ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3677, 2 December 1890, Page 2

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

e Jam.es Hart was" changed before J Messrs M, Caaelberg and W. 'if Beethapj, J,'s P, tiiig mqrniiig,' witli attempting suicide on ijpyenjber $9, f by taking strychnine, 5 Seageant' Price briefly detailed the | case, and asked that the accused be . committed for trial, ! Joseph Boddington, sworn, stated I that he Imew the accused by sight, i On Saturday afternoon wituess was i on the road naar the Hospital 1 in oompa'ny 'with jpii}m Bagge. Saw the accused opposite the lrospital | gate, Accused spoke to Bagge and | -sked him if he was Dr Hosking's gil. Tljo accused then said he was i mid,' anf asked some notes relative td madness, He , tljfng he'W thought i of for jfamgl sjxpi'? wis'smpide. ' and he has te P e ' about with lilm for the list ip years. The accused then put his hand into his pooket, "pulled out I what witness took to be a fig, and swillo|fed ft. Jio then exclaimed "My God, '{ have takena dose of stpyehnilWi enough' lp kill twelye men." Witness then rode into Masterton and-informed Consul? O'Leary of what had oecurwdf itjha sopMle proceeded; to tho spot (sliji aiWs® jib niin,- .-j, . The L'eiich (tb adoumj[i Ifryou wish to ask this witness any' ques' , 1 " i !Chs aooused,! Ho en,', M's told the i Benoji .(to witness).; tyid tlio' ] acouiM app&i »the 'yoj'Se for | drink at the.time? j Witness He did. ( William Bagge, ewom, corroto i ated the evidence of the lasi witness. ]

• Constable O'Leary doposed that he remembered being called on Saturday last by tho previous witnesses, who told liirn that a man at'the Hospital gates; had toid theui ho' had taken poison, Proceeded to the place nud saw the man standing at ilie Hospital gates. Asked; liim if lie had taken poison and-lio said, "yes, J have taken strychnine." He said he had taken-'as much as would cover the tip of his pocket lmife twice, in aig. Then 1 got from him a cartridge box containing strychnine chrys'tals, The accused was uuder; the influence of liquor at the time, but he was able to walls arid talk, Took the accused to the station, audinformed the Sergeant of the circumstances, Searched the, accused and found a .memorandum book on birn, (The memoranda was here read,} - A letter (produced) to a relative in England, was also found on him, Went for Dr Hosking, and shortly afterwards the dootor arrived. Took charge of ilie -accused .froia Saturday till Monday morning at tho police station, To the Bench: The accused appeared to be slightly intoxicated when'witness first saw him. Dr W H Hosking deposed that he was a duly qualified medical practitioner residing in Mastertou. He was sent for on Saturday last at the police station to attend the accused for supposed. strychnine poisoning. Questioned ; the' accused, and lie strenuously asserted "that lio had taken enough strychnine to kill; several men. Was shown tho case produced, which contained strychnine chrystols, and which the acoused said he had in his possession for two years, Had seen the acoused lying asleep in front of the hospital in the morning, under the influence of drink. Started to treat the acoused for strychnine, poisoning almost immediately on his arrival at the police station. The man had spasms alter he had administered antidotes. Witness saw portions of the fig in the bucket in whioh the acoused vomited, After giving him enormous doses of bromide and chloral lie had convulsions. Was witli the acoused about two hours at his first'vißit Allogetlier the accused took 500 grains of bromide and 120 grains of chloral in two doses,Noiwithstanding these doses the accused had spasms in his legs for about twenty minutes. He had no doubt the bromide and chloral counteracted the effect of the strychnine, Yisited the accused again on Sunday morning audli6 was almost well, merely suffering from the effects ol tho antidote. On, Monday morning tho man was alright and said lie. had never folt' better in his life. The man had lio doubt been suffering from mental depression, but at the present he was perfectly sane. To the Bench: Was quite satisfied the man had taken strycLnine, There was no reasonable doubt but that the man had taken sufficient to destroy life, The Bench decided not to commit the accused for trial, but to bind him over to keep the peace for tlireo months, himself in a bond of £25 and one surety of £25, with costs £4 Js, '

" At the.Bujgestion of the Bene! the acoused signed the pledge befon leaving the Court,