Two children were instantly killed and three adults were seriously injured in Reidsville last night when the Southern’s fast passenger train 35 struck a new Ford automobile in which the five persons were riding.
The dead:
JAMES PILLOW, 13 years of age.
BERTIE PILLOW, 14 years of age.
The injured:
J.W. PILLOW, father of the dead children
I.C. PILLOW, father of J.W. Pillow.
MRS. TOM MITCHELL, daughter of J.W. Pillow.
The age of J.W. Pillow is 51 and that of his father, I.C. Pillow, is 75.
A message received today from the hospital stated that Mrs. Mitchell will live, but there is no hope for the two men.
The funeral services for the dead will be conducted from the residence at 4 o’clock by Rev. W.E. Goode and Rev. H.B. Worley. Interment will follow at Greenville cemetery.
The victims of the accident are survived by their parents, three sisters, Mrs. Charlie Carter, Mrs. Thomas Mitchell and Miss Emma Pillow, and one brother, Alcede Pillow, 8 years of age.
The Pillow family, who live in the northern part of the city, had gone to ride and were in the act of crossing the track jus tin front of J.L. Butler’s home when I.C. Pillow, driving, attempted, after the train was almost upon them, to either speed up or stop. The engine “choked” square on the grade crossing. A box car obstructed his view of the approaching passenger train. The automobile was tossed high in the air and it and its occupants fell to either side of the track. The two children were dead when eyewitnesses reached them. The two men were found unconscious and covered with bruises and cuts. Mrs. Mitchell seemed to be the least seriously injured.
A pathetic feature of the accident was the killing of a pet bird dog, which was riding in the car. When the bodies of the boy and girl were found, close to them was huddled the dead body of the dog.
All the injured were taken to Greensboro on 35 and were met at the station there by ambulances. They were carried immediately to St. Leo’s hospital. John Pillow has a fractures skull and is otherwise injured. His father, the elder Mr. Pillow, had a fractured skull, one arm was broken, and he had other injuries. Both were fearfully bruised and lacerated.
Mrs. Thomas Mitchell, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Pillow, was hurt less than any of the others, but is in serious condition, especially from shock. The car was smashed all to pieces. Neighbors sitting on porches some distance away heard the crash and saw the automobile thrown high in the air, above the height of the cars standing near. Mrs. S.O. Norman, a sister of Mrs. Pillow, saw the flying fragments, and rushed to the scene to give aid. Reaching the crossing she was horrified to see her sister’s two children lying beside the tracks dead.
The two children, dead when the first persons arrived, were lying close together, the boy, strangely enough, showing no mark of injury at first glance. Beside them lay their pet dog, which they had been carrying in the car. He, too, was dead.
The train was in charge of Conductor L.T. Royall and Engineer R.L. Pierce. The engineer declares he did not know that his engine struck the car until he was so informed after he had brought the train to a stop at the station. Immediately the train was backed to the scene. The injured were placed on the train and carried to a Greensboro hospital.
John Pillow, father of the dead children, is a carpenter, who has also been a farmer. He and his family came to this county from Chatham, Va. His wife, at the time of the accident, was at home caring for a sick child. She, also, was ill and is prostrated with grief at this time.
From the front page of the Reidsville Review, May 30, 1923
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