The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-07-10
A Chapter of Misfortunes.


About the only person who cannot
appreciate the hunaor IN the following
81 situation described by the Charlotte
Observer in an account of a suit for
damages at Raleigh is the plaintiff IN
the original suit.
The vestibuled train from Atlanta
was bowling along toward Raleigh. on
a down grade at the rate Of fifty miles
per hour at 1 O'Clock in the morning.
Mr.. William Watlington was on his
wav to wild-turkey blind which he
had baited anG had his double-bar-
relied. breech-loading gun on his
shoulder, two cartridges In the cham
bers. On reaching the railroad track.
which was on an embankment about
ten feet. high at this place, Mr.. Wat
lington heard the train in the dis
tance, and stopped on the side of the
track about fifty feet away to view the
train as it passed by. He could not
see over the embankment to the other
side oft he track. Along bedside the
embankment on both sides of the
track are the usual bitches, which
were filed with water.
Mr.. Warrington was standing on the
north side of the track with his gun
on his shoulder. On the other side OF
the track we're number Of cattle nip
ping grass, which Mr.. Wtlington could
not see. Justsa few seconds before
the train swept by these cattle COM
menced to straggle across the track to
the side on which Mr.. Warrington was
standing. The bovines all got safely
across except one jersey bull. He was
caueht on the cowcatcber and hurled
away with terrible velocity. and, as
misfortune and luck would have it,
he struck Mr.. Warrington about mid
ships and knocked him down into the
ditch and plante dhimself on top OF
him. The bull was stunned.
He struggled. but could not get up,
and the water was drowning both man
and beast. Mr. Honeycutt, the engi-
neer, who was watching the cattle,
had not seen Mr. Watlington. and
when the fireman told him what had
happened be stopped the train and
hurried back and got there in time to
get Mr. WatGngton and the bull out
of the ditch before they were drowned.
Striking Mr. Warrington and knock
ing him into the water saved gthe lie
of the bull, and the water saved the
blow bv the bull from killing Watl-.
ington.
Further examination showed that
when the bull struck Mr.. Watllngton
the shock knocked the gun some dis
tance, and when it struck the ground
it was discharged and killed
one of the cows and wound
ed another so badly that It
had to be killed. The gun was not
injured. On these facts Judge Brown.
held that the railroad company was
not liable in damage to Mr.. Waiting
ton. Since the trial the owner Of the.
two COWS has sued Mr. Warrington and
recovered 500 in full Of damages for
their killing.
Mr. Warrington was knocked down
by jersey bull, which was hurled at
him by the train, and nearly drown
ed, and his gun was discharged and
killed two cows, and he gets no dam
ages and is compelled to pay 500 for
the luxury Of being principal N the.
most celebrated case IN the history
of accidents to animals and man by
railroad trains. But since all this hap.
pened Mr.. Watlington has had a great
piece of good luck befaH him. He.
has been working for Mr. IL. n. Snow
at High Point in the furniture busi-=
ness for many years. Snow is getting
old, and, being rich AID tired Of
business, he retired and gave the
whole plant and business worth So
900. to MI. Watlington, who was of
no kin to him. but simply faithful
employe. So Mr.. Warrington had
some recompense for his experience
with the bull and the tram.