SUICIDE STRUGGLE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 51, 23 November 1937, Page 10

SUICIDE STRUGGLE

Oui Own Correspondent.)

Drama in Heavy Rain at Sydney Gap WOMAN'S DEATH ATTEMPT

(From

SYDNEY, Nov. 12. A few inches separated a man and a woman from a sheer drop of 250 feet to eternity, as they grappled desperatelyin tceming rain at the brink of the Gap. Struggling and imploring to be allowed to plunge over the preeipice, the woman was eventually dragged baclc to safety by the man 'Reginald Russell, who, in past year, haS saved many men and women from making the fatal leap at the risk of his own life. Russell, who earns his ilving pho'.)graphing sightseers at the Gap, eaw tho wom4n adting strangely as she walked iu the direction of the cliffs about 5.30 p.m. She seeined very sick and distressed. He decided to follow her. As ho did the woman hurriedly climbed through the safety fence a few feet from the edge of the Gap. Russell- dashed through the fenoe and caught hold of the women as she was falling over the top. "Let me go," she cried. Drenehing rain- was falling, and several tim.es Russell almost lost his balance on tlhe slippery rock, but finally managed to draw the .woman back from the brink. Meanwhile, several Gier men, seeing the dramatic struggle, rau to Russell's assistance, and helped him to subdue the womr.a until Constable Ulrich arrived. "Oh, it's a pity you wouldn't let me go over" polico said the woman cried. She said that sho had been in ill-liealth and had been to see a doctor hhat morning. Altliough she had several pounds in her possession, according to the polico, she said she was also in financial diificulties. Aged about 50, the woman 13 married, and has had no children.