Widnes Examiner. — 1882-04-29 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

ATTEMPIED SUICIDE AT APPLETON.—Thomas Harrison, gauger (or other examining officer at the station where the of Appleton, was charged with having att:mpted to commit goods are lying) a book which is familiarly known as the suicide by cutting his throat with a razor, on the 10:h landing book. This contains a rough description of those March —Sarah Ann Harrison (10), daughter of the prisoner, goods, together with a request that they shall be more fully said she saw her father lying down on his breast in the examined. This the gauger does, fills up his book, and re- garden on the afternoon of the 10th March. He appeared turns it to the registrar, who sends it on to the warehousing to have been down in some " pit "as his clothing Was dirty. department to the clerk who first received the merchant's He was senseless and breathing hard. She fetched her entries. In the case of wines and spirits the alcoholic mother, who turned the prisoner over on his back, when the strength is ascertained at the laboratory which has received fact that he had cut his throat was revealed. Witness picked a sealed sample from the gauger. The clerk enters the up a razor from the ground. It was covered with blood.— gauger's account into his own register opposite the mer- The wife of the prisoner, Elizabeth Harrison. sad her chant's entry and in etactly similar columns. During the husband was insensible when she went to him in the garden. transmission from hand to hand of these documents, Par. His throat was cut. The prisoner was conveyed home, and ticulars of value, dx., have also been supplied to the statis- Dr. Willett was sent for. The prisoner had not been in his tical office. The goods are now completely under the charge right mind since last Christmas, but he had never attempted of the Customs officers with every particular relating to to take his life before. Seven years ago he had his head them that can possibly be procured. Such is the method of struck with a ten pound weight, and two years afterwards landing and bonding datiab:e goods; and it is through fear he was in an asylum for four months. She considered the of rendering this description tedious to our readers that we prisoner was now in his right mind.—Mr. Greenall : When have omitted mention of many necessary technicalities in did he come right ?—Witness: In about three days after the the movements of the goods. It is proper to observe here cut.—Dr. James Willett said he was sent for to see the prithat it is not the intention of the Treasury to interfere soner on the 10th March. On arriving at the cottage he greatly with the system of warehousing just described. It examined the prisoner, and found he had severed his windis scarcely susceptible of improvement, and in this respect pipe from side. It was such a wound as might be produced it bears a close resemblance to the Excise system of bonding. by a razor. It was a dangerous wound, and on his first exThe great difference between the two lies in this— aminationathe prisoner was cold and almost pulseless. He that in the Customs an account of all the goods lying in did not consider the prisoner would live more than an hour, bond is kept under one roof, and in the Excise the accounts but he nevertheless stitched up the wound. He eventuaLly are practically kept at the different stations. The custom recovered. The prisoner had suffered from recurrent house, as a rule, lies in the centre, and within easy distance mania, caused by a blow on the head received of all the bonding warehouses. The offices of the numerous seven years ago. Witness then attended the prisoner agents are also situated near. Let us now examine the who since that time had suffered from a- discharge of pus method which obtains at present in the clearing of goods from the ear. During the attacks of mania the prisoner was for home consumption or for export. When paying duty not responsible for his own actions, and a few weeks preon spirits the merchant has to make out three papers, each a vious to his attempt on his life the prisoner suffered from duplicate of the others. One, known as the "Bill," is for- pains in the head. On the 10th March the prisoner was warded to the statistical department, while the other two are suffering from inflammation of the brain. His health was sent on to the clerk in the warehousing department, who now completely restored,and it would be perfectly safe for him has an account of the goods which the merchant wishes to to be at large to follow his usual avocation.—Mrs. Harrison, I clear. The clerk retains one, called the " warrant," and the other he endorses with particulars of strength. nc., certify- recalled, said the prisoner had never attempted to injure herself or children or any other. person.—Mr. Greenall said it ing to their accuracy, for the information of the buyer, who ultimately receives this third document. Wines and all dry was an awful tiling to attempt to take his own life, but the Bench did not wish to send him to an asylum or to the goods require two documents only. Should all the particu- sessions for trial, and they would dismiss the case if he lars as to date, ship, quantity, description, and strength (if would promise never to do such an action again.—The priwet) of the goods, prove correct, the clerk issues an order soner made the promise, and he was bound over. to the "locker" in charge of the warehouse for the delivery