WOMAN’S THREAT OF SUICIDE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 81, 29 December 1928, Page 19

WOMAN’S THREAT OF SUICIDE

SCENE IN AUCKLAND COURT Dominion Special Service. Auckland, December 28. “I’ll poison myself; I'll do myself in,” shrieked a woman at the Magistrate’s Court this morning, when she was fined £lO by Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., for laying “tote” odds at the trots yesterday. The woman was Julia Ellen McKenzie, aged 56, who pleaded guilty. Throughout the proceedings she sat on a elixir sobbing into a small handkerchief which hid her face. “This woman was betting at the racecourse yesterday, and in a crowd of thousands of men and women she had the impudence to stand in front of the totalisator and lay ‘tote’ odds.” said Chief-Detective Hammond. “There were women round her like a hive of bees. She’s repentant to-day, but she was very’ brazen yesterday. She is all tears this morning and no sense. Tn her bag she had £4 18s. in silver and a lot of betting material. She is liable to a fine of £20.” “Fined £10,” said Mr. Cutten. Throwing her hands up in a dramatic manner, the woman at one> threatened self-destruction. Two officials took her gently by the arms and led her outside. “I’ll do it,” said the woman excitedly. “Don’t be silly,” counselled one' of her escorts. “You’ll be just in time to have a bet on the first race.”