ATTEMPTED SUICIDE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17728, 12 September 1919, Page 3

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE

AN UNUSUAL CASE. (Phb United Peess Association.)' . CHRISTCHURCH, September 11 It is not usual far a person charged with attempted suicide to plead not guilty but this occurred in the Magistrate's Court to- ' day, when Richard Swinbourno was charged befors Mr M'Carthy, S.M., with havinsr attempted to commit suicide by throwing himself m front of a tramcar. The incident occurred on August 8 in Moorhouse avenue. After evidence had been heard the accusad, who spoke in an educated and cultured manner, said lie wished to make a statement. He presumed the witnesses were correct in what they had said. Ho had forgotten the details of the affair How- • ever, he remembered that he had sliuped on a rail and had fallen in front of the " car. He was probably the only person in the world who knew that the- action had not been intentional. Ho .said the witnesses •were perfectly right in their details, but they were absolutely wrong in their deduction that ho deliberately threw himself in front of ths car. 1 , Sub-inspector Mullany said the accused » had been drinking heavily. The accused said he was absolutely sober at the time. Another witness said the accused was drunk on the morning of the accident This witness considered that if he had not boon drunk the accused would have been the lasr man to commit suicide. The Magistrate said he was of the opinion that ths accused did attempt to commit suicide. , The accused was convicted and placed on probation for 12 months. A prohibition order was issued against him.