Butts County GaArchives News.....Claude Manley – Killed May 6 1884
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Don Bankston http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00024.html#0005864 May 1, 2004, 1:57 am

Middle Ga. Argus – Week of May 6, 1884
The most horrible accident that has shocked this community in many years 
occurred on the East Tennessee Virginia & Georgia R. R. at Dames Ferry, thirty 
miles below here, on Tuesday evening of last week in which young Mr. Claude 
Manley was killed.

No doubt, most of our readers have heard the particulars, but perhaps a brief 
statement of the facts will not be out of place here.  Ever since the railroad 
has been in operation, young Manley had been greatly charmed with railroad 
affairs and has all the time been anxious to become a practical railroader.  
Having been a boy of winning manners, had gained the acquaintance of all the 
train hands and officers of this part of the line, and had the promise of the 
position of flagman to begin about the day of his death, and for the preceding 
week had been running over the road especially for the purpose of learning his 
duties.  At the time of the accident he was uncoupling a coal car from the 
tender of the engine, in making what railroad men call a running switch, and in 
losing his balance fell in front of the car and was run over, the wheels of the 
same passing over his thigh and hip, crushing and mangling him so fearfully 
that he died in two and three quarter hours.  He was immediately carried to 
Macon where the best surgeons of the city attended him but could do him no 
good.  His father, Rev. R. C. Manley, was immediately telegraphed for, but did 
not reach his side until  an hour after he died.  Notwithstanding the horrible 
crush he had but little pain, and was perfectly conscious until the last, and 
died, fully knowing his condition and expressed a perfect willingness to go, 
said that he was not afraid to meet death.

His remains were brought to Jackson by his father, and the writer, who met them 
at Holton, where they were met at the depot by a large number of his friends 
and placed in the handsome hearse of Crum & McKibben and conducted to his 
fathers dwelling, where they lay in state until four o’clock in the afternoon, 
when they were conveyed to the city cemetery and buried with impressive 
ceremonies.  We never saw a people more deeply shocked at an accident.  Hardly 
a dry eye could be seen as the long cortege followed his remains to their last 
resting place.  The whole people seemed to go out with their sympathies to the 
bereaved family in their grief stricken hour.

We extend our condolence to Mr. Manley and his family in their sadness and 
would ask them to submit to the ruling of an All wise Being.  We regret as much 
as any one to lose friend Claude, but trust and believe from his last words, 
that he is in a “Brighter World than this.”

He has just entered his seventeenth year, and was a well developed man for one 
of his age.




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