The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1902-08-22
Was Weary of the Burdens.


where he was known to all and uni
versally esteemed. That his death
was planned before leaving here last
spring is now generally believed
10 DIR. Sprague and others he had
talked Of committing suicide
nearly ayear ago, and remarks made
about the time of his leaving, in the
light of his tragic end, now have
meaning which they did not CON
vey to the mind at the time.
Mr.. Carrier was a scrupulously
honest, hard working man, and one
who kept his property in the best
possible order. He was pioneer in
the place, and it is doubtful if any
man here was ever more highly re-
garded. From Hartford paper of
the 18th, we get the following ac-
count of his death:
"The body of Burton F. Carrier, of
Crescent City, Fla, was found in
King Philips cave on Talcott Noun
tain, not far from the Royal View,
yesterday, by Louis l.. Chase and
George +. Colby, who were with a
searching party looking for the body.
Mr.. Carrier had left word that he
intended to kill himself. The spot
whore the body was found is one of the
picturesque sections of the west side
OF the mountain in the town of Avon,
and it is a legend of the mountain
that King Philip, the noted Indian
chief, had his headquarters in that
cave during his raids upon the farm
ers of Simsbury and other towns.
The body of Mr.. Carrier was found
with rifle ball through the head,
and it was in such difficult place of
access that it will be matter of
considerable ingenuity to get it
away from the cave to where it can
be properly buried.
"rhe body was found at the eX-
IRENE rear of the cave, aud it was
evident that Carrier had planned his
death most deliberately. His rifle
was slung over his back in a case
when last seen. When the body was
found the head rested on the rifle
case and the muzzle of the rifle was
the trigger Il string had been attach
ed and wound about his right foot in
order that the gun might be fired.
The bullet went through the chin
and out at the top of the skull. Ow-
ing to the difficulty of getting the
body away arrangements for that
were deferred until this morning.
DR.. Wooster, the medical examiner
OF the town is away, and DR.. Morse
will be called to go up the mountain
this morning and view the body
"Mr. Carrier had been in poor
health for some time, but appeared
to be in his usual spirits, except that
deafness made it unpleasant for him
to mingle with people a great deal.
He was stopping for the summer
with his brother, John Carrier, of
Avon, and had been missing from
his brothers. home since 8 O'Clock
Monday morning. He left Il note in
pencil to his brother, in which he
said that he had come from his home
in the south with the express inten-
ton of putting All end to his miser-
able existence in case his health did
not improve. He further said that
this summer proved that he was
growing no better, and that with his
curse of deafness, had come another
malady which would end in insanity,
and that he preferred DEATH He
babe his brother goodbye and told
him that there would be no use look
ing for his body and that he did not
care to have amy fuss made over it.
''Mr. Carrier was a small man, and
1t was the opinion of his friends that
ne would make use of his familiarity
with the west side of Talcott Noun
tain, which he had known from boy
hood, to hide himself in some ofthe
caves and there kill himself. He
was known to have taken his rifle |
with him, and it was supposed that |
he had gone hunting, as the note |
was not found until Tuesday. An |
empty bottle labeled 'muratic acid
was found in his room, and as he al |
so had a bottle of whisky, it was
thought that he might have mixed |
the acid with the whisky for the
purpose of taking it when he had put |
himself we'll out of the reach of his |
friends by hiding. Evidently he had |
come suddenly upon his determine
ton to make away with himself, as
Fred l.. Bishop of this city, who had
known him for some time, received a |
letter from him Monday, saying that |
he intended to come to Hartford and |
stay few days with him.
"After the receipt of the note say
ing goodby, John Carrier began the
search for traces of his brother, and
not finding any, Haley Woodford,
whose farm adjoins the Carrier place,
searching party, and for
several days OF last week the noun
tain was searched without avail.
about thirty men formed
line to the precipitous cliff near the
crest of the mountain, while two
skirted the top of the cliff to u point
in Simbury known as King Philips
Cave which it was supposed was
carefully explored, and the Coon
Dem was explored, but without avail.
The search was renewed yesterday
with success as related above, an UNI
explored corner of the cave revealing
the body.
"Mr. Carrier was 80 years old. At
the beginning of the culture of or
anges in Florida, Mr.. Carrier went
to Crescent City, in that state, and,
aided by northern capital, began
the growing of an orange grove. He
was getting on very well when the
freeze of 1894 destroyed the grove
and practically ruined him. He had
reached the point where the sale of
tile crop which was frozen would
have cleared his Indebtedness and
left him handsome profit, and the
disaster of the freeze worked upon
lis mind and discouraged him great
Iy. This and his deafness, which he
regarded as a curse which had atiiict-
ed his family, his sister being deaf,
IL. AL III ~