DUNEDIN POLICE COURT

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 21

DUNEDIN POLICE COURT

Wednesday, Septembeb 8. (Before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M.) Attempted Suicide. — William Lawson, charged with attempting to commit suicide 1 on July 24, pleaded " Guilty," and elected 1 to be dealt with summarily. — Sub-inspector Phair stated that Lawson had been a fireman on board the Maitai, and had left the boat some time in June. He went to live in a boarding-house in Moray place, and on July 24, about 4 p.m., he visited the kitchen of the place, when •he was considerably under the influence of drink, and asked the cook to boil some eggs. She refused, and he flew into a passion, and threw some eggs on the floor. A boarder induced Lawson to go to bed. A little later Lawson shot himself. The people had to get the police to put him in an ambulance — he was so violent. Lawson had been in . hospital for a long time, and for Hi days the police were in attendance. The bullet had not been extracted, and . there was still some discharge from the wound. It had entered the right! clieefe, and lodged somewhere ai>ove the arch of the mouth. Lawson had remarked that he wisheJ he had killed himself. Much expense had been incurred. Accused paid some of it, but there was £18 13s 6d standing against him. — Mr Cumming; (Patients and Prisoners' Aid Society) said his society was willing to take charge of the accused, who earned £9 a month at sea. The whole affair occurred during a. drunken spree. — Accused was convicted, and ordered to enter into a personal recognisance of £20 to come up for sentence at any time within 12 months. He waa also ordered to pay Hospital expenses (£7 Is) and police expenses (£ll 12s 6d)' at- tlv rate of £3 monthly, as from October 1. ! Satubdat, Septembeb 11. 1 (Before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M.) Theft. — David M'Geo was charged witH on September 3, at Alexandra South, stealing a coat and vest, an ovejx»at, a watch, and other articles, of the value of £4 10s. the property of Richard Mattson. Accused pleaded " Guilty. "—Chief Detective Herbert described the case as' a mean theft. He said that the complainant^ and accused occupied the same room In a hotel at Alexandra South. Mattson went to work, and during hk absence accused 1 changed some clothing the complainant-, had lent him, and put on the latter's gootl clothes. He then came to Dunedin and! disposed of the coat for 4s and the watch for 3s. — Accused said that he had never, been in trouble before. He came Aero from Australia five years ago, and during that time had held positions of trust in' New Zealand. — His Worship remanded accused until Wednesday for a report as to the man's previous character.

A northern deputy official assigned notifies that a dividend of 20s in the pound, with interest, is now payable in the estate of Edward Cyril Pardoe, of HasU ings, commission agent, a. bankrupt.