The Haslingden Gazette. — 1911-12-02 (Haslingden, Lancashire, England)

RESCUED FROM CANAL BY CLAYMISI  BOATMAN.  PAINFUL COURT Sniff.  A very unfortunate awe of attempted suicide by a 14 voaxa old girl was investigated at Church to Tuesday morning. The prisoner wan Gortrudo Ashworth, a throe-loom wearer, residing in Craven. street, Accrington. She was oharged with attempt. Mg, to terninit imicide by throwing herbed into tho Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Church on Mundt? afternoon.  Thomas Hunter, a boatman, of Clayton-le-Moore, stated that he was on his ,ss..t on the meal, near Aspic Bridge, at 1-15 on Monday afternoon, when he saw the girl jump off the towing path into the water. Witness' jumped out of his boat on to the towing path, and hurried to the spot. The girl hod gone under, but she came up again just at he got there; so be rrecued her with hi.: boathook, his mate helping to lift the. girt out. At that point ,the water would be from 4ft. flie to sk. 'teen.  P.C. Clements. who received the girl into ensiody from the provioua witness, said that when he ' charged her with attempting to commit saintly, she made no reply. Lat,r, the girl said she worked Sceitchfie Mill, itraerington. She Iliail three looms, but she was very comfortable at her werk. She did not like living with her stepniother. Whoa the girl VI Mil asked what she had In say about the matter, Biro told the rnag,istrates that she sta.: well content et her work, nobody mon so. She had thnnrri herself because sin' did not like to live with her stepmother. She thought ghe would go to her own mother, who died in January.  The 'Chairman (Mr. E. Woolley) : That i. very wrong.  Prisonen: I don't want to go back; I aunt go and live with my married sister. The Chairman: It is your duty to honour and respect your father and mother. Now that joie mater.ial mother has been taken away you nerd son., one tc look aftor you in her place. The girl's father stated that they had not hal any trouble with her before. The girl said that when she went home on Suitday night the door we. fast. That occurred three times that night. SO she went to her married sister's home. Later her father went there after her, and threatened to let her know about it nest day. She went to bed crying. At noon on Monday she left her work, and went straight to the canal and jumped in. She told the boatman nob to pull her out, but let her go to tier mother. The married sister said the girl was afraid of going home. Witness., had nothing to say against her stepmother; she had not seen mueh of her. . . .  .....--. „. The prisoner brother aJo remarked that he had nothing to say against his stepmother. Ara. Ashworth, the eteptnotfier, entered the witnree-box. and told the magistrates that File had done her very beet for the girl. Slte had never done anything wrong to the girl. She had no children of her own. Tbt girl bad been a "right good girl at home."  The g,irl rofused.t.o live at home again. and =aid if they sent her home wise vroulcl "do it again!! She wanted to live with her manriei !Ulster. The married sister promised to look after her. and she was discharged. The magistrates complimented the boatman an his promrst rvwcue. and the Chairman toM the  stepmother that the reflection et upon her by the trditoner had been removed by the evidence of other witnesses.