Weekly News. — 1892-09-29 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

BEFORE TIIE MAGISTRATES.  At the Poole Police Court on Monday, before Messrs W D Dugdale (chairman), G H Guten, J B Durell and G Curtis, Street was brought up charged with unlawfully attempting to commit suicide on September '24th, by cutting his throat with a razor. The first witness called was Harriett Wells, who said she lived at Stone Buildings, Nile Road. She was standing at her door on Saturday night when she saw the prisoner come out of the door of the next house with a razor in his hand, which he opened befure her. She tried to get him to go back indoors again, when he replied, "No, I can't," and further said that he was going to do away with himself. She again tried to induce prisoner to go indoors, but he would not be persuaded, and he afterwards went down the road. Witness followed him, but after a while lost sight of him. Mrs. Holloway, with whom prisoner lodged, was with her at the time. He was sober at the Lime.  Supt. Hains said that Mrs. Holloway had gone to London, but she told P.C. Dean that she knew nothing about the matter.  Elizabeth Hart said that on Saturday night about ten o'clock, Alfred Street came into the Three Crowns with another young man. He took a little bottle out of his pocket, and holding it up, said "that is what I mean to take." The other young man caught the bottle out of band before he had time to take it. There was a little black liqsid in the bottle. Prisoner then attempted to get the bottle again, when the witness went round, took the bottle from the other young man's I hand, and placed it on the other side of the counter. Prisoner said he was not going out of the house without he had the bottle, and her mother then poured the contents of the bottle away and substituted some port wine, thinking that prisoner would not know the difference. She then handed him back the bottle again, when he aaid, "That's not the stuff," and smashed the bottle. She did not see anything of the razor then. Prisoner then went away, but returned about a quarter of an hour later with blood running down his shirt. Prisoner said he meant to finish it, and intimated that he had a razor in his pocket. An effort was made to get the razor away from him, but as they were not able to do so, the police were sent for. P C. Dean proved being called to the Three Crowns on Saturday night and having his attmtion called to the prisoner, who was outside. He went to him, and found that he was bleeding in the neck. Witness asked him what he had been doing and he replied " nothing." Dean then asked him for the razor with which he had cut his throat with, and prisoner said he had not got one. Witness then had a struggle with Street, who was very desperate, and succeeded in taking a razor from his pocket. The razor produced, the blade of which was covered with blood, was the same as he took away from the prisoner. He said that prisoner was not drunk, but he had great difficulty in getting him to the station. On charging Street with attempting to commit suicide, he replied "I wish I had finished it. I will die for my brother yet." On searching prisoner, he found on him 25s 7d, a key, and a razor sheath. The collar and tie produced, which were covered in blood, were the same as worn by the prisoner on Saturday night. The chairman then charged him with the offence, but he made no reply, and he was then committed to take his trial at the next quarter sessions for the borough of Poole.