A Penzance taxi driver, James Henry Stevens, who has been lodging at Norton Terrace, Penzance, was charged before a special sitting of the Borough Police Court on Tuesday 5th December 1933, with having attempted to commit suicide on Sunday night.
He decided to be dealt with summarily, and pleaded guilty to the charge. The Bench, after a long retirement, decided to send the defendant to prison for one month. When asked what his motive was, the defendant replied: "I have my reason, but I prefer to keep it to myself."
P.C. Curnow said on Sunday night about 10 o'clock, he received information that a man had made an attempt on his life in a house in Norton Terrace. With Sergt. Matthews, he went to the house, and found the defendant in the front room downstairs in a distressed state. They brought him to the police station for his own safety, and there he was cautioned and charged. The information given them was that the defendant was lying on the bed with a necktie around his neck, and the other end was tied to the upright of the bed. He was over the bed, strangling himself. The householder hearing curious noises coming from the bedroom, went there, and released the defendant.
Mr. Oliver E. Tunstall, of 4, Norton Terrace, Penzance, said the accused had been lodging with him since October 16. Earlier on Sunday evening, his wife and he asked Mr. Stevens if he was going out, and he said, "No." They asked him whether he would stay in the house while they went to church. They went to church, and came home and listened to the wireless for half-an-hour. There was a conversation with the defendant about money. They offered him the car which the witness had purchased from the defendant so that he could work on the taxi rank. They could arrive at any decision, as they did not know what the defendant would earn, and the witness could not offer him any wage. The witness did not think it was fair to offer him any sum, because he supposed it would be rather small. Continuing, the witness said the defendant went upstairs shortly before ten o'clock. The Clerk (Mr. R. B. G. Birtill): Did you suspect anything? Witness: Yes, and no. Having heard one or two little tales which I had not taken much notice of, I thought I should watch if there was anything like that. I went out into the yard to see if everything was all right, and I saw that his light was on. I came in, and he went to the foot of the stairs, and heard a gurgling sound. I went upstairs, and he was on the bed. He was lying across the bed with a necktie around his neck. The tie was fastened to the iron upright of the bed, and he seemed to be pulling his weight in the opposite direction.
The Clerk: What was his demeanour during the conversation about the car; did he seem distressed?— Yes, he has been distressed for some time. What was he distressed about? I don't know. Questioned Mr. F. C. Simpson (a magistrate), the witness said the defendant seemed all right when the witness went to church, and he had no cause to think the defendant was going to do anything wrong. The defendant said he was very sorry. He was not upset by the conversation earlier in the evening. He had been upset since September. Head Constable Kenyon said the defendant had been a taxi driver in the town, and owned a car up to the last few months. He was plying for hire during the summer, but brought in his license, and since then he had partly sold his car to Mr. Tunstall. The defendant had been living with Mr. Tunstall for five or six weeks, and his board and lodging was supposed to come out of the other portion of the car. He thought the defendant was of a very excitable nature. The defendant, in reply to questions, said his car was his chief support. He had been doing nothing since he sold it.
The Head Constable said the defendant had a sister, but he did not know where she was. He has no friends really. He is a native of Newton Abbot. The chairman (Dr. J. Symons): Have you any reason for this misdeed? Defendant: I have a reason, but I prefer to keep it to myself. The Chairman: That is not in your favour, you know. The Head Constable said that Mr. Tunstall was willing for the defendant to have the car again to go on the rank again; but Mr. Tunstall would not be responsible for him, neither did he want him back at his house again. Therefore, he would have no place to live in. His car was licensed and insured until the end of the year, and he ought to be working it. Defendant, in reply to the Bench, said: "I had made other arrangements, but they fell through." The Bench retired, and on returning, the chairman said they had decided in his own interests send him to prison for one month. "In prison you will be taken care of," he added, "and we hope that on your discharge, as you will be near your birthplace, you will return there, and live an honest life in the future." The magistrates were: Dr. J. Symons (in the chair), Messrs. Howell Mabbott, F. C. Simpson, and J. A. D. Bridger, with the clerk (Mr. R. B. G. Birtill), and the assistant clerk (Mr. S. O. Watkins).
