Police Hold Harold Grady and H. J. Nealy in Accident That Killed Dossie Traylor, Aug. 10, 1926

Hold Grady and Nealy in Auto Wreck Case . . . Grady Out Under $5,000 Bond; Dossie P. Traylor Was Killed in Turn-Over. . . Miss Lena Williams Was Not Seriously Injured, Hospital Authorities Say

H. J. Nealy, 23 years old, of Bummertown, Tenn., is in jail and Harold Grady, local youth, is under $5,000 bond as a result of the death of Dossie P. Traylor, 18 years old, in an automobile accident near the old country club on the Kinston highway about 10: 30 Sunday night.

Grady suffered a broken arm and Miss Lena Williams was badly cut about one leg. Nealy was driving the car at the time it turned over and pinned young Traylor underneath. Grady was standing on the running board on the right hand sill. Nealy escaped without a scratch.

Nealy and Grady were held for the grand jury at the next session of Superior Court under instructions from the coroner’s jury, which considered the case under the direction of Coroner T. R. Robinson yesterday morning. Late yesterday Nealy, a well-mannered young man, was wiring friends in Tennessee in an effort to raise bond.

Evidence introduced before the coroner’s inquest was to the effect that the accident in which Young Traylor was killed and Grady and Miss Williams injured was the culmination of a wild auto ride. Four witnesses testified that the car, a Ford rroadster, was giving chase to a Hudson sedan and making a rate of estimated at between 35 and 45 miles an hour. It was said that Grady was drinking and that he was loudly cursing at the party driving the Hudson.

Evidence as to who was driving the Hudson car was not given in the coroner’s inquest.

The accident, according to the story told by Nealy, happened when he slowed up, because he was blinded by an approaching car, and the right rear wheel dropped off the pavement.

Traylor lived about an hour after he was carried to the hospital. Death must have resulted from internal injuries, for there was only a small bruise visible on the body—a small circular black spot near the right shoulder blade.

Hospital authorities say that Miss Williams will be out in a short time.

The following made up the jury which investigated the case:

E. E. Griffin, E. C. Denmark, Herman Brewer, C. H. Martin, Sam Eason, and B. A. Grant.

The verdict was as follows:

“That Paul Traylor came to his death from an accident from a Ford roadster recklessly and dangerously driven by H. J. Neely, aided and abetted by Harold Grady.

“We think Grady as guilty as Neely and recommend that both H. J. Neely and Harold Grady be held under sufficient bond for the Grand Jury of the next Superior Court, and that Sheriff Grant be instructed to hold these parties (line obscured) the solicitor of the district may require.

Editor's Note: Victim's last name is spelled Traylor and his mother's last name is spelled Taylor because after her husband died the widow married a man named Taylor. In other words, it looks like a mistake but it isn't.

From the front page of the Goldsboro News, Tuesday morning, Aug. 10, 1926

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Funeral for Auto Victim Dossie Traylor, 18, Aug. 10, 1926

Auto Victim Funeral 4 p.m.. . . From Home on East Pine Street. . . In Charge of Rev. J. W. Sadler

Funeral services for Dossie P. Traylor, 18, who was killed in an automobile accident near the old country club Sunday night, will be held from the home of the mother of the dead youth, Mrs. Sudie Taylor, at 212 East Pine Street, this afternoon at 4 o’clock.

The dead youth was a son of the late D. R. Traylor. His mother married a Mr. Taylor. The second husband died some time ago, and her son was the head of the household.

In addition to the mother, Traylor is survived by a half sister, Mildred Taylor.

Rev. J. W. Sadler of the Baptist church will be in charge of the services this afternoon. Interment will be in Willow Dale cemetery.

From the front page of the Goldsboro News, Tuesday morning, Aug. 10, 1926

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Community Raising Funds for Dossie Traylor's Bereaved Family, Aug. 10, 1926

Start Fund for Mother of Dead Boy

Frank Barnes, Eddie Chamblee and William Harris, young Goldsboro men, yesterday afternoon started a subscription fund for Mrs. Sudie Taylor of 212 East Pine street, mother of Dossie P. Traylor, who was killed in the automobile accident Sunday night. The young men reported that the citizens of Goldsboro were generous in their response and that a respectable sum as collected. Part of the money was expended in purchasing a funeral design for the dead boy.

The young men will continue their efforts today, and those who wish to donate but cannot see the collectors may telephone The News.

Editor's Note: Victim's last name is spelled Traylor and his mother's last name is spelled Taylor because after her husband died the widow married a man named Taylor. In other words, it looks like a mistake but it isn't.

From the front page of the Goldsboro News, Tuesday morning, Aug. 10, 1926

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When Pinching Pennies Results in Death of Young Man, Aug. 10, 1926

The Blood of Dossie P. Traylor or A Prophecy Verified

This afternoon all that is mortal of Dossie P. Traylor will be lowered into a grave in Willow Dale cemetery. A weeping, broken-hearted mother, and a young sister will return to their little home on Pine street—hopeless and forlorn. Not only because a son and brother has gone prematurely to the grave, but because there is no one left in the house as bread winner.

But here is the point. If there had been a proper enforcement of the rules governing the speed of automobiles, young Traylor would be alive tonight, the little home on Pine street would not be listening to the knock of the poverty of coming years.

On whose hands does the blood of this young man fall?

In the inquest conducted over the body of Traylor three men testified tht they saw the Ford roadster and the Hudson car it was following driving on main streets of Goldsboro at a reckless rate of speed. H. J. Nealy, one of the men under arrest, admits that he was driving about 30 or 35 miles an hour.

