last updated 23 Aug 2013

Interesting News Articles

78 YEAR OLD MAN LOOSES BOTH LEGS

Col. A. S. Ellison, of Harris County, Run Over by a Train

STANDING SIDE OF TRACK WHEN THE TRAIN HIT HIM

Drawn Under Engine and One Leg Completely Severed from Body - Other One Hung by Mere Thread of Flesh - At the City Hospital

Col. A. S. Ellison, one of the most prominent men of Harris county, and a man of seventy-eight years of age, was this morning run down by a Southern train at Ellerslie, Ga., and both legs cut off just above the ankle. The injured man was given immediate attention after which he was brought to Columbus to the city hospital.

Crowd at Depot Dangerous

There was a large crowd of people at the depot this morning at Ellerslie when the Southern train from Atlanta to Columbus arrived. As the train was slowing down for the station, the crowd pushed . . . . to board it for Columbus where a large number were going to attend the Fall Festival. Col. Ellison was standing on the upper edge of the crown, walking towards the train. He did not guage its speed properly as before he knew it the train was upon him and his extreme age prevented his being able to jump from in front of the train which drew him under it and cut off his legs.

Physicians Called

Two physicians were called to attend Col. Ellison, whose daughter also ran to the train and accompanied him to Columbus where physicians who had been notified by wire of the accident were waiting with an ambulance for the train, which arrived but a half hour late, the time it had waited at Ellerslie after the accident.

Report at Two O'Clock

At the hour of going to press this afternoon the attending physicians reported Col. Ellison to be resting as well as could be expected. His extreme age is a great handicap to his recovery, and it is thought the injuries will prove fatal.

Col. Ellison Prominent Man

Col. A. S. Ellison is a prominent and wealthy planter of Harris county, while he is well known all over the state of Georgia. He has had for many years business interests in Columbus, and his friends here were shocked this morning to learn of the accident.

From the Columbus Ledger, Columbus, GA, 8 November 1905, page 1

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WELL KNOWN YOUNG MAN PROMOTED TO CAPTAINCY

Nephew of Local Citizens Who has See Much Hard Service in France

The many friends of George T. Murrah of this city will read with interest the following article, taken from the Birmingham Age Herald, of last Sunday, concerning his promotion to a captain. Captain Murrah is well known in Columbus, and is a nephew of Messrs. J. M. and E. L. Murrah, and Mrs. J. H. Florence, and a brother of Miss Kate Murrah, all of this city. The Age Herald article follows:

George T. Murrah, a Bessemer boy, graduate of the high school, has seen much hard service in France, and has been promoted to captain, according to a letter received Thursday by his grandmother, Mrs. M. C. Terry, of this city. The letter was dated December 31 and was in reply to a cablegram of inquiry. He stated he was well and back with his company on German territory, after being wounded and in the hospital several weeks.

George T. Murrah was reared in Bessemer and graduated from the Bessemer High school; attended school at Auburn and was attending the University of Virginia in the law department when war was declared. He enlisted in the army and went to the officers' training camp at Fort McPherson, where he received a commission as second lieutenant and was assigned to Camp Gordon. After serving there he was sent to Fort Sill, Okla., for special instructions in automatic rifle practice. After this instruction he was sent to Atlanta and was made special instructor, and was promoted to first lieutenant and afterwards recommended for captain, but on account of his age, being under 21 years, could not be appointed. When the call came for med to go to France came he was given the choice of remaining as instructor but chose service, and was sent over April 1.

Wounded and Gassed

Captain Murrah has seen much hard service while in France, having been gassed in battle September 13 and sent to the hospital, where he remained three weeks and was again severely wounded on October 9 in a big battle when all the officers were killed and a large number of the men. The information of his second wound was received from Major Barrett who was also wounded in this battle.

His relatives here have been greatly worried as to his safety. Since receiving official notification of his being gassed on September 13 no other word had been received from him until the receipt of the short note of Thursday, written on December 31. When Major Barrett was in Birmingham, relatives of the local man got in communication with him and were informed Captain Murrah was severely wounded in the big battle in which Major Barrett was wounded, and that he had not heard whether he had recovered or not. Efforts have been made to locate him, but the letter was the first intimation received of his whereabouts or of his promotion by his relatives here.

Captain Murrah's many friends here will rejoice to hear that he is in good health as well as to know of his rapid rise in the army.

From the Columbus Ledger, Columbus, GA, 31 January 1919, page 3

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Letter to the Editor regarding death of Alexander Robison in 1865

Columbus, Ga., May, 19, 1878.

Editor Enquirer-Sun: I see by your issue of today that you again call upon all friends of deceased Confederate soldiers whose names do not appear upon the roll of the dead, to hand in their names as those who served in the war from this county. The writer has in mind two gentlemen, both of whom were born and raised in Columbus, whose names do not appear upon the roll, nor have they heretofore been mentioned in public print upon any Memorial Day. I have reference to Lieutenant Samuel E. Robison, adjutant of the Seventeenth Georgia Regiment, and son of the Rev. Winfield Robison, deceased. There are doubtless many surviving members of that gallant regiment who remember the gallant and patriotic services of this brave officer and soldier during the war, and the painful wound he received in battle. The other is Alexander W. Robison, Jr., and brother of Lieutenant Samuel E. Robison, who was, during the war, a clerk in the post office at Columbus, under ex-Postmaster Dr. Jeter, being too young to serve in the army. But when Wilson's raid reached Columbus he refused to repair to Macon, Ga., in charge of the mail, as he was requested to do, but proposed to remain at home, and when the enemy came he attired himself in an old Confederate uniform belonging to his brother and engaged in the fight for the upper bridge across the Chattahoochee, where he fell, shot through the body, in a hand to hand fight with Wilson's men, at the same time when the gallant Charlie Lamar fell. Thus passed away a brave, pure Christian youth, who gave himself as a sacrifice to his country, and who was laid in his grave by his father and one other friend. This so grieved his father that he also followed him to the grave in a few months afterward, where they now, with his brother, rest side by side.

We publish the above because the deceased Adjutant Robison was one of our warmest personal friends and whilom [?] room mates.

From the Columbus Daily Enquirer-Sun, Columbus, GA, 21 May 1878, page 4

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