Friday, October 14, 2022

Body of Unknown Negro Found at Pine Lumber Company Dock, Oct. 14, 1922

Man’s Body Found Floating in Neuse River. . . Cause of Death of Unknown Negro Is a Source of Mystery. . . Believed That He Fell Off of Barge Here Several Days Ago. . . Barge Has Left. . . Body Was Found This A.M. Opposite Plant of Pine Lumber Co.

The body of a negro, who evidently had been dead several days, was found this morning in the Neuse river at the Pine Lumber Company’s mill, floating up against the dock at that point. Employees of the mill saw the body and hauled it out of the water.

The coroner’s inquest was called for this afternoon, coroner Hartsfield was notified of the discovery shortly after noon today.

Mystery surrounds the identity of the man and the manner in which he met his death. It is believed, however, that he is the man who was employed several days ago by the captain of a lumber barge to do some outside painting on the barge. The captain reported him missing after he had stayed on the job only an hour or two. Nothing was thought of the occurrence, however, for the general opinion was that the man had grown tired of his job and quit.

No one saw the man fall into the river. The barge, on which he had been employed, left yesterday for Baltimore. Efforts were being made this afternoon to find out the identity of the man, but up to 3 o’clock, no one had appeared before the coroner to claim the body. The appearance of the body indicated that it had been in the water for some time.

From the front page of The New Bern Sun Journal, Oct. 14, 1922

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