Mind you that the death car was seen traveling recklessly across Center street and on John street a short time before the accident. But no officers stopped it. Here is the testimony.

Mark Lane said:

“About 10 minutes later I heard a noise like a car running at great speed: looked down Center street toward City Hall and saw two cars that looked like the two that had just passed me at the corner, going at great speed with the Hudson in the lead.

Walter Jones said:

Was standing at Fire Station No. 1. I saw a Hudson sedan and a Ford roadster coming down John street going south. Harold Grady was on the running board of the Ford and was cursing and telling the driver to catch the Hudson—he wanted to beat the driver of the Hudson. I think the two cars were running 35 or 40 miles per hour.

W.M. Gardner said:

I was sitting at corner of John and Ash streets about 10:15 last night. A Hudson car passed with a Ford roadster following, with Harold Grady on the running board of the Ford, and both going at 35 or 40 miles an hour.

After again asking the question on whose hands does Traylor’s blood fall, we quote an editorial in The News of June 12 concerning violation of speed laws in the city:

If the city of Goldsboro hasn’t some sort of speed limit, some sort of driving regulation, then it would be well to have such enacted at once, and then to have these enforced. Lfor just as sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, there will be a continuance of accidents and perhaps fatalities if reckless and careless automobile drivers are allowed to continue to dash through and across the streets, as they are doing at the present time.

On June 13, The News had another editorial which gives the heart of the whole matter:

The safety of the city is being sacrificed to a false notion of economy. We are losing $10 to save $1. We are running the risk of stultifying our official consciences in a vain effort to convict a tax-paying public that we can run the government more cheaply that our predecessors. One thing we can congratulate ourselves about: We have been exceedingly lucky that gunmen and bandits have found easy picking elsewhere. Sometimes we may not have luck with us.

When will the city wake up to the need of more policemen?

Citizens of Goldsboro, we leave the case to you.

From the editorial page of the Goldsboro News, Tuesday morning, Aug. 10, 1926

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Charlotte Police Refuse to Release Names of Prominent Citizens Arrested, Aug. 10, 1926

43 Arrests at Charlotte

Charlotte, Aug. 9—City and county police were active here yesterday, and 43 arrests were made during the day. A number of prominent citizens were included in those caught but their names were withheld at the police station.

From the front page of the Goldsboro News, Tuesday morning, Aug. 10, 1926

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New Deputy Sheriff "Chink" Rhodes Captures Men Who Robbed Three Stores, Aug. 10, 1926

Confesses to 3 Burglaries. . . Deputy Rhodes and Officer Lancaster Clear Up Cases

Three out of the seven instances in which homes or firms were entered last week were solved with the confession Sunday morning of Alfred Harris, colored. Harris implicated Coleman Smith, colored, in his confession. Both Harris and Smith were bound over to Superior Court under charges of store breaking and larceny in city court yesterday morning.

Deputy Sheriff “Chink” Rhodes learned that Harris had changed a $10 bill at a store in Webbtown. Deputy Rhodes knew that Harris was not caster. He went to the Harris’ home early Sunday morning.

Upon questioning Harris, according to officers, confessed to entering the Smithfi Hardware Company on August 3, to entering Handley-Stallings on August 4, and to entering Farley’s Department Store on August 5.

Several flashlights, a quantity of cartridges and a 32 rifle were recovered by the officers and identified by the hardware people.

The question of who the negro was who entered the home of Mrs. H. H. Hobbs last Friday afternoon, of who entered the home of Griff Porter and stole some small change, a pistol and a dinner ring Saturday, and the question of who entered the Parrot and Creech Shoe Store remain unsolved. Officers are working on these cases.

From the front page of the Goldsboro News, Tuesday morning, Aug. 10, 1926

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"Mint Says" Editorial Page Column, Goldsboro News, Aug. 10, 1926

Mint Says

I notice in the columns of our afternoon contemporary that Mr. “Chink” Rhodes was responsible for the capture of the two colored men who area accused of breaking into the Smith Hardware, Handley-Stallings and Farley stores.

I certainly congratulate the city manager and Chief Tew on the efficiency of this new member of the police force. I think they used rare good judgment when they selected him as an addition to the “regulars.”

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Dollars to doughnuts that there will be a season of rigid speed enforcement for exactly 11 ½ days.

Well that will be pretty good anyway. Its might hard, in hot weather, for fat men to stay in high gear over an extended period of time. After they have been going for about 10 days, everything works in a circle. Even law enforcement or non-enforcement.

I have never been able to understand why a man, when he gets incased in a certain kind of job, always gets fat. I am not talking about myself, understand. I was fat when I came here.

And besides, I am supposed to think.

But talking about speed, I have been told that a certain car, bearing four people, was seen last Sunday night, flying wildly about the city, just before it took to the highway leading toward Kinston, and ran amuck with a big ditch, and then there was a fatality. I wonder just what that human life was worth.

I feel sure, if it had been a member of my family, that I would consider it worth as much as the salary of about two of the men who are now employed on the Goldsboro police force; and I wouldn’t hesitate to include the heads of the departments either.

Editor’s Note: The phrase “dollars to doughnuts” was begun in the 1800s when doughnuts were cheap and a dollar was valuable. Betting “dollars to doughnuts” meant you were betting something valuable against something trivial. Thanks, Copilot.

From the editorial page of the Goldsboro News, Tuesday morning, Aug. 10, 1926

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