The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-07-22
BLADEN NEWS NOTES.
An Old Man Dies by His Own
Hand-An Enjoyable Social
Event-Where Joy and Hap
piness Abide.

piness Abide.
Correspondence of The Robesonian
On the 18th instant, near
Anon, Bladen county, Tom
Branch, 65 years of age, COM
mitted suicide by cutting his
throat with a razor. Mr.. Branch,
it is said, had been threatening
to take his life for some time.
On the morning of the 18th he
went to a trunk and secured a
razor, telling one of his grand
daughters to come to an old
abandoned house some distance
away in fifteen minutes, that he
would be dead in one half
hour. The granddaughter, with
other of the women relatives,
hastened to get one Mr.. Long to
go with them to the old house,
where they soon arrived, just
in time to see the old man
skulking off into the woods.
Concluding that Mr.. Branch was
only trying to perpetrate a joke,
they went to a nearby store to
make some purchases, and when
they returned to their own home
they found the old man lying
dead at their door step.
Before taking his life Mr..
Branch deliberately removed his
hat and placed it on the pump
shelf. He then placed his watch,
handkerchief, spectacles, and the
razor case in the hat, and even
the razor itself was showed into
the hat after the fatal cash had
been inflicted. The Coroner
states that Mr.. Branch wandered
around for some considerable
time after the wound had been
inflicted, and that the blood on
his hands indicated that he hao
attempted to save himself when
it was too late.
The county commissioners me-
Monday, the 18th, and canvasseo
the returns of the tax listers.
- No other business of Importance
came before the board.
Jas. N. Steadman, resting
from his dilligent labors il
Charleston, S. c., is home fo
a week or ten days.
| Galloway Monroe. colored, ha'
two or three fingers cut off a
the shingle mill of Newton
Williamson last week, but, ur
der the careful administration Q
DR.. N. P. Lilies. is now 'bou
as common, thanks.
A most enjoyable social ever
was dance in the combinatio
lodge and school house here las
/ evening. Those in attendanc
were Mrs. Armfield and Mis-
Houston, of Monroe; Miss Emil
Wright, of Clover, S. c.; Misse
Louise and Watson Kasey, {
Houston, Va; Miss Mary Robir
son, Miss jamie Clark, Mis-
Marie Mclean, Mr.. and Mrs. v
D. Bizzell, Mr.. and Mrs. E. v
Lasley, Mr.. and Mrs. w.
Hall, j. H. Clark, T. A. Lyol
Carl Lyon, L. R. Lyon, Tho
Mcdowell, VIM. Whitted, Jr
and some others whose name
cannot be obtained. The con
pany gathered in fine spirit
despite a few drops of rain an
an occasional flash of lightnin!
and Notwithstanding the ia
4. that the school room is situate
d in almost a ''primeval forest
D of oak and pine, offering peculi'
inducement to bolt of lightnir
that is half a mind to cleave tt
m atmosphere and touch the ear
at the nearest point, the dan
I ing went forward promptly, jo
fully, gracefully, beautiful
. The barn dance, the "roul
dance, the square dance
the "old Virginia reel', all hi
their turn, and even,
Here beneath the whispering pine
III steal your partner, you steal mil
Well dance all night, Il sleep all d;
No matter what the old folks say
Should you, on hot and 81
try day, pass through the stree
&c of this antique town, yon wor
~ perhaps opine that God allo
to exist no more deserted Y
lage" than this; but, should y
knock at our door on one
these festive occasions you M
certainly say that God has !
no more joy and happiness
to the hearts of his people tt
is found here.