The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-04-14
I. u. VAUGHAN
COMMITS SUICIDE
ALMOST SEWERS HEAD BY CUT.
TING THROAT WITH RAZOR
FRIDAY NIGHT

1HuESIOn =. vaughn, dIIeSIeu dt
Tampa, Fla. wherehe was employed as
assistant principal of the Port Tampa
school, under the name of T. "A. Ear.
and held for South Carolina authorj
ties for death sentence for assaultins
four girls at the Odd Fellows home
at Greenville, slashed his throat with
a razor in his cell in "Murderers'
Row" in the county Jail Friday night.
He died almost instantly, having al
most severed his head from his body
with the stroke. 1t was his fourth at
tempt at suicide and he had once tried
to open a previous wound in his
throat.
Vaughn had been kept in straight
jacket in the hospital ward after his
attempts to kill himself the night of
his arrest, but on Friday he was NOV
ed to "Murderers' Row" and placed IN
a cell with three men charged with
murder. Sheriff Spencer states he has
no knowledge who authorized the re-
moval of the straight jacket or OF
the man from the hospital ward and
is investigating. Meanwhile the pres
ence of the razor is being explained BY
the jailor.
Jailor Hubbard states that Friday
is shaving day at the Jail and the
razor goes the rounds of the cells.
When it reached "Murderers' Row"
Vaughn apparently bid his time. AZ
ter the other prisoners in his cell had
finished, Vaughn, it is said, was given
the razor by one Of his mates. Walks
ing down the corridor of the cage.
apparently to the laboratory and with
out a show of bravado, the man sud-
denly halted, according to one Of the
prisoners; like a flash he raised his
right hand; the blade flashed in the
dim stream of light from nearby
corridor and, with vigor that told
of an intent purpose, the man brought
it's keen edge blade against his neck
over the leader just back Of the right
ear.
His arm came on around with the
initial swing all the way around to
beneath the left ear. Nothing but a
>teadfast nerve and a determination
of purpose seldom seen made possible
such a powerful stroke, self inflicted,
physicians say. The head swdng over
to one side as the body fell to the
steel floor, prisoners shouted and
there was scurry throughout the
corridors of the Jail.
A trusty carried the word to JailoE
Hubbard and a hurry call was sent
for County Physician H. o. Snow, who
hastened to the Jail. Meanwhile the
TAILOR and attendants at the hospital
ward reached the cell and attempted
to give some aid, but it was hopeless,
for life had flown with the rush OF
blood from the jugular vein and other
severed blood vessels feeding the
brain
When DR.. Snow arrived he pro-
nounced the man dead and said no
relief under the sun could have
brought back the life, which, he said,
must have been snuffed out almost
as the body struck the floor.
Meanwhile Chief of Detectives E.
w. Blossom, mindful of the wife's
Goodbye, dear, I'll meet you Ill
Heaven" of two days prior when she
tossed him a kiss as she left the coun-
ty Jail after a visit, turned his, mind
to the woman, as soon as he had
started the machinery for an investi-
cation of the releasing of the prison.
e, from the straight jacket.
Fearful Of a possible suicide pact,
police scouts secured both Tampa and
Port Tampa, suburb nine miles away
where the couple hs d lived, seeking the
woman. She was finally located anu
placed in the detention ward OF the
city Jail in the city nall for safe keep
ing.
Jailor Hubbard refused to discuss
reasons, if any, for the change OF tas
prisoner, bus stated that he was un-
usually rational Thursday night and
this morning. At dinner he ate the
heartiest meal since he was arrested
and shortly afterwards he was moved
to what proved hi death chamber OF
iron.
The body was removed after the
county physicians examination had
been made to a local undertaker's es-
tablishment, where it was being heid
lending the receipt of word from the
South Carolina authorities or the ar
rival of officers from Columbia for
the man.
Body Reached Columbia Monday