Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1887-09-17 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DETERMINED ATTEMPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE AT MIDDLESBROUGH.  On Wednesday night a young man named Thos. Jones, who lodges in Montrose-street, Middlesbrough, made& determined attempt to take hisowii life by cutting his throt. Jones is a coremaker by trade, but bad times had rendered it difficult for him to obtain work latterly, and he engaged himself at Ridley's foundry as a labourer. He has been subject to fits, having had one so recently as Tuesday morning, and his circumstances have had a somewhat depressing effect upon hint of late. On Wednesday he returned to his lodgings when the day's work was done, but his demeanour does not appear to have attracted any special atter tion. He had not been in the house long before he retired to his bed-room, ostensibly with the object of going to bed, but a noise up stairs shortly afterwards attracted the notice of his married sister, Mrs Clough, who lived in the house, and she went to ascertain the cause. As she approached the room occupied by her brother the latter cried out, " Don't come in ; I have cut my throat." She opened the door, and found Jones lying on the bed with a frightful gash in his throat, from which the blood flowed copiously. Near at hand were a razor and a pocket knife, both open and besmeared with blood, :LA evidencing the determination of the attempt which the untortunate man had made on his life. Mrs Clough raised an alarm, and Dr. Hetchen and his assistant were speedily iii attendance. By this time, however, Jones had lost so much blood that the medical gentlemen despaired of saving his life. Temporary steps having been taken to arrest the flow of blood, the man was removed to this North Riding Infirmary in a very prscarious condition. On enquiring at the Infirmary yesterday afternoon ill was found that Jones's condition was not quite so serious as it was on Wednesday night, and a hope is entertained that he may yet survive his terrible self-inflicted injuries.  Harvest festivals -were held on Thursday evening at fit. John's Church, Stockton, and at the Parish Church, South Stockton. A CASK OF HAFtD SWEARING AT WEST , HARTLEPoot..—On Monday the sitting Magistrate * at West Hartlepool, Messrs Walker, 1 Fisher, and Gourley, were engaged a considerable time hearing a charge of drunk 1 and disorderly preferred by P.C. Dodds 1 against a young man named Thomas Bibby, labourer, of Sarah-street. The officer's statement was to the effect that on the night of the 1128th ult, defendant was drunk and disorderly in Sarah-street, and that on being observed he was 1 pulled into the house by his brother. This was corroborated by Sergeant Dunn and P.C. Middleman. The case was adjourned from last Monday week for the production of evidence, defendant having declared that he had been a teetotaler for three years, and that on the night in question he was perfectly sober, going home singing. In support of this statement defendant called Wm. Leighton, T. Wilde, and J. Cairnes, who all (IWOr3 that Bibby was perfectly sober, and that although he occasionally went into public-houses, he never took anything but " small lemons." In support of the charge Hugh Carley, labourer, and Francis Campbell, landlord of the Central Hotel, were called, the former swearing that defendant had three glasses of beer with him in the Central Hotel a fortnight before the date of the present charge, and the latter stating that he had himself served defendant with a "half of whisky." In reply to this defendant said he never entered a public-house alone, and when he ordered whisky it was for a friend. He strongly denied ever drinking beer with Curley, who, he alleged, had been induced to swear falsely against him. A further witness named Kate Kelly, late barmaid at the Central Hotel, was then sent for, and on being sworn stated that she served Bibby on one occasion with • glass of beer, but he usually drank small lemons." Questioned by defendant, witness said she could not swear that he drank the beer. He had a companion with him, who might have drank it. She also said that defendant was not the man who had three glasses of beer with the witness Curley—Ultimately the Bench, owing to the contradictory evidence, decided to dismiss the case.