The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-21
FIREMAN JOE DAVIS KILLED.
Popular Employee of the Southern
Crushed to Death at Westminster.


The following account of the accidental
killing of Mr.. J. ID. Davis last week. is
taken from the Greenville g. CD Daily
News and contains very correct state
ment of the facts attending the
sad death of the popular young engineer,
whose family have for many years been
residents of Raleigh, and who was him
self we'll known TO many of our citizens.
Everybody who knew the big fellow,
knows that that big form contained a
heart as big as it was tender and loyal
to those who were near TO him as rela-
tves or friends. His nearest and dear
est friend, and everyday companion
for several years, was Mr.. ID. j. FAINT,
the kind-hearted Christian gentleman
and engineer who was running with him
when the fatal accident occurred, and
who came with the body of his friend
and the beraaved widow to attend the
burial. and to comfort the sorrowing
family.
Mr.. Davis could not have been ASSOC
ciated so long with this gentleman, with
out feeling that Christian influence in
his own life. even if his disposition had
been toward waywardness, but Mr..
best men he ever knew" This testi-
mony from the man who was associated
with him every day, and knew him so
WELL is the sweetest comfort TO the be-
rieved ones. and the sympathy extended
by so many friends will greatly help to
lessen their grief. The news of this sad
accident will be very shocking to many
Of the friends of the family in Moore
and Chatham counties. and it will be
hard for them to realize that Joe Davis
is dead.
And it is hard for rs TO realize that
his body is now resting in the city
cemetery.
"GreenvilIe was shocked yesterday 70
learn Of the sad tragic death of Fire
man Joseph ID. Davis. of the Southern
railway. who was run over and instantly
killed by his own train at Westminster.
While standing on track gaily saiutlng
the engineer of the through freight train
No. "A. he was knocked down by tho
caboose of his own train. which was
coming backward toward him. One PAIR
of trucks passed over his head and
shoulder. crushing the back of his head
into a pulp and MASKING his shoulders
into a mass of broken bones and mangled
flesh Death resulted instantly, and
poor, brave big hearted, jolly Joe Davis
who was as tender hearted and affec-
tomato as n woman, probably never knew
what struck him.
The body was brought here on the
2:30 p. m. north bound passenger train
and embalmed at ]. +. Mackey's un-
4 ii; -I,Y will ha chi
ped to his former home in Raleigh, n.
c.. this morning for interment. eG-v
Mr.. Davis was tall broad shoulderel
and strikingly handsome man about SO
years old. and being good natured end
even tempered. was great favorite
among his fellow employees. He was
also well known and greatly liked by
our people generally, his sad and untime-
ly death was as deeply and sincerely de-
plored in the city as, it was among the
railroad employees. He was among the
merchants in Main street on Tuesday
jolly and full of life and vigor and the
news of his death was Il great shock
TO them.
Mr.. Davis is survived by widow
and an 11-year-od daughter. With his
wife he boarded with IT, II. Stall, in
West Washington street, but his daugh-
ter is at school in North Carolina with
relatives. His run" ON the Southern
railroad was between here and TOccoa,
Ga. and at the time of his death he
was at work with Engineer ID. J. FAINT.
He had just been promoted TO engineer
and was waiting to be assigned regular
ly in this capacity when his life, which
was SO full of promise of happiness and
success to himself and pleasure to those
about him, was cut off III its prime.