The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-05
SWIFT TARBELL SMASHED UP
DROVE MIS- AUTOMOBILE INTO
4 THIRD ApENUE CAR.

w.
sixth street and Found the Gar On its
T~rscks-ls Grew Arrestcd-Tarbcii
in BcIleNue-Tw0 Companions Hurt.
Swift Tarbell. who Ia q son Of Gage 4.
Tarbell and who has been arrested at least
once for driving his automobile too fast.
hit a Third avenue car with II yesterday
1 afternoon and 10 in Bellevue Hospital with
his left leg broken in three places between
knee and ankle. his right shoulder dislo-
Gated and his head cut. He had with him
William Catchings Of 2 West Eishty-sixth
street. who came out OF it with several
fractured ribs and two bad scalp wounds.
and Edward L.. Woodson, who was thrown
against an elevated railroad pillar and
cut on the head.
Tn 40 horsepower Ford machine was
caught between the front Of the trolley car
and the pillar and smashed to bits. Tarbell
and Catchings were thrown under the
trucks Of the trolley car, so that the forward
end had to be lifted TO get them out.
The collision was more or less spectacular.
\ Natto " ttuVC ahibulaAttb wVtO %hb w
Bellevue. and a policem man sent in an alarm
from the fire box at the corner Of Third
avenue and ~Thirty-ffth street. bringing
ell Of the apparatus on the East Side south
Of Forty-seoond street and north OF Four
teenth street. Five thousand persons
crowded around and il was ssary to call
out the police reserves TO clear the street.
When Truck 7 arrived the men did good
service in lifting the trolley car and getting
Tarbell and Catchings out from under.
John White OF 1853 East Tbirty-ffth street,
who saw the accident, was the first to go to
the assistance OF the injured men. Although
he was in his Sunday clothes he crawled
under the car and tried to get Catchings
out. When il was all over White reported
that he had lost a $500 diamond ring.
Young Tarbell. who lives at the Ansopia.
was going to Garden City. where his father.
formerly the second vioe-president OF the
Equitable Life Assurance Society, has large
real estate interests. Because Thirty-fourth
street is usually crowded and Thirty-ifth
street is torn up s~utomobiiists take Thirty
sixth street from Park avenue to First
avenue on their way to the Long Island
ferry.
There is a steep down grade from Lexington
avenue to Third avenue, and also a grade
on Third avenue. Car 2SO9 OF the Third
avenue line. in charge Of Charles Dyer as
motorman and John Linclot as conductor.
was going south when the automobile came
east down the hill toward Third avenue.
According to persons who saw the acci-
dent, both the machine and the car were
going at fairly good speed. Tarbell evil
IDENTIFY did not see the car until he was
close upon il and then he tried to turn south
along Third avenue. But he was too late.
TIT pillar prevented the short turn, and the
machine was caught between car and
pillar. The trolley car was crowded and
the cries of passengers thrown from their
seats by the sudden stop added to the ex-
element
II was by the merest chance that both
Tarbell and Catchings escaped instant
death. In some way Tarbell's left leg was
caught between the spokes Of the ri ght
front wheel of the racing car. while his
head was only a few inches from the for
ward truck Of the trolley car. under which
he was thrown. Catchings, who wac on
the side nearest to the trolley car, fell be-
tween the car and the machine. Woodson
was bnrOWu away IrCtn tuo CaT. AuTOci
was badly blistered by burning gasolens
that flowed over his body as he lay on the
ground. but fortunately there was no ex-
plosion. He was conscious when taken
out. but swooned on the way to Bellevue.
The engine Of the racing car was the only
thing that was not hurt. The front wheels
were torn from the axle and the rear wheels
were smashed against the pillar. A patrol
wagon load Of gear and fixtures was taken
from the scene to the station house. The
motorman and conductor were arrested.
Tarbell's sister. who was at the Ansonia,
was t~elephoned to and she went to the
hospital. Gage T.. Tarbell and the young
mans mother hurried TO the city in a tour
ing car. The young man had regained
consciousness when they arrived and they
were permitted to see him. Catohings also
is in Bellevue. Woodson was treated there
and ven home.
Swift Tarbell has been an automobile
enthusiast for some time. On January 10
he was arrested at Broadway and Forty
ninth street for exceeding the speed limit
and was locked up in the West Forty
seventh street police station for an hour
until his father bailed him out. He Is ~
years old and at the hospital said he wasa
broker.
Last night he asked the doctor what had
become Of the machine.
Smashed" said the DOCTOR
Thank Godi" said the patient. ITS
the last one Ill ever own.'
DROW NED Nv THE EAST RIVER.