The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-10-23 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

TIRED OF LIFE.  An elderly-looking woman, named Isabella Nixon, was brought up on remand charged with attempting to oonnnit suicide by taking laudanum on Thursday afternoon. She wag then found lying in a semi-senseless condition on the Weaver's Bank, near the steps of thS Bridge, with an empty bottle labelled " laudanum" lying beside her.--George Elliott deposed to finding the woman and calling the attention of P.C. English to hen—George Mitchinson, assistant to Mr Taylor, chemist, Castle Street, deposed that the prisoner had visited the shop two or three times begging, and she returned on Thursday and got twopennywort a of laudanum. He knew that she was in the habit of tering it from the twitching of her eye.—Dr. Hall del . to examining her at the Police Station, and having stit . the condition in which he found her, said the dose w.uld probably have proved fatal had she not been put u . der proper treatment. —The Chief Constable, alluding to the frequency of these cases, said there had been six d the year, a large increase upon former years, an. he thought it was time some notice was taken of them. The prisoner said she was in the habit of taking laudanum but having had nothing to eat that day it had taken effect pon her.—A brother of the prisoner, who had come from 'enrith, promised to take care of her, and she was accor gly discharged.  • ASSAULTING THE GAOL TURNKEY  Joseph Jackson, Law's Lane, was summoned for assault- ' ing Geo. Mc.Clean.—Mr. Wannop appeared for the Complainant, who said he was the he. turnkey at the gaol, and on Saturday afternoon the def ndant came to him,' and having made a claim for some mo ey which he alleged to be owing to him, he struck the mplainant in the chest d without any provocation. He had been subjected to a good deal of annoyance from the defen ant for sonic time. In reply to the defendant, complain nt denied that he had borrowed 30s from the defendan4and that he had only repaid 7s of it. Complainant ack owledged that defendant had asked him for money once or twice.—The defendant: Aye, a nice once or twice you are. (Laughter.) The defendant said the complainant was his cousin. He had lent him 30s, which he would not oy back, and when he had him up at the County Court, 'the judge said that an honest man's deb was never out pf date. (Laughter.)— The complainant denied that there was any truth in this statement —The magistrates considered the assault proved, and imposed a fine of 108 Ikl and costs, or in default 14 days. —Defendant: You will give me time to pay it, I suppose; or perhaps Mr Me Clean w II pay it himself out of that 23s he owes me? (Laughter.)  TILE TORMENTORS OF AN OLD MAN  --- Thomas Wilson was summoned for using abusive language to an old cutler named Thomas Little. The complainant stated that he was continually tormented by boys and others, and alleged that the defendant had called him a "ravishing parrot." He also said that at the instigation of the defendant, boys poked hot irons through the floor of the place where he lived.—The defendant said the complainant had taken a spite against him and his employer, on account of having got notice to quit. The case was dismissed.