from unknown newspaper--issue of July 1925
"ROLL" GARNER KILLED BY PASSENGER TRAIN
"Roll" Garner, aged 55 years, was struck by the 1:30 passenger train Saturday afternoon, July 4th, while walking on the New York Central track about half a mile west of town, and almost instantly killed.
Garner who was very deaf, was walking east, just beyond the bridge, and evidently did not hear the train approaching behind him, in spite of the fact that the engineer blew the whistle repeatedly. He probably felt the rumble of the train just as it struck him, because he turned to the right at that instant and the right side of his body received the blow. His neck was broken, the right side of his face mashed in and his right leg broken.
The train stopped in a remarkably short distance and backed up. He was placed on the stretchers which are always carried in the baggage car and a physician who happened to be a passenger, examined him and declared that death had been almost instantaneous.
He was brought to the home of his sister, Mrs. Mollie McDaniel on North Green street, where he made his home. Funeral services were conducted at this home Monday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock by Elder R.A. Fuson, followed by burial at Greenlawn cemetery. During the services the following obituary was read:
"Rollie, son of Harrison Garner and wife, was born April 23, 1870. He was united in marriage to Ella Hufford, March 4th, 1894. To this union was born twelve children, one, Hazel, died in March 1897. He is survived by his eleven children, two brothers, two sisters, with many relatives and friends. Truly James says 'Our life is a vapor that appeareth for a moment, then vanisheth away; today we live, tomorrow we pass away and are not.'"
Submitted By: Mike Phillips, mphillips1@kc.rr.com