The Sun. — 1846-10-06 (London, England)

SOUTHWARK. ATTEMPTED SIIICIDE.—EIiza Jarvis, the wife of a wine merchant, late of Bush-lane, City, was brought before Mr. Seeker, charged with having made a very determined attempt on her life the preceding morning, at a coffee-shop in the Waterloo-road. A young woman named Bade, servant at the coffeeshop, stated that on Saturday night the defendant came to her employer's house, and, after having taken some coffee, engaged a bed for the night. The following morning she requested that her breakfast might be brought up stairs to her bedroom, and she ordered a slice of bacon, desiring that a knife and fork might be provided. Her wishes were complied with, and a considerable time having elapsed, and she not coming down stairs, the landlord went up and knocked at the bedroom door, informing her that it was getting late in the day. The defendant answered in a feeble tone of voice, requesting that he would send the servant girl up to her, and the latter, upon entering the room, discovered the defendant lying on the bed, holding her right arm, from which the blood was flowing into a basin on a chair by the bed side. The knife which was sent up with the bacon was lying close by, and from the marks of blood upon it, there was no doubt it was used by the unfortunate woman to inflict a wound across her arm; but to the blade being extremely blunt and jagged was to be principally attributed the circumstance of her not having effected her object; as it was, however, a deep incision waslinflicted across the inside of her arm at the elbow. A medical man was immediately called in, and he pronounced that, although a good deal of injury was done, still that it would not be attended with any danger.: Acting-inspector Simmons, L division, stated that inquiries had been made respecting the defendant, and that it was ascertained she was the wife of a merchant in Bush-lane, in the City, who had some time since failed for 44,0001. He had absconded from his creditors, and a reward of 3001. was offered for his apprehension. Since the flight of her husband, the defendant had been lodging at a house in White, street, Southwark, and was supporting herself on a small weekly pittance which she was allowed by parties whom she did not know, but whom she had occasion to believe were friends in the country. Her landlady came forward and said, that for some days she had been in a very desponding condition of mind with regard to two of her children, who had been taken away from her, and placed at a boarding-school. Their board and education were paid for by unknown parties, and she was possessed of the idea that her children would be taken away from her entirely. This latter circumstance preyed heavily on her mind. Mr. SECKER put some questions to the unfortunate woman, with a view that she should explain the cause of her having attempted suicide, but she merely said that her misfortunes were great, and that she could not bear up against them. She, however, now regretted what she had done in her excited state, and would not attempi the like again. Mr. SMILER said, that in the defendant's condition of mind, he could not take her own word, and that it was necessary she should find two sureties of 101. each to be bail for her. The defendant not being prepared with the required sureties was committed.