A WEDDING LAMENTABLY DELAYED.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1203, 13 October 1882, Page 2

A WEDDING LAMENTABLY DELAYED.

REPORTED ATTEMPT! AT SUICIDE BY J v THE BRIDEGROOM. CONSTERNATION IN SELECT CIRCLES. (From the N.Z. Times.) : A wedding wliioh was to have taken place at St. Mark's Church yesterday afternoon was interrupted in a manner which not only caused surprise and pain to thnae who had been invited to ba present, but which also, as the report spread, oaused intense excitement throughout the city. For some time past it has been known' that Mr W. M Lewis, holding the position of Assistant Crown Law Officer in the Department of Justice, was engaged to Miss Dyer, a young lady whose father, for some time preceding his death, ocoupied a high position in Wellington .as Manaaer of the Australian Mutual Provident Society. The wedding was to have taken place at St.,' Mark's . Church yesterday aterticon, and very elaborate preparations had been made for the occasion.' The numerous guests who arrived at the Ohui'ch were, however,' lcopt'wailing for the bridegroom, until at last it was whispered that there was something amiss, and that the wedding would have to be, postponed. By degrees it was rumored that the bridegroom had made a desperate attempt upon his own life within half an hour of the time which was to have seen him united to the lady whom he had chosen as his partner.. It would be useless for ua to attempt lo describe the feelings'which pemded the minds of the guests. Many of them departed under the impression that Mr Lewis was only seriously indisposed, while a few gathered a fair idea of what had really occurred. We cannot pretend to give a full account of the actual circumstances, because,all sources of information were hermetically closed to us by the friends of the family. We can, however, say this much that immediately af it the occurence Dr Gillon was sent for in a haste, and that another messenger was immediately afterwards despatched for Dr Grace. The medical gentleman named declined to give any specific information upon the subjeot, beyond that their patient, though still in a precarious condition, was in a fair way af recovering. From other aources, however, wi learn that Mr Lewis made the attempt upon his life by cutting his throat with a knife. No reasoii whatever can be assigned for the rash act, which seems the more extraordinary when tho surrounding, circumstanoesare taken into consideration. Fo some time past Mr Lewis had occupied n position in the legal firm of Buller, Lewi*, and Gully, and lie only retired in order to take up the position of Assistant Crown Law Officer. The effeot upon the unhappy bride is said to havo been most lamentable, 1

Additional Paetioojabs, • _ It appears from information gleaned since the forejning report was in type, that Mr Lowis was, up till noon yesterday, in his Hsml p'acid state of mind—indeed, buoyant in contemplation of his coming happiness. About 1 p.m. he went to his bedroom to dresi for the occasion, and for some time was undisturbed. After awhile, as time passed on and he made no appearance, some slight misgivings amae, and Mrs Lewis, his mother, who had come up irom Chrisiclnnch to he present ac the wedding, entered the bedroom, and fouud her son stretched prostrate on the floor. She instantly gave the alarm, and Dr Gillon, who was one of the .invited guests for the wedding, promptly rendered invaluable assistance. Subsequently Dr Grace, was sent for, Of course, it was imperative that intimation of the unfortunate event should at once be sent to the party assembled at St Mark's Church, and the vehicle which should have borne the expectant bridegroom thither, bore in lieu the messenger of melancholy news. The officiating clergyman had donned his clerical robes; the organist, Mr Warren, had commenced the prelude of joyous musical welcome, and the assembled spectators were in j eager anticipation. When, therefore, a hurriedly whispered message was given, and the word passed quickly round that some'unfortunate "contretemps" had occurred, many and various were the surmisoj, and it was a long time before the assemblage dispersed, none except a seleotfew apparently knowing the real truth, The next melanoholy duty was to break the DBws to the bride-elect, and this proved a most harrowing task. The young lady was terribly affected, and the instant services of her medical adviser were imperative, Dr Diver was sent for, and was unremitting in his attention until a late hour last night. A report was spread that Mr Lewis had been taken to the Hospital, but this, we hear, is not correct. The latest bulletin is that he is progressing favorably, although his medical attendants will not be able for some hours yet, at least, to give a positive assurance as to his recovery. His friends—and he has many—report that he is suffering from carebel excitement, congestion of thebrain, and apoplecticseizure —each one a different tale, desirsous, of course in mistaken sempathy, to keep the matter secret, The impulse is well meant, but ineffectual. It would have been better by far to divulge in plain matter-of-fact detail the precise circumstances, than to run the risk, as they now do; of mis statements being promulgated. We have endeavored at some considerable trouble to get the real faots of the case. It is known that Mr Lewis was at times of an exciteable disposition, and at others prone to recluse habits, but there was not the slightest reason for surmise, up to the time of the occurrence now related, that the anticipated event was exercising any undue influence on his mental faculties. The police authorities, as a matter of duty, are investigating the truth of the reports now'current.

LATEST PARTICULARS,

UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) . This day. It is very difficult to obtain full particulars in conneoiion with the alleged attempted suicide last night. Various rumors have been afloat all the morning, some contending that Mr Lewis was only suffering from cerebral congestion and other brain trouble. It is, however, well known that he did make an attempt to cut his.throat, and that this fact was admitted by Mrs Lewis to the mother of the young lady about to be married, The wounds are not at all of a serious nature, and ;,the patient is progressing as well as can be expected. One medical gentleman who was called in to see Mr Lewis immediately it was ascertained what was the matter, stated: ".The immediate danger, in my opinion, is from cerebral congestion and other brain, trouble; Mr Lewis has had an exciting time of it during the aeaaion, and has overtaxed his powers." ', " '■' The police are making enquiries into the affair, but as yet have been unable lo obtain any particulars, the medical advisers preventing any person visiting Mr Lewis,