The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-04

president of the United States escaped
| a tragic death by only 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 j. Pratt,
of Dalton, who was guiding the horses
attached to the vehicle, was seriously
injured.
President Roosevelt himself was bad
ly shaken up, but received only slight
facial. bruise. Secretary Cortelyou, who
occupied a seat directly opposite the
president in the landau, sustained a mi
nor wound in the back of the head and
Gov. Crane, who sat beside the presi-
dent, extricated himself from the wreck
practically without a scratch.
The carriage 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
passengers of the car escaped injury.
Happiness Turned to Grief.
The president and party were driv-
ing from this city to Lenox through
South street, one Of the principal thor
ed with cheering people, and the catas-
trophe occurred in plain view Of the
hundreds, whose happiness over the
arrival of the nations chief was sud-
denly turned to grief.
Thousands had poured Into the city
in the early morning from the nearby
country to see and hear the president
and his address at the city park had
been loudly eheered. At the conclu-
sion of the exercises he wished to make
call on former Senator Dawes, whose
house, in Elm street, is but a short dis
tance from the park. The presidents
carriage, in which he had ridden
from Gov. Cranes home at Dalton, was
accordingly driven to the Dawes resi-
dence and carriages containing a num-
Der of other gentlemen in the party fol-
lowed. President Roosevelt's call was
short one and then the carriages re-
turned to the city square.
After few minutes delay the jour-
ney to Lenox was begun. Meanwhile
the mounted escort Of police officers
and the carriages containing the news
paper correspondents who have ac-
companied the president on his tour
had started off ahead on the road to
Lenox and were some distance in ad-
vance Of the presidents equipage
Three or four other open carriages fell
in line Immediately behind the landau
in which the president rode with Sec
retary CortelyoV and Gov. Crane. Sc
cret Service Agent Craig, who through
out the New England tour had almost
constantly been at the presidents ell
bow, was on the drivers box beside
Coachman Pratt.
Scores of Vehicles.
Out through South street is a broad
smooth highway. The tracks Of the
Pittsfield Electric Street railway are
laid in the center Of the road, with
ample room for teams on each side,
and scores of vehicles Of every descrip-
ton followed along this road behind
the presidents party.
Shortly after he left the park an
electric car, which had been filed with
passengers at that point, started
toward Lenox, well behind the pro-
cession. 1t passed all of the teams
and was about mile and a half out
from the city at the beginning Of
Howard Hill and was nearly UP to the
presidents carriage which was .trav-
cling on the west side Of the highway.
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, then
continues at one side Of the street, in
stead of the center Just at this point
the upgrade of the hill begins and but
short distance beyond the crossing
Irfd
small brook The trolley car approach
ed the road crossing under a good
head Of speed with gong changing just
as the driver of the presidents car
riage turned his leaders to cross the
tracks. On each side Of the chief ex-
ecutive's carriage rode two mounted
troopers Of the local cavalry and the
horsemen on the left of the landau had
turned on to the track with the trolley
car Immediately behind them, though
some yards distant.
The Clash Comes.
Alarmed by the changing gong, they
vigorously to the motorman to stop
his car. Almost at the same instant
Gov. Crane, who quickly perceived the
danger, rose to his feet and likewise
motioned to the motorman. The latter
in great excitement desperately tried
to stop his car, but it was too late.
It crashed into the carriage as
loud moan went up from the frenzied
onlookers who thronged the roadside
and who but moment before were
cheering the president. The horse
man engaged to get the frightened an
imals out of the way just in time and
the car struck the rear wheel of the
carriage on the left side and ploWed