John Campbell Gives Life to Save Woman and Children, Dec. 18, 1919

From The Dunn Dispatch, Dec. 18, 1919

John Campbell Loses Life to Save Woman and Children

Fayetteville, Dec. 9—John Campbell of Harmony died in the Cumberland General Hospital here this afternoon from injuries sustained while attempting to rescue the wife and children of his employer from the path of a train on the Aberdeen and Rockfish road. Mr. Campbell was brought to this hospital at an early hour this morning.

The traffic accident occurred at Thomas station about 6:30 last night when the wheel of an automobile belonging to C.A. Harrelson, driven by Campbell, became “locked” in the crossing of the railroad. After the two men had vainly endeavored to extricate the wheel and unfasten the curtain of the car in order to liberate Mrs. Harrelson and the children, Harrelson ran down the track to flag the oncoming train, and succeeded in attracting the attention of the engineer in time to slow up the train but not soon enough to avert the tragedy. Campbell was still striving to loosen the wheel, and his skull and right arm were fractured when the train his the automobile. The woman and children in the car were unhurt. Campbell was carried to Raeford and later in the night was brought to this city by special train, provided by the railroad. He was a married man of middle age and leaves a wife and several children.