The Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester Telegram. — 1878-06-07 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

ESCAPED LUNATIC ATTF MPTS SUICIDE.—Sintom Cridland. a mason of Bradford Abbas, near Sherborne, was brought up for attempting to commit suicide on Sunday. About five minutes past one on Sunday afternoon, Supt. Vickery saw something come down from one of the piers of the bridge, and drop into the harbour: he thought it was a dog; but it turned out to be the prisoner, who was in the water, close to the pier of the bridge, and his jacket waistcoat, and hat, were on the pier whence he had jumped. Two men named James Hancock, of the Seaflower, and Shadrach Spranklin, put off in a boat, and landed him on the other side of the water, at some steps. The boat had rescued him justkin time, for although he floated a good deal, his legs dropped just as the boat reached him. He was brought to the police station, and when asked why he did it, he said he had been drinking, and was tired of his life; he always felt so when he had been drinking, and be bad thought about it all night. The prisoner came from Bradford Abbas, close to Sherberne, he had been a soldier, and had more than once been in the County Lunatic Asylum; but had escaped from there once. Last Monday prisoner came out of Hospital, where he had been conveyed, having fallen down in a tit. Mr. Vickery suggested a remand until Wednesday or Thursday, that enquiries might meanwhile be made about his history. He had said he could swim, so it was no use for him to try again to drown himself ; but he should put his head under the train.—A young man named Samuel John Keel was on the quay about five minutes past one, and )3aw prisoner standing on the round part of one of the buttresses of the bridge, where the boys fish, and undressing himself. Witness thought be was going to bathe, and next he saw him throw his hat down, and heard him fall into the water.—[Prisoner, who had been seized with a fit of trembling, had to be conducted to a seat.]—Witness continued that prisoner had turned over, and his head was just going under, when the boat picked him up, and landed him, when prisoner used strong coarse language at the men who had rescued Wm.—Superintendent Vickery proposed to go up to the Dorchester prison, and learn prisoner's history, and Cridland was remanded till Wednesday morning.—On Wednesday Simon Cridland was brought up on remand before Mr. B. Hopkins and Mr. T. Abbott, charged with attempting to commit suicide.—Superintendent Vickery repeated his evidence. and made a further statement from which it appeared that Cridland was committed to the Dorset County Prison on December 3, 1867, for breach of the peace at Sberborne, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. On the 19th March, 1868, he was again received into the prison to await his trial on April 7th, on a charge of housebreaking at Bradford Abbas, but before the sessions he was certified to be insane, and was removed to the Charminster Lunatic Asylum, on April 2. He escaped, and on May 24, 1875, he was apprehended as an escaped lunatic and sent back to the asylum. On December 7, 1877, he was apprehended as a wandering lunatic, but having been at large over a month, Dr. Svmea refused to take him back without a fresh order.—Prisoner said the charge of housebreaking was a family concern: the man that married his sister had no right to take his father's clothes.—Dr. Tizard saw prisoner first on Sunday night, suffering from shock, consequent on immersion in the water, and from delirium tremens. Considered him a man of weak intellect, and low moral perception, with a tendency to sudden incontrollable attacks, tending to suicidal monomania, and did not consider him fit to be at large ; he was at present suffering from a shock to the system.—Prisoner thought that was brought on through eating much. He should never get out of the asylum if he was put there again. He was told the magistrates thought beat to send him to Thrchester, to be taken care of. Prisoner : If I'm sent to Dorchester, I can't help it ; if ever I get my liberty again I must be a teetotaler.—Mr. Arden: Have ou got any friends who will be bail for you ? Prisoner (weeping): No, sir, I've got no friends.—Mr. Arden: You need not give way to despair; you'll be treated kindly there.—Prisoner; I always was treated kindly there, when I ran away and made my escape, and was taken back, they treated me very kindly.—Mr. Hopkins told him drink appeared to .have been his ruin, which prisoner agreed to.—He was committed for trial for attempt at suicide.