The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-07-20
TOOK HIS OWN LIFE.

Robt. Keith Darsan, Formerly President Of the
Independent Oil Co. and the Darlington
Trust Co., Took Carbo!ie Acid
to End His Life.
DARLINGTON, July 11.-Mr. Robert
Keith Dargan, formerly president Of the
Independent Oil company and of the Dar-
lington Trust company, committed suicide
between and o'clock tonight by tax
ing carbolic acid.
Mr.. Dargan was on the streets this at:
ternoon and appeared in his usual man
ner. He had been reticent since the re-
cent troubles of the large concerns OF
which he had been the head, and this af-
ternoon he made appointments to meet
several gentlemen later in the evening,
one of these being Mr.. W. F. Dargan,
who states that Mr.. R. Z. Dargan told
him he would go to Mr.. W. F. Dargan's
Office within an hour from the time they
were talking.
According to the statement of DR.. Ed.
wards, Mr.. Dargan swallowed four ounces
of carbolic acid. When he drank the &C.
id he was in his fathers law Office. His
brother was with him when he died.
Physicians were summoned but it was
impossible to save his life.
Mr.. Dargan left statement that he had
taken his life of his own accord. His
friends think he had hoped to st,aighten
out his affairs and had expected that the
oil company would be reorganized but af-
ter the action of the federal court he lost
hope and became noticeably despon.
dent.
Mr.. Dargan was about IS years of age.
He was married, his wife being before
her marriage Miss Jermain, of North
Carolina. They have two children.
THE INQUEST.
DARLINGTON, July 13.-An inquest was
held this morning as to the cause of death
of the late Z eth Dargan.
The verdict was that Dargan came to
his death through his own hand by TAX
ing carbolic acid.
The note written by him just before he
committed the rash act was read. 1t was
brief, and confirmed rumors which have
been current that his brother, Pegram,
was cognizant of his suicidal intentions
and had aided him in carrying out his des-
perate purpose. The note declared sim
ply that the writer had taken his own
life by drinking carbolic acid, which had
been procured for him by his brother,
Pegram Dargan. he declared that he
may have mismanaged. but that he was no
coward.
Pegram Dargan was examined and
it was quite evident that he was labor
ing under intense nervousness, though he
made desperate effort to. appear calm
and collected. He first thanked the cor
oner and jury for postponing the inquest
until he could attend the funeral of his
brother. In answer to questions he de-
clared that he had no further statement
10 make beyond what was contained in
the note written by his brother and which
was in evidence. That was all that he
would say, and tie swful details of the
tragedy may remain forever locked up in
his breast.
DR.. Edwards, the next witness, testified
that he went to the Office where the deed
was committed with MI. W. F. Dargan.
There they were met by Pegram Dargan,
who informed them that his brother had
drunk carbollc acid and that he had seen
him do it and had remained with him un-
til he died. DR.. Edwards asked Mr.. Oar.
gan whether he could not have prevented
his brother from drinking the poison, but
he made no further reply except to say
that the note left by his dead brother spoke
for itself
The jury retired and was out some time.
This was long caused by debate over what
the verdict might be. Some of the jury
wanted to render verdict holding Peg
ram Dargan as an accessory, but as the
verdict shows this was not done and his
name was not mentioned in connection
with the tragedy in the verdict, except as
it was in the note left by the suicide,
which was made part of the verdict.
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