South Yorkshire Times, August 4th 1933

Sad Mexboro’ Story

A verdict of “Suicide, with insufficient evidence to show the state of his mind” was recorded by Mr. W. H. Carlile at an inquest at Mexboro’ on Wednesday, on Horace Charles Carr (57) (picture), tripe dealer, 2, Catherine Street, Mexboro’, who was found dead in his shop in Bank Street on Monday.

Claude Gordon Bullock, licensee of the Red Lion Hotel, a cousin of Carr, said he last saw him alive on Saturday afternoon in his shop. He could see Carr was looking “down.” He had altered considerably in the last few weeks. Normally he had a very cheerful disposition. He had asked him two or three times whether the business was paying, and Carr did say but he did not get much out of him about it. He never thought Carr could make it go. He let Carr have the shop—unwillingly, and because he did not want to offend him.

Alice Maud Edmondson, wife of James Edmondson, said Carr lodged with them for 25 years. He had been “a bit depressed” in the last week or two, and she had tried to cheer him up. He was worried about the business, which was “not doing as it ought.” He was very quiet all-day Sunday, and when she went out in the evening, she left him lying on the sofa reading a paper. When she returned, he had gone to bed. When she got up on Monday morning he had gone out, but she did not think anything about that, as he often did so. But when he had not returned at 4.30 p.m. she went, with a Miss Price, to the shop, and through the window saw his cap hanging up. When she went inside, she found the shop full of gas and Carr sitting on a low chair with his head, covered with his jacket, resting on top of the gas stove. He appeared to be dead then. Miss Price ‘phoned for a doctor and notified the police. Carr left a letter addressed to her, which contained the following passage: “This is the end of me. L am at the end of my tether and can’t bold out any longer. Six weeks is a long time.”

The Coroner asked what the reference to six weeks meant, and Mrs. Edmondson said Carr was referring to the coming of cooler weather. The heat had turned a lot of his stock bad, and he hoped that if he could hold out till cooler weather came, he might pull through. The letter also contained instructions to Mrs. Edmondson as to the disposal of Carr’s belongings, and the following: “This is a fitting end to a wasted life.”

The Coroner: “Wasted life.” But he worked, didn’t he? He had always been at work till the last month or so, when he finished at the pit, he was on the dole. He had been in business before, and that went down. He had also been a soldier.

Dr. J. J. Huey said he was called to Carr’s shop about 4-40 p.m. on Monday. The place smelt strongly of gas. Carr was laid out on the floor and had been dead some hours. Death was due to coal gas poisoning. The Coroner said there was no doubt Carr took his life, and as be left a very sensible letter, and though he seemed to have been very much worried about his business, there would be a verdict as stated.