ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2568, 14 June 1881, Page 2

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

The man Riddel who was brought up at the R.M. Court yesterday, (it being suspected that he was suffering from unsound mind,) and remanded for medical examination, made a determined attempt at suicide during the afternoon, It appears that by some means he had managed to secrete amongst his clothing a small tin “gem” photo, which escaped detection when he was searched in the usual way at the lock-up. Constable Sullivan had been keeping a sharp eye npon Riddel, fancying his manner was very strange, and in the afternoon he noticed some specks of blood on his whiskers. Further examination revealed that the unhappy man had opened two or three veins in his left wrist, aud inflicted some jagged wounds in his throat also, with the little tin photo before mentioned. Medical aid was at once summoned and Dr Hammond who is acting just now for Dr Chilton, was speedily at the lock-up. He attended at once to Riddell’s self inflicted injuries, and although the latter has lost a good deal of blood, he is now out of danger, and for his future safety has been removed to a padded cell at the gaol.