The Telegram. — 1895-01-29 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

EAST CELINNOCK. STRANGE ATTEMIT AT SUICIDE.  BEATING HIS HEAD WITH A HAMMER. DISAPPOINTED IN LOVE.  At the 'Yeovil Police-court on Wednesday, before Major Aldwerth and Mr. W. T. Bradford, John Elliott, a dairyman, of Ei,t Chinnock, was charged with unlawfully wounding himself with a hammer and knife, "with intent to kill and murder himself,' on Sunday, January 20th. Prisoner, who Icoked very ill, had his bead bandaged up, and was accommodated w itn &seat near the fireplace. The first witness called was Henry Ediott, dairyman, in the employ of Mr. A. Young, East Chinnock, and father of prisoner, who said that on Sunday morning at 8.30 he was on his premises and noticed that the door of the outhouse wits open. He was proceeding to close it when be saw his son inside. As witness approached him prisoner walked forward and fell into his arms. Just before this witness had heard a noise in the outhouse as if someone were hammering a nail. As prisoner fell into his arms his head dropped forward and Hood Bowed from wounds in it. Witness took him into the house and was about to take hint upstairs when he cried out, " Oh! stop; I will sit down here." He was then seated on a chair in the dairy-house, and his wounds were bathed with cold water. Whilst there witness asked him why he injured himself. but he made no reply. Witness subsequently took him upstairs, undressed bins, and put lam to bed, where he lay until Dr. Eadie arrived. He found a knife in prisoner's pocket, and he had been told that there 1Y143 blood upon it, although he did not notice any. Witness did not discover any appearances of a struggle In the outhouse. Witness was not aware that his son had quarrelled with anyone, but he hau been strange In his manner for some time, and had often wandered about and neglected his work. He had been disappointed about a love affair, and he had alluded to this several times in witness's presence. He had never threatened to take his life. Els grandmother was of unsound mind, and was confined in an asylum. Prisoner had never given witness any reason as to why be committed the deed.  Tom Voizey, saddler, of East Chinnoek. said Mr. Elliott sent for him early on Sunday morning, and asked him to go for Dr. Eadie. On his return be sat ill the room with the accused. The doctor examined prisoner's head and dressed the wound. Witness went to tile outhouse and found a hammer in some etre w and blood on the door. There were slight stains of blood on the hammer. Witnea• haducd it to tile doctor. He had known prisoner for some years and had noticed him talk rather stiange the last week. He was a sober, steady man.  Dr. Eadie, of West Coker, said he was sent for on Sunday morning to Mr. Elliott's house. He found prisoner its bed ; his hair NB9 clotted with blood. He was conscious. Witness did not think that he had . . . . . .  . lost much blood. He found four injuries on the head. namely, a clean cut on the centre of the forehead about two inches in length, a small clean cut on the crown of the head, and one contused wound on each side. There was also a slight cut in the centre of the throat. All the wounds might have been self-inflicted, and the two contused ones by the hammer produced. The other wounds appeared to have been caused by a knife. Witness asked him how it happened and prisoner replied that he knew nothing about it. The next day witness saw him and asked him hiiw he was and he replied " Fairly well," and added that he was troubled because he was not living "in accordance with the Bible." or words to that effect. Prisoner was a steady mail, but did not enjoy very good health. He always considered his manner rather peculiar, hut had never had reason to think that he required any care. He did not consider that prisoner was really insane, but thought he was on the " borderland.' 11 the wouniis were sell-inflicted considerable violence must have 'ueen used. . . . .  P.C. Butcher said on Sunday he went to East Chiunock, where he found prisoner in bed with his head bandaged up. Witness watched him. On Sunday night prisoner, atter being cautioned, made the following statement in the presence of witness and prisonert hater :--" If I had Wit gone to West Goiter this would not have happened. I 'dotal not have dune it. I was happy before I went there. That was the cause of my trouble nnd all Iliad on my mind." Wi,neno received the hammer from Dr. Eadie ond the knife from prisoner's lather. Prisoner had nothing to say in answer to the charge, and he was comn,itteil fur lira at the Quarter Susanne. Bail was offered but it was not accepted.