Obituary of Ray Manley Holton, Jr --

Contributed by Jeanette Corcoran

Transcribed by Sammy Pierce





One Dead, Several
Hurt in Weekend
Automobile Wrecks

Accident at Highland
And Queen Causes Death
Of Ray Manley Holton

   One man was dead, several were injured and more than a score of motor vehicles 
were damaged in the widest weekend driving spree of the year in Kinston and Lenoir 
County.

   The collision of cars operated by Paul Butler Ellis, Jr., 18, of New Bern and Caswell 
Hardy Rouse, 59 of Kinston led to the death of Ray Manley Holton, Jr., 19, of New 
Bern, who was riding with Ellis in a 1950 model convertible.  The accident occurred 
at 11 p.m. Saturday at Highland Avenue and North Queen Street.  Ellis was charged 
with reckless driving and manslaughter, with bond fixed at $500.  He and his wife and 
Holton’s wife suffered lacerations and bruises.  Property damage was estimated at 
$2,000 by the investigation officers, Capt. Glasco Evans, Dewey Merritt, Jim Brown 
and Ed Evans.

   After the impact of Rouse’s car against the New Bern vehicle, the death car traveled 
100 feet before striking a telephone pole.  Holton’s skull was crushed between the car 
and the pole.  Rouse’s car went 41 feet before it struck another light pole.  The Highland 
Avenue intersection is a stop corner for all traffic entering the main thoroughfare.

    Funeral services for Holton were held at 4 p.m. Monday from the Broad Street 
Christian Church in New Bern by Rev. W. C. Foster, pastor, assisted by Rev. T. A. 
Forget.  Interment was to follow in Cedar Grove Cemetery.  A member of the 1951 
graduating class of New Bern High School, he was married in March.  Survivors include 
his wife, Mrs. Edna Vincent Holton, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace A. Holton 
of New Bern.

   At 1:30 a.m. Saturday a car being driven by Forrest Herring, white, of Kinston Route 
2 ran off the road on Hull Road and turned over.  Patrolman Lloyd Pate said Herring told 
him he went to sleep at the wheel.  He was indicted for reckless driving.  Pate described 
the 1946 model car as a complete loss.



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