npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1853-11-21 (London, England)

APPOINTMENTS.  Surgeons—James Laird (1852), to the Medea paddlewheel steam-sloop at Portsmouth, vice Harvey ; Charles W. White (1841), to the St. Jean d'Acre, 101, screw steam-ship, at Portsmouth.  Midship—man—R. J. Hancock, to the Victory flagship, at Portsmouth. Acting Second-Master Syndercombe, to the Monkey steam-vessel, at Woolwich. Master's-Assistant—E. A. Deane, to the Princess Royal, 90, screw steam-ship, at Portsmouth. Naval Cadet—E. C. Haworth, to the St. Jean d'Acre. Clerk—Adderly W. Chimmo (1848), recently serving in the Cleopatra, 26, on the East India station, to the 'Magicienne, 16, paddle-wheel steam-frigate. The Saracen brig, commissioned on Thursday, at Devonport, by Master-Commander Joh:- Richards, is intended for surveying service on the coast and rivers of China.  The Jasper being now ready for service, and a steamtuz required at Devonport, Master-Commander Allen, of the Lightning steam-vessel, received the charge of her, and, with the crew of the Lightning to navigate her, left Woolwich this morning for Devonport. The Widgeon paddle-wheel steam-vessel, at present serving as a tug steam-vessel at Pembroke, is ordered round to this port, and Master-Commander Peter Rundle and the crew of the Widgeon are to be turned over to the Prospero steam-vessel, now fitted fur tug service, and will return to Pembroke with her to do duty at that port.  The Tyne storeship, Master-Commander James B. Tucker, was taken out of the basin to-day, and is now at moorings in the stream, preparatory to her departure for Ascension and Rio.  The Black Eagle steam-vessel, master-Commander Petley, was taken into the west:dock to-day to be examined.  A very melancholy circumstance has occurred during the week, in connexion with this dockyard, by the suicide of a fine young officer, William A. Ward (1846), borne on the books of the Fisgard flagship at this port since December, 1850, and who was appointed in the latter part of the last week to be clerk in charge of the Rifleman screw steam-sloop at Woolwich, preparing for foreign service. Mr. Ward went to the office where the books of the Fisgard are kept on shore on Monday morning last as usual, but he had not been there long when he pulled off his naval uniform coat, and went out with his overcoat on, and since that period no traces were obtained of him until the police on the Essex side of the river reported that the body of a suicide had been found by some men in Wanstead Forest, death having taken place by a stab with a knife in the jugular vein. Mr. Ward's father went over from Woolwich to Wanstead, and identified the body as that of his son, who had been missing fJr some days, and a coroner's inquest is to be held upon it to-day. No reason can be assigned for the rash act, but that it had been observed for several weeks past the deceased was low spirited, since the death of one of his children and indisposition of his wife. When he went from home on Monday he left his watch, his rings, and his money, but no traces of where he was going.
The Sun. — 1853-09-12 (London, England)

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A MAN BY BURNING AT OLDHAM—A man named Thomas Wolstencroft, alias Marsh, aged 35 years, died on Tuesday, under circumstances most mysterious. He was the brewer at the Pack Horse Inn, Royton-street, and was at his regular work on Tuesday. Shortly after two o'clock that afternoon he was seen passing through the kitchen by another servant, quite sober; but at half-past two a man, who accidentally went into the brewhouse, found him under the fire of the boiler, burnt to a cinder ; the body to the ankles was completely scorched. How he could have got into such a situation seems inexplicable, for if he had fallen in a fit he could not by any chance have sunk into the place he was found in. He was completely wedged in, in the ash-hole and no conclusion can be come to but that he crept in voluntarily, and and committed self-destruction. Had he been forced in by some other person, it is natural to suppose that his cries for help would have been heard. His head when found was jammed against the brickwork at the end of the hole. It was at first surmised that the deceased had been roasting potatoes or onions in the ashes, and in attempting to get them out had got fast, but the police examined the ashes, and found nothing but a knife and three half-pence in copper which had been burnt out of his waistcoat pocket. An inquest was held at the house on Wednesday, when one witness stated that the deceased, who was a very intemperate man, had said to him and others that before next Sun day he should be buried. The coroner expressed his conviction that it could not have been the result of accident, and the jury, therefore, returned an open verdict of Found Burned. The chief constable, who is by no means satisfied with the evidence now obtained, has instituted further vigorous and searching inquiries, as it seems beyond the range of probability that a man would choose such a frightful mode of committing suicide, the torture of which must have been beyond what even insanity would shrink from.
The Sun. — 1853-09-12 (London, England)

