Ed Beaver Killed By Car While Eating at Cafe, Oct. 4, 1920

Ed Beaver, a farmer living four miles east of Statesville, was killed and his wife seriously injured in a peculiar automobile accident there Friday night. The fatal accident occurred at the Antibellum cafe near the station. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver were eating supper when a big Hudson automobile owned an ddriven by Mr. John F. Slane suddenly broke through the glass front of the cafe making a wreck of everything. It ?? until stopped in the rear of the building. Mr. Beaver was hit in the back and crushed against the counter. Mrs. Beaver received a number of bruises and alceratins. Both were taken to the Long sanatorium, but Mr. Beaver expired soon after reaching the hospital. Mrs. Beaver, it is thought, will recover. Mr. Beaver was 70 years of age. This distressing tragedy occured in a very peculiar way. Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Slane accompanied their son, O.W. Slane, to the station, the young man driving the car. Upon the arrival of the train on which the young man was leaving, Mr. and Mrs. Slane got into the car, which had been parked in front of the cafe. Mr. Slane started the engine, not knowing tha this son had left the car in low gear and the big machine leaped forward across the dining room before Mr. Slanhe could stop it. The car was then backed out of the wreckage. Neither Mr. Slane nor his wife was injured. (From The Daily Revcord, Hickory, N.C., Monday, Oct. 4, 1920)