R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3603, 4 September 1890, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

, MASTERTON-.WEDNBSDAYv ■ ' (Bofore.Oolonel Roberts, R.M.)'.' ■".'".' ATTEMPTED SWOIDE. ~.;',. Edward' Bourke, bnahfeller, of Eketahuna, was charged on' remind with attempting suicide'by cutting Ma throat on the 26th day of August,. \ '"'■ Sergeant' Price;stated!ihat'acoußed ■ had been drinking heavily '"previous ' to the 20tb,aud on that date, while ' in campj: had Attempted to c'oniniit . saioide witbfa large knife. '" Geo Green, a witness called by the police,-., seated..that he was, ft.cpok empldyed'vby'Mt ?iV. Woolfj contractor. About a quarter to m'o'clook' ou. theJ6th, Augqst,' Bourke had come \ to'-'thtf'cookhouae, and requested a drink. Gayeyhim-'some cold tea, ; ;.wliionacouse'djto6k and wont back to hiS;; ieptr<*Awout ; o'clock Bourke f straight '■ '|fi|;|:Mm|rking^4'h o would .put [ : Ifirl^ijput^misory,' 1 tried to outhislhroat, He (Green) therefore f 'exclaimed;';; Ned what are youdoing?, i -AtUis»Bourke:.w : alked outside, again I trying to ciit'his throat, and on Green > followihg film he picked up an; axe. : Green then'; throw; four plates at , atcused, and this stopped him for the ~ time. Mr, Woolf came up' that [■ mora,ent,jV, and;; Bourke; requested i Woolf to shoot him. Witness at this juaetare picked up a stick, and ■ knocked the knife out of bis hand j and alsotook ah axe away from him. i Bourko made' another; attempted. ] obtain the knife, but Green succeeded I in wresting it from bim. The other ! men came up just then and Bourke i was taken into the cookhouse and

his arms strapped behind him. Ho was not bleeding much. Soon .afterwards heaskedfora drink of painkiller. After breakfast he was removed to Eketahuna by Mr Woolf. Believed Bourke had been on the' drink for a I week, When sober accused was not an excitable man. ! , ! r

' Wilfred Woolf, contractor, residing at Newman, near Eketahuna, gave evidence corroborating the statements of the previous witness, also stating that Bourke was a good workman, and until this occasion he had never seen him the worse for liquor during the five months he had known him. •

Dr McLerman, called, deposed to attending the injured man. An examination found blood on bis clothes and whiskers and a bandage round his neck, On removing the bandago he discovered a superficial wound about an inch and a half long. The wound was not at. all dangerous, The knife produced

would, make such a wound, The accused at that time seemed' quite collected, and not at' all excited. There was nothing in accused's appearanoa toleadhim tosupposethat he had been drinking heavily, or that he was not right in his head/ Constable Roche gave evidence of the arrest from information received from Mr Woolf, 'On the morning of tho 26th August proceeded to Parsons 1 hotel and found accused with 'hid hands - strapped: Removed straps, ; and;: j'put ; on handcuffs ia ' their r piace.' Affei* Dr McLennan had seen him, locked him up and took him to Masterton next day. ...While in Maßtsrtou accused > became < ; very violent" and dangerous, it taking three constables and Sergeant Price' to restrain him, Tho'man'had been drinking.for some days,'' : • ;i - fl '■" ': This was tho cane for the prosecution. ■ In his defence accused stated he left the camp on Friday and came down to Mastertou, He happened to get the Worse, for drink, and stopped some jays at Masterton. He went back to Eketahuna and started drinking hard »rog. Oh the' Sunday he went out to' <l)e camp. Had no sleep that night, md on the following night he was in ;ho tent with a number of men, During hat night he fancied there was Bornejody about the camp always speaking o him and he got no sle'op. In the uorning he must have lost his senses, or all he could remember was his boss laying,'" Ned, what are you doing ?" Ie remembered coming dofln to Maserton with Constable Boache, and also emembered Sergeant Price speakingto iim when he came into the cell. The ext he could remember was the contable giving him a of water going 'own to Wellington on {he following lay. Thfe-was all he could think of in'til became to his senses in'the aol. He aalfed in conplwon, that lib Worship would deal with him as iqhtly as possible, He had been ixteen years in the colony, but had .ever before, committed a breach of he peace. The Benoh; Have you any friends ? Accused: I have only a sister in featherston. '.„ ■■ The Bench: Then you mustjje

committed'for trial, £'s'■ •';' ,- ( '. Accused I :lliavtfneyerjbeforeb'ee, convicted,, I have had enough of th drink', and I ahj. determinfid. ievci again to'tough-fy :^havo: -'to't(ia'iik the ahap3 in'iha' oarap for' Baying 'ray life., J t .ask' r yo'urJWorihip". to let;me bflf this . '•■.;.' The" Bench; In the absence of saretfer I will'haye to committ you i'foVirfai. ■''•"■' "'\ •'.. '■■''-''• ' -v-' Accused was then coramittpd to lake his trial at tho: next sittings of the Supreme ; Court in 'WelljngtqnJ" b'ajl beiflg a%ye'd in hJHjßejf £§o andtwo sureties of £2Bsachl; v . .'■■■'