SAD AND SUICIDAL

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 280, 24 November 1921, Page 5

SAD AND SUICIDAL

FAILED TO END IT. TWO PATHETIC CASES. There was seen in the City Court this morning the unusual spectacle of two sad-looking men being stood in the dock and charged with having , attempted suicide. I The first was John Edward Doughty (48), who was charged with having on September 13 attempted to commit suicide by cuting his throat. Senior-Sergeant Rawle stated that Doughty had been discharged from the j hospital, but the advice of Dr. Maguire I was that he should be detained for ! medical observation. ' The man had a 'wife and six children, residing in Kingsland. i Doughty was remanded for a week. The second case was that of an old man. James Farrell, a 78 year old pensioner. He was in the long ago a soldier in the Royal Garrison Artillery: but life had gone hard with him in his later years and he was friendless and alone. On September 13th the old chap attempted to suicide by jumping into the Waikato River at Hamilton, but he was rescued and brought before the Court. He was then sentenced to seven dare' imprisonment and sent on to the Salvation Annj' Homo at Epsom. Here the old man seemed all right for a few days, but took the first opportunity of. the absence of surveillance to cut his throat with a knife. He was taken to the Auckland Hospital, and even at hia advanced age, successfully survived an operation. This morning he looked woefully frail and pallid. "He's beyond work," said Senior Sergeant Rawle, "and apparently he takes a hopele3B view of life." "Do you get the pension?" asked Mr. Poynton, S.M. "Yes," replied the old man, feebly, "Well, there is no need for you to do away with ' yourself." said the Magistrate, sympathetically. "I do not want to send this old man to gaol,' , ho said, addressing Senior-Sergeant Rawle. "He will lose his pension if I do. He ought to be taken charge of, thouprh. He is pitiably white and weak. Some one ought to help him. Will no one look: after him?" A Salvation Army officer present in court said that Farrell could not very well be taken back to the Epsom Home, as he needed constant medical attention. 1 The old man was remanded for a week in order to enable inquiries to be 'made as to where and how his remaining days could be passed in safety and peace.