SCHAFER, THE TRAVELLER, ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 409, 21 November 1868, Page 7

SCHAFER, THE TRAVELLER, ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.

The JSfew Zealand Herald, of ber 10th, says:—" It would seem that the troubles of the unfortunate little German traveller, Mr Schafer, have affected his spirits to such an extent that life itself has become a, burden to him. His Thames difficulties will be fresh in the minds of many of our readers, and perhaps they have been the cause of the rash act which Mr Schafer attempted yesterday. For some time past this renowned individual has taken up his abode at the Auckland Hotel, and his general conduct, at all times extremely eccentric, at last became rather outrageous. On Sunday evening we learn that be made an abortive attempt to choke himself, having been frustrated in his attempt by some bystanders, after which he rushed out into the night, and was next discovered by the police upon the wharf in a very excited condition, and in possession of a dagger, with which he was apparently studying ' Ajax defying the lightning.' He was disarmed and taken to his hotel) where he remained apparently in his right mind. Yesterday afternoon, however, Constable Clark was suddenly called from his in Queen-street to the Custom-House Wharf, by a person named Farrell, and on proceeding thither found Mr Schafer in a very exhausted condition, having just been extricated from the water by two seamen. He had, it appears, been observed by them purposely to jump into the water and endeavor to drown himself, and they, with laudable promptitude, at once leaped in after him and succeeded in dragging him out, although not until he had been partially suffocated. The unfortunate man was taken at once to the Thames Hotel. Several papers have been discovered in the poor man's pockets which have been taken charge of by the Commissioner of Police, and from the tenor of some of them we understand thet the traveller must have seriously contemplated self-destruction. He was subsequently brought before the Magistrate, and ordered to find sureties for £SO, or go to prison for six months. Messrs Petscoler and Morrin became sureties, and have provided him with a home until he can be sent to Melbourne.