npedrazzini/19thc_murder_suicide_news huggingface dataset:
The Sun. — 1848-12-14 (London, England)

SUICIDE IN CONSEQUENCE 01' PECUNIARY LOSSES. —On Tuesday night an inquest was held before. Mr. Payne, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, on the body of J. Buillivant, aged 39, who committed suicide. When deceased attained his majority he entered into the possession of a valuable estate. He was induced to advance a considerable sum of money to Owen's Labour Exchange Bazaar in Gray's Inn-lane. In exchange for his money he received what were styled "one-hour" and "twohour" notes, entitling him, upon the reciprocity principle, to the produce of one hour or two hours' labour. When he wished to convert his notes into money he found that they were almost wholly valueless, and be was compelled to take a quantity of articles from the bazaar which were completely useless to him. This speculation styelowed up the bulk of his fortune. With what remained he opened a chemist's shop, in Camden Town, where he carried on a respectable business for some time. Subsequently, however, he suffered severe losses, and at length, beggared in fortune and in hopes, he committed self-destruction, by shooting himself in the back part of the head. The following document was found in his possession :—" Oh, wretched man that I am, unfit for the world and all society, I have been a prey to swindlers all my life. That villian T— has sacrificed me to a triumvirate of swindlers, and I have been more victi. wised than poor Tom Steele. But who knows it but myself, or who cares for it; and, having no address, I am unfit for any business, and competent for none. I cling to life, but nothing but disgrace, which is worse than death, stares me in the face. That villain T— holds an estate which was my father's, and to which.' believe he is no more entitled than the man in the moon, and he has had the audacity to tell me that he was justified in sacrificing me to the swindlers."—The jury returned a verdict of " Temporary insanity."
The Sun. — 1848-02-01 (London, England)

THE NATIONAL DEFENCES.  As this subject is at present of national interest, everything connected with it must prove acceptable to our readers. Notwithstanding all that has been said about the exposed situation in which England is at the present time placed, supposing an invasion to be made by an hostilei power, it will be gratifying to those who have the love of their country at heart to know that there is still amongst our peasantry those feelings which have prompted them in former times to "brave the battle and the breeze." The following statistics have been supplied us from an unquestionable source:— Enlisted during the last military year 27,0g3 Of these there were rejected It it fit .. 19,333  The recruits were afforded by the different nations as follows : E, land - ... 11,506  ....inglan, .. Ireland 11,968 Scotland Wales .. 171 Foreign Countries --- Total ..................... .. 97,093  According to the population the recruits were in the following ratio : England Ireland Scotland wales 6-3 per cent. Foreign Countries l-6 per cent.  ATTEMPTED SUICIDE THIS MORNING'.—Soon after "even o'clock this morning a young female, whose name is at present unknown, was observed struggling in the water by Mr. Charles Guildersleeves, the proprietor of the Times coal-wharf, Bankside. Mr. Guildersleeves immediately jumped on one of the barges lying alongside, and happily succeeded in rescuing the poor creature, who was very respectably dressed, and appeared to be about twenty or twenty-four years of age. After some restoratives had been given she was conveyed to the workhouse. It appears that this is the fifth or sixth life caved by Mr. G. during the past three years. MELANCHOLY FIRE AND LOSS OY LlFE.—About half-past ten o'clock this morning the following dreadful occurrence took place in Grove-place, New-cut, Lambeth, by which a fine boy, about eleven years of age, was burnt to death. It appeared that two children, named Brown, one a girl of four, and the boy about eleven, were left sitting in chairs before the room fire, and during the temporary absence of the mother the clothes of the boy became ignited. Screams being heard by the neighbours they rushed into the louse, and found the boy's clothes in flames and the fire spreading round the room. The child having been removed, Dr. Sewell, of the New-cut, instantly attended, but the poor little sufferer survived only to have his partly burnt things reraoved from him. The engines and firemen of the brigade and West of England soon attended, but the greater portion of the humble furniture of the room was destroyed. The parents are in very poor circumstances, and this melancholy case is well worthy the consideration of the benevolent.
