The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-05-07 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.-UNREQUITED  SERVICES FOR SAVING LIFE.  At the Middlesex Sessions, on Wednesday last, Charlotte Doughty, sixty, a married woman, wife of a printer, was indicted for feloniously casting and throwing herself into the Regent's Canal, with intent feloniously to choke and suffocate herself, and, with malice aforethought, attempting to kill and murder herself, contrary to the statute. The prisoner, who appeared in deep grief, pleaded cruilty • The facts of the case were these: A man named John Clark, residing at No. 7, Gloucester-street, Haggerstone, managing foreman to the Imperial Gas Company, has for many years been the means of rescuing persons from drowning, having in his time saved the lives of seven persons. His house is situate near to the Regent's Canal, and on the morning of the 10th of April, at about half-past nine o'clock, his wife, who was looking from her back window, saw the prisoner walk along the path and deliberately throw herself into a deep part of the canal. She immediately called her husband's attention to this; he was dressing himself at the time to 6c-ro out, but he immediately rushed from the house and plunged into the water to rescue the prisoner. He had to swim to her, but had no sooner got near to her than she seized.him by the leg, and for some time, in consequence of his being almost disabled, they were very nearly being drowned together. Such would undoubtedly have been the case had not the bystanders on the towing path rendered assistance, and both were got out, but much exhausted. The woman was taken to -the workhouse,'where she was attended to until such time as she was sufficiently recovered to be taken to the House of Detention, and afterwards before a magistrate, by Frederick Carey, police-constable 188 N, and she told him that she had attempted to commit suicide twice before. _ _  The following is the woman's statement : "I wish to say this, that I .cannot express the regret or sorrow that I feel for such an, act, but I was quite unconscious of what I was doing. I have earnestly prayed by day and night for God to protect me in my weakness, and I ought to have been taken care of during the time of my moments of insanity, for I can call them nothing else; but, after making forty years a good mother, I was first led by my husband to fall into the error. I should not have done so had I not been obliged, by being kept up all hours and seasons at night for twenty-five years. Since that I have fallen into drink. I would willingly go to any house or -place where I can be taken care of.' When the grand jury returned a true bill they made the following presentment : "The grand jury beg to call attention to the praiseworthy (conduct of John Clarke in saving the life of Charlotte Doughty, in doing which he appears to have incurred the risk of his own life, and they are informed that he has been instrumental in saving life on several previous occasions, of which no Public notice has been taken.—ROBERT MARTIN', Foreman." The Assistant-Judge said he deeply regretted that he had no power to comply with the recommendation of the grand jury, but he hoped the conduct of t4is man would be brought under the notice of the Royal Humane Society, and if that were done he thought he would be entitled to the honourable medal of that society. As regarded the prisoner, he should not then pass any sentence upon her, but should remand her until the next session. In the meantime he directed that she should be seen by the chaplain of Westminster House .of Correction. . The prisoner was then removed. •