ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1919, Page 5

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

AN UNUSUAL CASE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. >lt is not usual for a person charged with attempted suicide to plead not guilty, but this occurred at the Magif trate'a Court to-day, when Richard Swinbourn was charged before Mr. McCarthy, S.M., with having attempted to commit suicide by throwing himself in front of a tram-car. The incident occurred on August Bth on the Mom-house Avenue. After evidence had been heard, accused, who spoke in an educated and cultured manner, said he wished to make a statement. He presumed tho witnesses were correct in what they had said. He had forgotten the details of the affair. However, he remembered he had sllpp.Hl on a rail and fell in froht of a car. He was probably the only person in the world who knew the action had not been intentional "The witnesses lire perfectly right in their details, but they are absolutely wrong in their deduction that I deliberately threw myself in front of the car," he concluded-Sub-Inspector Mullany said accused had been drinking heavily. Accused: I was absolutely sober at the time. Witness said accused was drunk nn the morning of the accident. Witness considered had not accused been drunk he would have been the last man to commit suicide. The Magistrate said he was of opinion that accused did attempt to commit suicide. Accused was convicted and placed on probation for twelve months A prohibtion order was also issned.