The Sun. — 1848-06-01 (London, England)

DOUBLE MURDER IN HUNTINGDONSHIRE.—STILTON, MAY 31.—Yesterday, in the afternoon, a lengthened investigation took place into the death of Harriet Burton, wife of Charles Burton, huckster, and Mary Ann, his daughter, both of whom were found with their throats cut, in the morning of Monday last. At the close of the proceedings a verdict of " Wilful Murder" was returned against Charles Burton, then in custody. Since Monday the miserable man has confessed to the surgeon who attended him the particulars of the sanguinary deed. He said, " I first cut my wife's throat, when she was between asleep and awake, but finding herself wounded, she jumped out of bed, and rushed towards the window, from whence she shrieked ' Murder i' I then immediately cut the throat of my little girl, and having done so, I rushed at my my wife, and clasping her round the waist, I repeated fearful i eo ast ,haf u relative, p l of hy o the stroke across her neck. She then fell dead at my feet, I the made an attempt upon my own throat, but I was seized before I accomplished my purpose." Upon being questioned as to the cause which induced him to commit the rash act, he said " Trouble caused me to contemplate suicide. I intended to destroy myself, but knowing that I should leave my wife and children' in penury, I thought it best that we all should die together." It appears that on Saturday night, when the unhappy man went to the razor grinder's for tho pur3getting the razor sharpened, he was disappointed n pereceipt of a sum of money, left him by a deceased and, having contracted a few debts, he was should not be able to discharge them—hence the awful occurrence. Yesterday he made a will, leaving. the whole of his property to his son George, who was absent from home at the time the fatal deed was committed.
The Sun. — 1848-03-25 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. WORSHIP-STREET. A young widow, who gave her name Sarah Wood, and her residence as Tabernacle-walk, Finsbury, applied to Mr. Hamill to afford her redress for a grievance she had sustained at the hands of a master baker, and which, it was stated by one of the officers, was a practice of by no means unfrequent occurrence. The applicant said, that on Saturday night last she, with some difficulty, provided herself with a loin of mutton for the Sunday's dinner of herself and family, and left it at the baker's shop next morning for the purpose of being cooked in his oven. Having noticed a very visible decrease in the size of her joints on other occasions in the course of their transit to and from various bakers', she took the precaution this time of previously counting the number of ribs the joint contained, and having found, upon calling :for it at dinner time, that two of the ribs had been cut off, she complained to the baker's wife of the robbery, but, so far from hearing any expression of regret, her complaint was treated with derision, and any allowance for the portion stolen was refused. She had made several subsequent applications, but with no better success, and as the loss was a matter of consideration to her, she having been left with two children in very impoverished circumstances on the death of her husband, who committed suicide a few weeks ago, she was anxious to know whether she could not have some redress for the injury. Mr. HAMMILL directed Bricknell, one of the warrantofficers' to go at once to the house of the person complained of, and endeavour to effect some advantageous arrangement for the poor woman ; but on his return to the court the officer reported that all his attempts at mediation had been peremptorily rejected by the baker, who strangely argued that if the complainant's statement were correct, it was clear that the meat had been stolen Eby one of his servants, and :said that he considered both the magistrate and the officer were exceeding their duty in endeavouring to make him a party to the composition of a felony. Upon hearing this, the magistrate said that he should certainly adopt some more stringent means of enforcing the claim of the,woman, and immediately issued a sum• mons against Ale baker for an illegal detention of the meat, which he directed to be served forthwith. This step- had the desired effect, for • fhe defend ant. himself shortly atter made his appearance with a material abatement of his tone, and after declaring that he meant no intentional disrespect to the Bench by what he had previously said, stated that he had been absent from home the whole of the day in question, and as it was impossible for him to rebut the allegation made against him, he was willing, if the magistrate would allow him, to afford the woman any recompense that might be considered reasonable. This course was ultimately acceded to by the poor widow, and a satisfactory compensation having been offered her, which she accepted, she withdrew her complaint, and Mr. Iliaottel. then ordered the summons to be discharged and the defendant with it.
