SAILOR'S PLUCKY RESCUE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 39, 15 February 1904, Page 2

SAILOR'S PLUCKY RESCUE.

STRUGGLE WITH A WOULD-BE SUICIDE. An interesting and very creditable story of the rescue of Ellen Perrin, a wouid-be suicide, by a sailor, was told to Mr H. W. Brabant, S.m!. to-day, when the woman was charged with attempting to take her life by jumping into Auckland harbour. A sailor on the steamer Waitangi named Leonard Thorpe was going to his ship about midnight on February 4th, when he was toid that a woman had jumped into the water near the ferry tee. His evidence was that lie pulled off his coat and vest, and at once jumped into the water, as he saw a woman under the wharf. He seized her, and they "had a bit of a struggle," to use his own phrase. He succeeded in grasping a pile, and they kept afioat until a boat was brought from a. ship moored near. Constable Cox said the woman passed him as she went down to the wharf. She appeared to be sober. Soon afterwards he knew of the rash act, and a* he hurried to the water side heard a woman's voice crying, "Let mc drown, let mc die." Perrin was unconscious when brought s.shore, but revived after respiration had been artificially induced, and she was tnen ordered to the hospital, from which she had been discharged that morning. She was in the water for a somewhat lengthy period, as there was a difficulty in getting a boat. The accused observed that she had been depressed in her mind, and was awfully sorry for what she had done. The woman's sister attended the court and offered to take charge of her. Mr. Brabant decided to adjourn his final decision until Wednesday, the police to report upon Perrin's previous character.