Evening star., 1899-02-10
Fatal Results From Accident to
Coasting Party.
ONE MAN DIES FROM HIS INJURIES
Several Parties More or Less Seri-
ousIy HUT.
INQUEST NOT NECESSARY

Through the collision of a coasting train
and a Metropolitan railroad car, which oc-
Cured last evening about S:45 o'clock at
the crossing of 30th and streets, John
Southey, aged twenty-one, who was the
guide for the train, was fatally injured and
six other people were more or less INJURED
some seriously. The coasting party was
coming down the steep 30th street hill at
a rapid gait and struck the car going west
ward on P street. The latter it Is said
was running at rather slow rate of speed.
The accident was witnessed by a number
of people, who were enjoying the fun of
the coasters.
Besides Southey there was aboard the
coasting train William Berth aged twenty
one. a resident of Providence R. l., who
was taking course of medicine at the
Georgetown University; Miss Elma Mas
sey and Miss Mary Lee, aged twenty-one
and sixteen years. respectively, both resid-
ing at 334 G street northwest; John Nc
Carthy, aged twenty-one, a stone cutter
and jeremiah Mccarthy, aged twenty-one
a timer. brothers and living at 1928
street; Thomas McI<enna, aged twenty-one
34th street; James Sullivan, Michael Cur
rem and Fred Branzel the owner of the
sleds. Berth had his left leg fractured in
two places and suffered internal injuries
Miss Massey received painful, but not seri-
Gus. bruises about the head. Miss Lee suf-
fercd concussiOn of the brain and received a
Dumber of injuries about the head. though
her condition IS not regarded as serious
John Mccarthy was bruised about the head
and limbs, and his brother was severely
cut on the face and chin. McKenna, it is
feared. received internal injuries. At the
hospital this morning it was learned that
all of the Injured were doing well and
John Mccarthy had been permitted to go
his home The condition Of
is quite bad but not critical. DIR. Gwynee
stated to Star reporter that his injuries
were of such a character that amDutation
of the limb may be necessary though the
chances Were about even that this might
be averted. The wound was so large that
the hand could be thrust into it to the bone.
The body of Southey, upon the order of
the coroner. was turned over to his parents.
at No. l Fayette terrace, on 36th street be-
tween and P streets. The undertaken
took charge of the remains this morning
and prepared them for interment.
Remain ut Hospital.
The other injured members of the coast
ing party We're looked after and their
wounds dressed The compound fracture of
Berth's left leg was set and the wound
sewed up. and all of the young men placed
in a ward, their condition being such as to
prevent their removal
The young ladies OF the party were car
street and DR.. Wood. who lives in the
neighborhood. caTied IN The parents
of the young ladies We're notified and they
came later The girls were taken to their
homes after receiving treatment. The full
extent of their injuries was hard to deter
mine, the shock and fright having a bad
effect upon them.
The car with which the coasters collided
was No. 322 in charge of Conductor Henry
Holbrook, aged thirty. and John A. Bow
land, aged thrty-fve, motorman. They
We're placed under arrest and held in a
witness room at the station house for ac-
ton Of the coroner. According 10 the story
of Boyiand, told to Star reporter this
morning, he did not see the train. coming
down the hill. He was within $50 feet Of
the car In front of him, and was going at a
slow rate of speed. 1t was impossible for
him to so at a fast rate he said, for fear
of running into the car in front of him.
He did not know what was the matter un-
til after the collision
Conductor HolbrOok, who was standing
inside the car counting his tickets, did not
know of the imminence of the collision. He
heard grating. grinding noise and fe.1 the
car shake, and the thought occurred to
him, he said, that the car had gone OH the
track. AS he opened the door and sAepped
out on the rear dashboard there were two
or three other eoasting trains which
Whizzed past the car at terrific speed
southey Was Guide.
Southey, who was fatally injured was
guiding the outfit, 1t was a heavy train,
and to successfully control 1t he was
obliged to lie on his stomach Immediately
behind him was yong Berth. and behind
him was one Of the young ladies. he
others were on the center. with Sullivan,
Curran and Branzel occupying the rear
part. They We're able to throw themselves
off, but the others in front OF them did not
have chance to get off in time.
This train, being the biggest and heaviest
of all of the coasters on the hill. was per-
haps the fastest. The others waited for it
to go off before starting. When the fatal
ride was started the train shot down the
slippery hill like q streak of lightning, GO
ing at rate of a mile minute. car had
been seen to pass and everything was
thought to be secure. On the way down
another car was seen to pass AS the train
got midway of p and Q streets q third
electric car was seen to be coming down P
street. The train was going al such a high
rate OF speed that it was impossible for the
people on board to stop it. Young SOuthey
had probably realized the danger, and he
endeavored to steer in front Of the car.
turning to the right, evidently believing
that the car would stop.
In this he was mistaken. The car had
about halfway crossed the street when the
collision occurred Had Southey guided the
train to the left he would have been able to
clear the car and continue on the ride. He
undoubtedly lost control of everything at
the critical moment A number of spec
tat0rs at the corner did not think to give
warning to either the motorman or the con-
ductor of the train. The spectators had
doubtless believed Southey would be able
TO guide the train so as to avoid collision,
undoubtedly having witnessed more than
one narrow escape from the same cause.
The train struck the moving car at the be
ginning of the rear step. The head Of
Southey struck the panel at the edge of the
ear, and the force of the impact crushed in
the right side of the face while the edge of
the front Sled of the train struck the step
and bent it. The collision was so great $
to jar the car perceptiblyV The weight of
the conveyance Is estimated to be between
ten and eleven tons.
Three Jump OF.
Before the crash came fBranzel, Sullivan
and -Curran managed TO jump and roll off
the train, escaping with a general shaking
up and few bruises. The-other occupants
were thrown in all directions. some landing
in the snow banks and Others coiliding with
the car side. The train was practically
wrecked by the result of the accident and
the front portion was BENT and twisted out
of shape.