The Sun. — 1848-03-25 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. WORSHIP-STREET. A young widow, who gave her name Sarah Wood, and her residence as Tabernacle-walk, Finsbury, applied to Mr. Hamill to afford her redress for a grievance she had sustained at the hands of a master baker, and which, it was stated by one of the officers, was a practice of by no means unfrequent occurrence. The applicant said, that on Saturday night last she, with some difficulty, provide:. herself with a loin of mutton for the Sunday's dinner of herself and family, and left it at the baker's shop next morning for the purpose of being cooked in his oven. Having noticed a very visible decrease in the siu of her joints on other occasions in the course of their transit to and from various bakers', she took the precaution this time of previously counting the number of ribs the joint contained, and having found, upon calling for it at dinner time, that two of the ribs had been cut off, she complained to the baker's wife of the robbery, but, so tar from hearing any expression of regret, her complaint was treated with derision, and any allowance for the portion stolen was refused. She had made several subsequent applications, but with no better success, and as the loss was a matter of consideration to her, she having been left with two children in very impoverished circumstances on the death of her husband, who committed suicide a few weeks ago, she was anxious to know whether she could not have some redress for the injury. Mr. Hamm'. directed Bricknell, one of the warrantofficers, to go at once to the house of the person complained of, and endeavour to effect some advantageous arrangement for the poor woman ; but on his return to the court the officer reported that all his attempts at mediation had been peremptorily rejected by the baker, who strangely argued that if the complainant's statement were correct, it was clear that the meat had been stolen ,by one of his servants, and said that he considered both the magistrate and the officer were exceeding their duty in endeavouring to make him a party to the composition of a felony. Upon hearing this, the magistrate said that he should certainly adopt some more stringent means of enforcing the claim of the woman, and immediately issued a summons against the baker for an illegal detention of the meat, which he directed to be served forthwith. This step had the desired effect, ftr the defendant himself shortly after made his appearance with a material abatement of his tone, and after declaring that he meant no intentional disrespect to the Bench by what he had previously said, stated that he had been absent from home the whole of the day in question, and as it was impossible for him to rebut the allegation made against him, he was willing, if the magistrate would allow him, to afford the woman any recompense that might be considered reasonable. This course was ultimately acceded to by the poor widow, and a satisfactory compensation having been offered her, which she accepted, she withdrew her complaint, and Mr. Hemmer, then ordered the summons to be discharged and the defendant with it.
The Sun. — 1848-02-22 (London, England)

ANOTHER SUICIDE IN THE MILLBANN. PRISON.1,718,436. Horses, 2,092 ; carriages, 1,002; dogs An inquest was held yesterday, before Mr. Bedford, in 3,171; cattle, 13,631; sheep, 37,288; pigs, 2,663; goods the Millbank Prison, on the body of Patrick Morgan, 139,121 tons ; minerals, 1,245,067 tons, aged 28, a prisoner under a sentence of 15 years' trans" The cash statement presented the following results: portation for robbery, with violence. Edward Batson, -The amount received on capital account prior to July, a warder, said he had charge of the deceased, and ob-1847, was 3,368,1031. is. 2d.; received on shares during served him to be of cheerful disposition. He left him the half year, 717,392/. 10s. ; and on debentures, . in his cell on Saturday evening, and the next morning 33,310/, los. ; debentures paid off, 188,5201. ; leaving found him hanging by the ropes of his hammock to a the net receipts on the half-year, 562,181/. 10s. ; loan peg on which his towels were hung. Deceased was from the Great North of England purchase account, quite dead. Two of the prisoners confined in the same 350,0001. ; balance due to barkers, 186,2401. lOs. ; total, gallery as the deceased, said that he gave away unknown 4,466 5261. Is. 2d. The amount expended to June 30, to the warders, the best part of his food, and would cry 1847, was 3,683,1021. 85.5 d, ; the further charges during like a child. They thought him out of his mind, but the half-year have been-in Parliamentary expenses, never told the warders so. The jury having returned a 9,676/. 13s. 3d. ; engineering, 3,006/. 16s. 7d. ; tenant- verdict of " Temporary insanity," Captain Groves, the right, 4s. 7d.; works of roads, stations, &c.; 398,007/. ss. 10d.; the warders had received strict orders to give instant conveyance, 40,790/. governor, said that since the last suicide in the prison iron rails andchairs,s •10,3071.0,13a0n7d1. :ids. 4,1 sleepers, 8,300/. notice of anything strange .they might remark in the ss. 3d.; Wearmouth Dock, 32,938/. 135.; advertising and conduct of a prisoner. printing, 918/. 2s. ; miscellaneous disbursements, 1,173/.
