Widnes Examiner. — 1886-11-06 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE TRAGIC ATTEMPTED SUICIDE  AT E A.RLESTOWN. Oa Saturday afternoon James McKenzie (46), described as a ship's engineer, of Liverpool, was cornwitted for trial by the Newten-le-Willows justices, at their Petty Sessional meeting in the Town Hall, for attenspting to take away hie life, on the 14th ult., at Eerlestown, by shooting himself with a revolver. Mr. Stewart defended the prisoner, whose appearance was emaciated. Considerable interest was evinced in the proceedings, the affair having caused no little excitetnent in the neighbourhood. The eircumeteneee of the nice were narrated to the magistrates by Police-Supt. Weir. They are so well known KS to require but brief recapitulation. On the afternoon of the fourteenth of last month prisoner went to Earlestown to see his wife, from whom he had been separated. The door was fastened, and he knocked several times. No notice, hewever, was taken. Prisoner then sat down en the step. and, pulling a revolver from his rocket, fired and shot himself under the right ear. 11-e then placed the weapon at his side, and became unconecione. Dr. Paterson, of Eerlestown, who was in the neighbourhood, exaelined the injured man, and by his instruetions McKenzie was removed to the Royal Infirmary at Liverpool. Four of the chambers of the revolver were after wards found to contain ball cartridges, and the other two chambers were empty. One anpeered to have been recently fired. Prisoner remained some days in the infirmary, and on being discharged he was apprehended and taken in custody to Newton, Iwhere, on the following Monday, he was brought before the magistrates, charged with the offence, and remanded to the Petty Sessions. Prisoner was a widower with four children when he married his present wife, who, some time ego, in consequence of domestic differences, returned to Earle-street, Earlestown, to live with Mrs. Mottram, her mother. Evidence was given by Mrs. Mottram, who said that prisoner was her son-in-law—to her sorrow. He married her daughter about two Tears ago, but she left him about ten months since. On several occasions during the past ten months she had seen him at her house in Eerlestown, and had sometimes admitted him. Latterly she had been afraid of him, and had therefore refused to let him enter the house. On the day in question witness, hearing that he was coming, locked the door. He tapped lightly and then tried to look through the window. Not receiving a reply, he knocked loudly, and witness directly afterwards heard the report of a pistol. On looking through the window she saw her son-in-law sitting on the doorstep. Blood was flowing freely from a wound in his neck. In answer to questions put to her by Mr. Stewart, witness said that prisoner was addicted to drink, but had other bad habits in addition. He and ' bis wife lived happily together for a time, when he was sober.—Evidence was next given by a girl named Sarah Evans, who said that as she was passing through Earle•street she saw prisoner pull the pistol produced from his pocket and shoot himself somewhere under the right ear.—Medical testimony was adduced by Dr. Paterson to the effect that he was driving along Earle-streei; on the day in question when his attention was called to the prisoner, who was bleeding from a wound in the neck, underneath the right ear Witness staunched the wound and ordered his removal to the Royal Infirmary at Liverpool. At that time he did not think the man would live, as he considered the wound to be a very dangerous one. On being searched by P.C. Hughes. twelve ball cartridges were found in prisoner's possession. On behalf of prisoner Mr. Stewart said that unfortunately his client had given way to intemperate habits, which had brought him to his present position. When he first married his second wife he lived happily with her, and it was only when he gave way to drink that his wife declined to live with him. No allegation was made against him that he went to Earlestown with any intention of doing violence to himself. He simply went to see hie wife and chili, with the hope that he might induce his wife io live with him again For a fortnight before he had been drinking ,hard, and was in a mad state of intoxication when he got to the house. On being refused admittance he committed the rash act, but he had no intention to destroy his life. Tie was a respectable man and the lesson he had received, Mr. Stewart trusted, would be a warning to him. His offence had been fully expiated by his imprisonment since his recovery, and by the remorse he felt at what he had done. He asked the magistrates to be lenient as prisoner had four children d-pendent on him. The magistrates intimated that the case was of so serious a character that they had no option but to commit the prisoner for trial.  The prisoner was brought up at the Liverpool Quarter Sessions on Wednesday, and Mr. Vrelsby, barrister, prosecuted. After the facts of tiae case had been stated, the Chairman said the prisoner did not appear to have attempted to injure anybody but him self.—The prisoner, who had been kept in custody since his apprehension, was ordered to be discharged at the rising of the Court.  A