Sheffield Independent – Saturday 04 August 1928

Mexborough Horror.
Father Wounded; Child Dead.
Grim Fight

A shocking discovery was made in louse in Pitt street, Mexborough yesterday morning, as a result which Harold Marsden (37), miner, the tenant, lies in Fullerton Hospital in a serious condition. One his five children, Mary, aged 10, was found dead.

It is said that Marsden who has been depressed and ill for seven month since he sustained a slight accident in  the pit, got up in the middle of the night, ostensibly for some medicine, and returned with a razor.

Mrs. Marsden, who was sleeping in another room and was aroused by the cries of Mary, is said to have been cut on the wrist during a struggle. Marsden is suffering from severe throat wounds. The couple had lived happily together since they were married in 1918 and had five small children: Mary aged 10, the dead child. Norah, aged 8, Edna (6), Norman (4), and baby 1 year and 4 months. The mother and father were sleeping in one bed with the baby, and in another bed in the same room Norah and Norman were sleeping together Mary and Edna were sleeping in the hack room.

Shortly after the tragedy, the whole street was echoing with the screams of the wife and her children, and the neighhours rushed into the house.

Mr. Reg Atkinson, gas meter inspector who lives next door, went into the house first. “When I dashed upstairs into the back room I saw a ghastly spectacle, said. “In the bed which was saturated with blood was Mary, dead. Her bead was completely severed.

Shell-Shock Sufferer.

“I picked Edna up out of bed and then took her downstairs. Then I went back the front room for the other Children All this time Mrs. Marsden was struggling to save her life.”

Neighbours stated that Marsden suffered from shell shock in the War and has had a recent illness. An accident at the Denaby Colliery seven months ago resulted an injury to his arm and on Tuesday he went to a doctor for a medical note and fainted in the surgery.

Marsden was a fine man physically with a splendid War record. He served in the R.A.M.C. before the War and went to France when the War broke out. He was concerned in an air-raid while was in hospital, and never really re-covered.

Mrs. Marsden was being looked after by Mrs. Atkinson, her neighbour, when a representative of the “Sheffield Independent” saw her. She was sitting on couch with four bonny children beside her, and seemed completely at loss to understand the tragedy. She had a bandage round her left wrist.

“I cannot understand it,” she said. It is most terrible affair. I have never known Harold to say a wrong word.”

Terrified Mother

Marsden’s mother, Mrs. Luke Marsden , who lives on the other side of the road, was one of the earliest on the scene ol the tragedy. She saw the man and his wife struggling together and tried to separate them by throwing pillows at them. She is elderly woman and member the local Salvation Army. “I was too terrified to know what do,” she declared.

A Rotherham relative by marriage Mr. Marsden told representative of the “Sheffield Independent” that the unfortunate man was always very kind to his children and was never so happy as when he was having romp with them. He delighted to join them in their play.

The affair naturally caused them great shock and pain, and they are completely at loss to understand the affair.

Dr J. J. Huey. Medical Officer Health, arrived at the house about four o’clock in the morning, and examined the girl and the man, and ordered the removal of the man to the Fullerton Hospital immediately. The man was there in serious state with severe gash in the throat.

The police, under Inspector Varley, arrived at about the same time, and the body of the girl to tocked away in another room in the house.

Mr. Prank Allen, the Doncaster District Coroner, will open the inquest on the girl at four o’clock this afternoon.