The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-07-08
SUICIDE OF BOB HARRIS IN UNION.
HE WAS a SUSPECTED INCEN.
DIARY.

| hIhSf.
He Was n Democratic Postmaster
Under CIcveland-Joincd tho Re
publicans to Get the Office Again.
On Tuesday morning, June 29th, in
, the town Of Union, q series of scnsa-
tlons ended in the suicide Of Robert w.
Harris, the postmaster of Union, and
It's history reads almost like Il romance
Five years ago there was not q more
popular man in the county than Bob
. Harris. Prosperous, talented, smart,
and popular, he was honOrcd by his
people with every trust, and was sent
; as a delegate representing his district
, 10 the Chicago convention. His course
there has passed into history, which is
familiar to every South CarOliuian. He
returned home, and after the election
OF Grover Cleveland to the presidency,
was appointed pos tnastcr at Union,
which Office he has filled to the salts
| faction OF all. Several months ago the
fight for the Union postclliae began.
and there has been unabated interest
in it.
1t was recognized that the race was
between the Republicans, the leading
candidates at the time being Gist,
Hunter and John Norris, the negro
However, Postmaster Harris wanted
reappOintment, and to secure it, he an
nounced that henceforth he would vote
the Republican ticket. 1t was believed
that he had voted for Nick nley last
year, but no authoritative announce
ment OF his change of politics was made
until about month ago, when he at
tended q Republican rally at Santuc,
for which he was severely criticised by
some OF the people OF that section. He
was believed to have got some assur-
ances OF help from Webster, while
Pack Sartor, the county chairman, was
known to favor him, a though ostcnsi.
bly, throwing his influence in another
direction. COnst q lently, it began to
appear that Harris stood the best
chance OF getting tho plum over the
heads Of Hunter and other old-linc
leaders,.
About year ago the Union hotel was
purchased from j. Epps Tucker by Har-
ris and Colonel William Munro. Tuck
er was anxious to dispose of his prop.
erty, and sold it for 70 600. 1t contained
there acres Of land in the heart OF the
. town, and was at the time worth twice
that sum. Two weeks ago Harris stated
that he valued the property at $I3 900.
Ten thousand dollars insurance was
taken out upon the building, which was
worth that sum but was badly in need
OF repairs. 1t was hard to rent, and
1 did not pay landlord, in the condition
1t was In, and was given up by Monro
: and Coins, the last lcssecs, about a
= month ago, and since that time had
= been unoccupied except for mcssha
j. an arrangement conducted by some OF
the boarders, pending its lease.
= The entire town was startled on the
night Of Friday, June I7th, by an alarm
, OF fire. The fire originated about
, o'clock in the morning near scuttle
hole leading from the hall to the gar
ret, and before its presence WAS real.
lied by the occupants Of the building,
the entire upper story was dense mass
of sooty smoke. Two young men who
were in the telephone Office on the same
floor, were aroused by the smoke, and
were so nearly suifocated that one OF
them, Tinsley, barely escaped. Smoke
was pouring from the windows, and re-
peated efforts were made to get to the
top iloor with hose, but without sue
cess. The building was about to be
given up as lost when young man
named Porter, who was in the crowd
announced that ho would carry the hose
If any one would fol wv him. He bound
ed through the binding smoke, drag.
glng the hose after him, and reached
one OF the windows, which be knocked
out, and being able to survive only by
the fresh air he could get by hanging
out or 1T, began playing a stream of
water on the tlames and soon qucllcd
them sui1i aiently for others to come to
his assistance.
1T was noticed and remarked as q
strange fact during the fire, that oil
was seen on the water throw on the fire,
but no ono imagined it to have been in
cendiary until the next morning when
by accident it was discovered that the
laths near the place Of the fire had been
saturated with oil, and a part OF an oil
can and blue bottle which had con-
tained kerosene were found near the
place were the fire originated.
Early the next morning it was whis.
pered on the street that Proprietor
Harris had been responsible for the
burning and rs IL the case with the re-
ports OF this kind, it soon gained gen
eral circulation. One party ayerrcd
that Harris was seen 10 leave the vi
cin!ty in suspicious manner before the
discovery OF the fire, while another de-
clared that he met him near the scene
and when III trris was informed that the
fire was in the hotel he evinccd no in.
tercst. Others believed that when he
cndcavOred to deter people from enter
ing the burning building during the
tire that it was because he did not want
the fire eXtfnguishcd. Other evidence
was secured and public sentmeht was
severe upon him. These reports came to
his ears and damage suits were talked
OF, but were not originated. Then
~ 600 reward was offered, Harris him.
sell contributing $3.50.
Harris had acquired considerable
property, which he managed we'll. He
leaves wife and three children. Har-
ris had not been AT the post Office for
several days and in response to inqui-
rics there the reply was given that he
he was at home sick.
Monday afternoon he atc supper as
usual and went to his room, nothing
unusual being noticed. 1t is supposed
that about o'clock he took the dose OF
morphine which ended his life.
Mrs. Harris went to his room to call
him. She found him lying on the bed
unconscious AID hastily had physicians
summoned. Drs. Smith, Lawson. Mott