The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-04-22
THE SAD ENDING.
OF q Popular Young Mans Life in
Columbia.

= q
The State of Friday says Mr..
Robert a. Vanderhorst, formerly OF
Charleston, was found Thursday morn.
Ing In a dying condition lying on the
floor of the little Office OF the Vir
ginia. Carolina Chemical company's
mill, which Is situated on the South.
ern's tracks about a quarter Of mile
west OF the union station. The Office
is two room one-story frame affair
occupying central position In the
mill yard. Mr.. Vanderhorst was EN-.
ployed In the Office as, a bookkeeper,
which position he had held since Jan.
uary year ago. Near his hands lay
32-calibre revolver with one empty
chamber, with evidences that it had
been recently fired. A bullet had
penetrated the brain about two inches
above the right ear andabout an inch
to the right Of the centre Of the back
head.
Two hours after he was found in
this condition Mr.. Yanderherst was
carried to the Columbia hospital,
where at 1245 p. m. he died without
regaining consciousness. So far as Is
known he had not made any state
ments indicating an intention to
destroy himself. A sealed note ad
dressed In his hand writing was
found on his desk. No inquest was
held. The body was carried to Charles.
ton Thursday afternoon, where the
funeral will be held, probably Fri.
day.
Mr.. Vanderhost was the first of the
office force to arrive at the otiicc
Thursday morning, coming In about
6.45, which was a triilc early for him.
Z few minutes laGer ,Mr. e. p. Civil!
came in. Mr.. Vanderhorst spoke
pleasantly to him, he says, and he saw
nothing unusual in the young mans
appearance or conduct Mr.. Civil left
Immediately to take up his duties in
the mill. Mr.. Alfred Wallace came
In next, about o'clock. His ex.
periepce and observation were the
same as those Of Mr.. Civil, He left
at once to go out and call the roll OF
employees. He came b ick at I. 10 and
found MIR. VanderhorSt lying on the
floor. 1t was discovered that the
revolver was one which the office men
used in common to protect valuable
papers going to and from the Office a.
night. 1t was kept in an unlocked
drawer at the centre counting desk,
where it was Mr.. Van 'erhorst's Gus.
tom to work. No rep rt of any kind
had been heard, and Mr.. Wallace's
discovery was complete surprise to
him.
The company's phys clan, DR.. s. f.
Williams, was near at hand and wal,
at MIR. Vanderhorsh's side ii we
minutes after he was found. He said
that the young mans death was Il
question Of little while, and 1t wa;
therefore at first thought needless to
hnnrs ba.s ever, lie was removed C1.
the hospital in the hope that sue
cessful operation might be performed,
but after he reached there and was
seen by DR.. william Weston and DR..
LeGrand Guerry, the operation ap-
peared useless and none was perform
ed.
Mr.. Vanderhorst was popular among
his associates at the mill and his SER
vices seem to have been highly appre-
ciated by his Superiors. His position
was clerical having no financial re-
sponsibility.
Mr.. Vanderhorst seemed to be by
nature very reserved man, and that
he was difficult to approach was noticed
and commented upon by those who
met him. He was man Of splendid
intellect and fine sensibilities, how
ever, and those he received on any
thing like terms OF friendship found
him a delightful young man, and they
thoroughly liked him. He was an
unmarried man about % years old.