He decided to be dealt with summarily, and pleaded guilty to the charge. The Bench, after a long retirement, decided to send the defendant to prison for one month. When asked what his motive was, the defendant replied: "I have my reason, but I prefer to keep it to myself."
P.C. Curnow said on Sunday night about 10 o'clock, he received information that a man had made an attempt on his life in a house in Norton Terrace. With Sergt. Matthews, he went to the house, and found the defendant in the front room downstairs in a distressed state. They brought him to the police station for his own safety, and there he was cautioned and charged. The information given them was that the defendant was lying on the bed with a necktie around his neck, and the other end was tied to the upright of the bed. He was over the bed, strangling himself. The householder hearing curious noises coming from the bedroom, went there, and released the defendant.
Mr. Oliver E. Tunstall, of 4, Norton Terrace, Penzance, said the accused had been lodging with him since October 16. Earlier on Sunday evening, his wife and he asked Mr. Stevens if he was going out, and he said, "No." They asked him whether he would stay in the house while they went to church. They went to church, and came home and listened to the wireless for half-an-hour. There was a conversation with the defendant about money. They offered him the car which the witness had purchased from the defendant so that he could work on the taxi rank. They could arrive at any decision, as they did not know what the defendant would earn, and the witness could not offer him any wage. The witness did not think it was fair to offer him any sum, because he supposed it would be rather small. Continuing, the witness said the defendant went upstairs shortly before ten o'clock. The Clerk (Mr. R. B. G. Birtill): Did you suspect anything? Witness: Yes, and no. Having heard one or two little tales which I had not taken much notice of, I thought I should watch if there was anything like that. I went out into the yard to see if everything was all right, and I saw that his light was on. I came in, and he went to the foot of the stairs, and heard a gurgling sound. I went upstairs, and he was on the bed. He was lying across the bed with a necktie around his neck. The tie was fastened to the iron upright of the bed, and he seemed to be pulling his weight in the opposite direction.
The Clerk: What was his demeanour during the conversation about the car; did he seem distressed?— Yes, he has been distressed for some time. What was he distressed about? I don't know. Questioned Mr. F. C. Simpson (a magistrate), the witness said the defendant seemed all right when the witness went to church, and he had no cause to think the defendant was going to do anything wrong. The defendant said he was very sorry. He was not upset by the conversation earlier in the evening. He had been upset since September. Head Constable Kenyon said the defendant had been a taxi driver in the town, and owned a car up to the last few months. He was plying for hire during the summer, but brought in his license, and since then he had partly sold his car to Mr. Tunstall. The defendant had been living with Mr. Tunstall for five or six weeks, and his board and lodging was supposed to come out of the other portion of the car. He thought the defendant was of a very excitable nature. The defendant, in reply to questions, said his car was his chief support. He had been doing nothing since he sold it.
The Head Constable said the defendant had a sister, but he did not know where she was. He has no friends really. He is a native of Newton Abbot. The chairman (Dr. J. Symons): Have you any reason for this misdeed? Defendant: I have a reason, but I prefer to keep it to myself. The Chairman: That is not in your favour, you know. The Head Constable said that Mr. Tunstall was willing for the defendant to have the car again to go on the rank again; but Mr. Tunstall would not be responsible for him, neither did he want him back at his house again. Therefore, he would have no place to live in. His car was licensed and insured until the end of the year, and he ought to be working it. Defendant, in reply to the Bench, said: "I had made other arrangements, but they fell through." The Bench retired, and on returning, the chairman said they had decided in his own interests send him to prison for one month. "In prison you will be taken care of," he added, "and we hope that on your discharge, as you will be near your birthplace, you will return there, and live an honest life in the future." The magistrates were: Dr. J. Symons (in the chair), Messrs. Howell Mabbott, F. C. Simpson, and J. A. D. Bridger, with the clerk (Mr. R. B. G. Birtill), and the assistant clerk (Mr. S. O. Watkins).
