Widnes Examiner. — 1916-01-29 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

CORONER AND RECRUITING.  Fear of a son being called up nnder the group system is said to have caused the suicide of a prominent Cheshire farmer, named Samuel Massey Houghton (53), of Swinyard Hall Farm, High Legh.  The facts were told at the inquest held on Tuesday afternoon.  The deceased was found hanging in the garage on Sunday.  Prior to going to High Legh Mr. Houghton resided at Grappenhall, where he was well respected.  The widow said that on Monday of last week a gentleman called on military business in regard to a son Sydney joining the Army. He had attested, and the individual told him that he would have to appeal to the Tribunal if he wanted to be relegated to a later group. This greatly upset Mr. Houghton, who got it into his head that if he appealed to the Tribunal his. son would have no chance, considering the gentlemen who composed the committee. The Coroner (Mr. H. C. Yates) said he was sorry to hear that. Continuing witness said that her husband fretted very much,,., but went about his work as usual. On Monday night they went to bed at nine o'clock, and her husband made the remark, "You will not have me long; this recruiting is killing me." At 10.30 he jumped out of bed, and said he was going downstairs, adding "I am going rout of my mind." She followed him, and he made fires up in two rooms, and walked about the house the whole night. Next night he acted in the same way, and only, slept ,an hour or two on Wednesday night, while on Thursday he never ate anything. "Nearly Finished Him."  The Coroner: Why didn't you get a doctor? Witness: I wish Ihad. I did not think it was serious. That I didn't fetch a doctor is my one regret.  . The Coroner: Still you did your best. Continuing, witness said Mr. Moss, a neighbour, came on Thursday and said that his son had been called up to join the Army on February 3rd, without' any appeal, and witness added that when her husband heard that it pearly finished him. On Friday morning he went out and did not return until five o'clock, when she found him in the garage, sitting on the shafts of a trap. He said he was going to sleep. At 7.30 she brought him into the house, and they went to bed about nine o'clock. He stayed in bed the whole of the night, and on Saturday he got up to milk the cows as usual. On Sunday, witness got up at five o'clock, but her husband remained in bed—a thing she had not known of him for years. sue never saw him again. In answer to the Coroner, she said it was the recruiting business only which unbalanced his. mind. He had no other trouble, financial or otherwise, and was the best of husbands.  The Coroner': Has he indulged in drink? Witness: OceaSionally, but he never took any drink from last September until Friday of last week.  One of the jury said he did not think it was correct to say that he indulged in drink. He had never lost any work since he came to High Legh. Sydney Houghton gave similar evidence to his mother about recruiting, adding that on Monday he received notice from the Tribunal to the effect that he had been put back ten groups. He mentioned that it was he who discov,ered his father hanging from a beam in the garage. He tried artificial respiration, which was of no avail.