A LOVE TRAGEDY

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12425, 20 April 1926, Page 7

A LOVE TRAGEDY

YOUNG WOMAN TWICE ATTEMPTS TO TAKE HER OWN LIFE PARENTS OBJECT TO YOUNG MAN SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: A PATHETIC NARRATIVE A girl’s infatuation for a young man caused her, on two occasions, to attempt to end her life. Her parents object-d to her lover on the ground that his character was not unblemished. The story was told in the Police Court, Christchurch, when the girl was charged, and subsequently her lover vas arrested.

Per Press. Association CHRISTCHURCH, April 19.

Grief-stricken because her parents objected to her nineteen-year-ola lover, a city girl, aged 18 years, has twice attempted to commit suicide. The second attempt was made on Friday night when she drank the contents of a bottle of iodine.

This morning the girl appeared in the Court where the story of young love’s persistence was told. The girl was a pathetic? figure as she sat in the corner of the court weeping. The police matron did all she could to comfort her, but the effort was in vain. Her solicitor, Mr R. Twyneham, pleaded guilty on her behalf when she was asked to plead to a charge of having attempted to commit suicide on April 16th. Sub-Inspector Mathew said that the girl had been keeping company with a young man to whom her parents objected, and this caused unpleasantness. On Friday she purchased some iodine and drank the lot. She was sick after it, and a constable, seeing that the girl w r as xmwell, took her to the hospital. This is not the first time *he has attempted to take her lifg, said the subinspector. In June last she attempted to jump over the cliff at SumneT, and she says sho will attempt to take her life again unless the unpleasantness ceases. ANOTHER REASON As may be imagined, said Mr Twyneham, there was an additional reason why this girl should attempt to take her life. Now that all is known, and the folly of what she intended to do has been pointed out to her she has become reasonable. She is now prepared to face the trouble of the futuro. The magistrate (Mr Young) asked the girl’s father to explain why he objected to the young man. He has a bad reputation, and I don’t like him personally, said the father. He doesn’t suit my standard anyway. What does the girl do? asked the magistrate. She is out at service, replied Mr Twyneham. The magistrate then asked the father what he had done to stop the affair. Its months ago since I last saw the young fellow, and I warned and threatened him. Then he promised me that he "would not see my daughter again.

The magistrate: Is that all you did?

“No, we sent her away to Geraldine for two weeks, but when she came back they started going out together again. I told the Rev. Rule, probation officer, about it, but he said he could do nothing, although the young fellow was on probation under him. He told me to take the law into my own hands, but the young man was too cunning to let me get near him. Even though I’m 60 years of age I think I could manage him.” When she heard this remark the girl, who had been quiet for a space, burst out crying again. The magistrate (to the father): Don’t you think she had better stay at home for a time?—Yes, I do. The magistrate (to the girl): Will you stay at home till you’re, well again? The girl did not answer immediately, but between sobs she whispered a reply to the police matron. She says she will stay at home if she’s allowed to see George. That’s the young man she is keeping company with, said the matron. SERIOUSLY AFFECTED The magistrate: Rightly or wrongly this thing seems to have affected her seriously, and something must be done. I suggest that there should be a conference between the parents, the girl, the man, and Mr Rule. It’s certainly not advisable to let the matter stand as it is. The case was then adjourned till the afternoon to enable a conference to be held. The girl’s name was suppressed. When the case was called in the afternoon Mr Twyneham said that he had seen the girl at the police station, and she had come to the conclusion that the wisest course would be to go back to her parents unconditionally. She also gave the assurance that she would not attempt to take her life again. She is prepared now to face what the future holds without attempting to get away from it, said Mr Twyneham. The girl was convicted and orde-ed to come up for sentence when called upon within twelve months, and is to pay £4 Is hospital expenses. LOVER ARRESTED The young man in the case, George Henry Johnson, was arrested this afternoon on a charge of obtaining noxious drugs for an illegal purpose.