Love and Cold Water.

Patea Mail, 2 June 1882, Page 3

Love and Cold Water.

[ The half drowned youth named Griffen, alias Packer, who tried to end his love and .jealousy in the river, was brought up at Ithe Court to day, before the E. M., charged with attempting to destroy himself on 'Tuesday evening. He is a slim and ■poetical looking youth,-about 19, and calculated .to win the heart of a languishing maid-of-all-work. It is odd that, these ilovers should ■ have belonged *to rival drapdry houses. Tjie. soft sawder#f each [establishment, seems to, be kept in the kitchen.

| The resuscitated; lover was- put in the |box, and evidence was given as follows;.— Charles Cooper (known as Charlie the [fisherman’’) said; The ; prisoner knocked at my house near the river on Tuesday night between 9 and 10$ and said he was going to drown himself. He said he had left his things on the bank, and I must give them to his friends, I told him to come in and hot make a fdol of himself.-

I made a,grab to catch him, but he ran into the river. 1 called my mate, and when we got to the river the prisoner was in the, water up to his waist, and making a bit of a speech. We told him to come out or we would fetch him out. After persuasion, he came out. He said his girl gave him his ring bapk, and he wanted to drown himself with the ring on his finger. He told me not to say anything about it. I said I should have to give him in charge of the police. He appeared excited.

Charlie’s mate was present to corroborate, but his evidence was not called. P. C. Crozier said: I met the young man in Egmont-street on Tuesday evening, about 9.30, on his way to the Police Station, and I took him into custody. I asked him why he went into the river, and • he said he was a little upset, that bis last employer had not carried out his agreement and he had left. He said he had seen his young woman at the door of •another draper’s ; that she gave him a letter, and said she did not wish to see him anymore, and shut the door. He said be felt the ring inside the letter, and he was so much upset that he took it into his bead to drown himself. I took him into custody, and gave him a change of clothes. Magistrate : The evidence satisfies me that it will not ; be necessary to send this case to a jury. In fact I very much doubt whether he intended to take his life. He seems to have acted in a very foolish way. What have you to say for yourself ? Prisoner : I have nothing to say. Have you any explanation why you ran into the river ?

Prisoner ; I was very much upset at the time, and I owed a small account in the town.

I suppose you feel ashamed of yourself. Do you feel any regret ? Prisoner : Yes. Yes, I should think so. You will bo required to enter into recognisances for £SO ; that is, obtain two sureties of £25 each for your good behavior for six months. You will be at liberty to leave the Court to find these sureties. I hope this will be a lesson to you. Prisoner left the Court.