Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-04
President Roosevelt's Carriage
Struck by Electric Car at
Pittsfield, Mass.
SERVICE MAN KILLED
Presidently Slightly Bruised and Face
Cut-Secretary Cortelyou Also Hurt
Both Able to Proceed on Journey
Crowd Wildly Excited-Car
Employees Arrested.

Pittsneld, Mass. Sept. 3.-President
Roosevelt on this the last day OF his tour
Of New England. escaped death or serious
injurey in an accident near this city In
which one of his bodyguard Secret Ser
vice Agent William A. Craig, was killed
outright and d. j. Pratt, n driver of the
landau occupied by President Roosevelt,
Governor Crane, Secretary Cortclyou and
Mr. Craig sustained fractured skull
which it is feared will result fatally.
The landau was struck by an electric car
on the Pittsfield and Lenox street railway
at about $50 O'Clock this forenoon. The
accident happened at point about quar-
ter of a mile from this city near the
Pittsfed County Club house while the
President and party were enjoying ride
from Dalton, Governor Cranes nome
where the President spent the night, to
Lenox, a distance of about 20 miles over
the Berkshire hills.
The car was in charge of Conductor
James Kelly, with Motorman Luke j.
Madden on the front platform.
The car struck the landau diagonally
from the rear The vehicle was tipped over
and it's occupants thrown to the ground
The care was not badly damaged. Both
Madden and Conductor Kelly were at
once arrested and brought to Pittsiield
Pratt, the driver, also was brought nero
and placed in. the Pittsfield hospital.
The President, who in falling from the
| few scratches. and Secretary George h.
Cortelyou, who suffered in a manner sim
| liar to that of the President, with the en-
| ception that he was cut on the head were
| able to proceed to Stockbridge, where they
| were to meet the special train on which
| they had been traversing New England
| and which had been sent forward from
| Dalton to await their arrival at Stock
| bridge to-day.
| One or two of the carriages, including
| those in which the newspaper men were
| riding had gone on, along South street
which is not wide highway on which
runs the tracks of the Pittstield & Lenox
Street Railway company.
HOW ACCIDENT HAPPENED.
At a point about quarter of mile from
| the centre of the city. the street bends and
the car tracks run in straight line out
| across it from one side to the other. AS
the Presidents carriage approached this
| crossing, an electric car was heard comm &
along at a great speed. apparently trying
to pass ahead of the procession, Secret
Service Officer Craig appreciated the
| danger and he arose beside the driver and
I turning around signalled the motorman to
hold back, the warning was disregarded,
| and the next instant in view of hundreds
1 of people. the electric car ashed diagon-
I ally into the carriage causing the wheels
to collapse.
u One horse was killed instantly. The oc-
I cupantS of the carriage were thrown into
the midst of the wreckage. Secret Service
Agent Craig fell under the car and his
head was cracked open and the upper pa rt
OF his body badly mangled. Driver Pratt
also was caught as he fell and he was in
; jured mainly about the head. a fractured
skull being his principal wound.
The President although partly buried by
splintered fragments of the carriage ex-
tricated himself and he was seen to have
/ < c. a a on On ha tIp CDt
Crane was not injured. Secretary Cor
. telyou was not so fortunate having sus-
tanned a blow on the back of the head. but
he soon recovered and with The President
ard Governor Crane went to the house OF
A. d. Stevens near where the accident &C.
CURED and which was thrown open for the
, reception of the visitors.
The secret service agent was beyond
need OF help having been instantly killed
His body was taken into the Stevens
. house 1t was found that Driver Pratt was
= unconscious but not dead and he was
|, taken to the house and in few moments
: an ambulance from the Pittsfeld hospita
! arrived and he was taken to that institu
ton.
1 THE CROWD WILDLY EXCITED.
The crowd became greatly excited ant
pouring into the street surrounded the
Z wrecked carriage and car. shouting at the
% great disturbance. Almost immcdiatel!
a persons began snatching away fragments
= of the coach in which the President hat
5 ridden.
The President and party went to Stock
bridge and took his special train for Con
necticut.
immediately after the accident Motor
man Luke j. Madden and Conductor
James Kelly were arrested and taken L
police headquarters, the crowd giving then
a stormy reception as they passed alont
the street.
Meanwhile Medical Examiner Colt haC
arrived and finding the body OF Mr. Crait
at the Stevens house, proceeded there Il
perform his duty. President Roosevelt him
, self was attending to the mangled bod,
. of his guard. The medical examiner founC
that no extended examination would b.
, necessary and an undertaken was called
, who removed the body to his rooms in thi
city.
Mr. Craig has two brothers living a
Springfield. They were notified of the ac
1 cident and the body will remain here unit
a ya 10 att 10, tic