ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6054, 13 April 1881, Page 5

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

One of those unhappy episodes in married life which occasionally come under public notice took place yesterday, in which a man named Bowman, a mechanical engineer, attempted to poison him3elf by swallowing a quantity of laudanum. Bowman has been of late in steady employment, but has done nothing for some time past to support Ms wife and two children, six and four years. He has been several times before the magistrate on charges of personal violence to his wife, of non-maintenance of his children, , and for one of these offences he served a term of imprisonment in September last. Mrs. Bowman, who is a respectable, industrious young -woman, found it necessary to obtain a protection order, and, armed with that, she resolutely set to work to make a home for herself and to earn a subsistence for her little one 3 by taking in needlework, i&c. On other occasions Bowman had threatened self-destruction in hi 3 wife's presence in order to intimidate her into resuming conjugal relations, or to frighten her. These matters are the key to the rncident which took place yesterday. Early in the forenoon Mrs. Bowman, who occupies apartments in a dwelling at the corner of Shortland and Bank streets, noticed her husband pacing up and down on the opposite side of the street, and suspected that he was premeditating some rash freak or other. At that period he appeared sober. About midday he entered the house in a state of intoxication, Mrs. Bowman being then upstairs. Two of her female friends were in the kitchen at the time, and he pushed past them, took a seat, removed his boots, and took up a paper lying about, to . peruse. He was told that he was trespassing, and that it would be necessary for him to leave the premises, on which he replied that he had reckoned on that, exhibited a bottle of laudanum, and said he would be a dead man before a constable could arrive. Alarmed at his threats, Mrs. Bowman ventured downstairs, and sent for a policeman, when Constable O'Connor soon put in an appearance. At sight of the policeman Bowman made his way upstairs, with the bottle of laudanum in his hand, and, if he is to be believed, emptied it. Constable O'Connor soon got hold of Bowman, and dragged him downstairs, when, seeing him frothing at the I mouth, he sent for Dr. Goldsbro'. That gentleman on reaching the scene gave Bowman an emetic, and suggested that he should be taken to the hospital, where he was at once conveyed in a cab by Constable O'Connor. On reaching the hospital rigorous measures were at once resorted to and strong emeties given to Bowman, and from the results there is no reason to believe that dangerous or fatal consequences will ensue. Bowman, in defence of his conduct, states that he wa3 ailing from diarrhoea, and partook of the laudanum medicinally. He informed the constable that he had purchased a sixpenny bottle of laudanum from a chemist's shop at the foot of Grey-street: It has transpired that he did make such a purchase from the shop of Mr. Henderson, chemist, Grey-street, at noon yesterday on pretence of being for a member of his family. As lie was then sober, and correct in his demeanour, it was given to him. From what lias occurred in the past there is reason to believe that Bowman's real object was to frighten his wife into compliance with his wishes, namely, to resume married relations.