The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-07-19
CT Robert Keith Dargan, OF OAR
lington Who Deliberately
COMMITTED SUICIDE.
His Brother Said to Have Been Present
When He Took the Poison. He
Left Written Statement of
the Csuse OF the Act.
And 8 Letter.

Ano LeLfSE.
A dispatch from Darlington to The
State says Mr.. Robert Keith Dargan
formerly president Of the Independent
Oh company and Of the Darlington
Trust company, committed suicide be-
tweed S and 9o'clock on Tuesday night
Of last week by taking carbolic acid.
MI. Dargan was on the streets Tues
day afternoon and appeared In this
usual manner. Ee had been reticent
since the recent trouble Of the large
concerns OF which he had been the
head, and Tuesday afternoon he made
appointments to meet several gentle
men later in the evening, one OF these
being Mr.. W. T. Dargan, who states
that Mr.. &. x. Dargan told him he
would 90 to Mr.. ". F. Dargan'S office
within an hour from the time they
were talking.
a dispatch to The State says there
were no developments at Darlington
wednesday following the tragic death
Of MI. Robert Keith Dargan by his
own hand Friday night. The tragedy,
and the circumstances leading up to
it, were the almost sole topic Of con-
versation on the streets, in stores and
efices during the entire day. It has
been raining all day long and business
seems to be almost at standstiu. In
almost every protected place can be
seen a group Of men, all discussing in
hushed voices the one subject that
seems to be on all minds. The coroner's
inquest, which WAS to have been held
Wednesday morning, was postponed
until Thursday morning at 9 O'Clock
in order, that MI. Pegram Dargan, the
most important witness, wopld not be
required to leave the house OF mourn
ing until after the funeral.
The circumstances Of the suicide
all indicate that it was most delibe7-
ately planned. There has been no tes-
timony and no statement concerning
what transpire6 in the law office where
MI. Dargan took bis life has been given
ont, but the facts, as gathered from
reliable men, are that Mr. Pegram
Dargan went into the drug store OF l..
B. Phillips some time between I and
6 O'Clock Tuesday afternoon and
bought the four ounces OF carbolic
acid. He was alone and did not 20 IN
the direction Of the law Office when be
left, The two brothers, Mr.. Pegram
Dargan and Mr. Robert Keith Dargan,
went to the law Office Of their father
opposite the Darlington Guards arnory
building before s O'Clock and locked
themselves in. One OF them poured
out most OF the four ounces Of acid in
a glass and the rest he poured in a
small bowl and mixed about q gill OF
rye whiskey with it. This conccction
was to be used to Geaden the pain from
the raw acid but only part Of it, II
any, was taken, as the bowl, which Is
in the possession OF the coroner, stu
contains 8 small quantity.
After portion had been taken, Mr..
Dargan remained in the room with bis
brother until life was extinct and then
notified their cousin, Mr. W. F, Dar-
gan, who in turn quickly called DR..
Edwards, but their arrival was too
late for human aid. The suicide had
left a brief statement which stated
that he had ended his own life and
that bis brother had procured the (here
he made dash) and that he may have
mismanaged but be was not a coward.
He also left letter which was not ao.
dressed but is said to have been for bis
wife. Robert Keith Dargan was born
In 1865. He was a son Of Mr.. e. Keith
Dargan, the dean Of the Darlington
bar, successful lawyer and man OF
the highest character, Confederate
soldier who served as an officer OF ar.
tillery in the corps OF Stonewall Jack
son. The mother Of MI. E. z. Oar
gan before her marriage was Mis-
Elizabeth Woods, sister OF Associate
Justice G. A. Woods OF the supreme
court. The subject OF this sketcE
graduated from Woford college ano
was afterwards admitted to the ba!
and practiced for a Shcrt time witt
bis father. After an interim OF retire
ment from active business on account
OF a nervous breakdown, he accepted
a clerical position with the Darlington
Phosphate company and exhibited
such a remarkable capacity for busi
ness that he was made general nanag
er Of the company.
= A Mountain Horror.
John and Dave Phipps, young white