ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9185, 27 April 1893, Page 5

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

A MAN TAKES POISON IN THE

DOMAIN. Yesterday morning, about seven o'clock, a lad, William Cartmill, reported to Constable Lawry that a man was lying in the Domain, at the head of Stanley-street, who said he had taken poison. Constable Lawry at once went to the place indicated, and found a man lying under a tree, moaning and vomiting, and beside him a razor, and a bottle labelled " Spirits of salts—poison." The constable scoured these articles, and trot a cab, in which he conveyed the man to the Hospital for treatment, as he had taken the poison, and also gashed himself in tho left wrist with the razor. On arrival at tho Hospital Dr. Somerville attended to the unfortunate man, who was placed in the D.T. ward. The man informed tho constable, in answer to inquiries, that his name was James Grant, that his age was 60, and that he had no relations in the colony. He is a coloured man. Grant informed the constable that he had procured the poison at Mr. Edson's, chemist, Queenstreet, and said that, owing to being despondent recently, he had determined to commit suicide. Constable Lawry called upon Mr. Edson, who stated that he did not register the salo of the labelled poisons, but he remembered a coloured man coming into his shop on Tuesday and buying threepennyworth of spirits of salts. As the article is in common use, he did not think of asking the man for what purpose he wanted tho spirit. The quantity of spirit he sold to him would fill a third of the bottle found alongside tho man. Grant has been working for a year past in the laundry of Mrs. Brown, Abercrombiectreet, and also doing odd jobs. When he earned money, it is said, lb generally went in drink. For a couple of months past, Mrs. Brown says eho had noticed that he was peculiar, and subject to fits of despondency, talking to himself, and troubled about death. She last saw him about eight p.m. on Tuesday night, and was surprised yesterday morning when he did nob appear to do bis work. Mrs. Brown states she was nob aware that he had any poisons in his possession, and she herself never kept any in her house. No trace of poison was found on searching Grant's box or clothing. The Hospital authorities stated last night that Grunt was in a critical condition.