The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1907-07-24 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SAD STORY.  ATTRACTIVE GIRL CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.  A ,ad story was told to the Birken.head magiArates (Alderman Mason and Mr. .Jas. 1111lorri,) yesterday, when an attractive Looking young woman named Maud Dougherty, of Liverpool, was charged with having attempted to commit suicide by taking oxalic 'acid on .July 3 •cl  A platelaier on the Wirral Railway. 'named Thomas Quinn, said that at about nine o'clock on the evening of July 3rd. he was crossing Bidston by means of the footpath to Claughton when he heard someone moaning behind the gorse. He examined tho goi se and found the prisoner lying on the grass. She had a bottle which had contained gin by her side and a small paper packet ot salts of lemon and a small glass. Witness asked her what was the matter and she said she had taken poison because she was tired of life. Witnesa immediately telephoned for the ambulance.  Dr. Lawrence said he received the prisoner on July 3rd. She was in a semi-consCiollb condition. The usual remediea were applied, and she recovered. She had been in the hospital since, but she was not very strong yet. She told witness that she took the poison because of mental worry. If taken proper care of, he thought she would' be all right. The manageress of the Imperial Hotel, Lime-street, Liverpool, said that prisoner was employed at the hotel for about a month. During that time witness had on one or two occasions to speak to her about her insobriety. She was intoxicated two days before she left. on July 3rd, and she was under notice to leave the hotel on July 3rd. When witness got up on that day she was informed that prisoner had left at six o'clock that morning. Mr. F. E. Kent, of Liverpool, who appeared for prisoner, said -that. it was a very lamentable case, lie had known prisoner for several years. She was about 25 years of age, and had been an orphan for seven or eight years, being left with no relations with the exception of her brother. Some years ago she took a tobacconist shop in Liverpool, but it was not very satisfactory, so she gave it up. For some months her brother kept her, but later, on the recommendations of friends, she decided to try the public business. She was employed in a hotel for two or three years, the licensee of which removed to another hotel. So satisfactory was she that the licensee decided to engage her there. She remained there for taro more years, when he gave up the business and went abroad. After leaving that employment she went to De— land, but after a few months she returned to Liverpool, obtaining employment at the Imperial Hotel. For several months past she had been suffering from internal troubles, and some friends advised her to try gin to relieve the phin. She did so, and the pain was relieved, but not being used to intoxicants the alcohol took effect, and she became once or twice inebriated. The licensee, with perfect right, warned her, and on the night she was dismissed she was suffering so severely that her mind became deranged. At eix o'clock next morning she left the hotel, bitt where she wandered she did not remember until she found herself in the hospital. Her brother, of course, felt this, but he had a lady who. if their worships would permit, would take care of her in the future. Her name was Mrs Price, and she had known prisoner since she was a baby. Mrs. Price had known the prisoner's parents for many years. He hoped their worships would take a sympathetic view of the case, and feel for the young woman. whose mind had become deranged in such a sad way. Mrs. Price. of 17, Mount-road, Liverpool, said that prisoner had stayed with her on several occasions. tainee the death of her mother. She had often, probably in joking, said she was tired of life, but on several occasions she cried a great deal because she felt the loss of her mother. The Chairman (Alderman Mason) said they were prepared to fake a lenient view of the case. They hoped, and they thought she fully realised the serious nature of the offence, and hoped she would not endeavour to take away her own life again. Further, they un de after the eloquent appeal by her solicitor, faenrdwatrhde generosityte provide her tell e lady wllyo would home, he diseharge  Alderman Mason also complimented Quinn on his smartness of argon, rewarding him with half-a-sovereign.