MYSTIRIOUS DEATH OF A MAN BY BURNING AT OLDHAM.—A man named Thomas Wolstencroft, alias Marsh, aged 35 years, died on Tuesday, under circumstances most mysterious. He was the brewer at the Pack Horse Inn, Royton-street, and was at his regular work on Tuesday. Shortly after two o'clock that afternoon he was seen passing through the kitchen by another servant, quite sobei, but at half-past two a man, who accidentally went into the brewhouse, found him under the fire of the boiler, burnt to a cinder ; the body to the ankles was completely scorched. How he could have got into such a situation seems inexplicable, for if he had fallen in a fit he could not by any chance have sunk into the place he was found in. He was completely wedged in, in the ash-hole and no conclusion °an be come to but that he crept in voluntarily, and and committed self-destruction. Had he been forced in by some other person, it is natural to suppose that his cries for help would have been heard. His head when found was jammed against the brickwork at the end of the hole. It was at first surmised that the deceased had been roasting potatoes or onions in the ashes, and in attempting to get them out had got fast, but the police examined the ashes, and found nothing but a knife and three half-pence in copper which had been burnt out of his waistcoat pocket. An inquest was held at the house on Wednesday, when one witness stated that the deceased, who was a very intemperate man, had said to him and others that before next Sunday he should be buried. The coroner expressed his conviction that it could not have been the result of accident, and the jury, therefore, returned an open verdict of Found Burned. The chief constable, who is by no means satisfied with the evidence now obtained, has instituted further vigorous and searching inquiries, as it seems beyond the range of probability that a man would choose such a frightful mode of committing suicide, the torture of which must have been beyond what even insanity would shrink from.
The Sun. — 1853-07-05 (London, England)

SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH FROM ORFORDNESS TO HOLLAND.—The following order has been issued by the Trinity House :—" Notice is hereby given that the submarine cables from Orfordness to Holland, lay in a direction E.S.E. from the Orfordness Light House, with the light house on with Gedgrave high trees, bearing W.N.W., and that it is desirable that vessels should not anchor with those marks or bearings on, lest, by so ding, they damage the electric cable, or lose their own anchors. —By order, J. HERBERT, Secretary."  SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH BETWEEN THIS COUNTRY AND AMERlCA.—Arrangements are far advanced towards completion. for laying down a submarine telegraph between the United Kingdom and America. It is intended to connect the two countries, or rather the Old and New Worlds, by means of Galway and Halifax—these being the two nearest points of communication. .The distance is about 1,600 miles. The perfect practicability of the thing has been guaranteed under the hand of nearly all the eminent engineers of the day, and various parties have sent in estimates for the execution of the work. These estimates vary from 800,0001. down to 300,0001., and it is a remarkable fact that some of the lowest estimates have been sent in by some of the most respectable firms in the country. When this extraordinary project has been carried out, we shall be able 'in half an hour to send messages from London to New York, and receive messages from the United States in about half an hour. And not, we ought to add, from. New York alone, _ but from the• interior of America, the electric telegraph being laid down for upwards of 2,000 • On Wednesda,v miles up the country. SUICIDE to work Up 'the afternoonlast, asAT s otUeDnE colliersR s EI:D were— goingroad leading to the railway station, known as Covi-late, Hinley, near Huddersfield, they perceived a man lying, as if sound asleep, in the corner of an elevated field adjoining. As he did not appear to-moVe; an aged znan, named Simeon Oldfield, who was passing at the tithe, was sent to awake him, and on arriving at the place found him lying in a pool of blood, quite dead, his throat having been cut in a very shocking manner, evidently by a razor, which was found near him. The colliers were anxious to get from t 4 place so as not to be mixed up with the matter, but the old man prevailed upon them to stop near the bodvi„ and went immediately for the constable. A cart haying been procured, the body was conveyed to the J'a&A's Well inn, where it was identified as that of \Villain Hanson, whose course of life has, we understand. le some time back been dissolute and unhappy. Hy h 4 once before attempted to put' an end to his exiSterfe. The deceased was forty-one'years of age. He has 14 a wife and several children. 'An inquest before J. Dyson, Esq., coroner, was held over _ the ;Jody on. Frptiv, -whdn- a- verdict in accordance Tr:Sl tl..z.v circumstances of the case was returned.
The Sun. — 1853-07-14 (London, England)

ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY.—The ball-yearly general court of the members of this society was held yesterday at their office in Trafalgar-square. Mr. B. Hawes presided. The minutes of the proceedings of the committee for the last six months, which were read by the secretary Stated that during that period in fifty cases which had come under their notice, 53 persons had been rescued from drowning, of whom 49 had been successfully treated. Out of 142,000 bathers in the Serpentine during the season, there had been 17 accidents, in 16 of them the parties had been successfully treated, and in the other the person was drowned when discovered. Eight attempts at suicide had been frustrated. The society's medal was awarded in the following cases :—To Mr. William Bencraft for saving the life of James Higson in the harbour of Singapore ; to John Jordan, for saving the life of Lieutenant Carpenter, R.A., in the St. Lawrence, Montreal ; to Captain H. Grierson, 15th Regiment, for saving a boy named Kelly, at Mulhngar ; to James F. Miller, engineer, on board the Princess Alice steamer,, for saving a foreign lady in Dover harbour ; to Lieutenant R. W. Davies, 2d West India Regiment, for saving a private in the same regiment at Port Antonio, in Jamaica ; to G. Monro and Donald Ross' for saving (at great risk to themselves) two youths in Scotland ; to Aquilla. Handscombe, for saving a boy at Red Hill, Reigate ; to Mr. W. H. Jones, for saving a boy in the Regent's Canal ; and to the Rev. J. H. Kinnear, who, at the peril of his own life, had, at a difficult and dangerous part of the river Lea, rescued a boy from drowning. The business concluded with the usual vote of thanks to the ehgrulau,
The Sun. — 1853-09-06 (London, England)

THE* BIRMINGHAM BOROUGH GAOL INQUIRY.—With respect to the general discipline pursued at the gaol, the inquiry, so far as it has proceeded, shows that the provisions of the act of Parliament for the regulation of prisons have been frequently evaded. In the case of the surgeon, it is shown that he had not made the required periodical inspection of the prisoners ; that he had not made an examination of the prisoners so as as to judge of their ability to perform labour ; that he had not complied with the requirements of the act of parliament with reference to the entry of medicines administered and treatment adopted ; and that his inspection was hurried and superficial. With reference to the gaol discipline, for which the governor is responsible, it appe rs that the system of crank labour was originally an exceptional punishment ; that at Mr. Austin's suggestion the cranks were increased from two to 16, and subsequently to 22 ; that the act of Parliament which provides that no prisoner shall be kept at hard for more than 10 hours a day, has been disregarded; that cases have occurred where prisoners have been kept in the crank labour cell from half-past 6in the morning till 11 at at night a period of sixteen and a half hours ; that it was usual to keep prisoners who refused, or could not perform this work, without food for a whole day, a pound of bread being given them at night ; that this treatment has been repeated for three days, and after an interval of a day repea, ed again ; that it was customary to keep prisoners, even boys, at the crank labour in the dark, to count the revolutions as they best could ; that, in opposition to the rules, prisoners before trial were punished for speaking to each other; that the power of increasing or decreasing the severity of the crank labour was exercised by Freer, without the special sanction of the governor in every case; that the records of the punishments, attempts at suicide, and so on, were imperfectly kept, the record of the suicides especially being made up "from memory ;" that the warders were in the habit of going into the cells of the prisoners whenever they pleased; and generally that the officers were in a state of scarcely disguised insubordination. The inquiry is still proceeding, and as the commissioners have determined to make a thorough investigation of the system of discipline without reference to special charges, it will evidently occupy a considerable length of time. NOVEL MODE OF RAISING THE WlND.—Numerous boys are constantly engaged in picking up the immense quantities of copper caps on Chubham-common, which have been used by the brave regiments recently encamped there. The boys sell them to the ironmongers for old copper, and realise 2s. or 2s. 6d. a-day by their , industry.
The Sun. — 1853-09-06 (London, England)

