CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9293, 8 December 1891, Page 2

CITY POLICE COURT.

Monday, December 7.

(Before Messrs E. G. Elliott and D. Ferguson, J.F's.)

Drunkenness.—Forthis offence Mary O'Neill was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment, and a first offender was committed and discharged.

A charge against Rose Jackman was remanded until to-morrow.

Alleged Attempted Suicide.—Mary Ann .» Scott was charged with attempting to commit suicide by swallowing poison on the 4th' inst., at Dune'din.—Mr J. F. M. Fraser appeared for the accused. —Sergeant-major Bevin said that the accused was a married woman and resided in Filleul street. On Friday afternoon she was at home with another woman named Mrs Johnston. Accused requested the latter to go a message for her, and she did so. When s!te returned she found Mrs Scott lying on the bed, very ill. She stated that she had taken poison. Mrs Johnston made a search and fountain the kifchen a bottle containing some mixture.;.^ labelled " poison." A portion of the contents ~'~J of the bottle had been taken out. Mrs Johnston then sent for Constable Cooney who had the woman removed to the hospital, There she was attended to by Dr Copland, who succeeded in bringing her round. —Evidence was given corroborative of the Sergeant-major's statement.

She stated that when she went on a message she was only away about three minutes, and when she returned she found that Mrs Scott had taken the poison.—Alexander Bagley, registered pharmaceutical chemist, with B. Bagley senior, 8, George street, deposed" to having made up a mixture^ similar to the one produced, and in the bottle* (produced). The mixture contained laudanum, ammonia, myrrh, peppermint, camphor, and oil, and was made up from a doctor's prescription. It was for external use. There were three drachms of laudanum in the compound, and the official dose was 4?) drops. There were two drachms taken out of the bottle, and the ammonia in the mixture would act as an emetic. —Constable Gooney deposed that when the accused was being conveyed to the hospital, she said that if the poison did not'kill her she would throw herself in the bay.—Dr Copland also gave evidence, after which Mr Fraser addressed tha. Court. He said that accused was respondent in certain divorce proceedings now pending in the Supreme Court. The case was to have come on last Friday, hut was adjourned till tomorrow. She was a married woman, and was separated from her husband by common consent. Under the deed, the custody of her child was given to her. She came from Melbourne to answer these proceedings. After arriving here, she gave the father access to the child, and, according to his (counsel's) instructions, the. child was taken away from the mother against her will, and the child's will, and in defiance of the deed of separation. The separation from her child, and the excitement incident to a pending divorce case, had evidently a great effect on accused's mind. Ever since her arrival here she had been in a state of hysteria more or less, and? it was abundantly evident that the woman was not fully cognisant of what she was doing when she committed the foolish act. Under the very special circumstances of the case, he would ask their Worships to dismiss the charge.—Mr Elliott asked . whether there was not a danger, if the pending case did not turn out satisfactorily from accused's point of view,' of her making another attempt to take her life. It would be remembered that she said to to the policeman that she would throw herself in the bay.—Mr Fraser said it must be taken into consideration that at the time she usedthose words she was greatly excited, but now that she was calm and collected she fully realised her position, and was genuinely sorry for what she had done.—The Bench decided to adjourn the case for a week. Charges of Assault.—Frederick Hornby was charged, on the information of Elizabeth Smyth, with assaulting her on the Ist inst. at Dunedin. —Informant gave evidence that she was in 'Wain's Hotel on the date mentioned with another young woman named Maria Conway. They saw accused and a young man. named Kerr there. They shouted for the men, who asked them for money to get their tea. Witness and the other girl refused, whereupon accused struck her.—Corroborative evidence was given by Maria Conway.—Accused gave a total denial of the allegation made by tlu; woman. He and his companion were in the hotel having a glass of beer when the women came in and commenced using abusive language. Witness and his companion said nothing, and ■ subsequently the women shouted for them. They then commenced using abusive language again, and witness and Kerr left the place.— Evidence was given by George Kerr, after which the case was dismissed. Maria Lonway charged George Kerr with assaulting her. The circumstances of this case were similar to those in the foregoing one, and after both sides had given evidence, the Bench decided to dismiss the case.