Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1883-09-28 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

BOURNEMOUTH. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE FROM THE BOURNEMOUTH PIER.  Oa Friday, at a special petty session, held In the boardroom of the Town Hall, Bournemouth, before Mr. R. Stephens, Jaws Gioree Beech was brought up on mend charged with hiving attempted to commit suicide on Monday, the 17th inst. The prisoner resided in Oxf ird.road. B ournemoith, with his wife, but has since been rtduced to a state of great deprivatioa.— G. orge Barrow, boatman, stet el that on Monday afternoon about half-past two he went to the steps of the lauding stags to take three ladies and a gentleman into his boat. Just as the ladies were about to step in, he saw the prisoner deliberately jump from the upp3r deck of the pier into the sea. Witness saw another man with a boat nearer to him, and called out to him to rescue the man. Ho succeeded on doing see—Joseph Heckforil, another boatman, said he saw the prisoner jump or fall from the upper deck of the pier, about ten yards from the landing stage. Witness was standing on the besot, at the time. He rushed into the water, and as he was awe:itching the Man he saw a man named Mundy coming through from the other s:de of the pier. Witness called out to Melody, and the latter pulled the prisoner into the boat. Witness afterwards took him in his arms, carried him ashore, and laid him on the sand. Witness pelted prisoner "whether be had hal a fit "and he repld.d "no fie at all, I did it inter'. tionally." Witness afterwares took him up to ens of the bee's, and prisoner then said : "I should like to see a policeman; I want to be taken core of" Witness said to him : "I think a drop or brandy would do you more good than a policeman just now," and sent fir some, which prisoner drank. Afterwards, he said that if a policeman was net sent for he *Mould go and do it ag lin. He had not hadanything to eat(ho added) for four days, and he had been turned out of his I aleinge that morning by his landlady, who bad be n very unkind to him. Witness then took him to the cabmen's shelter, and o:dered some coffee and bread and meat fir him. He then again milted him if he wanted to see a policeman, and as he still said he did be handed him over to P.S. Ayres, whom he met just oniside.—By the prisoner: He might have said that he hail h ad no "meet" for four days; but he understood him to say " tvthing to eat."—Sargt. Ayres steted that Immediately he went to the cabman's shelter prisoner handel him a p aper, containing the following: " Mrs. J. G. Beech, 9, Barfield-street. Hammersmith : My dear wife's wldtese. Through starvation and the pers cation of my landlady I bavo committed suicide." Witneee told him it was a very serious off ince, awl took him into custody. After allowing him to finial his food ( is he appeared to be in an exhausted state), he called a cab, and took him to the police-statism. On the way be said he had had no food t r two doss. Subsequently at the police-station lid. in money wag found on him ; alao an unsettled bill from his landlady for 6s. Bd. Prisoner  stated that ha had a shilling given him in the morning, and that the 110. was the change out ot it. —On being formally charged, and asked if he hail any statement to make, the prisoner at first said that he had. Immadiately afterwards (on becoming aware that he would be committed to the sessions) he got very excited, declared that it was a gross cruelty, that he was half starved, and that he had only 111 d in the world and his wife nothing to take her home. and that it was " barbarous tre ,tment." At thie point he sat down, violently; and then, turning to his wife (who was seated behind), became still more excited than before, and—pointing to her—asked " what way to become of her—who was to supp.irt her—she hadn't got a farthing even to take her back." Thrusting his head in hie hands, he continued, in a rapid and excited manner to condemn the " cruelty " of the course about to be adopted, and having again declare Lit" barbarous," exclaimed "Would to God that all such magistrates were swept off the bench I" Two policemen then aupportet the prisoner out of court.—He asked that he might be allowed to kiss his wife, but was informed that he would bs allowed to see her at the paliceietation.