The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-18
II. X. DAEGAN-s STATEMENT
a Brief and Inc1herent Note Telling
of His lntenson-A Dramatic Seems
When Pegram Dargan Took tlc
stard-He Bought the Poison anil
Saw His Brother Die.

stances or ne S1fcida all indicate that
it was most deliberately planned.
There has been 10 testimony and no
statement concerning what transpired
in the law Office where Mr.. Dargan TOOK
has life gwen cut. Ldt the facts.
as gathered from reliable men
ara that Mr. Pegram Dargan went into
the drug store o. L. B. Phillips some
time between 4 and 6 O'Clock Tuesday
Afternoon ard bought The four ounces
of carbolic acid. He was alone and
did not 90 in the direction of the law
Office when he left.
The two brothers, Mr.. Pegram Oar
gan and Mr.. Robert Keith Darsan
went TO the law office OF their father
opposite the Darlington Guards armorv
building before s o'clock and locked
themselves in. One of them poured u
o OF the four ounces Of acid IN a
glass and the res. he poured in a small
bowl and mixed about a gill of rye
whiskey with 1t This concoction was
10 he used TO deaden the pain from The
raw acid but only a part of it, il any,
was taken, as the bowl, which is in
the possession Of the coroner. till con-
tains a small quantity. After q portion
had been taken, Mr.. Dargan remained
in the room with his brother until lilo
vas extinct and then notified their
cousin, MIR. ". 2 Dargan, who in turn
quickly called DR.. Edwards, but the.r.
arrival was to late for human aid.
Darlington, July 13.-The written
CT rapo.nt laFt hyr Tho Lotto pnhcrt Entsh
Dargan. about which there has Leen
SO much said, was produced at lie.
coroner's inquest this morning. 1t
was identified ky his brother, MIR. Pes
ram Darean, AMI DR.. G. T.. Edwards
AMI the writing was identified as that
of Mr.. Dargan by Mr.. W. F. Da--:
ly, general travelling agent of the Inle-''
pendent Oil Company. The following is
a verbatim copy OF the statement:
Il take this with own free will &C
cord, and asked my brother 10 get the
-. Make mistakes but no coward.
"ROBT. KEITH DARGAN."
The writing us evidently done IN
der an almost overwhelming strain
as it was almost iliegible w AT It's
beginning and grew more so as the end
of the brief note was approached. IL
was written with a pencil on a sheet OF
note paper bearing the printed letter
head of his father, Mr.. f. Keith Oar
gan. There was nothing developed to,
show whether it was written before or
after the poison was swallowed. The
other letter, which was not addressed
but which was left for his family, had
been offered the coroner if the jury
wished to see it's contents but they IN
mediately and with n accord declin-i
ed to make it necessary to disclose it's
sacred contents.
THE VERDICT.
The cCroner's jury rendered as their
verdict that the said Robert Keith Da'-,
gan came to his death from the effects
of carbolic acid administered by MIS-
own hands as per written statement OF.
the deceased, herewith attached"
The jury were at least 45 minutes in
reaching their conclusion and seVeral
times while they were in the jury room
making up thei" verdict the corO1ort
was called to the door to answer queS-l
tions and give tbs mins+ructions. Il was
thought for awhile by some that they
would be unable tC agree.
The inquest vas held in the cour-
room instead of the grand jury room.i
as it was intended yesterday to do.
ADRAMATIC SCENE.
When the name Of Mr.. Pegram OAR
gan was called as a witness, he was
in court, but mis- cousin, Mr.. w. L
Dargan, came forward and stated tharl
Mr.. P.gram Darga1 was at his fath7rS.
house not far distant and a carriage was
waiting, ana if the jury wished to near
him he would be there in a few niln-
utes. The coroner asked that he be
sent icr. In a very short while he ar
and was escorted to a seat near.
the front by his cousin, Mr.. w. +. oar.
ean. With every eye in the cour room
him the young man came fcr"arlI
and took the proftered chair. He lockei
neither to the right nor the left but
kept his ~strikingly piercing eyes direc-i
in front Of him. His patrician face
was white and although he carried him
self with calmness and dignity, t
that every nerve in his body
was ouivering underneath like steel
springs.
At this moment Mr.. G. J. King, for2-
man of the jury, arose and announced
| NAT Tie IlI. "-IIA "oAfI "A ~
nation of Mr.. Darran. Coroner ClanLo1i
turning to Mr. Dargan, said: MIR.
Darean, the jurv has asked that your
examination be waired but Ill as
you were the only person presep~ al
the time of the tragedy thai shons1
YOU On the stand
Mr.. Dargan Immediately arose and
walked toward the witness chair, ahi
At the same TIM replied: Il have no
objection TO taking the stand "neE
he had taken his ceat the prone said:
MIR. Dargan, / won't worry you VITA
questions, just go ahead and maze a
statement In the pause that pre-
coded his words the interest was M
tense and everybody leaned forward TO,
hear.
He said, in a firm clear voice: ah
Coroner and Gentlemen Of the Jury:
in the first place | wish to thank youl
thu consideration you a shown