ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1795, 27 September 1888, Page 3

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

Mary Alice Barn's was brought before the Resident Magistrate at Timaru yesterday morning charged with attempted suicide. Sergt.-Mujor Mason stated that the police had made a very serious charge against accused, who was fourteen years and nine months old. He suggested that under the provisions of the Industrial School Act, His Worship had power to commit accused under it. The following evidence was given ; Dr Hogg, said he was called on the 18th September to Kensington to attend the girl now in Court. He found her in an unconscious state. He wag shown a bottle (produced) containing carbolic oil. He used the stomach pump, and afterwards bad her removed to the hospital. Since she had recovered in the hospital she bed behaved in a rational manner, The family came out in the same ship as witness, and be had not noticed anything peculiar in accused since then. Mrs Harris, mother of accused, slated that she lived in Kensington. The girl had been out at service, and hearing that she had been misconducting herself outside the house, she took her home, thinking by this course to improve her. The girl’s father next morning went out to look for work, and when he returned the girl asked him it he bad got any, to which he replied that he bad not, but that he had got a place for her to go at Christchurch where they took girls in and looked after them for their own good. Shortly after this witness went outside the bouse, and when she returned accused to d her she had taken half the contents of a bottle, which had contained carbolic oil. About two hours afterwards the girl was sick, but witness didn’t think there would be any harm from drinking such a small quantity. Drs Hogg and Ewart were then gent for, and they came and used a

stomach pump; Witness had got the carbolic oil to use on a sore hand. Her daughter had always been very obstinate, but she had been able to control her until lately, when she visited the theatre and skating rinks against her parents’ wish, and had also misbehaved herself, To His Worship : IShe thought it was the fear of being sent to Christchurch that caused the girl to take the oil. Witness did not think it was a serious thing to drink carbolic oil. When witness returned into the house the girl had a cup in her hand and laid she had taken the carbolic oil and that it would take shout two hours to have effect. Her daughter cried, and said that if that wouldn’t do it she would got something else that would. The girl had not expressed contrition for her act. She left school 3 years ago, after passing the fourth standard. Accused, in reply to the Bench as to whether she had any explanation to make for having committed the act, said she had nothing to say, It was foolish, perhaps, to do what she bad done, but she was driven to it. She had been at home a fortnight, during which time her father bad not let her go outside the gale, and she had bad nothing but bard and harsh words from him during that time. A lot of tales had been carried to him about her. Some of them were true but half of them were not true. When she took the carbolic oil she intended giving her father a fright. She did not intend taking her life. She knew what she! was taking, and knew that carbolic oii was a poison.

His Worship : Do you still intend to take your life ? Accused ; Not if my father behaves as he should do towards me.

His Worship : And if your father does not do so?

Accused : I suppose I shall have to leave home.

In reply to His Worship, Mrs Harris said that she could not afford to pay for her daughter’s keep in an industrial school, but if she went home with her she would try and control her. His Worship advised accused to go home and try to behave herself and obey her parents. She would be discharged. After being severely admonished, the accused left the Court.—Timaru Mail,