OBIT: Howard NICHOLSON, 1918, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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A FATAL ACCIDENT

HOWARD NICHOLSON ALMOST INSTANTLY KILLED

His Brother Harland Received Some Severe Injuries but Will Recover - With a 
Companion They Were Caught at a Crossing at Nineteenth Street by a Passenger 
Train on the Branch

A JURY EMPANNELED BY CORONER GLENN

The Deceased Was but 16 Years of Age and a Great Favorite With All Who Knew 
Him.

  A fatal accident occurred on the Hollidaysburg branch railroad within the 
city limits last evening, resulting in the death of one boy and the injury of 
another.  The accident occurred on Nineteenth street between Margaret and 
Ninth avenues and near the office of W. D. Isett.  Three boys - Howard and 
Harland Nicholson (sons of H. L. Nicholson, daylight ticket agent of the 
Pennsylvania Railroad company in this city) and Lloyd Greer (son of C. A. 
Greer, of the Tribune job room) went to the planning mill of William Stoke 
for a load of shavings.  They were driving Mr. Nicholson's horse which was 
attached to a spring wagon.  The shavings had been secured and the boys were 
on their return trip and had arrived at the locality in which the accident 
happened, having stopped on the way once to put on a couple bags of shavings 
which had fallen off.  The exact manner in which the disaster occurred is not 
positively known.  It seems, however, that the horse had become frightened 
and Howard Nicholson and Lloyd Greer got off the wagon to quiet him, leaving 
Harland Nicholson on the vehicle.
  Their efforts were unavailing and Howard told Lloyd to let go, which he 
did.  Howard, however, held on to the bridle.  The curve on the railroad here 
is very abrupt and before the animal was quieted the regular passenger train, 
of which Mr. William Dent is conductor, rounded the curve on its was to the 
city.  On seeing the engine the horse gave a sudden spring forward and before 
the engineer could stop the accident had occurred.  The accounts vary as to 
whether the engine struck the boy.  One gentleman who was interviewed stated 
that the engine struck the horse and that the animal fell upon the boy.  
Another gentlemen says that the boy was struck first by the forward part of 
the engine and that the horse was struck afterward.  The train was stopped 
within about forty feet after the accident happened.  The body of the boy was 
at least fifteen feet from that of the horse when found.  Mr. H. D. 
Alexander, who is employed by Mr. Isett, and who was in the office at the 
time, immediately started out, but says that life was almost extinct when he 
reached the remains of the boy.  When the horse was struck the wagon was 
overturned and Harland Nicholson had his left food cut and also sustained a 
scalp wound.  He was able, however, to walk.  Dr. Christy dressed his 
injuries.
  The body of the dead youth was taken to the office of W. D. Isett and 
Coroner Glenn was notified, who impaneled the following jury: Thomas Miller, 
M. H. Canan, Henry Alexander, David Swanger, E. W. H. Kreider and J. A. 
Canan.  After viewing the remains the jury adjourned to meet at 6 o'clock 
this evening, at the undertaking rooms of J. Arthur.  The remains of the 
deceased were placed in the hands of Mr. Arthur, by whom they were prepared 
for burial.
  Howard Nicholson was in the 17th year of his age and was a general favorite 
with all who knew him.  He was a member of the First Methodist Episcopal 
Sunday school.  The bereaved parents and brothers and sisters have the 
sympathy of all.  Harland Nicholson is 11 years of age and his injuries, 
while serious, are not of a fatal character.  His nervous system had received 
a considerable shock.  Lloyd Greer, 11 years of age, escaped injury.

Morning Tribune, Thursday, July 4, 1889, page 1