The Case of A. Hickford.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 63, 8 September 1894, Page 2

The Case of A. Hickford.

ACCUSED COMMITTED fok TRIAL. At the Police Court this morning, before Messrs H. L. Sherwill aud A. F. Halcombe, J.P.s, Arthur Hickford was charged by the police wifch wilfully attempting to commit suicide on August 81sfc by throwing himself iuto the Oroua river, at Aorangi. Accused pleaded guilty. Mr S. Ingram, of Ashurst, gave evidence as to finding accused's watch and letters written by him, which were left on the Aorangi bridge, on tho morning of August 31st, particulars of which have already been published in the Stak. Constable Tuohy also gave evidence as to receiving the articles from Mr Ingram and going in search of accused, who, on being found beside a straw stack about a mile from the place of supposed drowning, said that he wished he had shot himself instead as he was weary aud tired of life. Accused informed the Constable that at 7.45 on the morning in question he saw the railway men pass and at H he jumped off the rooks in the view of a young man who was driving across the bridge. He was washed down about a chain below the road bridge and into shallow water, and after fche man in tlie dray had passed without offering to assist accused out of the water, the latter got out and roamed fco where found. Accused was -»coinmittcd for i trial afc the next sitting of the Wanganui Supremo Court on September 25 th. No ' bail was applied for.