DESPERATE LEAP FROM A RAILWAY TRAIN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 269, 12 October 1875, Page 4

DESPERATE LEAP FROM A RAILWAY TRAIN.

|;;7 The following particalara of the at--7 ; 7^inpt*sd antoide of Captain Stevens, of 77 the ship Auckland, are from the EdioyY^g^'Q^^i^Q^ jhQ |jX 8 t J„|y a passenger by the, Caledonian train from y-y Glasgow from Greenock at four o'clock, Skttemi^ted to commit suicide by leaping "777_¥^ a "first-class carriage between Lan^bank and Port Glasgow stations, f -white ihe train was travelling about 40 miles an hoar, and subsequently out his throat while lying in the ditoh into .7 -which be fell. The unfortunate man is 7 named Stevens, and was till recently 7 in command of the fine ship Auckland, 7 belonging to Messrs Patrick, Hender--7 eon & Co, which sailed from the .Tail 7 y of the Baok for New Zealand, with a , full complement of passengers, on 7 ; . 78at«rd«^ eveniog. On Saturday he 7 bad called at the business premises of a firm in G;lasgow, and by his conduct 7those, doing basinets with him saw that some thiog was wrong with his mind. Captain Steirans ha?ing intimated that he. was going to Greenock, one of the 7 'geyießctea belbhging to that establishyMUn_^a£iskA Monro, was- asked to ae'7ypamtypvif'bicsfor safety.. At fridge streerstation the two got seated in a 7^ a 7 -lady .ai?d somer ohildren came into the 7 corapartraettt and remained until the trails" reaohed Paisley, when they left. 7 this static Munro aod 7?f 7^aptatß Stevens were left alone. About 7*^f-^#o- miles ffrofa _?ort Glasgow, Captain Stevens got up, and talking off his watch, and chain, dashed it down on 7 7 the and at once proceeded to. get y~Jmsyof tha carriage window. Mr Munro 77 :^*did;^l in his power to restrain him, 777 bnt Captatn. Stevens being a powerful •-: : man Mr Monro was. unable to overcome him.'Bveniually, the Captain got so 77f ar gut of the window as to be able to oatch the roof with his hands, and, 7 with one boand he threw himself from .;.77*/th^-]earrta^B'7tipQii' the embankment, 7' 7 near Parklea, and was seen to roll into ;;.*;^|lie7di-oh' below by Mr Martin, one of 7 th^ ins^etors of the railway company, 7 who was travelling in the van along wUh r the guard. The engine driver, being unaware of what had happened, proceeded to Port Glasgow. When 7 7 that station* was reached, however, a 7 pilot engina was sent back, when the .* 7 unfortunate man. was picked up and f y brought to Pore Glasgow. He was •7 removed 7to the Greenock infirmary, ■where on examination, it was found he '■yy y bad received a large lacerated /wound on the; forehead, and other injuries. .While the dootors were dressing these 7 wounds, their attention was attracted Ijy unfortunate man's peculiar 7 .breathing, and on raising the long beard which ho wore, it was discovered that he had also out bis throat, the 7 .. windpipe being nearly severed. It is . "y ettppoaad that he had Inflicted this "• finjiiryf apon himself with a penknife , while lyiqg in the ditch near the rail-. '.T^Jwajr . ; .tr*ack. Yesterday Captain yY '-Sto^sh's conditioa was most critical, but hap9B are eaiertaioed that he may 77773reifeeoter. [' r -