The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-11-28

Away Before Reaching the Hospital.
New York. November 25-Mrs.
nler Congressman Francl. Burton
Harrison. of New York, was killed to-
day by overturning Of an automobile
in which she was riding with a party
of friends from San Francisco. The
car was running down a steep hill il
Long Island City, when a break in the
steering gear caused the accident.
Mr.. and Mrs. Laurence l. Scott, OF
San Francisco, and Charles T. Crocker
also of San Francisco, a student and
a brother of Mrs Harrison, were in-
jured
Mrs. Harrison was Miss Mary Crock
er, daughter Of the late Chas. F. Crock
er. of San Francisco. She was one
Of three children. who divided the
fortune Of between $12 900. 900 and S15.-
900, 900 left by her father Her husband,
Francis Burton Harrison. is the son
of Mrs Burton Harrison, the novelist,
and Burton N. Harrison, who was sec
setary to President Jefferson Davis
Of the Southern Confederacy during
the Civil war. 1t was about noon
when the accident occurred.
Mrs. Scott of San Francisco told the
details of how the merry party in the
midst of laughter from Mrs. Harrison
were without warning wheeled sharp
ly from the road and thrown into
ditch, two of them rendered uncon-
scious and pinned under the heavy ma
chine. The automobile had just start
ed down what is known as Thompson's
Hill. This place is a favorite speed
way for automobiles. AS the car be-
gan to glide swiftly down, Mr.. Scott
and Mr. Crocker were examining
road map, while Mrs. Harrison and
Mrs. Scott were talking together and
laughing The chauffeur, Mrs. Scott
said afterwards. turned about in his
seat and remarked that something
was wrong with the steering gear.
The next instant the machine swerv-
ed sharply. The chauffer's frantic
efforts to guide it back into the road
were fruitless, and the car plunged
toward ditch at the side of the road
with telegraph pole looming direct
ly in its course 1t struck the pole q
glancing blow, and then toppled into
the ditch Mrs Harrison was thrown
under the machine. her head pinned
down by the heavy machine. She was
unconscious, and it was afterwards
found that her neck had been broken.
Beside her, also pinned down by the
car, was her brother, but he was not
severely injured, and was able to free
himself from the car.
The other three, Mrs Scott, Mr.
Scott and the chauffeur had teen
thrown clear C the machine. Ars.
Scott was hurled across the ditch,
landing ten feet beyond the machine,
and lay unconscious where she STRUCK.
Her husband although still conscious
was unable to move for some time.
The chauffeur also, like the other
members of the party. was stunned.
No one was near the point where
the accident occdrred, the road being
almost deserted at the time.
The first persons to realize the ter
rible s''nstion were Mr.. Crocker and
the chauffeur. who tried TO free Mrs.
Harrison, and found that they could
not lift the machine. Mr.. Scott with
a broken rib also joined them, but
still the machine pressed upon the un-
conscious woman. Mrs. Scott had by
this time been restored to conscious
ness, and it was decided to send for
help.
Assistance, however, was already
coming, two farm hands having seen
the accident and run acrnss the fields.
Another automobile came along about
the same time. and tie men were able
TO raise the machine. Mrs. Harrison
was dying when her friends lifted her
up. She was hurried to St JONAS
Hospital in Lorg Island City, but she
died before reaching the hospital. Lat
er an ambulance was sent for Mr.. and
Mrs. Scott, who, after treatment at the
same hospital, were able TO return TO
New York in a carriage Mr.. Harri-
son was at his office in New York
when first informed of the accident
and was told that his wife had been
severely injured. He. did not know
OF her death until he called at st
Johns Hospital.
p