Alleged attempted suicide by young girl

 

Lottie Spalding, a respectably-dressed girl, was charged with attempted suicide at St Albans City Petty Sessions.

She was found by P.s. Housden in the Abbey Orchard on Monday 17th February 1913, in a state of collapse, and when asked what was the matter, she showed the police officer a poison bottle which had contained laudanum.

First-aid was rendered and she was eventually removed to the hospital, where she was arrested on Thursday morning.

P.s.Housden stated that when he was endeavouring to restore the defendant she said ‘Oh! Let me die’.

The girl’s mother when asked if she would take charge of her daughter, declined saying that she was a widow and had two little children to work for.

The Bench remanded the accused to the infirmary for a week.

1st March 1913 – Update on attempted suicide case

‘Lottie Spalding, the young girl who was found in a collapsed condition in the Abbey Orchard as reported by us last week, was brought before the City Justices on Thursday, and charged with attempted suicide.

Head Constable Whitbread stated that since the remand last week, that Miss Gandy, of St Albans, was prepared to take the girl.  The defendant expressed her willingness to go, and on these conditions the Bench dismissed the case.’