The Express.
London, England, 1860-08-29 00:00:00

THAMES.

John Dania, a short, broad-shouldered man, of florid
complexion, 49 years of age, was charged with attempting
to commit suicide and mutilating lunuelf in a very extraor-
dinary manner.
Edward Stewart, a police-constable, No. 319 K, said that
on Sunday, the 29th of last month, at half-put nine
o'clock at night, he saw the prisoner coming out of a field
abutting on the Barking-turd, opposite the north wall of
the East India flock, and asked him what he had been doing
there. The prisoner said he had been sleeping in the field,
and that he was drenched to the skin. There had been
a violent thunderstorm, and it had rained heavily the same
night. The prisoner was very wet, and the water was
dripping from his clothes. lie told the prisoner he must
have been drinking heavily, and was very foolish to have
remained in the field so long. He also advised the prisoner
to go home, change his clothes, and go to bed. The pri-
soner said, " Yes, I sot going," and left him. About an
hour afterwards he met the prisoner again near the same
place, and in a worse plight than be was before. The pri-
soner said, " I have thrown a atone through that light,"
and pointed to a broken gas-lamp on the road. He asked
the prisoner why he had done so, to which he replied, " Oh,
it is a melees lamp ; there are too many lights." The pri-
soner, as lie said this, staggered a ,vosl deal, and he ob-
served to him again? " Why, you have been drinking." The
prisoner mid, "No, it is a less of blood." He asked him how
that was caused, and the prisoner, who stared wildly, and
was very weak, said, " I went mail on Friday night,
and laid down in the field, and cut my throat."
At that time lie was passing under a gas-lamp, and he ob-
served that the prisoners throat was cut. He asked the
prisoner why lie had committed such a rash and wicked act?
fhe prisoner said, " I hardly know why I did it. I went
mad ; it was through my wife ; she promised to meet me
tail tell me where she had got a fresh lodging, and she did
not come as promised, and I then went into the field and
fell asleep, and when I awoke I saw people standing about
me, and they made me cut my throat. As soon I had done
that they vanished like shadows." Witneu then took the
prisoner to the Poplar Station-house, and sent for Mr.
Robinson, the divisional surgeon of police. He then noticed
that the prisoner's newer' and shoes were saturated with
blood, and he asked him if he had inflicted any other
Wound upon himself. The primmer said, " Yes, I have," and
described how he had wounded himself. The constable gave
further evidence of the horrible manner in which the pri-
soner had mutilated himself, and the hemorrhage which had
taken place in consequence. He searched the prisoner, and
found upon him a lar.e. clasp knife. The blade was stained
with blood and much worn. The edge was dull. The
prisoner said, " Yes, that is the lmife—that's it—it is nut
muck of a thing. If I had had asharp knife, I should have
cut my head off."
Mr. Selfe -And what did you do with this rash and most
unfortunate man! What bad become of him since!
. .

Stewart—Ho was scut to Poplar Hospital. He has been
under medical treatment ever since, and ho was discharged
this morning. The doctors were of opinion that ho was
labouring under delirium tremens when he inflicted the
wounds on himself. He had been drinking very hard in the
course of the week before he went to the field. The wound
on his throat was a large one and 21 inches long. The other
wound and mutilation was very fearful.
The prisoner said he wu very sorry for what he bad done.
It was owing to drink.
Mr. Selfe—Yea, the effects of the accursed drink • what a
shocking thing it is. You have been m great jeopardy, and
hut for the great skill displayed and the excellent treat-
ment you have received in the Poplar Hospital, you world
not have been here..
..

The prisioner—lt shall never occur again.
Stewart was recalled, and said the wife of the prisoner was
• very drunken and dissipated woman, and had visited he^
husband several times in the Poplar Hospital while she was
intoxicated, until the house surgeon gave directions that she
should not be iillowed to enter the hospital again. She was
a woman of very indifferent character.
Mr. Sella aaksd if there were any relatives interested in
the safety of the prisoner?
The prisoner—l have sisters and a mother-in-law. I will
not do this eosin.
Mr. &lie --You ace what are the horrible effects of
drunkenness. You and your wife both alike, and your
ho.ne broken up.
The prisoner—lf you discharge me I will join a teetotal
society.
Mr. Selfe—l ought to have good security, or you will get
drunk again. What do you work at
The prisoner—l am a cooper, and have been employed at
Messrs. Turner and Blewitt's, at the Orchard-house,
Blackwell.

tielfe—Rave you work to go to if I set you at liberty?
The !Meaner—The job l was upon war finished last week.
I believe I can get wore.
Mr. Melfe—Can I rely upon your becoming a teetotaller?
The prisoner—l can't make that promise ; but you may
rely upon it that I will sever get drunk spin.
Mr. Sulfa haviug ascertained that the prisoner was now
nut of danger, said that in consideration of the severe suf-
ferings of the prisoner. awl in the hope that be would
not act so foolishly again, he would suffer him to be dis-
chargiaL

CRYSTAL PALICIL—The directors of the South
Postern ►tailway laming granted a ilay's holiday t the men
eumiged at the Ashford works, have further resolved to
treat them to a visit to Sydenham to-ilay, for which purpose
special trains have been placed at the disposal of the lora
mid their families. The l'oultry Show, which closes today,
has already beeu a source of attraction to many thousands
of visitors, and will doubtless add much to the enjoyment
el the day's party.