Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-04
STORY OF AN EYEWITNESS.
Frederick Clark's Version of Accident
to Presidents Carriage.

A dispatch from Pittsfield last night saws
Frederick S. Clark. who was an eye-wit-
ness of the accident, says that he had gone
to the top of Howard Hill for the purpose
of securing photograph Of the President
in his carriage. He was near the Howard
House, he says, when he saw the party ap-
preaching. He saw the horses as they
turned from the west to the east just before
they reached the culvert
The car he saw coming at fast rate Of
speed but short distance behind. He says
he saw that in a moment an accident must
occur, because the car was going at such a
rate of speed that it could not be brought
to standstill without a collision In his
opinion the car was about 100 feet to the
rear when the leading horses on the car
rage were turned on the track to cross
to the other side of the road He heard con-
siderable yelling just before the crash and
ne believes 1t came from the mounted men,
He saw the car strike the rear wheel of the
Presidents carriage on the left side, plow-
ing it along and striking the front wheel
on the same side and then the wheel horse
on the left side, upsetting the vehicle and
throwing the driver and officer from the
box to the ground Mr.. Clark says that 1t
was very dusty at that point.
He says he saw the President thrown out
on the left side and saw the governor as
sisted to his feet. AS the President rose to
his feet Mr. Clark says he saw him walk
to where the motorman was standing after
leaving the car and speak to him.
What the Motorman Saws,
Euclid Madden. the motorman, in telling
his story says that the car was No 29
which had motors of sixty horsepower The
car is not fitted with air brakes. On account
of the presidential exercises he says that
the running schedule on all lines of the
the Country Club for the Stanley works
but only reached the Campbell House, on
South street. when he was forced to make
a stop on account Of the ropes drawn across
the street to prevent teams from driving
any nearer the park.
Madden says that acting under orders he
remained in front of the Campbell House
until the time for his return to the Country
Club. He says the car was due at the
Country Club at 9:45 IN; that he did not
in any way interfere with the procession
and SO far as he knew the car was not
chartered for any special occasion. He said
he would have stopped for passengers the
same as usual. and would have stopped for
the bell as on all other occasions, having
received no orders to the contrary As he
passed over the railroad bridge, about $50
to 400 feet from the scene OF the ac-
cident, he says he shut off the power and
put on the brakes, the car then being on a
down grade. He says there were teams on
both sides Of the track, and he was exer-
cising every care to avoid an accident In
his opinion the was not running over
eight miles an hour; he received no warning
to stop, and did not see the mounted men
or Gov. Crane waving their hand to come
to a standstill.
Thinks Driver Responsible.
According to Madden's story, there was
plenty Of room for the Presidents carria ge
to have passed on the west side of the troll
ley track. and he would have had plenty Of
time to have passed the Presidents carriage
before the turn was made to the east side
of the road. He said that the leading horses
were turned short across the track He
could not tell just how the car struck the
carriage. but he says he reversed the power
and went for the brake just as quickly as
possible when he saw the horses turn on
the track He said it was dusty, and with
difficulty he saw what was going on He
denies that any orders were given him to
reach the Country Club before the Presi-
dents party arrived there.
The story of James Kelly, the conductor,
Is much the same as that Of Motorman
Madden. as far as the schedule and running
arrangements were concerned. He said he
was collecting fares on the west side of the
car at the time of the accident, and was on
the forward end Of the running board at
the moment Of the collision. He said he
saw no warning given.