CHARGE of ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AGAINST SCHAFER.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 997, 17 November 1868, Page 3

CHARGE of ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AGAINST SCHAFER.

In Auckland, on the 16fcli inst., Wilhelm Scliafer, the German traveller, was brought ,i up charged with having, on the 9fch inst., attempted to commit suicide by throwing himself off the Custom-house-street Wharf. The Court was densely crowded. Prisoner is a man of about four feet six in height, of boyish effeminate appearance. On being brought into Court he was accommodated with a seat in the space usually allotted to witnesses during a short delay while search was being made for a second Justice, it being necessary that indictable offences of this character should be heard by two. Mr. R. B. Lusk having come into Court and taken his seat, Mr. Cramer, day-foreman in the Southern Gross office, was sworn as interpreter. — Prisoner, in reply to a question, said he could speak English only " a leetle." — Prisoner was then charged, and, the charge having been interpreted to him, he said he did not know what he did. He did not know that he had been in the water at all. — The Commissioner of Police conducted the prosecution. — James Wiles, a boy about ten years of age, deposed : I am a cabin boy on board : the cutter Annie. Was in the neighbourhood of the Queenstreet Wharf at about 2 o'clock on Monday. Saw prisoner there about the same time. He came to the firewood wharf in Custom-house-street, near the corner of the Maori market-place. Saw him put his hat under a board. (Hat produced.) That is the same. Did not sco anything in the hat. After putting the hat there he stood about ten seconds watching me. He then went to the end of the wharf, held up his hands, turned his eyes towards heaven, and jumped into the water. I gave the alarm, "A man overboard." A man threw a plank in, and another jumped overboard. There was a rope tied from the stern of our cutter to one of the piles, and a man caught hold of him and held his head out of the water until a man came from another cutter. Saw him taken up to the wharf, and then saw no more of him. — In reply to the Commissioner prisoner here said he understood all the evidence but could not speak English. — The evidence was, however, interpreted to him, and prisoner at intervals replied that ho did not see and did not remember, in querulous tones. When asked if he had any questions to put, he said he wished to know why he had been brought here. — The Bench repliod that British law did not allow a man to take his own or anyone else's life, and as he had attempted suicide he had been brought here. — Prisoner then said he did not remember anything. He admitted that the boy was speaking the truth, but he had not seen him. — Witness re-examined : When the plank was thrown to him, prisoner did not attempt to reach it. He made no attempt to save himself. — Mr. Naughton : Will the Bench require any further evidence ? There are the witnesses who took him out of the water ; and Mr. Hey wood, at whose house he was stopping, can speak as to the state of his mind. — The Bench : It would be desirable to know what state of mind lie was in.— Robert Heywood, pro-

prietor of the Auckland Hotel, deposed that prisoner had been staying afc his house for three week's past. Saw him at the police station on Monday. He' appeared to be in a dying state. He had been rather eccentric for the last three or four days. On Saturday evening lie tried to strangle himself with a handkerchief: that was in the back parlour of the hotel. He appeared better on Sunday, and on Monday morning witness thought he was quite recovered. Directed a letter for ■him about dinner time to a gentleman at Melbourne. (Letter produced). That is the same. — Prisoner ; It is a letter to my friends. — Examination continued : — He told me he was going to the Post-office with it, and I thought he had gone. The next time I saw him he was lying in a dying state at the Police Court. — In reply to a question, prisoner said he understood all that was said. He did not deny anything, but he could not recollect anything about the affair, as he had been out of his mind during the past month. — The Commissioner of Police said no doubt the evidence adduced was sufficient. Of course, the offence could he made an indictable one, but he had seen such, cases frequently disposed of by ordering a prisoner to find securities, which course might be adopted in the present instance. It would not be right to allow prisoner to go at large without security. — The Bench: The Bench is of opinion, after the evidence brought forward, that it would not be right to allow the accused to go at liberty. He might do injury to himself and others, and therefore the Bench adjudges him to find two sureties of £50 each for his good behaviour for the next six months. Failing that, he will of course be confined in H.M. gaol for safe-keeping during that period. — The sentence was interpreted to the prisoner. — The interpreter : He says he has lost everything in his possession. He has lost all his property and money, and therefore he is without means at present ; and it is impossible for him to find sureties. — The clerk : You must tell him that it is personal sureties, not money. He must get two persons to be surety for him, and to mind him. — The Bench : Has he got no friends ? — The interpreter : He says he has none. — The Bench : Then there is no alternative but to send him to gaol for the period. — Prisoner was then removed. — This concluded the business. — Prisoner is not likely to find sureties. — Southern Gross.