THE STING OF DISGRACE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18952, 28 August 1923, Page 3

THE STING OF DISGRACE.

YOUNG- GIRL DRIVEN DESPERATE. SAD CASE BEFORE THE COURT. Weeping copiously, and supported on the arm of Ensign Coombs, a good-looking, smartly-dressed girl of 18 years appeared before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., yesterday morning and pleaded guilty to attempting to commit suicide. Senior-sergeant Mathieson said that in consequence of a call Sergeant Murray had gone to the house of the accused’s mother at 11 o’clock on Sunday. _ There he found the girl lying on a chair crying. When asked if she had taken any lysol, she replied that she had had a little sip. The sergeant took the bottle from her and gave her soda and water. Shortly afterwards Dr Fitzgerald arrived, and there was a quick recovery. . ' About 14- months ago, proceeded the sergeant, the girl had lost her father, and since she had been quite out of hand. She had kept late hours and was in the habit of returning home with girls and young fellows of questionable character. It was in consequence of steps taken by Dr Fitzgerald and the police that she became afraid that ■he was to be-put in a home, and to this fear she attributed the step. Tie seniorsergeant suggested that the name should be suppressed. The girl’s people were highly respectable. Ensign Coombs stated that the girl had found she was breaking her mother’s heart and had tried to get out of it all. Attempts to shake off the wrong company that she had got into had proved abortive. On occasions that she did not meet them they came to the house or sent a motor car. for her. It was because she had felt that she was disgracing her name and her home that she had decided to end it all. The pirl waa quite willing to do anything possible to get away from her associates, and she (the ensign) could help. The Magistrate said that the accused would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. A condition would be that she place herself in the hands of Ensign Coombs. The wisest course would be to get away from present surroundings for a while. The name would be suppressed.