The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-09-10
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S
NARROW ESCAPE.
HIS CARRIAGE DEMOLISHED
BY A TROLLEY CAR.

A Secret Service Agent Ki11e
and Driver Seriously Injured
The President Slightly Hur;
The carriage iu which Presiden
Roosevelt and his party were bein
driven from Pittsfeld TO LenoX, Mass
was struck by an electric car and al
most completely demolished. Th
President was slightly cut and bruised
Secretary Cortelyou also injured, VIM
Craig, of The secret service, was killed
ard the driver of the coach seriousl.
hurt, The following account wa
given by the Associated Pross th'
morning after the occurrence
The President of the United StsSe
escaped tGagic death by only few
feet in collision between his ce.iiage
and al electric car in this city, while
one of his most trusted gdsrds, Secret
Service Agent VIM. Craig, was in,
stantly killed, and David j. Pratt, Of
Dalton, who was guiding the horses
attached to the vehicle, was seriously
injured. President Roosevelt himself
was badly shaken up, but received
only a slight facial bluise.
Secretary Coz .elyou, who occupied a
seat opposne he chief executive in the
landau, sustained c"inor wound in
the back of the head sn> Gov. Crane,
who sat b, ide The President, eytri-
Gated himself ,om the wreck practi-
cally without scratch. The corriage
was demolished by the impact of the
rapidly moving CDR and the wheel
horse on the eide nearest the Car was
killed Quiz .ight, the crew and pa'sep.
gers of the car escaping inju,y.
The President and porty were div
ing fiom this city 10 Lenox through
one of the principal thorou3bfpres of
Pittsield, which was liued with cheer
ing people aud the catastrophe oc-
CURED in p!aln view of hrndreds,
whose happiness at The advent of the
natlon's chief was suddenly turned to
grief.
Thousands had poured ,uto the city
In the early morning f;om the nearby
country 10 see and hear the President,
and bis address at The city pork had
been loudly cheercd. At the conclu-
sion of the exercises he wished to make
brief cal on Henry l.. Dawes, for
merly United States Senator, whose
house Is but short distance from the
park. The Pfesident's carriage, in
which he had ridden from Gov.
Crane's home at Dalton, was accord
ingly driven 10 the Dawes residence
and carriages containing number of
other gentlemen in the party followed.
President RoosevelCs call was short
one and then The carriages returned to
the city square.
After few moments delay 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
Lepox and were some distance in adj
vance of the Presidents equipage.
Three or four other open carriages
fell in line Immediately behind the
landau in which the President rode
with Secretary Cortelyou and Gov.
Crane. Secret Service Agent Craig,
who throughout the New England tour
has been almost constantly at the
Presidents elbow, was on the drivers
box beside Coachman Pratt.
Out through South street is a broad,
smooth highway. The tracks of the
Pittsfeld electric street railway are
laid in the centre of the road with am
pie room for teams on each side, aud
scores of vehicles of every description
followed along this road behind the
Presidents party.
Shortly after he left the park an
electric car which bad been filed with
passengers at that point, started to-
ward Lenox well behind the process
was about a mile and half out from
the city at the beginning of Howard
hill and was nearly up. to the Presi-
dents carriage, which was travelling ON
the west side Of the highway.
just at the foot of Howard hill the
road bends little aud teams are CON-
PEELED to cross the street railway
tracks to the east side. The railroad
then continues at one side of the street
ins tead of in the centre. Just at this
point the up-gl ade of The hill begins,
and but short distance beyond the
crossing there Is narrow bridge span
nng small brook.
The trolley car approached the road,
crossing under good head of speed
with gong changing just as the driver of
Presidents carriage turned his leaders
to cross tue tracks. On each side of
the chief executives Cal riage rode two
mounted troopers Of the local cavalry
company, and the lorsemen on the left
of the landau had turned on the track
with the trolley car Immediately be.
hind them, though some yards distant
Alai med by the Changing gong, they
both turned in their saddles and waved
vigorously TO the motorman to stor
his car. Almost at the same instant
Gov. Crane, who quickly perceived the
danger, rose 10 his feet aud likewise
motioned to the motorman. The lat
ter in great excitement desperatel.
tried to stop his Car, but 1t was TOT
late. 1t crashed iuto The carriage jus
as q loud moan went up ftom the fren
zied onlookers wno thlonged the road
side, and who but moment befor
were cheering the President.
The horsemen managed to get tn
frightened animals out Of the way jus
In time and the Car struck the rea
wheel of the carriage on the left sid
and plouglied through 10 the fron
wheel of the vehicle, which receive
the fpll force of the blow, The cal