THE BIRMINGHAM BOROUGH GAOL INQUIRY.—With respect to the general discipline pursued at the gaol, the inquiry, so far as it has proceeded, shows that the provisions of the act of Parliament for the regulation of prisons have been frequently evaded. In the case of the surgeon, it is shown that he had not made the required periodical inspection of the prisoners ; that he had not made an examination of the prisoners so as as to judge of their ability to perform labour ; that he had not complied with the requirements of the act of parliament with reference to the entry of medicines administered and treatment adopted ; and that his inspection was hurried and superficial. With re-. ference to the gaol discipline, for which the governor is responsible, it appe rs that the system of• crank labour was originally an exceptional punishment ; that at Mr. Austin's suggestion the cranks were increased from two to 16, and subsequently to 22 ; that the act of Parliament which provides that no prisoner shall be kept at hard for more than 10 hours a day, has been disregarded; that cases have occurred where prisoners have been kept in the crank labour cell from 1;alf-past 6 in the morning till 11 at at ;night a period of sixteen and a half hours ; that it was usual to keep prisoners who refused, or could not perform this work, without food for a whole day, a pound of bread being given them at night ; that this treatment has been repeated for three days, and after an interval of a day repea ed again ; that it was customary to keep prisoners, even boys, at the crank labour in the dark, to count the revolutions as they best could ; that, in opposition to the rules, prisoners before trial were punished for speaking to each other; that the power of increasing or decreasing the severity of the crank labour was exercised by Freer, Without the special sanction of the governor in every case ; that the records of the punishments, attempts at suicide, and so on, were imperfectly kept, the record of the suicidLs especially ,being made up " from memory ;" that the warders were in the habit of going into the cells of the prisoners whenever they pleased; and generally that the officers were in state of scarcely disguised insubordination. The inquiry is still proceeding, and as the commissioners have determined to make a thorough investigation Of the system of discipline without reference to special charges, it will evidently occa— py a considerable length of time.
The Sun. — 1853-12-03 (London, England)

SUSPECTED MURDER IN SCOTLAND.—On the evening of Monday the 21st instant, a man in the prime of life, named M'Donald, holding a small farm in the parish of 'St. Fergus, near Peterhead, left his home to proceed on some business to the blacksmith's shop, dig,hTwt,hitehhinsaexfrtdieismncdhnsarrnngineadgtuhrapeilsltwyonlbsbefycanumhnides situated at some little distance, and as he did not gdet ande aboutinsaamheifimeul. return ly alarmedin side, by a bullet from which, it was evident, he had come by his death. It was at first conjectured that ho had committed suicide, but when tidings of the event reached Peterhead, the agent of the Northern Insurance Company there—in which office M'Donald's life had be insured for 500/.—was led to suspect, from the 7circumstance that the insurance had not been effected. M`Donald himself, but by another person, a pflillenifoul residing in St. Fergus, that there had been,„ much play in the matter. This suspicion wasp n'' that the life strengthened when it was ascertained.lesame perof the unfortunate man was insuredby I e third, the Caleson in a second office for 5001., and int the term insured donian, for 1,000/. ; and further,tha De year, and that for in this latter office was only:/e:pi in the course the period of the policy ' wrt date, and, consequently, of a few days from the p - resee twelve months the preif M'Donald survived Phu. would be lost money. mium paid on the l'°who discovered the dead man Moreover, the parties inion that, from the position began to express an :lying, and the way that the in which the body elit was next to impossible that the shot had taken effe en fired by M`Donald himself. The pistol could have the been concerned of Peterhead, on the charge of having h d in the death of the deceased.—Edinbur94 °°" lug rant.  , .... ..,,,,Sheep's wool lbs. 70,336038 The total declared value of all the exports amounted to 6,168,0261., which, as compared with the like month of last year, shows an increase of 1,312,360/.
The Sun. — 1853-12-03 (London, England)

