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murder。 He stood there dazed and unheeding； his bonny brown hair
rumpled down his forehead； his face haggard and careworn and boyish
still。
〃Yes； sir；〃 the lock…keeper's wife was saying。 〃As fast as I pulled to
get 'im out； 'e crawled back。 Then I called for 'elp； and some workmen
'appened along； and we got 'im out and turned 'im over to the constable。〃
The magistrate complimented the woman on her muscular powers； and
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the court…room laughed； but all I could see was a boy on the threshold of
life； passionately crawling to muddy death； and there was no laughter in it。
A man was now in the witness…box； testifying to the boy's good
character and giving extenuating evidence。 He was the boy's foreman； or
had been。 Alfred was a good boy； but he had had lots of trouble at home；
money matters。 And then his mother was sick。 He was given to
worrying； and he worried over it till he laid himself out and wasn't fit for
work。 He （the foreman）； for the sake of his own reputation； the boy's
work being bad； had been forced to ask him to resign。
〃Anything to say？〃 the magistrate demanded abruptly。
The boy in the dock mumbled something indistinctly。 He was still
dazed。
〃What does he say； constable？〃 the magistrate asked impatiently。
The stalwart man in blue bent his ear to the prisoner's lips； and then
replied loudly； 〃He says he's very sorry； your Worship。〃
〃Remanded；〃 said his Worship； and the next case was under way； the
first witness already engaged in taking the oath。 The boy； dazed and
unheeding； passed out with the jailer。 That was all； five minutes from
start to finish； and two hulking brutes in the dock were trying strenuously
to shift the responsibility of the possession of a stolen fishing…pole； worth
probably ten cents。
The chief trouble with these poor folk is that they do not know how to
commit suicide； and usually have to make two or three attempts before
they succeed。 This； very naturally； is a horrid nuisance to the constables
and magistrates； and gives them no end of trouble。 Sometimes； however；
the magistrates are frankly outspoken about the matter； and censure the
prisoners for the slackness of their attempts。 For instance Mr。 R。 S…；
chairman of the S… B… magistrates； in the case the other day of Ann Wood；
who tried to make away with herself in the canal： 〃If you wanted to do it；
why didn't you do it and get it done with？〃 demanded the indignant Mr。 R。
S…。 〃Why did you not get under the water and make an end of it； instead
of giving us all this trouble and bother？〃
Poverty； misery； and fear of the workhouse； are the principal causes of
suicide among the working classes。 〃I'll drown myself before I go into
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the workhouse；〃 said Ellen Hughes Hunt； aged fifty…two。 Last Wednesday
they held an inquest on her body at Shoreditch。 Her husband came from
the Islington Workhouse to testify。 He had been a cheesemonger； but
failure in business and poverty had driven him into the workhouse；
whither his wife had refused to accompany him。
She was last seen at one in the morning。 Three hours later her hat
and jacket were found on the towing path by the Regent's Canal； and later
her body was fished from the water。 VERDICT： SUICIDE DURING
TEMPORARY INSANITY。
Such verdicts are crimes against truth。 The Law is a lie； and through
it men lie most shamelessly。 For instance； a disgraced woman； forsaken
and spat upon by kith and kin； doses herself and her baby with laudanum。
The baby dies； but she pulls through after a few weeks in hospital； is
charged with murder； convicted； and sentenced to ten years' penal
servitude。 Recovering； the Law holds her responsible for her actions； yet；
had she died； the same Law would have rendered a verdict of temporary
insanity。
Now； considering the case of Ellen Hughes Hunt； it is as fair and
logical to say that her husband was suffering from temporary insanity
when he went into the Islington Workhouse； as it is to say that she was
suffering from temporary insanity when she went into the Regent's Canal。
As to which is the preferable sojourning place is a matter of opinion； of
intellectual judgment。 I； for one； from what I know of canals and
workhouses； should choose the canal； were I in a similar position。 And I
make bold to contend that I am no more insane than Ellen Hughes Hunt；
her husband； and the rest of the human herd。
Man no longer follows instinct with the old natural fidelity。 He has
developed into a reasoning creature； and can intellectually cling to life or
discard life just as life happens to promise great pleasure or pain。 I dare
to assert that Ellen Hughes Hunt； defrauded and bilked of all the joys of
life which fifty…two years' service in the world has earned； with nothing
but the horrors of the workhouse before her； was very rational and level…
headed when she elected to jump into the canal。 And I dare to assert；
further； that the jury had done a wiser thing to bring in a verdict charging
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society with temporary insanity for allowing Ellen Hughes Hunt to be
defrauded and bilked of all the joys of life which fifty…two years' service in
the world had earned。
Temporary insanity！ Oh； these cursed phrases； these lies of language；
under which people with meat in their bellies and whole shirts on their
backs shelter themselves； and evade the responsibility of their brothers and
sisters； empty of belly and without whole shirts on their backs。
From one issue of the Observer； an East End paper； I quote the
following commonplace events：…
A ship's fireman； named Johnny King； was charged with attempting
to commit suicide。 On Wednesday defendant went to Bow Police Station
and stated that he had swallowed a quantity of phosphor paste； as he