Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-02
HIS LIFE CRUSHED OUT
PETER A. SMITH THE VICTIM OF
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.
Head Caught Between Two Electric
Cars-Death Believed to Have
Been instantaneous.


Been instantaneous.
A white man, whose name was ascer-
tanned to be Peter A. Smith and who re-
sided at Fort Reno, Tenleytown, was al
most instantly killed last evening about
9:35 o'clock on 32d street. just north of
Prospect avenue, his head being crushed
between two cars of the Georgetown and
Tenleytown electric railroad, going in op-
posite directions. He was picked up shortly
after the accident and removed to the side
walk in front of Clements undertaking
establishment, and later to O'Donnells drug
store, corner of 32d and M streets. AL
though life was evidently extinct, the un-
fortunate man was taken to the George
town University Hospital. where an ex-
animation revealed the fact that death was
practically instantaneous.
Up to this time the identity of the man
was unknown In searching his pockets n
piece of envelope was found on which the
name IA. Smith was deciphered, and by
this means the full name was disclosed
The dead wagon removed the body to the
morgue at the sixth police precinct, where
an autopsy will be held by Coroner Nevitt
Smith, who was a carpenter by trade,
boarded car 1oOo which left 32d and NJ
streets minute or so before the accident
other passengers in the car. While round
ing the curve between Prospect avenue
and n street & south-bound car, 1904. came
into sight. The man was seated on the
west side of the car, partly leaning out
and his head was caught, as stated. The
space between the two passing cars is less
than six inches. The mans body was
pulled between the two cars, and after the
passage of the southbound the body
was thrown across the rails just traversed
by the car.
The examination at the. hospital, when
the body was brought to the institution
showed that death was directly the result
of a crushed skull, and the physician in
charge announced that the man never
knew what hurt him after the accident.
Trninmen in Charge.
Car 1906 on which Smith was passen-
ger, was in charge of Milton Green, con-
ductor, and Jalen Burrows, motorman. Car
1904. which struck the man, was in charge
of Woody R. Jones' conductor, and Charles
Harding, motorman. 1t is stated that
neither of the two could be NAMED for the
accident, though the railroad was censured
for having the tracks SO close together as
to make riding so dangerous.
A Star reporter secured an interview with
one of the passengers in the car who was
seated directly in front of Smith. He said
that when he entered the car he noticed
man, plainly dressed, about fifty years Of
age, who was sitting in rear seat, with
his arm resting on a brass rail, and one
hand against the wooden upright When
just above Prospect avenue he heard the
conductor of the car ask the passengers to
take in their arms and heads. Several
people responded Immediately to the call
of the conductor.
1.-The next thing I remember" continued
the gentleman. was hearing something strik-
ing against the uprights Of the south-bound
car summer car The hand of the man
behind me struck me on the back and later
oils or me The south bound
car had struck him about the center of the
forearm and pulled him over. His head
struck three or four Of the uprights, and
then became wedged between the ones fol-
lowing. A horrible crunching sound fol-
lowed that was sickening to hear. sup
pose the head of the man struck every up
right post in the other car, leaving trail
Of blood and hair matted on portions of the
posts. When the iron bar at the end of the
car was struck it seemed to whirl the body
around, and it fell across the track, face
downward. with the head to the west. l
hastened out and was the first to pick the
man up. An employe of the road. with
some inscription on his cap, assisted me In
carrying the man to the curb, and later to
the drug store. No pulse could be felt
though l applied my ear and heard faint
pulsation of the heart, which was very
weak and finally ceased altogether.
Story of Another Eyewitness.
Another passenger, who was seated with
the same gentleman, stated to Star re-
porter that he heard the sound when the
head was caught between the cars, and it
reminded him Of the breaking Of a num-
Der Of windows. he having heard a similar
sound when the tongue Of a heavy express
wagon ripped out half the windows of
closed car in front of his place of business.
Seeing that the man was badly injured he
Immediately telephoned for the police pa
troll wagon.
The stories Of several passengers corrob-
crate the testimony Of these two gentle
men. The last quoted one stated that his
arm was resting on the rail, and when he
heard the conductors warning he imme-
diately withdrew it, thanking the conduc-
tor for his admonition. which came just in
time. The man behind him evidently did
not comprehend the warning in time to
avail himself of it.
The street at the place where the acci-
dent occurred is narrow. and the cars now
operated are said to be too wide for the
tracks. At some points on the thorough
fare it Is said to be impossible for two
cars to pass, and at other places, where
passage Is permissible there is but two to
six inches of space between the two heavy
conveyances.