The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-09-08
INSURANCE MAN SUICIDES.
RUFUS III. SEM ENDS LIFE BY
TAKING CARBOLIC ACID.
Leaves Statement i'm Note Book Saying
That His Former Wife is Respon-
sible for His Act-POisOn Taken at
Negroes House on Silver Street-In.
quest This Morning.
from The Daily Item, Sept. 6.

From The Daily Item, Sept. 6.
Walking up to a negro house on
Silver Street about 3 o'clock Saturday
afternoon, Rufus H. Sem, an insur-
ance agent connected with the Caro-
lima Insurance Company of this city.
knocked at the door and asked the ne
gro woman who responded to his
knock to send for a doctor, then TAX.
ing his seat on the steps Sem was
dead in a few minutes, even before
The doctor, who was speedily sum-
moned, reached the scene.
Sarah Ballard, the negro woman.
who came to the door when he knock
cd, asked Enoch Brown, passing
negro, to go for the doctor. He went
to the WitherspoOn Bros. Coffin fac
tory and summoned Mr.. James and
Mr.. Leonhirth. Mr.. James telephoned
for DR.. j. A. Mood, but when the lat
ter arrived he could offer no aid. for
the man was already dead. Later on
DR.. Mood performed an autopsy on
the body and stated that death was
due to the taking of carbolic acid. An
ounce vial in the mans pocket in
which there had been a solution of
carbOlic acid confirmed this state
ment. The lining of the stomach was
eaten away and other organs were Sc
riously affected by the action Of the
acid. These facts were learned this
morning at the inquest held by Magis-
trate M. ]. Moore in the absence of
the coroner and were testified to by
DR.. j. A. Mood. Sarah Ballard and
Enoch Brown.
In one of the premium receipt
books of the Carolina Insurance Com
pany, which the deceased carried i'm
his pocket, was found the following
disconnected note: The first three
pages were numbered, but the others
were at random: Telegraph J. A.
Sem at Newbery at once and then my
former wife, Miss Carrie Ivey. at
S14 Monmouth Street, Newport, KY,
and tell her that she has caused it all.
Worrying over her-it is all over for
me. Be good. Goodbye to all. ,,
And tell Mr.. Lawrence and family
that they have been very nice indeed
to me and wish ali we'll. Tell Frank
goodbye and be sure and give Mr..
Samuel all my love, for he is a. per-
feet gentleman-and tell him to send
me bunch Of flowers. ,.
II hope mother will not worrv over
this. for life is not worth living be-
cause 1 can only love one and may
God bless her from all evil and / am
dying broken-hearted for the love I
have for her.
L have always intended to come
back to Kentucky and get Howard
Benton of No. SO East Street and
Stevie-one of the proprietors of the
Luhn and Stevie Coat, S14 Monmouth
Street. and one or two more.
And the one that has caused it all
may God punish-be sure and see
that this goes in the Kentucky Post
of Newport, Ky. Goodbye.
Ins. Co. 420 Madison Ave-. Wilson
Supt. Gov. KY.
Notify Commonwealth Ins. Co.
Covington, Ky. Have policy $685.
'O0O."
1t is stated that Sem had been d.
vorced by his wife several months
ago and that he was brooding over
this fact. 1t was learned that he was
addicted to the drink habit and it was
on this account the divorce was Sc
cured from him. He had threatened
in several letters to kill his wife, IL he
ever got sufficient money to 60 back
to Newport. KY, and she had written
him through her attorneys that she
would protect herself through the
law, if he tried to harm her.
Sem was a native Of Newberry and
his former wife was from Union. His
brother at Newberry was notified of
his death, as requested in his note,
and the body was shipped to that
place. leaving here Sunday morning,
following out orders from members of
his family at Newberry. The Mr..
Lawrence mentioned in his note is Mr..
II. j. Lawrence with whom he board
ed and the other two men mentioned