The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-05

OUR PROSPERITY LETTER.

YIN
Il Details of the Suicide of DIR. John 4
Harmon-The Third Occurrence Of the
Kind in Five Years-Other Mat
ters of Interest.
PROSPERITY, February 4.-Prosper
ity, like all historic towns and places
is noted for as many things Of as man,
different natures and classes, out th,
Keystone to this great arch seems t.
be that, according to population, it i
| becoming noted as fit place to com
NIT suicides. If there is such a fasci
nation around here l don't happen tc
t know it, and hope if there is that il
| won't visit our house.
| Three suicides have been committed
| or performed) here in little less thar
/ i've years. First was Wilhelm Wal
! ers, a German who had contracted
With Dave Suber, near Walton, tc
! -, work as a farm laborer for the year
( ,9S6. \ dispute arose, and Wilhelm
! Walters concluded that he would die
/ ;efore he would 60 back to live with
/ Mr. Suber, and acting upon this con.
! tlusion, be obtained rope from a
| neighboring we'll and hanged himself
rom beam in Wheeler & Moseley's
mill.
The next victim was man living
with Col, \. H. Young, whose face was
not quite as white as some peoples
faces [ know, had some trouble with
his Ethiopian wife and concluded that
he would swing his head to a pine
limb, which he did, and went the
way of all flesh. Some people
whose faces are something ike An
thongs think they have met him on
dark nights since, but guess Anthony
! don't want to trouble any of them, and
If he did L don't suppose be has any
time to spare.
SUICIDE OF Dir. JNO. A. HARMON.
Our third case of suicide was that Of
DR.. John A. HarmnD, a dentist who
was well known not only in Newb berry
| County, but also in Lexington and
Edgetield. He committed suicide at
his home here on Friday night, or
| rather Saturday morning.
did not attend the inquest held by
Coroner BUST on Saturday morning,
hence will not weary you with the
| prolonged evidence as elected from the
witnesses at the inquisition, but will
simply give statement of facts as mar
rated to me by Mrs. Fannie Harmon,
wife of the deceased, with whom I had
talk very early Saturday morning.
First, the writer saw DR.. Harmon on
Friday evening at the Prosperity Hotel;
spoke to him, Good evening, doc
tori; response, "Good evening, Capt.
Whites" He seemed very calm. A
short time afterward I saw DR.. Har-
mon in front of T. l.. Schumpert's
store, where was talking to John w.
Smith. DR.. Harmon asked Mr.. Smith
to go home with him and spend the
night. Both left together-Dr Harmon
riding, Mr.. Smith walking.
Before daylight news was received at
the Prosperity Hotel that Dr. John A.
Harmon had committed suicide. I
repaired to the homestead and found
Mrs. Harmon, Mrs. Dominick and Mr..
John w. Smith at the house.
Mr.. Smith escorted me to the room;
viewed the bodv of Mr.. Harmon; saw
Mrs. Harmon next; had a talk with
her, which is in substance as this: "Dr.
and retired about II O'Clock, after
showing Mr.. Smith his room. The
DR.. lay in bed short time when be
concluded that he would get up and go !
TO his mothers in Lexington. I in |
sisted that he remain aJ home until |
morning, especially as he had Mr.. |
Smith for company. He finally agreed |
to wait until morning to go to his
mothers. However, he got out of bed |
and dressed, putting on his boots, over |
shoes, &C., and said he would 60 any
how, j. e. to his mothers. I again in
sisted that he wait until morning. He
again agreed, and came to bed, un-
dressing and lying down naturally. I |
noticed that his eyes were wild and
glaring and that he was not disposed
to sleep. I was overcome by fatigue |
and fell to sleep. IkneW nothing more
until about 2 o'clock, when [ was |
aroused or awakened by deep CUR
Cling, or snoring sound in the house.
l felt for DR.. H., he was not there.
called Mr.. Smith, he awoke, went to |
Mr.. Dominick's, who lives near, called
Mr.. Dominick, who in turn called DR.. !,
Wyche. We found the room next to di- |
ming room locked; heard heavy breath |
ing inside; I did not 60 in; DR.. told me
not to 60 in.n This in substance is what |
Mrs. Harmon says, except that DR..
Harmon had threatened to take his
life before; said that he would perish if |
he did not take his life.
Thus ends the life ofa notable char |
actel. DR.. Harmon has long been con-
sidered semi-lunatic.
Talking about suicides, it has oc-
CURED to me that the natural curiosity
of some men and women will lead them
so far as to become exceedingly anxious
to see how toe other world looks.
Come back again they can't.
Gen. Y. J. Pope, our pleasant and
efficient Attorney General, rested in
our town last night, the guest of our
friend DR.. R. L. Luther.
Miss Sula Rollison, of New berry, is
visiting friends in town, the guest of
Miss Mary Kinard.
Mr.. II. R. Russell and family have
moved into the Bauknight house. We
welcome Mr.. Russell and family. Mr..
Russell has charge Of the construction
train on this part of the division.
MI. y. i. I. OTOSSOu, dllu ldlulIy are
moving to-day to Lewiedale, in Lex
ington County. We will miss his
familiar corporation.
Mr.. Simon Sheppard one of our old
friends is on visit among us.
Plenty cotton and little money for it,
but it comes all the same, and Frank
Lane and Kennie Baker, who both
know "some things" and Messrs. Bow
ers and Boozer who know agreat many
things vie with each other in seeing
who can give the biggest price for the
least cotton. The only reason that the
name of Messrs. Boozer and Bowers,
was not mentioned last week in connec-
ton with the cotton buyers was, that
it seems to be an established fact that
they are men who know great many
things" and are known of, and known
by every body who sells cotton, buys
fertilizers, sugar, molasses, &c. It was
thought to be solid fact, that these
''latter day gentlemen were known all
over this glorious land of ours, and had