Robeson County NcArchives News.....TOOK GREAT RISK: SEVERELY INJURED July 24, 1913
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Jane Barnhill bjbarnhill@aol.com December 28, 2013, 3:46 pm

"The Robesonian" July 24, 1913
"The Robesonian", Wednesday, July 24, 1913
TOOK GREAT RISK: SEVERELY INJURED

Aged Indian Woman Tried to Cross Trestle Ahead of Train and Narrowly Escaped Death

As a result of trying to cross the Ten Mile Swamp on the V. & C. S. railroad
track Tuesday about noon just ahead of the Lumberton-bound freight train No. 5,
Helon Canady, Indian, about 86 years old, is in the Thompson hospital suffering
from several sever injuries.

Her left leg is broken in two places between the knee and the ankle, the bone
being badly shivered and the flesh right much lacerated. Her right leg is badly
lacerated between the knee and ankle. She sustained a bad bruise on the left
thigh and several other bruises about over the body. Immediately after the
accident the woman was placed on the train and hurried to the hospital, where
she received medical attention, and she is getting along as nicely as could be
expected.

A Robesonian reporter went yesterday afternoon to the hospital to see her and
she seemed unusually bright, especially for one of her age and suffering from
such injuries. She said that she had been across the swamp on the north side, to
see some neighbors and was returning home when the accident occurred. Her home
is on the south side of the swamp within 25 or 30 yards of the railroad track.
There are two trestles in the swamp. She crossed one and heard the train coming,
the bell ringing and the whistle blow, but thought she could cross the last
trestle before the train would overtake her, and in trying to do so this, when
within about one step of being off the trestle, her heart gave out, she tripped
and a foot caught between the cross ties. Realizing that the train was close on
her she tried to fall off the track and as she fell she thought the train struck
her. She fell on the left side of the track on her face.

The engineer, Mr. William Allred, said that he saw the woman on the track. He
blew his whistle and rang the bell. The woman got off the track after crossing
the first trestle and was walking beside the track on the embankment, and as the
train was coming down the grade on the swamp the woman started to cross the last
trestle. He tried to stop the train and brought his engine to a standstill
within about 25 or 40 yards after passing where the woman fell. The woman fell
of the track and he didn't know whether the train struck her or not.

It seems to be a case where a woman took just a little too much risk. "Aunt"
Helon is a good woman and she has a host of friends among the white folks, as
well as her own race, that will regret to learn of her misfortune. Her condition
today is as favorable as could be expected.


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