Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-09-03
g'GLEGRAPHIC NEWS.
PRESIDENTS MARROW ESCAPE
Ms COACH CoLLIDEs WITH TROLLEY
can Nvtru srpIoIrS RESULTS.

Bts COACH CoLLIDEs WITH A TROLLEY
CAR WITH SERIOUS RESULTS.
I.enox, Mass, Sept. "a serious
8 ident overlook the President coach
q short distance from Pittsheld about ten
o clock this morning. After making
short visit to the home OF ex-senator
Dawes. the President started on the long
dive to I.enox. He had not gone lar
when an electric car ran into the carnage
throwing every one to the ground and
bsdIy damaging the coach. The Presl-
drnt received cut on the head. Govern
or Crane was bruised. William Craig,
the secret service man, was instantly
allied. The President was able to re-
.rme his journey to Lenox but sent
word ahead that there should be no
cheering. Secretary Courtelyou and the
ni her members of the party were unhurt.
The tally-ho was struck by trolley car
on the tracks of the Pittsfcld street rail-
way company. The tally-ho was over
n,rned and all the occupants thrown
icavily to the ground. Secret Service
Officer Craig was caught under the heavy
.ehicle and his life was crushed out.
President Roosevelt had very narrow
escape from serious injury or death. As
soon as the accident occurred, and
thinking it might be exaggerated,
the President ordered a man to rush here
on horseback with the news.
President Roosevelt spent last night
rs the guest of Governor w. Murray
Crane, at Dalton. He, accompanied by
his party, left here at s o'clock this
morning for the tally-ho drive. The
route lay through the Berkshire Hills
for twenty miles to Lenox. In the
Presidential party besides the President
were George Cortelyou, Secretary to the
President; Governor Crane, secret sery-
ice men and a party of newspaper men
who have accompanied the President
throughout his New England tour.
Lenox, Mass, Sept. S.-The Presi-
dents injury is more in the nature OF
scratches and slight bruises from the
fall. The electric car that ran into the
Presidents vehicle was running thirty
miles an hour. ID. j. Pratt, the driver
was thrown to the ground and knocked
senseless. A fresh span of horses and
another carriage was secured and the
President continued his journey to
Stockbridge where the special train was
waiting for the party.
Lenox, Mass, Sept. 3.-The disaster
to the Presidents party occurred on the
road from Pittsfed mile out of town,
near the county club house at ten o'clock.
President Roosevelt, Governor Crane
and Secretary CorieIyou were in the
carriage. Craig, the secret service man.
sat on the box with the driver. Pratt,
the driver will live. As soon as the
President saw that the remains of his
faithful body guard were properly cared
for he drove on to Cutris Hotel at Lenox.
All plans for the immediate future are
indefinite. He will probably go on to
Bridgeport however, as originally in
tended. All features of the celebration
that savorod of gayety will be excluded.
Detective Craig came from Chicago
and had been with the secret service for
number of years. He had been the
Presidents personal body guard ever
since Mr.. Roosevelt took the oath of Of
flee. lie was a Scotchman by birth, and
at one time was i'm the regular army as
cayalryman. He was noted as an all
around athlete. He was about 40 years
of age and unmarried He was six feet
two inches in height and of powerful
physique. While on the tour he was al
ways within few feet of the President.
He dressed in an unobtrusiye manner
and his conduct was such that few per-
sons ever suspected that he was
detective.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Lenox, Mass, Sept. 3.-President
Roosevelt was close to death in ter
rible accident that belell his party en-
route from Pittsfeld to this place in
landau at 10 O'Clock this morning. The
President is safe though slightly injured
on the head, but life was crushed from
William Craig, U. S. Secret Service
officer and personal guard of the Presi-
dent; ID. J. Pratt, driver, of the landau,
sustained serious but not fatal injuries;
". Murray Crane, Governor of Massa-
chusetts was cut, bruised and scratched;
Congressman George Lawrence, of
Massachusetts, was slightly hurt, and
George Cortelyon, secretary to the
President, rendered unconscious.
An electric trolley car running at top
speed, estimated at 80 miles an hour,
struck the landau squarely and the six
occupants were hurled with terrific force
i'm all directions. The scene of the dis
aster was on a country road one mile out
of Pittsfeld in the heart of the Berkshire
Hills.
The Presidential party was travelling
along this road from Pittsield to Lenox,
a distance of 20 miles. Pratt, the driver,
and Officer Craig occupied the box of the
landau. President Roosevelt and Gov.
Crane sat together on the rear seat, while
Secretary Courtelyou sat in an opposite
seat facing them. The day was fine and
the President was chatting happily about
the picturesque works of nature. The
team was scudding along at rapid rate
when the tracks of the Pittsfeld street
railway company were reached. The
driver of the coach underestimate his
proximity to thee car. When the motorman
observed the coach he was powerless to
halt his car because of its great impetus.
In an instant came the crash.
The carriage was crossing the tracks
diagonally and was in this position when
the trolley struck it. Craig fell from
the box to the tracks and the car ran
nrnr his nrosfrate form mangling him