John Pike, 15, Killed While on Floor Playing Checkers with Neighbor Children, Feb. 12, 1924

Boy Shot While Playing Checkers. . . John Pike, 15-Year-Old White Boy, Had Part of His Head Shot Off While on the Floor Playing Checkers; Died Shortly Afterwards; No Details Are Known

John Pike, 15-year-old white boy, was shot and almost instantly killed late yesterday afternoon while he was sitting on the floor playing checkers. No details of the shooting are known.

Pike, who lives with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wiley Thomas Pike, near Lucama, went to a neighbor’s house, the home of a Mr. Lamm, and was playing checkers on the floor with other children, when a shot was fired, blowing off part of the lad’s head. He died shortly afterwards.

The family of Pike in attempting to ascertain some facts of the shooting were told that no one in the room knew how it happened, and those not telling anything else about the shooting.

Sheriff Glover was notified this afternoon about the shooting and will investigate the matter.

Funeral services were held at the home of the boy this afternoon and conducted by Elder George Boswell, and interment will be made at Contentment cemetery.

From the front page of the Wilson Times, Feb. 12, 1924