N&W in 1910--Injury

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
October 6, 1910

FRACTURES SKULL WITH SHOVEL
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    Fireman John Haldron Seriously Injured by Coal Heaver At Norton
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TROUBLE AROSE OVER PASSING A JOKE
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Chief of Police Heads Posse and Search the Mountains for Fugitive But No Trace of Him Has Been Found
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INJURED MAN BROUGHT TO SANITARIUM IN THIS CITY

    John Haldron was almost murdered yesterday afternoon about 2 o'clock at Norton when he was struck over the head with the sharp edge of a shovel which was thrown at him by Marshall Davidson, a coal shoveller, with whom he had some words while the engine was standing on the spark pit at Norton opposite the railroad station.
    Haldron was brought to this city last night on No. 6 and taken to the Bluefield Sanatarium [sic], where it was found that he was severely injured, with the chance that his skull is fractured.  The man many recover although it is likely he will be laid up for some time.
    The affair, according to the story heard here last night, was caused by the apparently good-natured jollying of Haldron, who had just got into Norton on train No. 6, on which he was fireman.  The engine was taken to the spark pit for cleaning while Davis and another man were leveling the coal on the tender so that engine could come back to Bluefield.
    Haldron was standing at the engineer's side of the engine filling the water cooler and jokingly said something to Davis which caused the latter to throw the shovel he was using at the fireman.  The force of the blow was so heavy that it knocked Haldron from the engine.  A number of men who saw him fall rushed to assist him and he was helped to the depot where a doctor was called.  He was placed on train No. 6 and brought back to this city, being accompanied by W. M. Hurd and a doctor from St. Paul.
    Davis escaped to the mountains immediately after the affair.  Before No. 6 left Norton a posse headed by the chief of police had started after the man but it could not be learned late last night whether he has been captured or not.  A railroad official at Norton said at midnight that he had not been captured.
    Mr. Haldron makes his home in this city with his family at 215 Walnut street and fires on trains Nos. 5 and 6 for Bob Shelton.  His parents live at Pocahontas.
    At the hospital last night the doctors said there was a chance for recovery and that an operation would take place this morning at which time it would be definitely discovered how serious Haldron's wounds are.
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Gordon Hamilton
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