The Sun. — 1848-11-24 (London, England)

FORT AUGUSTUS, NOV. 13.—SUICIDE BY A MONKEY. —A well known and popular author writes," the gloomy month of November, when the people of England hang and drown themselves." The suicidal influence of the month has not, it appears, been confined to England alone this season, but has extended so far north as our romantic little Highland vilb'gc. Fortunately, hc,wever, thecircumstance has not been such as to excite any melancholy sensation among the people of this place, but, on the eontrary, occasioned no small amount of laughable and amusing remarks. Tho victim was that of a long-tailed monkey, the property of Mr. Wm. M.Kinnon, merchant, which always evinced an insatiable desire for spirits, and not unfrequently lay prostrate before the shrine of Bacchus, being often assisted in his orgies anti worship of that deity by persons anxious to witness his antics, which were of the most amusing description at all times, but especially when performing the rites of the drouthy god. One evening last week it narrowly observed the movements of the servant girl, while depositing in a press a vessel containing about half a gallon of whisky. Watching her first absence, it embraced the opportunity, and opened the press, incautiously left unlocked, carrying away the vessel containing the whisky. Judging this might, perhaps, be the most opportune time it would ever have of manifesting the extent of his devotedness to the god of revels, it resolved to offer himself up a sacrifice at his altar, and to effect his purpose, quaffed up a considerable part of the contents of the vessel, pouring the remainder on the floor. The girl's consternation and rage, on discovering the loss, may be more easily imagined than described; the only satisfaction she could get was a most potvaliant grin from the monkey, which by this time had ensconced itselt in a cradle, portraying in the most perfect manner the effects of intemperance, to the no small amusement of a few neighbours, but chagrin of its owner for the loss of his favourite monkey.ln a very short time it died—a victim to John I3ari corn.—Ross-shire Advertiser. EXETER 11/me—The performance of Elijah, at Exeter Hall, on the 15th of next month, wit! be under the direction of M. Benedict. Mdlle. Jenny Lind will sustain the principal soprano part, in English. The object of the performance'. is to raise a sum of money in aid of a fund which Mendelssohn established at for the purpose of defraying the expense of a musical scholarship in that city.
The Sun. — 1848-05-12 (London, England)

PARTE BURNCASTLE. Mr. Justice COLERIDGE said in this case Mr. Bovil had moved for a certiorari to bring up an inquisition,, for the purpose of being quashed or traversed. (rile circumstances of the case have already appeared in Thc Sun.) The Learned Judge, after going fully into them, proceeded to observe, that the Court could only grant such an application in cases where the inquisition was detective, or where it contained some material fact, that it was desirable to traverse. Now, in this case there was no defect upon the face of the inquisition, nor was there any material fact to traverse, but the jury had tacked to their verdict an irrelevant observation, which reflected upon the character of Dr. Burncastle, and it was this irrelevant observation which it was wished to have quashed. In the case of ex parte Scratchley, where the jury returned a verdict, that the deceased committed suicide, while . suffering from the cruel conduct of a Mr. Scratchley, the full Court decided that the jury had no right to cast such a reflection upon Mr. Scratchley, but as the words conveying the reflection formed no part of the verdict, the Court refused a certiorari to quash them. This case was precisely similar to that ; and, acting upon the principle it established, he was bound to refuse the present application. He could not, however, dismiss the rule without expressing his regret that the' Coroner should so far have exceeded his duty as to consent to take down the statement reflecting upon Dr. Burncastle's character, while he considered that manifest injustice bad be en done to the Doctor by the jury and the Coroner refusing to hear him in his defence or to receive the evidence which he was prepared to adduce to explain the cause of death.
