By all accounts, the November 1912 accident that claimed the life of Lancaster city Marshal Peter Solomon was tragic. The difference between the way the story was covered in the Lancaster Herald and the Dallas Times Herald reflected both the cultures of the different papers, and the level of restraint and sensitivity shown by the Lancaster newsmen to the people of their community who they knew would be deeply affected by this tragedy, and who did not need any of the horrible details to amplify their suffering.
The Dallas Times Herald, on the other hand, was not bound by any of these constraints. The Times Herald was always known as the blood and guts newspaper, in comparison to its stayed competitor the Dallas Morning News. If you wanted to read the gory details, you bought a Times Herald. If you just wanted the facts of the story, then you read the Dallas Morning News.
T'was ever thus, until the demise of the Dallas Times Herald in 1989.
In 2012, the Lancaster historical Society erected a local historical marker at the location of the Valley View interurban station, where city Marshal Peter Solomon lost his life in 1912. That marker reads as follows:
"MARSHAL PETER MONROE SOLOMON
This was the site of the Valley View Station, a stop on the Interurban Train Line between Lancaster and Waco. On November 2, 1912, Lancaster city Marshal Peter (P.M.) Solomon and Deputy Tom Ellis boarded a southbound Interurban Train in Lancaster after being summoned by the conductor in reference to a drunken passenger. Once the train started, the drunk became unruly and was arrested by Solomon. The 3 exited the train at the Valley View Station to catch a northbound train back to Lancaster. As Marshall Solomon stepped out to flag the northbound train with his hat, he was struck by the train killed. Marshall Solomon was 56 years old at the time and had been Night Watchman for several years before being appointed City Marshal."
On their website they include a link to xeroxed copies of news articles of the time, which is fat where we found news articles that we reproduced here. See: (
visit link)
From the Lancaster Herald, Friday Novemner 8, 1912:
"STRUCK BY INTERURBAN CAR
The message that P.M. Solomon, City Marshal and Nightwatchman of Lancaster, had been killed by a northbound interurban car Saturday evening gave our people a great shock, and his family a shock which only time can overcome.
In response to the request of the conductor, Mr. Solomon and Tom Ellis went down on the southbound car to watch the actions of a drunken man who had made himself unpleasant on the car between Dallas and Lancaster, but who had quieted down just before reaching our station. After the car pulled out from Lancaster he again raised the commotion and the officers arrested him and took him off the car, intending to take the northbound car at Valley View stop, to bring their man back to Lancaster to lock up. Mr. Solomon stepped on the track and signal the car with his hat and did not get out of reach of the car which struck him, throwing him against the stationhouse with sufficient force to crush his skull and break his arm.
He was brought back on the car, and his body prepared for burial by the Lancaster undertakers. The funeral was held at the Methodist Church Sunday at 3 o'clock, conducted by his pastor, Reverend S. T. Francis. The Masons, Odd Fellows and Woodmen's lodges attended the funeral in a body and the burial was under Masonic ritual.
Peter Munro Solomon was born in Henry County Alabama January 25, 1856: came to taxes in 1884. He was married to Miss John Wesley Mills October 16, 1879, and 10 children were born to this union, 9 of whom, 5 boys and 4 girls, survive him, and with their mother were present at the funeral. He united with the Methodist Church in early life and was faithful to its teaching and precepts. He was a kind husband at his homecoming was always welcomed by his children. For several years he had held the office of nightwatchman and a few months ago had been appointed city Marshal. He was energetic and fearless, ever ready to do his duty. His loss to his family is very great indeed, and his place as an officer cannot be easily filled.
The large auditorium of the Methodist Church could not accommodate all who attended his funeral, many waiting on the outside to follow the remains to Edgewood Cemetery to pay the last sad respect. There is no heart in the community which does not go out in sympathy to the bereaved family."
"[last page, Notices section]
From Wilmer.
The death of PM Solomon Lancaster, a former resident of Wilmer, was indeed a shock to everyone. We desire to extend our heartfelt sympathy to Mrs. Solomon and children."
In contrast, the story from the Dallas Times Herald on Sunday morning, November 3, 1912:
"CITY MARSHAL KILLED BY CAR
P. M. Solomon of Lancaster Meets Death Beneath Interurban Wheels
PIONEER RESIDENT
Lancaster Officer Had Lived In Dallas County For Past Thirty Years
FIRST FATALITY ON LINE
Death of Mr. Solomon id First Fatal Accident to Occur in Connection With Operation of the New Interurban
Crushed beneath the fenders of the Waxahatchie interurban car, P. M. Solomon, city Marshal Lancaster, was instantly killed on the car line about a mile south of that town Saturday night.
Have a dozen people waiting to take the interurban to Dallas were horrified spectators to the officers death. According to the account of eyewitnesses, city Marshall Solomon had stepped from 1 of the shelter stations along the line to flag the car. He walked into the middle of the tracks and waved his hand. As he did so he slipped and fell headlong. In a second the heavy car had crashed over him, grinding his body beneath the wheels. His skull was fractured and almost every bone in his body broken.
The car crew, hastily placing the unconscious form on the floor of the car, made all speed to Lancaster where doctors were summoned. They pronounce the officer dead his body was taken to an undertaking establishment.
P. M. Solomon was elected city Marshal of the Lancaster about 4 months ago. Until his election he had been a prosperous Dallas County farmer, having lived in the vicinity of Lancaster for the past 30 years. He was born in Georgia 55 years ago and is survived by a wife and 9 children, the youngest of whom is 12 years old.
The marshal was well known in Dallas, having often paid visits to the police station here while in pursuit of his duties. 1 of his sons, Henry Solomon, lives on Jefferson St., Oak Cliff, and G. F. Ashley and R.C. Denton, both brothers-in-law, also live in Dallas.
Funeral arrangements had not been made up to a late hour Saturday night.
The fatality is the first to occur since the start of operations on the Waxahatchie interurban. The motorman in charge of the car said that he could not stop it in time to prevent it from crushing the man's prostrate form."
And as explained above, just the facts from the Dallas Morning News, Sunday, November 3, 1912 page 3:
LANCASTER MAN MEETS DEATH
PM Solomon, city Marshal, killed south of city.
Special to the news. Lancaster Texas November 2. -- P. M. Solomon, city Marshal of Lancaster, met almost instant death this evening at 730 o'clock when he was struck by a northbound interurban car on the Dallas-Waxahatchie line. The body was brought to Lancaster, where it is being held pending funeral arrangements. Deceased is survived by his widow and 9 children. He was about 55 years old.
Mr. Solomon, accompanied by Tom Ellis, Deputy Marshal, had made an arrest about a mile and a half south of the interurban line. Securing their man, the officers stationed themselves at the stop, Valley View, to flag the oncoming northbound car. According to Mr. Ellis, Solomon placed himself in a position to waive down the car, using his hat when he was struck and thrown with great force against the station house. One arm was broken and his skull was crushed.