SUSPECTED MURDER IN SCOTLAND.-011 the eTening of Monday the 21st instant, a man in the prime of life, named M'Donald, holding a small farm in the parish of St. Fergus, near Peterhead, left his home to proceed on some business to the blacksmith's shop, situated at some little distance, and as he did not return the same night, his friends naturally became alarmed about him. The next morning he was found lying dead in a field, with a discharged pistol by his side, by a bullet from which, it was evident, he had come by his death. It was at first conjectured that he had committed suicide, but when tidings of the event reached Peterhead, the agent of the Northern Insurance Company there—in which office M`Donald's life had been insured for 500/.—was led to suspect, from the circumstance that the insurance had not been effected bh9 ' M'Donald himself, but by another person, a Dr- Sm;:otul residing in St. Fergus, that there had been play in the matter. This suspicion was ava:7,ei_liefhe strengthened when 'it was ascertained hteh saniteneper. of the unfortunate man was insured t insured son in a second office for 500/., and in b ayh te h re ci 1. ; n donian, for 1,000/. ; and further, that et fear, and that for in this latter office was only x, in the course one the period of the policy wouldtee .and, consequently, of a few days from the present darel months the prethe Cale if M'Donald survived the tv'ss.,°ould b© lost money. mium paid on the opinion that, from the position an °Pc'n and the way that the began to express Moreover, the partiesl'64o(l). was lying, a that the in which the body , was next to impossible. discovered the dead man shot had taken effect, M'Donald pistol could have been Bred has been apprehended, and M`Donald himself. The on the charge of havresult was of Peterhead, now lies in the gaolned in the death of the deceased.—Edining been concerned Smith itired by ourgl4 Cour ,:bnia.t Dr.
The Sun. — 1853-10-31 (London, England)

SUICIDE.—On Friday morning a most determined act of self-destruction was committed by Police-constable John M'Cormack, No. 131, T division, at the station in Brook-green, Hammersmith, by hanging himself in a loft over the stables. It appears that the deceased had been in the force about five years, and was generally employed to drill the men of his division, in consequence of his having been a soldier in the 4th Light Dragoons. He was one of the mounted patrol, and the last time he was seen alive was about six o'clock on Friday morning, near the stables, where he was supposed to be going to look after his horse. At nine o'clock the deceased was discovered by another constable suspended by a rope which was fastened to the roof of the loft over the stables. It seemed, from the position in which he was found, that he had previously obtained one of the halters in the stables, and loosened one of the ends to fasten to the roof. In order to reach it he must have got on to a beam, and having made a noose in the rope round his neck, he then threw himself off from the beam, and strangulation must have ensued almost immediately afterwards. Upon being discovered an alarm was quickly made, the deceased was cut down, and he was found to be quite dead. The unfortunate deceased, who was about forty years of age, had been dull and oppressed for some time past, and it was attributed to his being embarrassed in his affairs, and there is no doubt that the fear of being prosecuted by his creditors operated strongly upon his mind. His wife died about four months ago, and latterly he had been paying his addresses to 'a young woman in the neighbourhood. The deceased, while in the army, shot himself in the side, for the purpose of destroying him self, but the wound was not fatal, and he soon afterwards recovered. The body now lies at the station to await a coroner's inquiry,