Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-07-19
BROTHER BOUGHT POISON.
Was Found In Room Whom His Brother Keith
0ar9an Killed Himself.

body OF X. Keith Dargap, former
president of the Independent Cotton
Oil Company and the Darlington
Trust Company resulted in the ver-
dict, "Death by his own hand"
Several witnesses were called, and
strange to say the last one summoned
was Pegram Dargan, brother of the
dead man, who was known to have
been in the office when the suicide
was committed, and all that this wit
ness said was that the paper left by
II. Keith Dargan told the story and
that he had nothing further to say.
The paper, which was scrap, writ
ten with lead pencil, said:
81 take this - with my own free
will. Asked my brother to get it
make mistakes but no cowerd.
"Robert Keith Dargan."
A drug clerk testified that he sold
four ounces of carbolic acid on the
afternoon of the tragedy and DR.. Ed
wards said that he had been hastily
summoned to Keith bargains office
and found r. X. Dargan dead from a
dose of carbolic acid. Pegram OAR
gan called DIR. Edwa' ds by telephone
and was in the Office with his brother
when the doctor arrived. He told
DR.. Edwards that he was present
when Keith Dargan took the acid.
He said he bought it and handed it
to him with bottle of whiskey,
which it was thought would cause
less pain. When asked by the doctor
if he could not have prevented Keith
Dargan from taking his life, he
handed the doctor paper and said
that it was the dying statement of
his brother and that he would answer
no questions. r. Keith Dargan's
handwriting and signature were iden-
tilted.
The verdict of the jury was as fol-
lows:
"That the said Robert Keith Oar
gan came to his death from the effects
of carbolic acid administered by his
own hand as per written statement
of deceased herewith attached"
AS Pegram Dargan was not made
an accessory by the verdict, the cor
oner will take no action against him.
The solicitor may do 80. But the
opinion in Darlington is that he will
never be called to account.
Darsan Ends his Own Life.
Robert Keith Dargan, formerly
president of the Independent Cotton
Oil Company, and the Darlington
Trust Company, of Darlington, COM
mitted suicide on Tuesday of last
week by taking four ounces of car
Dolic acid. He left a note saying
that it was his own act and a letter
addressed to his wife. Dargan was
about 40 years old.
The suicide of Dargan was the
and sensational climax of a
most sensational case. Some years
ago Dargan organized the Independ-
ant Oil Company, capitalized at one
million dollars, and two months ago
1e helped to organize and became
PRESIDENT of the Darlington Trust
Company, after he had been forced
'ut of the oil concern by friction.
The bank loaned money to the oil
people and the loans were pressed
'everal days ago. Payment being
both concerns went into
he hands of receivers. 1t was esti-
mated that the oil company owed
lalf million dollars.
Dargan was the active spirit in the
Ill business hereabout, and when the
mailer plants were consolidated
ome years ago he was the manager.
I was claimed for him that he was
IN expert in the business, but the af
airs have not been progressing well
If late, the intimation being that
he wreck of the companies was due
o speculation in oil.
The investigation of the books,
which had just begun, led to much
ak, it being said that the most sen.
iatiOnal disclosures would be forth.