The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-08
Sad Accident on Westminster Street
Just Before Noon.
MULLEN TRIED TO BOARD CAR
by Front Platform. but Lost His Balance
aud FeIl-Rolied Along and Mangled
by the Guard Kaii-He May Lose HIS
Legs.

The first serious accidentDy when human
life was threatened by the trolley cars in
this city, happened this morning at ll;40
o'clock. The victim, Joseph Mullen,
man 35 years OF AGE. was terribly injured
aud it is feared with not survive the shock.
A Cranston electric car left the bridge
at 1880 o'clock. The car was in charge
of Conductor James ID. Carr aud Motor
man G. A. Mason. The car bowled at
lively rate up Westminster street, taking
the hill in good style. At the head OF the
hill, near Franklin street, the car WAS
checked to allow "A woman to alight. and
then was started again.
just this side OF Dean street mullen
stepped from the sidewalk and. approach
Ing The track. avail Ell the ear. As il
came up tie motorman reduced the
speed slightly and Mullen attempted to
step on to the front platform.
Under the Car.
In one hand he carried big market
basket, and as he sprang onto the lower
step the basket struck the side of the ar
causing him TO lose his balance. An ii-
stant later Mullen was being rolled over
aud over on the track with both legs be-
meath the guard rail in front OF the wheelss
AS soon as possible Mason shut off the
power and brought the car TO stardstill.
Mullen was immediately drawn from his
perilous position under the car and at the
suggestion OF DIR. j. A. Murray. who was
promptly on hand, was conveyed into his
ofiice just opposite.
An examination of Mullen's injuries
-eyealed the 4 CT that be was terribly
mangled. the calf of the right leg being
torn open from the knee to the ankle and
the bones exposed
Both Legs Mangied.
He had sustained compound COM
miuutrd fracture OF the bones IN the
lower third OF tile limb and was bleeding
profusely.
His left leg was also badly torn
The greatest injury to this
limb was a rupture OF the papliteal
vessel, the principal blood vessel
in the leg, on the underside of the knee
Mullen was exceedingly weak from the
profuse hemorrhage which resulted. DE-.
Murray checked the hemorrhage and
man was taken to the Rhode Island hos
pital In the ambulance.
The accident was due to the man him
self and the motorman can in no way be
held resdonsible. Had Mullen waited
uutil the car stopped he would not have
sustained his injuries. or had he at
tempted to board the rear platform he
would not have been mingled in this
fashion.
Fortunately for him the wheels of the
car are guarded by low rail immedi-
ately in trout. aud IL was due to this
rail that Mullen did not have both legs
cut of.
Amputation May He Necessary.
The rail caught his limbs aud although
the members were badly torn and man
gled by the terrible scraping that followed
1t is Thought tnat both can be saved.
although the hospital physicians fear
they may be compelled to am
putate the right leg TO save Mullen's life
However. as the victim is 50 terribly
weakened by the. shccx and subsequent
loss of blood no operation will be
performed before the latter part Of the
week.
Larze pools Of blood on the street drew
crowds OF the morbidly curious and the
physician 5 Office was the centre of attrac-
tion for long time after the ambulance
had conveyed Mullen TO the hospital
DIR. Murray, u rising young physician,
Ia an assistant 10 DIR. j. A. O'Keefe. and
it was in the latters cffice that the man
was taken.
Mullen is unmarried and lives on
Angle street. He formerly worked for
Barth, the pharmacist. on Broadway, but
fnr sevarnl ueals hae mt haan ,.,rli,,,.