Paulding County GaArchives Obituaries.....Butts, John D. 1883
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Skye Sonczalla-Driggs skyeld@comcast.net June 24, 2006, 10:07 pm

The Paulding New Era, November 8, 1883 
A Horrible Railway Accident.  On last Thursday morning news reached the town 
that a horrible railroad accident had occurred about two miles below Dallas in 
which Mr. John D. Butts, of Augusta, Ga, had lost his life.  

The facts, as we learn them, are about as follows; On the morning above 
mentioned two freight trains going north left Atlanta, and had by some means 
got a few minutes behind time when they arrived at Austell junction, about 
seventeen or eighteen miles below Dallas, and both trains left Austell running 
very fast in order to make up lost time by the time they arrived at Dallas.  
The Conductor on the foremost train consulted his watch, and seeing that he 
had made up his lost time and was going to run into Dallas ahead of time 
slacked the speed of the train until eye witnesses say that a man could have 
easily jumped on or off of it, when the other train, which was following came 
thundering around a curve at a tremendous speed.  The engineer on the foremost 
train, probably through fright, instead of pulling open the throttle and 
pulling forward as rapidly as possible called for brakes, and Mr. John D. 
Butts was at his post between the caboose and the box car throwing on the 
brake when the hindmost train struck the caboose of the foremost shivering the 
rear end of the caboose into splinters and bursting the bumpers off of several 
of the box cars.  The caboose struck Mr. Butts with terrific force, mashing 
him between the two cars and hurling him several feet from the track killing 
him instantly.  

Mr. Butts was a young man about twenty-two years of age, unmarried, whose 
parents live in Augusta, and was said to be a very pious young man, and in 
every respect a perfect gentleman.  

He was brought to the depot at Dallas and Dr. W.C. Connally was summoned to 
dress his wounds and get him ready for being returned to his friends.  His 
remains were put on board the down passenger and sent to Augusta for interment.


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