The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-08-25
4 BLOODY DEATH.
Tvs Soldiers Killed On the Cars
Near Goldsborc,
WHlsKEY AND DISoREDIENcE
THE CAUSE.

WS&sa&s0A q ~ - 0A0SA6A4cNSk VI
THE CAUSE.
!: Morning Post.
Goldsboro, n. c., Aug. 19-Specia]
While riding on top of il passenge
coach iour inemtets Of Company A.
Durham, Third Regiment, North Caro-
lima National Guard, were struck by
bridge cover and two met instan
, death.
When the special ttain from More
head City, bearing the troops OF ths
Second and Third regiments, slowed ur
in the city limits, four PROSTATE and
/ bloody forms lay upe n the top of one
OF the coaches and streams OF blood
flooded the car roof aid trlckled down
the sides OF the coach. Two men were
dead, their heads terribly crushed, and
their two companions we're recovering
consciousness after the fearful shock.
The dead and injured ,all OF Durham
were:
Bum Warren, killed instantly.
Bunch johnson, killed instantly.
| S. Fletcher Gates, injured on the
head and now III ths hospital at Colds
boro.
William McDade, scalp wound, but
not serious. He has returned to his
home in Durham.
This horrible accident, costing two
lives, occurred this af g!noon at SONY
Creek bridge. which is about two
miles east VI GJldsboro on the Atlantic
and North Carolina Railroad. This
bridge is one of great historic interest
on account of the scenes there during
tie great Civil War. Several skir
mishes took place at this point with
fatalities on both sides. The bridge
spanning Stony Greek is of low struct-
ire and the cover will not admit OF the
passage of cars with men standing on
top without accident.
The officers of the Second and Third
sglments, which have been in camp at
.Morehead City for ten days, cane back
on special train run in two sections.
The Old. Guard company OF Durham
was in the last section. When the
trains stopped at LaGrange Warren,
johnson, Gates and McDade lett their
coach. They had been drinking and
were under the influence of liquor.
Instead OF returning to the cotnpanyis
car they mounted one OF the coaches
and remained in this oerilous position
as the journey was continued. Some
thing was said in the car about the
men being on top, it is said, but it was
not reported and their peril was not
realized.
The first iatimation OF the disaster
was when the train entered the city
limits and blood was observed trick
ling down tie side OF the car. About
the same time, as the trim turned TIE
curve near the rice tnill, the engineef
of another train saw the bloody figures
PROSTATE on cop OF the car and blew
the emergency signal. Engineer Rus
sell brought his train to a dead stop
aud as the soldiers poured out
an indescribable scene OF horror met
their gaze.
Warren lay on his face with the back !
OF his skull battered In. His head was
near the edge OF the car and blood was
streaming down the side. Johnson
was also thrown forward, the top of his |
head almost knocked off. Gates and |
McDade, then standing among the !
dead, keeping the bodies from falling
from the car, we're also bleeding pro-
tusely. The blood was then running
in such stream that both sides OF the |
coach were stained.
The four men were sitting on the
car top, their backs to the engine,th
arms about each other, singing a gay
song, when the heavy timbers of the
bridge cover smote them on the back
of their beads. Warren and johnson
we're a little forward, so the beam
struck them first. This alone saved
Gates and Mcpade from the horrible
death their companions suffered. The
two survivors were knocked over by
the bodies of their friends and this saw
ed them from receiving the full force
of the blow. Engineer Russell and
Conductor Davis, as we'll as the passen-
gers, were in absolute ignorance of the
acciden: until the train slowed up at
Goldsboro.
The dead bodies were removed, laid
on cot, COVERED with a sheet, placed
In a baggage Car and were thus convey
ed by the special train on to their |
home in Durham.
McDade's scalp wound was soon
dressed and he went on home with his
company. Gates did not at first appear