A DISTRESSING STORY OF STARVATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8020, 6 August 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

A DISTRESSING STORY OF STARVATION.

Some sad fact* were disclosed at the Mansion House Police Court on June 12. Alfred Allen, arcspectably-drca3cd man, was charged with attempting to commit suicide by throwing himself from Elackfriara Pier. When arrested he said :—" Policetnau, why did you not let mo do it ? I have a wife and right children. i wont home last night and found my wife fainting at her needlework, and the children crying for bread. I could see nothing in front of me but death. I worked at Beckton Gasworks for twelve years, and whilst there I met with an accident from an explosion and lost the 3ight of one eye. Work being a little alack, I was discharged, and I was oat of work for two months." In tho prisoner's pocket was found a tin canister which contained the following letter addressed to his wife: —"My dear wife, —Hope itself ie dead. The future is all darkncs3. In spite of all our struggles the bitter, bitter end is close at hand. I,a3t night I saw spu fainting at your work, in your brave but vain attempts to fijjht against fate. We must part. My uoar little wife, we must part. But where? At the workhouae gate? No, little darling, ' till death as do part' was the promise wo made, and death is the kindest and beat. Adieu, irsy dear wife. Kiss the dear little ones for me, and even in death believe me, your loving husband, A. Allen." The prisoner's wife was called and corroborated the statement he made. The prisoner repeated what he said to the constable, and said ha had striven as hard aa it wae possible to maintain himself and fr.miiy respectably. Tho alderman pointed out the serious nature of tho prisoner's act, and said he should remand him to see if any employment could be found for him. Iα the meantime his wife and family would be cared for as much as possible. Lloyd's Weekly, however, throws some doubt on the story, as follows :—lt says much for the true generosity of the British public that the sad etory of distress told by the man Alfred Allen should have elicited Buch a speedy and hearty response. Allen, who was brought upon remand, on Saturday, at tho Mansion House on a, charge of attempting to commit suicide from Blackfriars Pier, still adheree to his story that he had lost tho sight of ono eye whilst employed at Breckton Gasworks, and that the attempt on his life was made owing to the utter destitution of himself, his wife, and eight children. Some doubt was thrown on Allen's statement aa to the way in which he lost his sight by Mr Humphreys, the solicitor of the GasLight and Coke Company, who informed Sir Andrew Lusk that; there v?as no record of tho accident in the company's books. It was also hinted by Mr. Humphreys that, Allen being a noted swimmer, and the attempt at suicide being made in the open day before a number of spectators, his object may have been to excite sympathy. A further remand has now been granted* during which fuil inquiries will be made about Allen ; but in the meantime his starving wife and family have had their immediate wanta provided for by the subscriptions seut in to tho Mansion House. About £150 have been subscribed, and Sir Andrew Lusk announces that no further funds are needed, Aβ a curious result of the force o{ a bad example, tho alderman stated that ho had received a lekter from another man announcing an intended attempt at uu'eide to enlist sympathy. That plan is hardly likely to succeed twice.