The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-29
AT DEATHS GATE
Was it Accident or At
tempted Suicide?
YOUNG Van Ballard Nicholson Shot in
His Room. Funeral of Mr.. Robert
Sloan. The Industrial
News.
Especial to News and observer.)

Especial to News and Observer
Greensboro, n. c., July 2S.-This
morning at eight o'clock Mr.. and Mrs.
j. w. Nicholson, living on West Mar
ket street, were startled by the report
of a pistol shot in the bedroom up
stairs of their adopted SON, Van Bal
lard Nicholson, a youth seventeen
years old. Upon hurrying there they
found the young man lying PROSTATE
and unconscious on the floor with
blood gushing from his head and face.
Doctors were Immediately summoned,
and every prompt attention given by
four physicians. At twelve o'clock he
was still unconscious, an operation be-
ing in progresE. His conditions is
considered critical, if not hopeless.
From the course tie pistol ball
took the physicians say it must have
been accidental. They think the young
man. had reached under his pillow to
get his pistol out before coming to
breakfast and that he must have
dropped it. discharg:ng it,. or uncon-
sciouSly pulled the self-cocking tr1g-
ger, causing it to explode. The ball
entered the right cheek, ploughed
over through the left eye, lodging I'M
der or in the left temple. No cause
can be assigned for anything but an
y
good health and had every reason to
enjoy life. He had been clerking for
Farris e. Kluttz, druggists, up to two
weeks ago when he retired to go on
a summer trip later.
One of his companions says that
some three weeks ago, young Ntchol-
son asked him to loan him his pistol.
He did not do so then, it not being
accessible, but Nicholson insist
ing for several days. he gave him the
key to his room, where Mr.. Nicholson
got it, and the lender had thought no
more of it. The pistol which was dis
charged this morning was the one
borrowed.
The whole community is in sympa-
thy with the victim and his family.
He was a popular boy with all. He Is
from Franklin county, is a nephew of
Chief Justice Walter Clark, Of Raleigh,
and had been adopted and reared by
his aunt, Mrs. j. w. Nicholson of this
city. who has no children.
Later.-Young Nicholson is resting
quietly tonight, and his physicians
give out hopes of his recovery. The
surgical operation relieved the hem
orrhage and the ball was extracted.
The left eye was also removed. He
became conscious and remains so, but
has been unable to explain the acct
dent, seeming ignorant of it,
Funeral of RObt NJ Sloan.
The First Presbyterian church of
this city was crowded at eleven O'Clock
this morning by residents and visitors
desiring to pay last honor to the men,
ory of Greensboro's oldest and best
beloved citizen, Robert M. Sloan, who
died yesterday Besides representa-
tives of the city government, who were
present in a body, the following Off
Gals of the Southern Express Com
pany, of which he had been faithful
agent for forty-two years, were pres
ent in body and acted as an honor
airy escort to the cortege: o. M. Sad
Ter, General superintendent, of Char
lotte; S. r. Gilchrist, Assistant Super
intendent, of Washington, d. c.; w. B.
Rogers, route agent, Atlanta, Ga. w
p. Leary, route agent, Winston-Salem;
S. J. Park, acting agent at Green's
boro. and the entire office force OF
the two Greensboro stations. The
president of the Southern Express
Company wired a letter of sympathy
to the family and stated that he would
have been present had he been in react
of Greensboro. Other messages from
high officials in the company eX-
pressed sympathy and the desire tc
be present. being prevented by dis
lance or urgent business demands.
ruling elders of the church, the dea-
cons acting as actives. The interment
was beside the wife in the church
graveyard The services were impress
sive, and the floral tributes were
numerous and of beautiful designs
coming from all parts of the country
Rev. E. w. Smith, pastor of the
church. after reading a scripture les
son delivered a brief address and paid
a fervent tribute to the memory OF
the departed. Illustrating his modesty
he recalled that he was twice elected
a ruling elder of the church before
he would accept the position. Predicat-
ing his remarks on the text, The
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, good
ness, meekness, gentleness, peace,
etc. DIR. Smith gave a history of the
life of the departed. showing that for
eighty years he had lived here. had
always been under the public eye and
through it all had borne the white
flower of a blameless life concluding
with the apostrophe, May God grant
. that his beautiful life may be an in
spiration and an example to every
citizen in this community"
A Century Old Negress.
The death of Hon. Robt. NJ. Sloan
at the age of a. has developed the
presence in this city of a negro wo-
man named-Roxana Hunt, widow of
Fred Hunt, who is 10S years Old Fer
age is vouched for by Rev. r. H. Pc
gram who is an honored member of
the NJ. E. Church conference, HIM
self rs years of age.
I'D. Pegram says that he was nursed
by Aunt Roxana when an infant, and
knew her then as ''old NANNY" He
has kept in touch with her all his life
paying her visits almost every year
during the time she lived at jamestown
before her husband died several years
ago. They owned a farm near there
but after the death of her husband
"old nanny moved to Greensboro