DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE AT NEWTON.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 145, 27 March 1872, Page 3

DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE AT NEWTON.

j Colonists as a rule are not much given to the Parisian luxury of suicide. Genej rally colonists are taught in a more | practical school than that idealism which i finds expression in expediting one's own i exit from this world, rough though it be. Occasionally, however, we are called upon to record the stupidity of some poor fellow who imagines that his troubles can be ended by relieving himself of physical ; life. An instance of this kind occurred | on Saturday morning last, 23rd instant, and Mr Thomas Mitchsll, a milkman residing at Mount Eden, was the first to discover the unfortunate man. after he had begun to repent probably of his rash I act. Mitchell appears to have been going his rounds with the milk in the morning, and about half-past seven o’clock he visited the house of George Erskine, residing alone in Dublin-street, Newton, and previously in the employ of Messrs Winks and Hall. The door was partly ajar, and on Mitchell calling out “Milk," a feeble voice responded, “ Come in. - ’ On Mitchell entering the apartment he was horrified to find Erskine in bed. the bed clothes saturated with blood, and Erskine himself besmeared with the same ruby fluid. Erskine was still living and sensible, but was very feeble. Mitchell at once gave the alarm to the neighbours, some of whom went for Dr J. 11. Nicholson, and others to the policestation for Constable Clarke. On the doctor's arrival he saw the dangerous cut which Erskine had inflicted in his throat with a pocket-knife, and the weak condition in which lie was through loss of Jfloocl, and advised his immediate removal to the Provincial Hospital. This order was promptly carried out by Constable Clarke, who engaged an express van and saw him conveyed to the hospital alive. It is not known whether he will recover, but everything lias been done for him that could be done, both by Dr Nicholson and Dr Pliilsou, after bis arrival at the hospital. Erskine lias for some time past been living in Newton. He is an unmarried man so far as is known, and is believed to have no relatives in the colony. His mother and two sisters are at present in Melbourne. No motive lias at present been assigned as to the cause of the rash act, but it is stated that he had made a similar attempt on a previous occasion. He seems to be in good circumstances, for in one of his pockets the constable found 9s 9d. besides watch, gold rings. Ac.: an 1 in one of his boxes be found a Post-office Savings Bank depositor's book, in which there was a sum of £257 18s SJ at bis credit. He was besides the owner of several small properties in Auckland and its suburbs. The bank book showed that on Wednesday no less than ££o had been placed at his credit.— D. S. Cross.