The Sun. — 1848-05-12 (London, England)

COLERID;.IE.)  EAGLE V. EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY COMPANY.  Mr. WATSON applied for a rule calling upon the Eastern Counties Railway Company to show cause why the Sheriff of Suffolk should not be called on to summon a jury to assess the damages sustained by an injury done to a wild-duck decoy, through which an extension of the Eastern Counties line passed. The line passed within thirteen chains of the decoy, and the noise produced by the engine and trains running over the line, had had the effect of driving away large quantities of the ducks. Mr. Eagle claimed 6001. as compensation for this injury; but the Company had treated his overtures with silence, and he had therefore been compelled to seek the protection of the Court. Rule nisi.  EX PARTE lIIIRNCASTLE. Mr. Justice COLERIDGE said in this case Mr. Bovil had moved for a certiorari to bring up an inquisition, for the purpose of being quashed or traversed. (The circumstances of the case have already appeared in The Sun.) The Learned Judge, after going fully into them, proceeded to observe, that the Court could only grant such an application in cases where the inquisition was defective, or where it contained some material fact, that it was desirable to traverse. Now, in this case there was no defect upon the face of the inquisition, nor was there any material fact to traverse, but the jury had tacked to their verdict an irrelevant observation, which reflected upon the character of Dr. Burncastle, and it was this irrelevant observation which it was wished to have quashed. In the case of ex parte Scratchley, where the jury returned a verdict, that the deceased committed suicide, while suffering from the cruel conduct of a Mr. Scratchley, the full Court decided that the jury had no right to cast such a reflection upon Mr. Scratchley, but as the words conveying the reflection formed no part of the verdict, the Court refused a certiorari to quash them. This case was precisely similar to that ; and, acting upon the principle it established, he was bound to refuse the present application. Ile could not, however, dismiss the rule without expressing his regret that the Coroner should so far have exceeded his duty as to consent to take down the statement reflecting upon Dr. Burncastle's character, while he considered that manifest injustice had been done to the Doctor by the jury and the Coroner refusing to hear him in his defence or to receive the evidence which he was prepared to adduce to explain the cause of death.
The Sun. — 1848-07-05 (London, England)

GRAND UEAT. Edward Perry and W. Wilson John Maynard and E. Perry James Maynard and John Wyld 3 The distance was reversed, the men starting from Vauxhall-bridge, rowing down to the King's Arms Stairs up to the distillery, and back to Lambeth Palace. It was an excellently contested heat, the whole going away together. White, yellow and pink then went a trifle in advance, and were oar and oar, with slight variations, for about half a mile. Yellow then went into the first place, closely pressed by white, pink being for some distance close upon the latter's quarter. Yellow gradu. ally went more in advance, and won by ten lengths. This heat was rowed in the presence of upwards of a thousand spectators.  SUICIDE IN THE HOUSE or DETIINTroIc—At Bow-street, on Saturday, two swell mobamea, of the names of Collett, alias Musty, and Ginger, alias Stone, were remanded charged with a robbery at Messrs. Cocks and Biddulph's. The two prisoners were sent to the House of Detention, as the New Prison, Clerkenwell, is named. As is the custom, upon their arrival they were both searched, but nothing being found of a suspicious nature they were, as is customary, locked `up in their respective cells. On Sunday morning, on the turnkey of the ward going his rounds to open the sleeping cells, he discovered Collett hanging, apparently quite dead, with his coat off and his shirt sleeves turned up, and the left arm covered with clotted blood. The deceased was immediately cut down, and the medical attendant on the prisoners was instantly in attendance, who pronounced that the deceased had been dead for some hours. Upon examining the arm, three wounds were found evidently done with an intention of bleeding to death, for the deceased had fastened his handkerchief for a ligature round the arm, but having fixed it below instead of above the elbow, no blood would flow; and this no doubt led to the infliction of the two other wounds. The loss of blood being very little, the deceased then hung himself. Upon searching the cell to ascertain by what instrument the wounds had been inflicted, a small penknife, which had escaped detection, was found; while, as a proof of the de• termination that actuated the deceased, he had, by rubbing the blade on the stone, reduced the termination of the blade to a fine and sharp point, so as to act in the room of a lancet. At three o'clock an inquest was held before Mr. Wakley, when the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the evidence.