Widnes Examiner. — 1901-07-19 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

DETERMINED ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE. Warrington Compositor Hacks Himself with a Razor.  David William Jones, a compositor, lodging at 14, Nicholson-street, appeared before the Warrington magistrates on Tuesday, to answer to the charge of attempting to commit suicide on July sth.—Mr. T S Steel represented the defendant The Chief Constable stated that the defendant lodged at the house of Mrs Jones, 14, Nicholson-street, and appeared to have been a very respectable and well conducted young man. On July 4th he left work a little earlier than usual and complained to a fellow lidger:of pains in the head. He went to bed apparently in his usual health with the exception of the pains in his head and everything went well until the small hours of Friday morning when the fellow lodger awoke and missed Jows from the bedroom which they shared. For some time he did not think there was anything unusual in this, as the defendant was in the habit of getting up sometimes and going for a walk before. he went to his employment. About six o'clock however, he became anxious and went downstairs. Not finding Jones in the house he went outside and found him in the outhouse in a terrible plight. He was in a sitting position, surrounded by a pool of blood, and had two razors in his possession. There were two ghastly wounds in his throat, one being five inches long, and another wound had been inflicted under the nipple of the breast. There were other minor wounds and the man seemed to have been hacking at himself like a maniac. Dr Joseph was called and subsequently Jones was removed to the Infirmary where he had remained until that morning. He (Mr Talbot) understood from Mr Steel, that acting on medical advice, the defendant's relatives had declined the heavy responsibility of taking charge of him. Dr Joseph would tell the Bench that at the time the man committed the rash and deplorable act he was certainly not in his right mind nor was he for some considerable time after. He (ffr Talbot) suggested that the best course would be to withdraw the charge of attempting to commit suicide and charge the defendant with being a person of unsound mind not under proper control. An order could then be made for his detention in the Workhouse for a fortnight and his mental condition would be observed. Idr Steel stated that he had been instructed to appear by the minister and deacons of the Welsh Church where the defendant was a worshipper. He quite agreed with the suggestion of the Chief Constable. Dr Joseph was called and intormed the Court that when he saw ljl,the defendant' on July sth, after he had inflicted the wounds be was maniacal and had to be held down whilst the wounds were dressed. He had attended the man previously and he appeared to be melancholy then. The pains in the head might have something to do with his state of mind.—ln answer to Mr Steel the doctor said he was aware that Jones was in the same compartment as the boy who fell out of the train on the way from Southport to Warrington on Walking Day. The excitement might have affected his mind. Witness was of the opinion that it would be a very serious responsibility for the relatives to undertake to look after him. Mr Pugh Griffiths, solicitor of Carnarvoid, represented the relatives and agreed to the arrangement. Defendant was accordingly sent to the Workhouse Hospital for 14 days.