Kent & Sussex Courier 25 April 1924.

KEMSING TRAGEDY. BUTCHER FOUND HANGING IN SHED.

The circumstances of the death of Mr. Horace Avery, butcher, of High-street, Kemsing, reported elsewhere, were brought to light at the inquest held by the District Coroner (Mr. A. H. Neve) yesterday (Thursday) evening, at the "Bell Inn," Kemsing.

Mrs. Mary Ann Avery, wife of deceased, said her husband, who was 67 yean of age, had been unwell for some months. He had suffered from gout and bronchitis, and had also been a victim of depression and sleeplessness. He worried on account of his illness, and despaired of getting better. On Tuesday morning he got up as usual, went into the shop and was apparently quite all right. He returned home for dinner between 1 and 2, but had nothing to eat, and went out at the back without saying anything. A few minutes later she went to the woodshed door and saw deceased standing inside near the mangle. She thought her husband might have been in a sort of hysterical fit similar to one he had had previously, and she went to a friend.

William Henry Small, licensee of the "Wheatsheaf Inn," Kemsing, said on Tuesday, about 1.40 p.m. he was called by Mrs. Avery and her friend to go round to the woodshed. On arrival he saw deceased hanging by a rope on a pulley block, with his feet about a foot from the ground. He immediately put his arms round his legs and lifted him. He could not say whether he was alive. At witness's request another man named Swaisland let the rope down from the pulley block and they got deceased to the floor. Witness went for the doctor, the rope remaining loose round deceased's neck.

Emily Margaret Barker, wife of Mr. William Barker, said that on Tuesday, about 1 o'clock, Mrs. Avery came to her in an agitated state and they went round to the woodshed. She corroborated the last witness.

Walter Ernest Barker, Elm Tree Cottage, Seal, general labourer in the employ if Mr. Small, said he followed the latter when he was called to the woodshed. He and Swaisland let deceased down between them, and as soon as he was on the ground he loosened the rope, undid his collar, and stripped his chest. Afterwards with Mrs. Barker they applied artificial respiration, but he thought he was dead when taken down.

Dr. Ronald Walker, Ightham, deposed to attending deceased regularly since January. He was depressed, but showed no suicidal tendencies. Deceased was a singularly jovial person. Coming back through Kemsing about 2 o’clock, he was stopped by Mr. Small, and went to the woodshed. Deceased was lying on the floor and breathing in rather a stentorious manner. He held him for about an hour, and stayed and watched him for another two hours. Afterwards they removed him from the shed to the house, and got him to bed, and witness left him about 5 o'clock, breathing in a perfectly natural manner. Round the front of his neck was a mark indicating where the rope had been. Deceased died the following day about 10 a.m., the cause of death being heart failure produced by shock resulting from the attempted suicide.

The Coroner recorded a verdict of suicide whilst temporarily insane. He expressed his sympathy with the widow and sons, and complimented the neighbours on the very prompt assistance they gave.