The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-09-05
CLOSE TO DEATH
Street Car Ran Into President
Rooseyelt's Carriage.
SECRET SERVICE MAN KILLED
President Was lrjured-Also His Sec
rotary and the Driver-Acciden
Happened on Road Between Pitts.
field and Lenox, Mass.

Pittsfeld, Mass, Sept. 4.-The pres
ident of the United States escaped a
tragic death by only a few feet in a
collision between his carriage and an
electric street car in this city We'd
nesday, while one Of his most trusted
guards, Secret Service Agent William
Craig, was instantly killed, and David
j. Pratt of Dalton, who was guiding
the horses attached to the vehicle, was
seriously injured.
The president and his party were
riding in an open landau, drawn by
four horses, and were en- route from
Pittsfield to Lenox. The president,
Governor Crane anl Secretary Cortel-
you were in the vehicle, and Craig was
on the box with the driver The landau
was followed by half dozen other car
riages.
The trolley car was going at speed
Of from 40 to so miles an hour. The
carriages in the rear managed to get
out OF the way but the presidents car
riage was at the part of the road where
very narrow. The driver had just
tuIucu Tic CdIIfd6c " tuc iclt dCiOoo
the track, so that the car, advancing
at high speed, struck 1t, hurting car
riage, horses and men thirty or forty
feet ahead.
One Of the horses was killed, Craig
fell under the car wheels and his body
was terribly mutilated, and the driver
badly hurt Governor Crane escaped
practically uninjured, and the presi-
%a1 ;v,i,
somewhat about the face and head.
The president was stunned for a Sec
and and, springing to his feet, walked
back about fifteen yards to where the
trolley had stopped and told the motor
man that unless the car had gotten be-
yond his control, which did not seem
possible in view Of the way 1t had
stopped, he had committed an act Of
criminal recklessness which had re-
suited in the death Of at least one man.
The body Of Craig was taken into
neighboring farmhouse, while the
driver was put into another carriage
and sent to the hospital at Pittsfield.
The president and Mr.. Cortelyou
went into a farmhouse and washed the
blood from their faces, the presidents
mouth and Mr.. Cortelyous head
bleeding a good deal. The president
then directed that one of the other car
riages be brought UP and that the trip
be continued exactly according to
program, which was done.
In each case, instead Of making an
address, the president explained brief
ly that there had been fatal accident
and that, therefore, he would ask to be
excused from doing more than express
his hearty thanks to his hearers for
their greeting. This was done at Len.
OK, Stockbridge, Great Darlington,
Milford and Bridgeport.
In Bridgeport there had been ar
ranged a great drive, and the popula-
tion of the city and large part of sur.
rounding country had turned out
along the route of the drive, which
was seven miles in length. Not to dis
appoint these people, the president
took the drive.
Oyster Bay, Sept. 4.-President
Roosevelt returned to Oyster Bay at
500 last night but little the worse for
his thrilling experience Of the morn
ing. His right cheek is swollen, there
is a black bruise under his right eye
and his mouth is slightly swollen.
Otherwise he shows no effects of the
accident. He will go south the latter
part of the week, according to original
schedule and will be accompanied by
Secretary Cortelyou who, while con-
siderably shaken up, expects that his
injuries will not incapacitate him from
duty. Mr. Cortelyou's nose Is badly
bruised, there is a lump on the back OF
his head and bruises behind his left
ear and on his body.