picture of the moral condition of the district. The crime of infanticide is very much more fr(quent in some parts of central Middlesex than in others, and the subject seems one that demands investigation. The crime appears to be most frequent among women in domestic service. Sixteen children were picked up in the streets that had never breathed. The absence of any registration of stillborn children is undoubtedly a source of crime. Children are often brought to the undertaker for burial as stillborn without any guarantee for that fact, and where women can find accomplices this pre. cents a very ready method of getting quit of children without any inquiry as to the cause of their death. As many as 90 children were suffocated in bed, some of them first-born children of young mothers ignorant of the necessity of fresh air for sae life of the offspring, others the children of parents who had gone to bed not sober and caused their child's death by culpable neglect. With regard to inquests on adults, the coroner reports that 70 of the 1,080 deaths were suicides. The largest number of the suicides was by poison, and this is effected of en by articles extensively used in various branches of industry, and therefore easily procured for an improper purpose. The year's inquests imply that the tendency to commit suicide is more than twice as great among men as among women, and that men prefer hanging or the knife, women poisoning or drowning. In a large proportion of these cases habits of intoxication had preceded the act of suicide.
The Sun. — 1864-12-23 (London, England)

SEWARD. It loWers him in the opinion of all sensible and discerning persons. It would seem as if this epistle was meant as a corollary to Mr WEBB'S effusion. The Americans are perhaps running a race and striving for a prize as complete letter writers, and certainly they are putting forth great exertions and energy in the cause. One thing beyond all others is to be learnt from this communication of Mr SEWARD'S, and that is our Foreign-office is greatly to blame for having suffered things to go to such a length that any one in his position should presume to pen such an epistle, and to offer either openly or covertly such an insult to a country which is supposed to be on terms of amity with his Go• vernment. Such extravagant conduct will not answer its own unworthy ends in the long run, and in the meantime it calls down the contempt of all who are competent to judge of the matter.  There is often said to be a sort of epidemic in crimes, and magistrates and policemen are always prepared, when a crime of peculiar or exceptional character hes attracted much attention, to have a good many imitators of the principal culprit to deal with. Sometimes poisoning comes into fashion, as at the time of PALMER, of Rugeley ; sometimes open murder, as in the case of Rum, at Norwich ; oe, again, suicides of various kinds come into passing favour. It is difficult for minds ordinarily well balanced to comprehend or realise the morbid craving after excitement which leads to putting oneself out of the world for the sake of being talked about, when the hero or heroine will not have the pleasure of hearing the remarks that will be passed upon the grand catastrophe, and the attraction which induces a man or woman to commit some particular crime because another has just been hung or transported for it, is even more extraordi. nary. Still such is undoubtedly the case, and psychologists may find some explanation of it ie the strange depths of human nature; but how are we to account for the remarkable coincidence which so often brings accident into close proximity. It has often been noticed that one catastrophe is Speedily followed by others ; yet it might naturally be supposed that each disaster would occasion increased care, and therefore lc ssen the probability of another. Just now we have an epidemic among the railways, as unfortunately we have very often had before, Two of the accidents which in late years most deeply impressed the metropolis from their immediate connection with its citizens, occurred within a few days of each other, and not many months since a string of disasters, beginning tie Fgham t n aceids , painfully startled the world of railway Passengers, But the impression, though at the moment, EOOll passes avva3 unless with with those who have themselves suffered, or seen relatives suffer ; it is as though h had n_ver been ; and unhappily, not Only the tra',lllere but the railway,
The Sun. — 1864-12-23 (London, England)

