St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-09-10
Presidents Narrow Escape.
RoOsevelt's Carriage Struck by an EIeC
fric Chr and anR Glccmnanf Killed.

trio Car and enc Occupant Killed.
President Roosevelt, on the last day
OF his tour in New England escaped
death or serious injury in an accident
near Plttstield, Mass, in which one oil his
body guard, secret service agent William
A. Craig, was killed outright, and D. J.
Pratt, driver of the landau occupied
by President Roosevelt, Governor Crane,
Secretary Cortelyou, and Mr.. Craig,
sustained fractured skull, which it is
feared will result fatally.
| The landau was struck by an electric
car on the Pittsfeld and Lenox street
railway about $50 O'Clock Wednesday
morning. The accident happened at a
point about a quarter of mile from
Pittsfeld near Plttsheld Country Club
house while the President and party
were enjoying a coaching trip from
Dalton, Governor Cranes home, where
the President passed the night, to Lenox,
distance OF about twenty miles over
the Berkshire hills. The car was in the
charge OF conductor James Kelly, with
mortorman Luke ]. Madden on the
front platform. The car struck the
coach in the rear and smashed in the
back OF the vehicle which tipped over,
and its occupants were thrown to the
ground. The car was not badly dam.
aged. Both Madden and conductor
Kelley were at once arrested. The
President who in falling from the coach,
sustained only slight bruises and few
scratches, and Secretary George B. Cor
telyou, who suffered in a manner similar
to that of the President, with the excep-
ton that he was cut on the head, were
able to proceed to Stockbridge, where
they were to meet a special train on
which they had been travelling through
New England, and which had been sent
forward from Dalton to await their ar.
rival at Stockbridge.
The Presidents program Wednesday
included journey from Massachusetts
through Connecticut and he was to stop
at Lenox and Stockbridge and Great
harrington, Mass, and at New Milford
and bridgeport, Conn, At Bridgeport,
the yacht Sylph was to meet him and |
take him back to Oyster Bay.
The electric car struck the President
carriage diagonally from the rear. One
or two OF the carriages, including those
in which the newspapermen were riding,
had gone on along South street which IS
IS not wide. The highway runs across
the tracks of the Pittsheld & Lenox
street Railway Company at a point
ABOUT a quarter of a mile from the
center OF the city 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
and the electric car was heard
coming along at great speed, appar,
entity trying to pass ahead of the pro-
lesson, secret service officer Craig
appreciated the danger, and he arose be.
side the driver and, turning around, sig
1alled the mortorman to hold back. The
warning was dlsregarded, and the next
instant, IN view OF hundreds of people,
ne electric car smashed diagonallv into
he carriage, causing the wheels to col.
apse. One horse was killed instantly.
Inc occupants of the carriage were
brown into the midst of wreckage.
secret Service Agent Craig fell under
he car and his head was cracked open
IND the upper part of his body badly
nanngled.. Driver Pratt also was caught
Is he tell, and he was injured mainly
bout the head a fractured skull being
he principal wound.
The President, although partly buried
y the splntered fragments of the car
rage, extricated himself, and he was
cen to have sustained only cut on the
heck. Governor Crane was not injured.
secretary Cortelyou was not so fortu.
late, having sustained blow on the back
1t his head, but he soon recovered, and
With the President and Governor Crane
vent to the house of A. D. Stevens, near
where the accident occurred, and which
vas thrown open for the reception of
he victims. The secret service agent
vas beyond the NEED of help, having been
instantly killed. His body was taken
1to the Stevens house. It was found
nat driver Pratt was unconscious, but
ot dead, and he was taken to the house
nd III a few moments an ambulance
'om the Pittsfeld hospital arrived. and
c was taken to that institution. The
roWd became greatly excited, and pour
lg INTO the streets surrounded the
'recked carriage and car shouting at
he mortorman and conductor. and
eating great disturbance. Almost
persons began snatching
agments of the coach in which the
resident had ridden. The President
nd party went to Stockbridge and took !
is special train for Connecticut