NOT GUILTY.

Taihape Daily Times, 13 September 1919, Page 3

NOT GUILTY.

WOULD-BE SUICIDE C 5 PLEA. . AN UNUSUAL CASE. 131 . CHRISTO-H'URCH. Sept. 11. It is not usual for :1. person ch-urged with attempted isuicide to plead not guilty, but this occurred in the Magistra.te’s Count to-day, when Richard Swinborne was charged before Mr McCurthjv, S.M._, with having attempted to commit suicide by tllrowing hinlsel.t' in front of :1 tramcar. The incident occurred on August Bth, on I\;[oorhou.<e Avenus. Afiter evidence was heard, accused, who spoke in an educated and cultivated manner, said he wished ta. make a statement. VHO presumed the witnesses were corl'e‘eT in what they had said. He had r'm'g-o<t'ten detzxiis of tho ‘:1fl":1i1'. However‘, he remernhered that he slipped on a rail and fell in front of the ezii’. He was ])l'obalbly the only person in the worid who knew the action had not been intentional. “The witnesses are perfectly right in their details, but they are absolutely wrong in their dednct'i.on that I deliberately throw myself in front of the czir." he concluded.

Siib--Inspector Mullany said zxccmsed had been drinking heavily. Accused: I was abs-01u‘tcl_y sobop at the time. ‘ Another witness Said accused was drunk on the nmrning of the accident. Witness c.onsidel*cd that had i not acctlsed been drunk he wouid have boon the last man to ccmmi‘-4. suicide. The M:l_9;:'strate said he was of -m_)inion that zméusnd did ziffonipt to oommif suicide. Accused was convicted and placed on pmhation for twelve months. A prohibition order was also isseud.