Catharine Lawson

Catherine Lawson Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas


SACRIFICED LIFE TO SAVE CHILD Negro Girl Met Death Beneath Wheels of Street Car Rushing to what she must have known was almost certain death, Catherine Lawson, a negro girl 13 years old, gave up her life Sunday night to save that of her charge, the little son of Mr. and Mrs. Carlin, proprietors of the Grace Hotel at Markham and Springs Streets. The girl met her death beneath the wheels of a street car in front of the hotel, while dozens of people looked on, powerless to save her. Through the girl's self-sacrificing devotion the child was restored to his parents with nothing more serious than a slight abrasion on the head to show its narrow escape from death. The story of the girls heroism excited universal sympathy, and a movement has already been started to raise a fund to be used in erecting a monument over her grave. The accident which resulted in the death of the negro girl, occurred, Sunday evening about 6:45 o'clock. Little Charlie Carlin, the 20-month old son of Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Carlin, was playing in front of the hotel, attended by the Lawson girl, who had been employed by Mr. and Mrs. Carlin as a nurse for the past year. Suddenly the child ran into the middle of the street car track, directly in front of a Union depot car, which was approaching at a rapid rate. The car was only about ten feet distant and although there were dozens of people in the immediate vicinity, no one was near enough to reach the child in time to save it from impending death. The little nurse girl saw the danger with a glance, and without a word rushed upon the track and grasped the child. Before she could turn the car struck her. As she fell beneath the wheels she threw the babe clear of the track, and it escaped practically uninjured. When the car struck the girl she was thrown to the ground and the first wheels of the front truck passed over her. Her right leg and arm were crushed and her body was pinned beneath the wheels, and it was several minutes before she could be extracted. When she was finally released Mr. Carlin carried her into the hotel. Chief of Police Hawkins and Sergeant Coggswell were on the scene within a few minutes and, calling an ambulance, they had the girl taken to the city hospital. The screams and moans of the injured girl brought a crowd of several hundred persons to the corner. After the girl had been taken to the city hospital the physicians decided that it would be necessary to amputate her leg. The operation was performed at 10 o'clock. On account of her weakened condition the patient could not withstand the shock, and fifteen minutes later death ended her sufferings. The girl was a daughter of Mary Lawson, a washerwoman, who lives on Broadway between Eleventh and Twelfth streets. The only injury sustained by the Carlin child was a slight abrasion of the skin on the head. The accident had a serious effect, however, upon Mr. W.H. Watkins, grandmother of the child. She had been suffering from nervous prostration and the shock caused by the accident rendered her condition serious. Jury Blames Street Railway Company Coroner Vaughter held an inquest over the remains yesterday afternoon at Reeve's undertaking establishment. The jury found that the car which caused the girl's death was not properly equipped for public safety, and held that the motorman was not responsible for the accident. Although the reference to the lack of proper equipment in the verdict was not specific, it was stated that the jury referred to the absence of fenders. The jury was composed chiefly of business men and it examined the matter carefully. It comprised: J.E. Mons, foreman; Al Cohn, J.F. Wood, Rufus J. Polk Jr., John H. Martin, Joseph Rudolph, Fred Bragg, C.G. Bailey, F. Fayless, J.A. Holiman, Andrew J. Hunter, and A.A. Brown. The car which ran over the girl was No. 241, and was running on the Fifteenth street line. It was in charge of G.T. Schrader, motorman, and H.N. Spencer, conductor. The evidence showed the car was set not more than ten feet from the child when it ran on the track and that the motorman applied the brakes as soon as he saw the danger. MONUMENT FOR NURSE GIRL The movement to raise a fund for a monument to be erected at the dead girl's grave has met with public approval, and it is expected that a large sum of money will be raised. Sheriff Kavanaugh, who was near the scene of the accident, stated yesterday morning that he would start a fun with a subscription of $10 and Chief of Police Hawkins and other officials were a month the first contributors. The list has been opened at Frank's cigar store, and the public has been asked to contribute to the fund.


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