The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-01-01
Santa Claus" at New
Hill Killed By Train
RAN INTO LOCOMOTIVE
John Lawrence. a White Man, Ends
His Jolly Celebration of Christ
mas in Tragedy-CroWd saw
His Body Hurled Over
1G0 Feet in the Air
100 Feet in the Air.

Tragic was the death Of John Law
renee, a white man, at five O'Clock on
Christmas day in New Hill. He had
delighted hundreds of children and
old people, too, since morning and
as evening was falling and he just
starting for his fathers home to en-
joy q Christmas supper with his
family, ne was struck by the engine
Of q SeabOard Air Line passenger train
and killed instantly.
Early in the morning Lowrence
donned Il frisky costume and assumed
he character Of Santa Claus. Red
was his jolly face and long his luxuri-
ous white beard, falling over his
breast. A gay cloak bedecke ed in
colors fell over his broad
shoulders and large frame, and his
rich, metallic voice had d CHEEKY ring
in greeting people. His reindeer was
an OK, his chariot a rickety cart. Over
the country for many miles he rode,
- eating fun and causing many a
hearty laugh. He spread the spirit
gladness among the children and
the smaller people would follow him
about, and frequently he led a happy
procession.
The days pleasure was to have
been clinaXed in New Hill, where his
father lived. There We're his three
children, two girls and u boy-his
wife having been dead several years
and a big oyster p with his chill
dren and fathers family was to end
the days festivities with him and
begin the nights enjoyment. h
oysters were expected on No. d, a
belated Seaboard Air Line passenger
train, which was expected to arrive
at five o'clock, and Lawrence was
awaiting this train near the pOstOffice.
A crowd of people We're around him,
making and taking fun Santa" be-
ing the centre of interest.
When a train whistle blew, APP
preaching the New Hill depot, Law
renee thought it was No. Al, on which
he expected he oysters to arrive, and
started for the depot, still mimicking
the Saint of the Yuletide, and rollick-
ing in his jaunty trOt. He had been
drinking a little, but was not intOXi-
Gated, and did not lave the reputa-
ton of being an inebriate. Several
buildings obstructed the view of the
depot, and he passed en- route
houses and other buildings, completely
shutting out Of sight the approaching
passenger train. Lawrence, still run
ming and increasing his speed to
swiftness, and thinking apparently
that the train would stop, ran on
without slackening, passing the
buildings and running on the track.
Some persons who saw the tragedy
believe that Lawrence attempted to
cross the track, believing he could
do the trick, being an agile man. The
opinion Of most, though, is that he
was unable to stop when he beheld
the train almost on him and literally
fell on the c~OW-catcher of the engine.
The train, running several hours be-
hind schedule time, was moving with
prOdigiOus velocity, and the same diff
ficulty obtained with the engineer as
with the dead a he could not see
Lawrence until the instant he was
struck. Quicker than it takes to re-
late it, the mans body was WhirIed
upward a distance of nearly fifty feet
and hurled over one hundred feet
away from the track. A high pile of
ties stood beside the track, and the
body was thrown completely over
that. LaWrance had been struck on
the shoulder and hip, and although
no bones were brOken the conclusion
killed him instantly.
Those who witnessed the CHASTITY
sight were hOrrOr-struck. being barelv
able to speak. The body was taken
by friends to the home of LaWrence's
father, and in this home Christmas
ended with sadness.
The funeral services were held yes
terday at noon in Bells Methodist
church. and the remains were in
TERED beside the grave of his deceas-
ed wife.
Lawrence was As years of age, and
was fireman at q saw mill near New
Hill. He was very popular and his
horrible death has shocked the town
of New Hill.