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Wednesday, September 18, 2024

George Mercer Not Dead Afterall, Sept. 19, 1924

Young Lady Mixes Names; Causes Grief. . . Mistakes Name Murphy for Mercer and Informs Latter’s Parents of His Death

Wilson, Sept. 19—The tragic death of Jimmy Murphy, auto speed racer, at Syracuse Monday last, and the hasty conclusion of a Goldsboro lady was the cause of much grief and worry to Mr. and Mrs. B.F. Mercer of this city.

George, the 18-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Mercer had called upon the Goldsboro lady earlier in the day on his way to New Bern, driving an automobile, and when the news was ?? over the wires that Murphy was killed she got the name “Murphy” confused with “Mercer,” and hurriedly called up the parents of her sweetheart and gently broke the news. “George was killed in an accident near New Bern this afternoon.”

The parents of the young man were attending a show and after being paged and informed of their bereavement their hearts were nearly broken.

The news spread like wildfire and soon the heads of the numerous friends of “deceased” were bowed down in grief.

It was midnight before Mr. Mercer learned that no mishap had befallen George and that he would return to Wilson that night.

From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Sept. 19, 1924

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1924-09-19/ed-1/seq-1/

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