RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5503, 15 November 1878, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Thursday, November 14. (Before T. A. Manaford, Esq., R.M.) ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. Sarah H. Jacobs was charged with attempt' ing to commit suicide by taking an overdose of poison. William George Jacobs, musician, residing in Wellington, deposed as follows -The prisoner is my wife, and has been been married to me for about nine years. At 5 o’clock on last Sunday morning I was awakened by my wife coming into the bedroom. She looked as if she bad been in the yard or the kitchen, as she had a shawl wrapped over her shoulders. She said, “ X have poisoned myself.” I said, “ What did you do that for V* She said, M Because I'll not be any more trouble to you.” I asked her what she had taken, and she replied sugar of lead. I hastened to put on my clothes, and went to Dr. Tripe’s, who was the nearest doctor to my house. I rang the bell, and after some time the doctor came to the door. I said, ** My wife has taken poison, will you please come immediately.” He said, 11 1 cannot come, as I have no stomach-pump, and would be of no use without one.” I directly went to Dr, Harding’s and told him what had happened to my wife, and asked him to come home directly. He said, “ I can’t come as I have been up all night.” I then asked him to lend Dr. Tripe his stomach-pump. I said what am I to do ? while I am running about like this the woman may die. Dr. Harding said that Dr. Kestevon would probably go. I called, and Dr. Kesteven went with me to my house. When we entered the bedroom my wife was sitting on the bed. She was vomiting. I carried Dr. Keateven’s pump, but it was not used. He gave her a white powder to take, and told me to light a fire and make some hot water. The doctor was in the house about half an hour. He said she ought to be put in an asylum as a protection to herself. He asked mo if she ever attempted to commit suicide before. I told him yes, that in her former husband’s time she took poison. She had also jumped into the water. I told the doctor that she had two relations who bad died in a mad house In London, and that there were other two in a mad house at present, unless they had lately died. She also had one brother walking about the streets of London who should not be allowed to go at large. Dr. Kesteven deposed that he visited the lost witness’ s house. He gave her some medicine to make the woman sick, and next gave her an autidote for sugar of lead. When, he loft the house she was going on all right. By the Bench : I could not tell of my own knowledge what amount of sugar of load she took. I only know what the husband told me. She told me she had taken poison, but that she was sorry for it. ; Prisoner, after being cautioned, said; ; I took the poison through my husband’s stepson, who gave mo a black eye and tried to strangle mo and choke me last Saturday afternoon. Ho threatened to do for mo on several occasions. I bought the same man out of the army. Prisoner was then committed to take her trial. In the following cases judgments for plaintiffs with costa wore given:—Zohrab, Knocker, and Co. v. T. Evans, £33 Is. Bd., judgment summons ; ordered to pay within a week, orj

three months* imprisonment. Evening Argus v, P. A. Jones, £4 65., judgment summmons ; ordered to pay within fourteen days, or two week’s imprisonment. W. R. Hollis v, Sam. Rutter, £3 14*. lid. O. A. Graaey v. Stringer, £2 17s. fid.' P. Monaghan v. J. Murphy,. £5. 15. H. Hunt v. C. Leach, £lfi 17s. 9d. E. J. Riddiforcl v. D. Toohill, £Bl lls. 9d. P. Johnson v. Simm*, £9 12*. 9d. R- J* Jones v. Bardolph, £3 4s. South Pacific Loan and Investment Company v. G. Glover, £l2 95.; judgment for £5 Ha. W. Shells v. W. Rowlands, £57 2s. fid.; judgment for £9 2s. fid.