ALLEDGED ATTEMPTED SUICIDE East Kent Times 2nd May 1914 Hysterical Girls Foolish Act At a special sitting of the Cinque Ports Magistrates at the Margate Town Hall on Friday morning last, Alice GISBY aged 17 of park Cottages, West Dumpton, was charged with attempted suicide by taking a quantity of spirits of salts on April 19th. Jeanette HUNT, housekeeper to Mrs LITTLETON, Percy Road, Broadstairs said defendant had been in that ladies employ for about six weeks as a domestic servant and left on April 20th. The day previous to this the girl went out at 4pm and returned at 8.30pm very distressed and crying. She stated that her younger sister, in company with her younger brother had followed her about all the time she had been at Ramsgate and she that they had been spying upon her. Prisoner then went out into the back yard and witness heard nothing more of her until she heard the words “I have done, I shall be no more trouble to anyone again”. Witness asked her what she had done but prisoner refused to say. In an out house at the back of the premises witness found a bottle which had contained spirits of salts and which she had not seen there previously. Prisoner remained at the house for the night and left the next morning. Dr PINNIGER, practising at Broadstairs, said he was called to see the prisoner on the Sunday, and she told him she had taken the spirits of salts, and having treated her for poisoning her ordered her to bed. When he saw her later, at midnight, she complained of burning pains in her stomach. He saw her again on the following morning and she was sent home. If the accused had taken the quantity of the poison that she told him she had taken, and it had not been diluted, as she said it was, the dosed would have proved fatal. PS HADAWAY said when he read the warrant to the prisoner she said she had no one but her self to blame. Prisoner, in answer to the Bench said she had felt miserable but had no trouble of any kind. Mrs GISBY told the Bench that her daughter was a very good girl at home but she was inclined to be a little hysterical. The Chairman (Mr G K Burge) said the Magistrates did not want to send the girl to the Quarter Sessions, as she was so young and if she would give a faithful promises not to do so foolish thing again she would be discharged. The girl gave the required undertaking and was released. Margate Local & Family History