LEAP FROM BRIDGE
FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR BODIES
WHAT AN EYE-WITNESS SAW
One of the few who actually saw the fatal leap made by Alexander Mitchell, the Smithfield horse trainer who jumped from the Wanganui Town Bridge last Friday, was a Durie Hill resident, who was crossing the bridge in his motor car at the time. About half-way across the bridge taut nearer the town side, if anything than the Taylorville side, ho saw a man in an overcoat. Round his neck was a rope, and on his face was an extraordinary and desperate expression. When the car went past he was peering through the rails separating the two traffic-ways, as if to make certain that he was unobserved. “I saw from his desperate expression,” said the motorist, "that all was not well, and when I reached the end of the bridge I stopped the car, intending to run back. But before I could reach him he climbed on to the parapet, sat there a moment or two, looking down, and then leaped into the river.” Another eye-witness of the tragedy was stated to have been close enough to recognise the man as Mitchell, hut he was unable to prevent the desperate jump. The search for the bodies continues .but so far has not been successful, he oi /nllt.t
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MT19260401.2.90
Bibliographic details
Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3309, 1 April 1926, Page 15
Word Count
218LEAP FROM BRIDGE Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3309, 1 April 1926, Page 15
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Manawatu Times. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.