Swansea Journal and South Wales Liberal. — 1895-10-26 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

MORRISTON. Prisoner Before the Magistrates.  At the Swansea Police Court on Tuesday morning, before the Stipendiary (J. C. Fowler), William Stone, and M. Roche, Esqrs., Enoch Hugh Evans (45), labourer, living at 8, Market-street, Mortiston, wasaplaced in the dock charged with attempting to commit suicide by cutting his throat with a razor in a w.c. at the back of his house on Oct. Bth. It will be remembered that the prisoner made an attempt on his life about three weeks ago and was then conveyed to the Hospital, where his injuries baying been attended to by the medical staff there, and, having sufficiently recovered, he was now charged with committing the rash act. Evans felt his sad position in the dock acutely. He is a short, thick-set, quiet looking man, and as the various witnesses gave their testimony respecting the affair, he placed his arm on the rail of the dock, leaned his head down, and sobbed. The first witness called was Margaret Watkins, who stated that since IV2 she had been living with the defendant at 87 Market.street, Morriston. On the afternoon of the date in question, Evans came home and asked witness to fetch a letter from a shop near the Duke Hotel, as, he stated, he was afraid of being locked up. Witness fetched him the letter and handed it to Evans, and he then went out o the house for the purpose of going to Swansea. In the evening he returned home and wenkinto the backyard. Before going out into the yard, however, Evans threw a stone through the bedroom window. Ho then went into the w.c. and cut his throat with a razor. The noise of the smashing of the window drew the attention of the neighbours, one of whom followed the prisoner into the w.c. and found him with his hands smeared with blood and a pool also on. the floor. Inspector Eynon soon arrived and questioned prisoner as to his rash act, In reply Evans said, "That woman is the cause of it all." Prisoner was then conveyed to the Hospital and this morning, when charged by the inspector with attempting to commit suicide by cutting his throat with a razor, said, "Quite right,"—Dr. Floyd, the house surgeon at the Swansea Hospital, stated that Evans was brought to the Hospital, just before two o'clock on the morning of the Bth suffering from a deep wound about three inches long on the left 'side of the throat. Prisoner was bleeding very freely, and after some trouble witness stopped. Prisoner had notched his wind-pipe with the razor, tbut it had not gone quite through. The wound, in witness' opinion was a dangerous one. In response to an invitation from the Bench, prisoner asked the doctor whether he was not suffering from bronchitis at the time he was brought to the hospital. The doctor replied in the affirmative, and added that Evans lungs were still affected. Later, prisoner, in reply to the Bench, said ho had nothing to say, beyond that he was in a state of intoxication and could not get the door open, If the door was open, it would not have occurred.—Prisoner was then committed to the next Quarter Sessions for the Borough,  The man Harris, charged with the manslaughter of a child named Alice Brien, ten weeks old, has been again remanded by the Cardiff magistrates. Harris, it will be remembered, threw a poker at his wife during a quarrel. The poker, however, missed the latter, and struck he child, causing its death seen a ftelwards.