The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-02-18 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

CURIOUS ATTEMPT TO COMMIT  SUICIDE.  A rather curious attempt to commit suicide was made on Thursday by a rural postman, named, itAward littabrod. The particulars will be learned from the evidence given before Mr. Alderman Gregory. at the police-court, on Friday morning Inst.  John Baxter Vincent said he was a watchmaker residing in Pease-lane. On Thursday eventne. ht -en seven and eight o'clr:clc, he was vi ilking on the Londonread, when he saw a man in Mt. Marvin Lock'a He was walking g.l.orit. Witness did u. t sby, but after he had gone on a little dintane 3 he 199kfli back, and then saw the man either jump or fall into the water. There was a soldier corning al .n; at the Vino, and witness apkesi him to corn- and help him, as thee- was a niau trying' to drown him •elf. The ..,1,1,er said "Oh is her' and walked on. Bv tha time the nriooner had got ont of the water. He walked 'it of the field into the road, and aftor getting into the rosd he again ;cid over in, o the field and walked in the direction of the water that he bad been in. 11-fore, however, he 14,.t very far he turned round and came back into tho roati vgiai a. Ile then walked up to the town ant Into Green' 2'6 Pao tp.;P, where he lived. W; t nese went with P.R. Mtchll to prisoner's house and painted him out. P.S. Mitchell said, in consequence of information received, he went with the last witness to prisoneea house about nine o'clock. He went into his bedroona, and Vgieent pointed the prisoner out to him as the man he had aeon in the water. Wi.ness asked to pee the clothes he had been wearin that evening. They were produced by his wife, and he bend them to he dripping with wet. H 9 then eh,rge i the nrismer with ittte ranting to commit suicide, He " It's all a mistake—it's all wrong." Alter a errsuation witness induced him to cot dp and god ewnstairv. lieeoas shout to make a sto 'anent, tut witness cautioned him, and told hint sr-;lat he said would be used in evidence against him tie did not say anything then. On the way to tiis police-station he said  "t know my clothes are met, but I walked into the water I had no intention of doing that. He was looked up, and witneßß had remained with him all night. Alderman Gregory: Do you wish to ask the witness any questions 1 Prisoner : It is quit) true what the sergeant ha* said. Mr. Charles Para yostmsster. Raid the defendant HU a rural letter carrier. On Thurialay evoning be had reason to surpend him for irregularities. Mt in-bad spoken to hint with regard to the irregulariti-s. and toni hint he would be susperdled, he replied. "You on't see Inc any more." Ile repeated thes 5 words two Or three tituee dur lug the conversation, tVitness told hint not to talk nonsense, or wr.rds t that elect. He thw, left witne.s'R r ,om, and he did not 8-30 hl/11 Sail till the evening. when he Raw him at the police-station. Pri,ooer, asked if be had anything to say in regard to Mr. Parson's evidence, Raid : I won't say I didn't ear it, but l ant net aware I did. I was a little excited. and I don't know what I said." Alderman Gregory (addressing prisoner): Front the evidence of Mr. Parsons there Is no doubt you had sonie such tatent.on, and as we cannot deal with the cease tow, you will have to be remanded till Monday morning. Pruioner : I had no intintion to commit suicide any more than I have now. I never had it in my thong/am hlotti)ar.  ;Moro tile Mayor (W. D rden. Rfitl:,), Dr. Aldridge, Mr Alderman. Gregory, Mr. Alderwatt DeViti„ ,ndvL Devenish  E lward Bushrorl w e again brought up before the above magistrates this (Monday) morning. Vinceut having oven his evideece as before, the Prtgoner said : lie must have made a great mistake about my going into the field a eucotid time. 1 walked into the field a little way. and back again. Sergeant Mitchell repsated his evidence, to which the prisoner had nothing to say. Mr. Charles Par- ons also confirmed his evidence, and the prisoner agaM said he would not say his did rict say it, but he did not remember it. Re was vary excited. Mr. Parsons said the prisoner hau Len in the employ of the Post-Office for about 13 tears. When he said the words hr (Me. Par4eit.) did not tniuk nrisaner meant anytSing of the kind. lie himself should not have thought anything snore shunt it, but be was told that a rman had jumped into the water, and. feeling it his du, y tosay what he knew uf the matter, he immediate; y sent to the poliesstation. _ _ .  Prisoner, in defence, said he waq naturally very much excited, eind instead of vradting borne at once he walked down the road to get over it before he went henie. He walked on the Londoa-road, and had occasion to get over into the flehL. ILaring sonieboiy coming, he went to get out of the held, and his foot slipped and he fell into tie gutt .r. He had no intention of committing suicide. The Mayor said the Bench were ineined to look at the matter from a lenient point of view. It seemed very stramie, after having this Nmversation with Mr. Parsons, that he should go dire.ct to the waft a.ud throw himself into the water: but, on the other hand, if he had wished to drown himself there was ample ..pportunity for him to have dune so in dev wat,m At any rate it was a very serious c.se, but as the Bench were locaned to look at it leniemly, he would be bound over, himself in £2O, and another in or two in ill) each, for the space of three months. It was a very serious case, and the Bench hoped this would be a warning for him to take care net to do anything of the sot Again.