New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-22
AUTO VICTIMS BURN,
CROSSING CRASH FATAL.
DR.. z. j. Gallagher Dead -Fiancfe,
Scared by Flames, May Die.

DIR. Edward ]. Gallagher tifty-one years old.
of No. 3O2 West 18th street. instantly
killed early last evening at the Locust street
grade crossing near st. Adams. Long Island.
and Miss Helen Madigan, to whom ne to be
married in two weeks, so severely bruised
and burned that her recovery is considered
doubtful.
They were returning from pleasure trip
through Long Island in a 40-horsepower Pan
hard machine. While passing over the railroad
tracks at the Locust street crossing the Sag
Harbor express struck their machine and threw
it twenty feet ahead into a ditch DIR. Gallagher
was pinned under the machine. and is believed
to have been crushed to death. The collision
caused the gasolene tank to explode. and in
seconds time the wreckage abaze
DIR. Gallaghers body was burned so badly that
it could scarcely be identified. Miss Madigan
was crushed between the seat and the ground
and In this position her face and head bad
ly burned. Her limbs fractured and her
jaw was broken. Except for where her body
was pressed against the ground she burned
from head to foot
The train stopped and until the ambulancs
from the Jamaica Hospital arrived Miss Madi-
gan was placed in a box When DR. Gardi
ner reached the he said DR. Gallagher had
met instant death and that there very little
hope for Miss Madigan. He took her to the
Jamaica Hospital AT an early hour this morn
ents We're by her side Her father James Mad-
gan, is a retired merchant and has home at
Madison avenue and 29th street. No arrests
have been made.
The engineer Of the train gave his name as
Dimmick. He could not explain how the acci-
dent occurred. At Locust street there are
neither safety gates nor a watchman. There is
broad view of the road both east and west
and when train is approaching a signal is
given by little bell which is automatically
rung when the train is forty yards from the
crossing
1t is sup posed by travellers that If a machine
touches the crossing at the moment the bell
begins tolling IL may cross without accident be-
fore the train reaches the crossing. DR.. Gala
CHER may have taken a fatal risk. The officials
of the road said they could not account for the
accident.
DR. Gallagher was about forty-fve years old
and was graduated from the old Bellevue Medt-
cal College In 1887. He practsed for many years
with his brother. DR.. w c. Gallagher. dead
He was widoWer and according 10 botn fami-
lies he and Miss Madigan We're TO have been
married in two weeks. He was "A member of the
County and Sta.o Medical Society, the Ameri-
can Medical Association and visiting physician
to the House OF Calvary and the Cancer Hospi-
tai His body brought to the city last
night. Both the father and mother of Miss
Madigan at her bedside.
a few moments before midnight Miss Madi
gan became conscious for a moment and told
the attending nurses that they did not hear
bell nor had they any warning Of the approach
ing train until II struck their car.
DR.. Amber one Of the coroners OF Queens
Borough. will hold an inquest at once. The
chine in which DR. Gallagher and Miss Madigan
were riding completely wrecked and
burned