The Poole Telegram. — 1883-01-26 (Poole, Dorset, England)

TRIALS OF PRISONERS. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.  William Wilco, wheelmaker, imperfect education, was indicted for unlawfully casting himself into the river Yoo, 'with intent thereby feloniously, wilfully,and of malice aforethought "to kill and murder himself, at Sherborne, on 29th December, 1882 He pleaded not guilty, very indistinctly, and keenly regarded the petty jury. Mr. Udall said the CIP•6O was very short and simple. It seemed that a boy saw prisoner cross the field, take off his ociat and waistcoat, and throw himself into the river. The boy ran away and called the police to his assist once, and the constable pulled him out. Thornt ,n White, who lives at the Sherborne gas-works, saw the prisoner on that day. Friday, run down a field called the Purlieu, and towards the river Yeo, where he teak off his coat and waistcoat. Witness fetched P.O. Jesse. By prisoner You were not stood up. Prisoner : I was a; well as ever I was in my life, and I have been well ever since. I was took down low and nervous, I jumped into the river, and I come out a perfect cure, and have no; been ill since. I never meant to kill myself. Witness : I was not in the Hold : but I was in a place where 1 sow vou jump into the river. Prisoner: I seed hamn Polly, I took off my coat. . .  . . _ P.C. Jesse, stationed at Sherborne, was sent to go to Purlieu field, and saw William Collins in the river, about three feet from the edge of the water. Hestepped into the hedge, and pulled him out very much exhausted, when prisoner said—" I am tired of my life; I came here on purpose to do away with myself." Prisoner here denied this. Witness west on that he sent for the doctor. By prisoner : You were not standing upright in the water, but about half double. Prisoner: I wasn't, the water cured me, I have been very bad all summer. Tnis was the whole of the case. When before the magistrates, the prisoner said—" I did not jump int, the water with the intention of drowning my self." eisoner now eaid he was "took down" low and nervous all the summer, was hot in his back, and disturbed his neighbours at night, lie sent for the doctor, something was all over hia body, and the water cured him.—He continued in an excited way to bring a charge against the p 1 ce at Sherbotne, which the Judge said had nothing to do with the case. In summing up the Judge pointel Vie ea 'dance, and added that the shock might have cared the man, but if the jury found him guilty of intending to make away with himself, they would have nothing to do with what amount of punishment was to be inflicted. In answer to Oil Foreman, the constable said, the man's head had been under water, and was dripping. He hail be rn told the river was about sft. deep ; but it was only :3t. where the prisoner jumped in. The jury asked how long the man was in the water from the time the boy saw him jump in till the policeman sow him? The boy thought about three minutes ;he had t go about 100 yard.. Thu Judge pointed out to the jury that what they had to consider was simply whether ths man intended to destroy himself when he jump2d into the water. The jury making enquiries about what medic al aid was calisd in, the Judge explained to them it had nothing to do with what they had to decide. They elected to retire, and consider their verdict, and wire marched off. After s mse time they found him guilty of intending to commit self-destruction, but net accountable for his actions. The Judge said no issue was left to them as to whether pris flier was of unsound mind, and alter explanation sent them back to re-consider. The jury returned after flOlll3 time with a verdict of guilty and a recommen lation to mercy. The Judge sentenced him to a month's imprisonment, with such hard labour as the medical (Acre of the priaon considered was lit for him. 

Article type: Incident