Nelson Chronicle, Colne Observer, and Clitheroe Division News. — 1901-08-02 (Nelson, Lancashire, England)

LOVE AFFAIR AT NELSON.  ATTEMPTED SUICIDE THROUGH JEALOUSY. THE LOTTERY OF MARRIAGE. A case in which the circumstances were curious was heard at the Nelson Borough Police Court on Monday, before Alderman S. Gott and Mr Smith Whitehead. It was a story of love, jealousy, and madness. The principal actor in the tragic affair was a handsome man, named Wm. Graham, of fresh complexion, who was about 40 years of lige. For a short time, until Saturday, he had been an inmate of the Infirmary at Blackburn. On Saturday, he was discharged and walked to Nelson and immediately went to the house of Mrs Clark. 62, Holly-street. From the proceedings, on Monday, before the magistrates, it appeared that the man's name was William Graham and that he was a weaver and that about 17 years ago he was married to Mrs Clark at St Andrew's Church Burnley Lane. The-. lived together till the wife (then Mrs Graham) discovered that she was not! Graham's wife at all as he had a lawful wife living. There were three children by this pseudo - marriage, the eldest. now being about 13, who appiared in court. On tanking this discovery the unfortunate woman left Graham and eventually contracted another marriage with a young man whom she had known all her life, and who was much younger than herself. Supt. Scott, at the Borough Police Court, charged the prisoner with attempting to commit suicide at 10-0 o'clock on Sunday morning. He said that, on Saturday night, the Remised went to Mrs Clark's house, at [62, Holly-street, and asked her for some money. Mrs Clark replied by asking-him to leave her house, which Graham eventually did, going out by the back door. In the morning, a member .of the family went to the coal house for some coal, and hearing noise, concluded that a man was inside the coal house. Information was given to the police and P.C. Davies was sent to investigate the affair, and arrived just in time to save tIW man', life. He had attempted to hang himself by means of a boot lace which I was tied very tight round his neck, and by means of a -belt, the man's head was suspended from a nail, though part of his body was reclining on the ground. On being cut down the man soon recovered. Mrs Clark deposed that she was a married woman. Supt. Scott : Did you know the prisoner ? —Some years ago he lived with me. I was married to him at St Andrew's Church at ' Burnlev Lane about 17 years ago. I lived with him for some years and then I found out that he was a married man. And then you left him ?—Yes. There were two chifdren by the marriage? —Yes. Prisoner.: There were three. What happened on Saturday, Mrs Clark? —The prisoner came to my house on Saturday night and asked me for two shillings. At what time ?—About 5-50 p.m. Did he use any threats s—Yes, he said that he would have my life if he had to wait ,20 years. I told him to leave the house ' and said that I would send for the police. Did he go away eventually ?—He waited till 7-20 p.m.. and, on hearing some foot' steps, went out of the back door. He then came back to the .window and tapped at. it several times. I then saw nothing more lof him till he was brought out of the coal house on Sunday morning. He has been strange in his manner before?—Yes. He was sent to Whittingham Asylum about five or six years ago. was he sent there '—He was sent there for insanity, and for threatening to • take my life and also for attempting to commit suicide on himself. By Alderman Gott : He was only in the  asylum three months. Inspector Scott : Did you see the prisoner in the yard after he had been brought out of the coal house ?—Yes, he was lying on the ground. He was unconscious. There was a mark round his neck. P.C. Davies stated that, going to Holly- ' street, at No. 52, he opened the coal house door. He SAW the prisoner in a lying position in the coal house. He was on his right , side and had a bootlace tied round his neck. He was fastened to a belt which was suspended to a big nail in the wall. He WAS lying then and his head was hanging by the lace. Witness at once cut the lace in two and the prisoner fell back over. He thought that he was dead. Witness pulled him up and he groaned and made a noise. Be then dragged him out of the coal house into the yard and shouted for the woman to come out, and, in a few minutes. the prisoner came round. On going to the police station the prisoner said : •I wish I had done it tight. I have nothing now to live for. That woman has brought me to this. . The officer concluded by saying that there . was no appearance of drink about the man when he found him. Mr Emmott, relieving officer, stated that he took the prisoner to the asylum five or six years ago. He remained there some months. Witness had not seen much of him since. He wandered about a lot and had no fixed abode. Alderman Gott How does he get a living?—He is a weaver. He has never been very bad, but seems to be suffering from some kind of delusions. Witness had never noticed anything wrong with hum since the last time he was sent to the asylum. He has got in a loose way of living and tramps about the country. The prisoner : I have pains in my head. I came out of Blackburn Infirmary on Saturday morning and walked to Nelson. The Clerk: Do you know what you are here for ? The prisoner: Yes. He was handed over to the relieving officer to be sent to the Workhouse, the Bench recommending that he should be seen by a doctor.