The culmination of a tragic railway crossing accident was witnessed Monday in Andrews when Mr. and Mrs. Albert Wakefield and Gordon Earwood were laid to rest in the presence of many sorrowing friends and relatives. The three young people met death at a railway crossing just east of Andrews by the Southern train from Asheville. Mr. Earwood and Mr. Wakefield were members of the National Guard unit stationed at Andrews. They were here during the fair and participated in the cavalry drills for the fair.
The young people had been to the corral caring for the cavalry horses and had started back to their homes. A high board fence around the baseball park on the side of the road toward the approaching train, together with the rainy weather, prevented the driver of the of the car from seeing the train. The train was traveling at a low rate of speed, as it was in the corporate limits of Andrews. Mr. J.H. Richardson was the engineer. Mr. Wakefield was driving the machine.
Mrs. Wakefield, according to word received from Andrews, died about three minutes after the accident. She was before her marriage Miss Edna Lackey of Asheville.
A pathetic touch was given the accident by reason of the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Wakefield had only been married about one month. Mr. Earwood was also married about 30 days ago to Miss Azalee Ammons of Robbinsville.
Mr. Wakefield was 22 years of age, his wife 19, and Mr. Earwood was about 20.
Both men had the rank of corporal in the National Guard and were in charge of the horses used by Troop D, stationed at Andrews. They were natives of Andrews.
Officials of the town of Andrews declared the accident was caused by the “bad crossing.”
A Mr. Grundstaff was also buried in Andrews Monday. He was a middle-aged man and had only recently moved there from Graham County.
From the front page of the Cherokee Scout, Murphy, N.C., Friday, Oct. 3, 1924
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83004710/1924-10-03/ed-1/seq-1/
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