The Sun. — 1841-07-19 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN A STATION-HOUSE.  A respectably-dressed man, about sixty years of age, named Thomas Johnson, was charged before Mr. Clive, the sitting Magistrate at Kensington Police Court, with having attempted suicide in the station-house, Kensington. It will be in the recollection of our readers that the accused was brought before tile Magistrate on the 10th of May last, on the charge of having deserted his wife and family, and having left them chargeable to the parish. It then appeared that the accused, after having been employed for some time in attendance upon Captain Bark, who had dislocated his shoulder, formed an improper connection with the elder of Captain Bark's two daughters. Johnson's wife, who at that time washed for the family, discovered what was going on, and threatened to tell Captain Bark, when Miss Bark offered to settle an annuity of 401. a year upon her, if she would do the washing in her own house instead of at Captain Bark's as she had been accustomed to do. Miss Bark at that time appeared to doubt Johnson's being a married man, and when the wife showed her the certificate, said that she (Miss Bark) was the only Mrs. Johnson, and no one but her had any right to him. The wife of Johnson was from that time kept by the Misses Bark as much as possible away from the house ; but at last, having no doubt of the proceedings which were going on, she told Miss Eliza Bark, whom she had reason_ to believe her husband had .also seduced, that Captain Bark should be immediately informed of what was going on. Upon this Miss Bark eloped with Johnson, and they were discovered in May last residing together at Evesham, near Worcester, Miss Bark being enciente with her third child. Johnson was apprehended, and at his own request he was on that occasion remanded for two days in order to see if he could not make terms with the Board of Guardians. The Board, however, thought him a fit subject to be made an example of, and he was accordingly sent to hard labour as a rogue and vagabond in the House of Correction for one calendar month. At the completion of his term of imprisonment the defendant's wife and family were taken to the prison, and on his liberation they were handed over to him by the parish officers who left them with him outside the prison. The wife and family, however, soon afterwards became again chargeable to Kensington, the defendant having again deserted them, but nothing further was heard of him until the present charge. Sergeant Eastland, T 17, deposed that about half-past five o'clock on Friday afternoon the defendant came into the charge-room at the station-house, and, asking him how he did, sat himself down in a chair. He had apparently been drinking a little, and said he came to thank witness and Inspector Smith for the kind way in which they had treated him while in custody. After he had sat a little time the defendant said he intended to make away with himself. Witness took that to be an idle threat, and laughed at it as such, but the defendant repeatedly said be should do so. He also said that while he was in prison Miss Bark had sent him a letter which contained nothing but an intimation that she bad sent his clothes to his mother's house in Oxfordshir.% On his liberation from confinement, he hastened back to Evesham, but on his arrival there he found Miss Bark had left the neighbourhood suddenly, and had gone nobody knew whither. He then returned to town to endeavour to trace her, but all his exertions had been fruitless, and he repeated that unless he found her he would assuredly commit suicide, adding that he had already, before he came there, taken some poison, and had some more in his pocket. He then rose up to go away, but witness said he should insist first on seeing if he had any poison about him, when he resisted, and in the struggle the defendant pulled out a small bottle from his waistcoat pocket, which he threw into the fire, and in an instant a large body of flame rushed up the chimney, but was soon extinguished. The defendant then walked into the yard of the station, and while doing so witness noticed him put his hand into his pocket and pull out a penknife, which he was in the act of opening when witness again seized him, and in the struggle to wrest the knife from him the defendant's fingers were cut across. Defendant was then placed in custody, and Mr. Wright, the union surgeon, sent for, who administered emetics and used other means to get up the poison (laudanum) with success. He was ultimately conveyed to the Union irorkhouse for greater security during the night, from whence he had been brought to the Court that morning. He acknowledged having taken 6d. worth of laudanum, which he had purchased at Westminster. The defendant, in answer to the charge, expressed his sorrow for 'what he had done. He had had a deal o. trouble, which made him hardly know what he did. He had since his return to town been to his wife to see if she would live with him again, but she gave him into the custody of the police for annoying her He, however, would pledge himself not to repeat such conduct, but would, if liberated, immediately set off to Oxfordshire to his mother and friends. Mr. Clive, upon that condition, allowed him to be discharged.