A DESPERATE ACT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23505, 20 May 1938, Page 10

A DESPERATE ACT

DIVE IN FRONT OF CAR MOTORIST’S UNNERVING EXPERIENCE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE SUGGESTED (Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, May 19. To have a man rush out from the footpath and thrown himself on his back, with arms and legs asprawl, in front of his car was the nervewracking experience of the Christchurch City Council accountant (Mr C. S. Bowie) to-day. Mr Bowie avoided the man with difficulty, and the police are now searching for him.

Mr Bowie, who lives at Cashmere, was driving his car into town shortly before 9 o’clock this morning, when he noticed a man standing on the footpath. Suddenly, as Mr Bowie’s car was just about opposite the man, he ran from the footpath and threw himself headlong in its path. " He either threw himself on his back or rolled over after diving in front of me,” said Mr Bowie. “ One thing is certain, and that is that he did not slip. It was a deliberate act.”

Mr Bowie braked and swerved sharply, just missing the man by inches.

As soon as possible he looked back through his rear window and saw the man pick himself up and walk to the other side of the road, where he took up his waiting position again. Mr Bowie’s next action was to telephone the Beckenham Police Station. He left a message saying what had occurred and giving his name and his office address in case further details were required. Resuming his journey into town, Mr Bowie decided that he would take further steps to have the man placed under restraint: so he drove to the Central Police Station, where he made a statement. This meant that he was half an hour late in arriving at the City Council office. In the meantime a constable at Beckenham had telephoned and asked for Mr Bowie. The typist who answered the telephone told the constable that he had not yet arrived, and then the constable mentioned “ attempted suicide.” The word “ suicide ” was enough for the tvpist. What she said is not very clear, but it was sufficient to give others the impression that Mr Bowie had committed suicide. There was consternation in the office, and the distress was only allayed by the arrival of Mr Bowie himself. During the morning the police searched the district for _ a man answering the description given.