Evening star., 1898-08-24
COLLISION CAUSES DEATH
Fatal Runaway Accident in the Grounds o,
Soldiers Home.
Miss sophie Gheen the yictim-Her
Skull Crushed--Four Other
Persons Injured.

A horse attached TO a two-seated vehicle
rap away and caused the death of Miss
Sophie Gheen in the Soldiers Home grounds
about O'Clock last night. In addition, sew
eral persons were injured. but none of them
Fatally. At the time the accident occurred
Mr.. Nicholas Auth. Mr.. G. Barker Smith
and Mr.. George Loeffler happened to be in
the grounds and rendered valuable assist
ance to the victims.
Miss Gheen. the young lady who was kill
ed, lived in Baltimore at No. 6o4 Arlington
avenue. She was a daughter of the late
Enos Gheen and niece OF Mr.. b. W. Gheen
OF this city, residing al No. 1Io1 9th street
northwest. After spending couple OF
weeks at Atlantic City the young lady came
to visit her uncle, reaching here Monday
afternoon. She was a friend of Mr. Lee
Pitchlynn, a Treasury Department clerk,
lives at No. 1102 9Th street. When Mr..
Pitchlynn learned of her prospective visit
he arranged TO take her out driving. and
last evening the plan was carried out. His
sister and Miss Ida Tomlinson were invited
to go along.
Mr. Pitchlynn left home soon after sup
per and called for Miss Gheen at her uncles
home, and they started on the pleasure
trip Mr.. Pitchlynn experienced no trouble
with the spirited animal he was driving
until about o'clock, when he was nearing
the east gate to leave the grounds.
The Fatal Collision.
Because of the dense woods and s.r,ib-
berry along this hill the road is very dark,
and it is utterly impossible to see moving
vehicles few feet distant 1t was on Ibis
hill that the horse ran away and caused a
collision with a buggy in which Mr. and
Mrs. Charles Reckeweg of No. go o street
were seated. The movements of the horse
indicated that the harness had become dis
arranged, and Mr.. Pitchlynn got ont to
make an investigation, handing the roins
over to Miss Gheen. Just as the young
man alighted from the vehicle the horse
showed unmistakable signs of fear. and
Miss Gheen became frightened and re-
quested her friend to get back in ffe car
riage. This he did. and Immediately the
animal dashed off down the hill Mr.,
Pitchlynn did all in his power to bring the
horse down, and would probably have sue
ceeded before the last gate was reached
had IL not been that Mr. Reckeweg ard
DIS wife were on the road in their Buggy
moving toward the west Because of the
darkness, ii was impossible to see the
buggy. and when a point several hundred
feet from the last gate was reached the
crash came. The occupants of the two We
hicles were thrown to the ground and
those who we're not much injured eroped
about in the darkness looking for their
friends. Miss Gheen was put in a vehie.sa
with her friends and hurried to the Ma
uonal Homeopathic Hospital. where Or.
Ayler made ar examination. He found her
skull badly fractured and expressed the
belief that death must have occurred al
most the instant her head struck the road
way.
Those Injured.
Both Mr.. Pitchlynn and bis sister were
severely shocked, and the doctor kept them
at the hospital under treatment Miss Tom
linson was not so seriously hurt, and was
able to return home. Mr.. and Mrs. Recke-
veg were badly shaken up. but they re-
caived no painful wounds or bruises. They
were taken to the house at the east gate
and cared for until the police removed them
TO Garfield Hospital. After being treated
at the hospital they returned home.
Miss Gheens body was removed 10 Eur
horst's undertaking establishment and pre-
pared for burial 1t Will probably be sent
to Baltimore. Miss Tomlinson, who was a
| member of the party, is a sister of the late
Lieut. Arthur Tomiinson. who was killed at
Little Rock, Ark, where he went to engage
IN a competitive drill with the National
Fencibles, about four years ago.
This morning at the Homeopathic Hospi-
tai the physicians said that Mr.. and Miss
Pitchlynn Were doing well.