Bristol Mercury - 21 March 1888

TEMPLE CLOUD POLICE COURT

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED SUICIDE

John James, of Hallatrow, an old man, was brought
up in custody charged with attempting to commit
suicide on March 17th. Mary Chappell, of Old Mills, 
said her husband kept a beerhouse, at Paulton, and
on Saturday morning the prisoner had two pints of
beer at the house at half-past-six in the morning.
After some conversation the prisoner said he had his
grave marked out, in a field where there was
a well. He repeated this, and she spoke to him
about it, telling him to go to his work. She
left the room, and whilst away the prisoner left the
house and walked fast up the lane towards Paulton. 
She had never noticed anything strange in his
manner and did not think he was drunk when he
said what he did. In answer to the prisoner witness
said that he was at her house on Thursday and Friday, 
the 15th and 16th inst. but she could not say whether
he drank heavily on those days. He was in the house
for nine or ten hours on each of those days. William
Carter, living next door to the last witness, said that
Mrs Chappell told him of the prisoner's threat, and he
followed him into a field where there was a well, and his
hands were resting on the opposite side of the well.
He was shouting out and seemed as if he was out of
his mind. Witness ran up to him and pulled him
away, but prisoner struggled and said "That's my
home down there; I'm going before the day is out."
James got back to the well and remained by the side
of it for an hour and witness stayed with him. 
Further evidence having been taken, the prisoner was
committed for trial at the quarter session.