SUICIDE BRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19054, 19 September 1933, Page 3

SUICIDE BRIDGE.

STRUGGLE TO SAVE WOMAN ATTEMPT PROVES FUTILE. (From a Correspondent). . SYDNEY, September 7. A determined woman who committed suicide from the Harbour Bridge this morning was almost prevented from accomplishing her purpose by Walter Kinross, a bridge employee, who noticed her straddle the railings, and dashed forward and grabbed her by the neck. So tense was the situation that pedestrians along the footway stood petrified and watched him as he called for help. The dead weight of the woman on ’his arms was causing him. to lose his grip. The woman made no move to help herself back to safety. The woman, who weighed about 12 stone, became too heavy for her would-be rescuer, who attempted to obtain leverage by placing his feet through the iron lattice work. Eventually she fell from his grasp, shouting " Good bye,” and hurtled to the water. The body was ‘recovered shortly afterwards. It has not yet been identified. Kinross said that he first noticed the woman when she asked a bystander near the southern pylon if there was a telephone on the bridge. He said to his mate, “This woman is a cert to go over.” When she was about 20 yards from Kinros|R, she leapt on to the rails, when Kinross caught her by the neck and the arms. Kinross said that a girl who passed him while he was holding the woman screamed and ran. He said that with the assistance of the girl he could have saved the woman. The total of suicides since the Harbour Bridge opened pearly 18 months ago, was brought to 31 this evening when another woman, aged about 65, whose identity has not yet been established, climbed over the hand-railing and plunged into the water below. She was killed Instantly. Her body was later recovered by the water police.