MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 765, 2 December 1876, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Saturday December 2. (Before G. L. Mellish, Esq, R.M.) Attempting to Commit Suicide. —Geo Constant, fisherman, arrested by MountedConstable Cartmell at Shand’s track, was charged with having attempted to commit suicide, Mrs Ellis, residing at Shand’s track, stated that accused lived at Southbridge, but occasionally stopped for a day at her husband’s place while taking his rounds. He wanted to marry her sister-in-law, but she would not have him. On Thursday he called at the house, between 6 and 7 p.m., and stayed for the night. About 2 o’clock on Friday he said he would have the girl for his wife alive or dead, and afterwards asked her to bring him a drink of water. This witness objected to her doing, when accused became excited aud jumped off the bed. He then ran into a passage, took out a penknife, and stuck it into his left breast. Witness tried to get the knife from him, but could not, and then ran out of the house and sent to Prebblctou for Dr Durham. Inspector Buckley told his Worship that the doctor had reported that a wound a quarter of an inch in depth had been inflicted over the region of the heart. It was not of a serious nature, but would have proved fatal had the knife not glanced off a rib. Constable Gorman stated that he knew accused at Lyttelton. He was a very hard-working man, and had had his leg broken while working there^; since that time he had followed the pursuit of fisherman. Accused begged hard to be permitted to go to his home at Southbridge, where he had horses to look after, and expressed great regret for having allowed his feelings to get the better of him. If permitted to leave he would promise not to go near Mrs Ellis’s house again, On the faith of the promise given his Worship discharged him. Drunkenness. —Thomas Preston, alias • Williams, charged with this offence, was fined 20s.