Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-01
Ohh hUNHW n i IAl Ill
One Dead and Fourteen Hurt in Hansy
Line Wreck.
SAMUEL THOMAS KILLED ON THE SPOT
Henry DeutOL, Sixty Years Old, May Die
from Injuries
BRAKES FAIL ON THE FROSTY TRACKS
Motor Leaves Rails at Corner Of Sixth and
Pierce
CRASHES WITH GREAT SPEED INTO STORE
Crushes Life Out of Man on sidewalk
ana AlIovs Few of Nineteen
Passengers 60 Escape
Unharmed.
CRASHES WITH GREAT SPEED INTO STORE

Killed:
streets teamster for the Baum Iron COM
pany
Injured:
Henry Deutch Fifth and Walnut streets;
Mike Metrechs, Third and Center streets;
right ear cut and head bruised:
Otto Epert. 1!2o South Eighth street;
scalp wound and bruised legs.
Motorman Otto Selgren, Twentieth and
Grace. streets; two ribs broken and bruises
TO oollarboneL head and body
Conductor n; p; sackett. 25es Poppleton
street; cut with glass.
Emma Konvalin, Az Center street; face
and hands cut with glass and shoulder
A. p, Elrod 112i South Sixth street; face
George J. Dubler, 422 Cedar street, mail
carrier: internal injuries.
A. j. Donahue, laborer, living at 222 Ce-
dar street, was cut on hands and face with
flying glass. His side was slightly bruised.
George Probst. 4O9 Cedar street, employe
storz brewery, confusion Of right shoulder
and glass cuts on face.
NJ. p. Mortimer, eO6 Pierce street. face.
scalp and body cut by glass.
body badly bruised.
Two unidentified sisters; cut with glass
and taken home by father.
Samuel Thomas, teamBter for the Baum
Iron company, who lives at Second and Will
liam streets, was killed and at least four
teen persons injured, one OF them seriously,
when a northbound Harney street car, in
charge OF Motorman Otto Selgren and Con-
ductor N. p. Sackett, jumped from the track
at the corner Of Sixth and Pierce streets
about $3.50 Thursday morning while going
at high rate Of speed. ran across the
street to the sidewalk and crashed into the
window of the drug store of Charles n.
CaugIian toppling over on its side and
iulurfaOning ninetean DagsonRara
Thomas was not passenger on the car,
but was standing on the sidewalk in front
OF the store, presumably waiting to board
the car. which crushed him between tho
window of the drug store and the side Of
the car as II fell over against the building.
The other victims we're passengers, but
miraculously escaped serious injury, with
the exception of Henry Deutch. who was
standing on the rear platform when the
crash came ARD had his right leg cangtt
between the car and the sidewalk when
Ghe car fell over. His leg was broken In two
places. Deutch is 81 years Of age.
Car PIunEes Across street.
After leaving the tracks at the curve the
street car dashed across the intervening
space to the sidewalk, tearing down an iron
water hydrant in its flight and crashing
into the front window Of the drug store,
with a terrific impact. which threw 1t on
one side, and the passengers made their
escape through a shower of broken glass
and the rear door, as the motorman's vesti-
bule and the entire right side of the car
to its center was totally demolished. That
no more we're killed or more seriously In
jured is considered remarkable.
The body OF Thomas was crushed almost
into a pulp. with the exception of his
face, which was not dishgured in the least
His body was caught between the side of
the car and the lower part of the drug
store. Practically every bone in his body
from his breast downward was broken.
The ribs on the right side were crushed
his right shoulder smashed and the bones
protruding from the skin, and both legs
were fractured in a number OF places He
was found lying with the upper part Of
his body through the broken show window
and the lower part pinioned by the debris
He lived but a few minutes after being
extricated from the wreckage. He is sur
vived by a wife. but had no children
Coroner Bradley took charge of the body
and will hold an inquest Friday afternoon
10 determine the responsibility for the
mans death.
Curve and slippery Tracks.
The scene OF the accident is at the curve
at Sixth and Pierce streets. directly at the
foot OF a steep grade of nearly five blocks.
down which the car dashed on the heavily
frosted. slippery tracks. Motorman Sell
gren applied the brakes with all possible
force, using quantities OF sand and then
reversing the current but the car had got
ten beyond his control and gained addi-
tional momentum with every foot traversed
until It was going at a terrific rate OF
speed when 1t reached the sharp curve at
Sixth and Pierce streets. The motorman
manfully stuck TO his post of duty and
tugged at the brakes even as the car left
the curve and ran across the street toward
the curb and then on 10 the sidewalk.
When the car struck the curbing and the
water hydrant II swerved toward the west
aud toppled over toward the north against
the store. pinning Thomas, who was d.
rectly in its path. against the store build
ing. The motorman was thrown to the
0round with great force and had two ribs
broken besides sustaining other bruises u
his head and body. as well as being cut In
several places by glass. II is not believed
that his injuries will prove serious{ He
was assisted TO his home by friends.
The passengers and conductor were un-
able TO jump. even though Il was plainly
evident that an accident was inevitable. as
the car had gained such momentum. The
conductor, Henry Deutch and a number
OF passengers were standing on the rear
platform when the crash came. but ali es-
capped with slight cuts from flying glass
excepting Deutch.
scene OF DesOlatiOn.
II was a scene Of great desolation that
met the eyes OF Police Surgeons Har-
ris and Heine. who were rushed to
the place In the patrol wagon crowd
of thousands Of persons had gathered even
at the early hour, and the means OF tie
injured were mingled with shrleks aIti
sobs OF women. and even men, who hai
come at the alarm to look for friends or
relatives. The corner was in utter dark-
ness and the injured were found by meaiN,
OF lanterns, which were supplied. and III,
two police surgeons dressed the WOUNDS
b OF the injured where they happened to d,
on the street. sidewalk or car tradks
Police Surgeon Harris crawled In betwea