SEWARD. It lowers him in the opinion of ail sensible and discerning persons. It would seem as if this epistle was meant as a corollary to Mr WEBB'S effusion. The Americans are perhaps running a race and striving for a prize as complete letter writers, and certainly they are putting forth great exertions and energy in the cause. One thing beyond all others is to be learnt from this communication of Mr SEWARD'S, and that is our Foreign-office is greatly to blame for having suffered things to go to such a length that any one in his position should presume to pen each an epistle, and to offer either openly or covertly such an insult to a country which is supposed to be on terms of amity with his Government. Such extravagant conduct will not answer its own unworthy ends in the long run, and in the meantime it calls down the contempt of all who are competent to judge of the matter.  There is often said to be a sort of epidemic in crimes, and magistrates and podcemen are always prepared, when a crime of peculiar or exceptional character has attracted much attention, to have a good many imitators of the principal culprit to deal with. Sametimes poisoning comes into fashion, as at the time of PALMER, of Rugeley ; sometimes open murder, as in the case of Rusll, at Norwich ; or, again, suicides of various kinds come into passing favour. It is difficult for minds ordinarily well balanced to comprehend or realise the morbid craving after excitement which leads to putting oneself out of the world for the sake of being talked about, when the hero or heroine will not have the pleasure of bearing the remarks that will be passed upon the grand catastrophe, and the attraction which induces a man or woman to commit some particular crime because another has just been hung or transported for it, is even more extraordinary. Still such is undoubtedly the case, and psychologists may find some explanation of it in the strange depths of human nature ; but how are we to account for the remarkable coincidence which so often brirgs accident into close proximity. It has often been noticed that one catastrophe is speedily followed by others; yet it might naturally he supposed that each disaster would occasion increased care, and therefore icseen the probability of another. Jost now we have an epidemic among the railways, as unfortunately we have very often had before, Two of the Accidents which in late yearn moat deeply impressed the metropolis from their immediate connection with its citizens, occurs the Eghsainueia-astri n g rmeduwthithin a few days of each other, and not many accident, opfa n disasters,fnll y ntar tstartled beginning the of railway passe world with lagers. But the impression, though vivid at the moment, soon passes away, unless with those who have themselves suffered, or seen relatives suffer; it is as though it had never been ; and ughappiiy, not only the travallgre I,ut the railway,
The Sun. — 1864-11-24 (London, England)

COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR SHEFFIELD.—An explosion occurred yesterday morning, at a colliery at Woodhouse, near Sheffield, belonging to and worked by the Fence Colliery Company. The pit was examined, as usual, yesterday morning, by Mr Redfern, the under viewer, and a deputy, and found to be free from gas in every patt In less than an hour, however, an explosion occurred with a noise like thunder, and sending volumes of smoke up the shaft. Redfern, and his deputy, who had not been long on the surface, descended, with others, and found all in confusion below, most of the 116 men down the pit running about in tarror, scarcely knowing what to do. It was ultimately ascertained that while the miners were at breakfast, a quantity of bind fell from the roof in some distant work. ings, and freed a large quantity of gas, which was driven upon the lights of the men at breakfast, George Ward, aged 19 years, was killed. Three brothers, named Goodall, were very seriously burned, and doubts are entertained as to their recoverp. The rest of the men were got out of the pit uninjured, except that some of them had suffered from the after-damp,  On Wednesday evening, Lieut.-Col. Tennant, late of the 35th Regiment of Fo3t, committed suicide by shooting himself this morning, at his residence, Raglanroad, Dublin,  A special general meeting of this company was held yesterday at the hotel in Langh4m-place, Regent-street, the Earl of Shrewsbury in the chair.  The CHAIRMAN said they had met for the purpose of considering the propriety of increasing the capital for the completion and opening of the hotel in March nest. The auto of -,,;`,j1,000 would enable the directors to open the hotel at the time stated, replete witli every comfort, and all those conveniences required in a first class hotel. They were pertec.ly sati,fiad with the manner in which Mr Lucas, the contractor, had constructed the hotel', and they had every confidence that the undertaking would be a great success. fie therefore :rusted that there would be no opposition to the resolution. Ho then moved, "That the capital of the company be increased from £150,000 to £lBO,OOO, by the issue of 3,000 shares of £lO each, bearing a preferential dividend at th© rate of S per cent. per annum, to be allotted among the present shareholderspro rata." Mr WILLIAMS seconded the motion.