The Warwickshire Herald. — 1887-05-19 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT SUTTON. MAGISTERIAL PROCEEDINGS.  A determined attempt at suicide took place at Sutton Coldfield on Monday. It appears that a man named Caleb Sparrow (46), builder, residing at 11, Alma-street, six ways, Aston, was seen by Frederick Holmes, an employ of Mr. Neville, to divest himself of his clothing and jump into Black. root Pool, in the Park. Holmes seing a boathook lying on the ground, seized it, and ran to the man's assistance, but owing to the man having drifted away from the shore he could not reach him. He hailed a man named Harry Newbrook, who happened at the time to be boating on the pool. Newbrook at once rowed to the spot and succeeding in eitecting a rescue. Sparrow was taken to Sutton and handed over to the police. who fetched Dr. Summers, and it was then found out that the man was insane. Sparrow has been very violent, and his conduct closely watched.  On Tuesday morning. SParrow was brought before Alderman (Boyer and Mr. Crockford at the Sutton l'etty Sessions, charged " with attempting to eommit suicide by drowning in Blaekroo.. Pool, Sutton Park.- --The prisoner on being asked to plead guilty In not guilty said " It was a delusion of the mind.- - -Frederick Holmes was the first witness called. He said tlmt about half-la 4 SIX °.elork on Monday evening he was in the park in the neighbourhooil of Black root Pool, when he heard someone shouting by the boating shed, and uqion looking round he saw the prisoner in the water. Hi • ran to the rescue with a boathook. hut- not being able to effect his purpose lie hailed a man who happened to be on the pool at the t line in it boat. Thelit tel rowed to the it took the mot im board. and conveyed him on shore. %'hat the prisoner was saying whilst. in the water witness did not know, but xvhen he NVaS litilliti out. he said, '• Don't take me out, for I should like to finish myself. I am tired of my life, and my sins are more than I can bear.-- In answer to the Bench witness said that when he first saw the prisoner he was walking in the water away from the shore. :mil when he hait walked out, as far as he possibly could he threw himself down. IVitness admitteil that during the afterhot in he lent had a short conversat loon with St ta rrow, anit he thought then that lie seemed rather st range. Police-sergeant Silly(' said that about seven aelock the prisoner was brought to his station. He was so wet when he was put in the cell that he was stripped of all his clot hing, at Ihe st tithe seniling 4. ii- Mr. Summers, who subsequently at tended. Wit ness searched the prisoner's clothing :ind found in one of the pockets a liocket book and a razor, the fOrmer of which contained a hit of business entries. Since tieing lodged in his cell prisoner hail seemed all right, :tit I gh when he was first brought in he was too ill to reply to the charge. Mr. Summers, assistant to Alderman I:.‘ans, surgeon. Nlill-street, Sutton, said he saw the ikletalallt, at a little after seven ii chick in the evening. Ile was sutkring from long hunters' in the water, but hall since recovered. With regard to prisoner's mental (-undid 111 l witness said he was it opinion that he was sufkring from religions Mania, il gh quite rational upon every other subjeet. According to the wife. prisoner had lately behaved in an extraordinary manner, and in the opi ll ill n of witness it was necessary to lance hut, under restraint for a little while. Th4allar, Sparrow, father of the prisoner, said lid lived at Northampton, and was it retired builder. He had come to Atoe on Saturday to take his