The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-27
CASUAL TIES ON XMAS
Accidents and Disasters of
the Day in the State.
A Severe Explosion in Greensboro. Several
Cutting Affairs in Wilmington. Man
Hurt in Charlotte.


Especial to the News and Observer
Lumberton, n. C., Dec. 25.-Robert
Prevatte, little son of w. j. Prevatte,
of Lumberton, had the misfortune or
letting dynamite cannon cracker
explode in his hand Xmas morning.
1t tore off two fingers and the thumb
of the right hand, and burned his lace
severely.
There was a fatal Christmas hunt
some three or four miles west OF Dur
ham Christmas morning when Nose
Cole, the twelve-year-old son OF Mr..
and Mrs. Moses Cole, was instantly
killed by a relative-the son of Mr..
and Mrs. j. Ed. Cole.
Tt seems that the two boys were out
hunting when a covey of birds was
flushed and both started to shoot. The
son of J. Ed Cole fired first, and the
entire load Of shot entered the head
of young Nose Cole, just behind his
ear, blowing out his brains and kill
ing him instantly.
The boys were some distance from
their homes when the fatal shot was
fired, and the one who did the killing
was almost distracted with grief when
he reached friends.
The boy who met such a sudden and
instant death was of prominent and
well-known family and was a nephew
of Messrs. W. A. and J. l.. Wilkerson,
and Mrs. Bette Blalock, of Durham.
EXPLOSION IN GREENSBORO.
spirits of Greensboro were out
AuIyS fln I11.IS
mas eve, in 4 vacant lot, in the rear
of the Gate City Steam Laundry, they
came across an old tobacco press.
made of cast iron and weighing about
a ton, into a large cavity of which
they either poured quantity of pow
der or placed a stick of dynamite. A
few moments later that entire section
of the town was shaken by a terrific
explosion. Several buildings in the
immediate vicinity were damaged and
piece of the old press was hurled
a distance of quarter OF a mile, strik-
ing Simon Ipne, a negro fireman on
the Southern Railway. as he was sit
ting in his cab waiting to 90 out ON
a trip. He was struck on the head
and seriously wounded. and will prob
ably die. No arrests have been made.
though the police officers think they
know the perpetrators of the deed.
HURT IN CHARLOTTE.
Mr.. w. j. Hodges, dam builder
from Rock Hill, S. c., went to Char
lotte to spend Christmas. While try
ing to get a friend out of trouble he
was struck on the head with bell,
in the hands of a negro boy. His
skull was fractured to the extent that
a piece of the bone had to be taken
out. No particulars of the affair could
be had. Hodges was taken to the
Private Hospital and is now doing
well. 1t will be a week or more before
he can get out.
CUTTING IN WILMINGTON.
About o'clock Christmas eve. a
crowd of young men in Wilmington
assaulted and severely cut a young
negro named Fred Mills, who was GO
ing out Castle street. He met the
crowd at Second aud Castle, and they
beat him and cut hi mon the left side
of the forehead The knife skipped
his face, but cut a cash ON his lip. He
was taken to the city hospital. He
doesn't know who his assailants were
At / O'Clock Christmas morning,
while Policemen j. NJ. King and G.. ii.
Ward were attempting to arrest four
tween Red Cross and Campbell, the
negroes resisted and one of them
either drew razor or a very sharp
knife and laid open Officer Kings left
arm from the shoulder nearly to his
elbow. The cash was a frightfu ONE
and severed several muscles of the
front part of Mr.. Kings arm. One of
the negroes, named Robert Hall, was
arrested, but he was not the man who
did the cutting. The others escaped.
Inquiry at the State Department, Wash
ington, d:scloses the fact that no official
notice was ever taken by the Department
of a statement affecting in some measure,
Oscar F. Williams. who had been consul
to Manila before the Spanish American
War Captain Burritt was the author OF
this statement. Being in charge of the
mining bureau in the Philippines. in The
course of his annual report to General
Macarthur, commenting upon the finding
in an irregular fashion of an enormous
number of mining claims, he said: The
record discloses an underlined but appar-
emily close relations of Hon. Oscar F
Williams, as United States Consul, with
the inspectorate of mines, that is of such
n nature as to seem to require a state
ment of the facts appearing in the records
of this bureau" telegram from Ro-
chester says that Consul Williams, who is
there now denies the whole story.