The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-09-05

Pittsfield, Mass, September 3.-The
president of the United States escaped
d tragic death by only a few feet in a
collision between his carriage and an
electric street car in this city today,
while one of his most trusted guards,
Secret Service Agent William Craig,
was instantly killed and David I.
Fratt. of Dalton, who was guiding the
horses. attached to the vehicle. was Sc
riously injured. President Roosevelt
himself was badly shaken UP, but re-
ceived only a slight facial bruise. Sec
retary Cortelyou who occupied a seat
directly opposite the chief executive in
the landau, sustained minor wound in
the back of the head and Governor
Crane. who sat beside the President
eXtricated himself from the wreck
practically without a scratch. The car
riage was demolished by the impact of
the rapidly moving car and the wheel
horse on the side nearest the car was
killed outright, the crew and passel-
gers of the car escaped injury
from this city to LenoX through South
street, one of the principal thorough
fares of Pittsheid, which was lined
with cheering people and the caitastro-
phe occurred In plain view of hundreds
whose happiness. at the advent of the
nations chief was suddenly turned to
grief.
| the early morning, from the nearby
| country to see and hear the president
| and his address at the city park had
| been loudly cheered. At the conclusion
| Of the exercises he wished to make a.
| brief call on former United States Sen
| ator Henry l.. Dawes. whose house in
| Elm street is but a short distance from
the park. The presidents carriage, in
! which he had ridden in from Governor
| Cranes home at Dalton. was accord
| nSly driven to the Dawes residence
| and carriages containing Il number of
| other gentlemen in the party followed.
President Roo2evelt's call was a short
one and then the carriages returned to
| the city square.
| After a few minutes oelay the Jour
| ney toward LenoX was begun. Mean
| while the mounted escort of police Off
| GERS and the carriages containing the
| newspaper correspondents, who have
| accompanied the president on his tour
| had started off ahead on the road to
| Lenox and were some distance in ad-
| vance of the presidents euuipage
| Three or four other open carriages fell
| in line Immediately behind the landau
| in which the president rode, with Sec
| dietary Cortelyou and Governor Crane
| Secret Service Agent Craig who
throughout the New England tour has
been almost constantly at the presi-
| cents elbow, was on the drivers box
| beside Coachma7 Pratt.
| through Sfr
4 smooth highway. The tracks of the
| P1ttSfield Electric street railway are
| laid in the centre of the road with am
| pie room for teams ON each side, and
| scores of vehicles of every description
| followed along this road behind the
presidents party. Shortly after they
| left the park, an electric car which had
| been filled with passengers at that
point, started toward LenoX we'll be-
| hlnd the procession. 1t passed all OF
| the teams and was about a mile and a
| half out from the city at the beginnins
| of Howard Hill and was nearly up tC
the presidents carriage, which was
travelling on the west side OF the high
| way.
Just at the foot of Howard Hill, the
| road bends little and teams are com
| PEELED to cross the street railway tracks
to the east side. The railroad ther
| continues at one side Of the street in
| slead OF IN the centre. Just at this
point the upgrade of the hill begins
and but a short distance beyond the
crossing there is a narrow bridge span.
ming a small brook.
The trolley car approached the roa(
crossing under a good head Of speed
with gong Changing just as the driver
OF the presiden.ss carriage turned his
leaders to cross the tracks On each
side of the chief executives carriage
rode two mounted troopers of the loca,
cavalry company and the horsemen or
thes left of the landau had turned or
the track with TIE trolley car immedi.
ately behind them. though some yards
! distant
Alarmed by the changing gong, the,
both turned in their saddles and wayet
vigorously to the motorman to stop hi
car. Almost at the same instant Gov.
ernor Crane who quickly perceived tn
danger. rose to his feet and likewisk
motio1ed to the motorman. The latte,
| in great excitement desperately tried
to stop his car but it was too late. u
crashed into the carriage Just as 3
loud moan went UP frem the frenzie6
oElookers who tlronged the roadside
and who but a moment before were