The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-19
OUTING COSTS
MOTHERS LIFE;
GIRL HURT
Mrs. Anna Beissert Meets
Instant Death on Mountain
IrOlley=-AbOnt to Return.

While on a trip with a number of
friends before returning to her home in
this city, Mrs. Anna Beissert was in
stantly killed last Saturday when she
was crushed by an electric car on the
line running from Mauch Chunk to
Flagstaff Mountain. after she. with
her daughter and a number of others,
jumped from the car when a collision
with a construction car seemed immi-
nent. and in the leap for life her IA
year-old daughter, Lottie, sustained Sc
rious injuries. Two others died since
at Bethlehem, Pa, as h result of the
accident.
Funeral services were conducted this
afternoon at Mrs. Desserts late resi-
dence, 1872 Paramount avenue
Herman C. f. Beissert, the dead
woman's husband. together with his
son, Herman C. f. Beissert, jr., left
the Beissert home last Saturday for
Mauch Chunk to accompany the mother
and daughter home. inc when they
arrived at their destination and learned
that Mrs. Beissert was dead and Lottie
injured, the shock caused the elder
Beissert to break down, and for a time
it was feared that he would join his
wife in death, so weak did his heart
become from shock.
Mrs. Beissert left this city last Mon
day to spend a week at Mauch Chunk,
accompanied by her youngest daughter.
She expected her husband and son yes
terday, and Saturday, with her daugh-
ter, Mrs. Henig, and Rueben H. Farm
ham, started for the trolley line to
take a last trip to the top of Flagstaff
Mountain. When the car had gone
halfway up the mountain the passen-
gers in the front seat saw a coftstruc-
ton car seemingly bearing down upon
them at full speed, and a woman in
the front seat jumped to her feet. and,
with a scream, attempted to leap from
the car.
In a moment panic reigned among the
thirty passengers, m despite the re-
assuring cries of the cars crews, half
of the passengers jumped from h We
hicle, clawing wildly at the steep en-
bankment on either side of the track,
and while some reached the top safely,
Mrs. Beissert, Mary Cunningham, a IA
year-old girl, of Mauch Chunk, and
Alice Boyle, % years old, a school
teacher of Landsford fell back and were
crushed under the wheels of the We
hicle on which they had been riding.
The Newark woman was instantly
killed, and the other two died later at
Bethlehem, where they were hurried,
dying, on the car they had taken for
a pleasure trip Ind by which they had
been crushed.
Those who STAYED on the car re-
ceived no injuries. The cars collided
with a slight shock. The construction
train, according to reports, was at
tempting to make a switch near the
middle of the incline, and jumped the
frog, continuing on the main track
The motorman Of the passenger car
and the man running the construction
car saw each other at the same time,
and the reverse brakes were thrown
on strong, with the result that a serious
collision was averted.
A %coroner's jury at Bethlehem is con-
sidering the case, and 1t is said that the
traction company will be held guilty of
culpable negligence resulting in the
loss of life because of maintaining a
faulty switch. The elder Beissert,
broken with grief and supported by his
son, who shook with sobs, came home
last night with the body of the wife
and mother and her daughter, bruised
and out of her mind from the terrible
sight, calling for Mamma" while a
physician worked over her to save her
life.
Lottie lies in the home of her aunt,
Mrs. Peter Steinmetz, in North Ninth
street, and begs to be carried to her
home to see her mother once more.
Mrs. Beissert was born In Germany,
coming to this country when a girl.
The couple have resided in this city
many years. The deceased Is sur
vived by five children, Mrs. Henry
Erbocher, Mrs. Roger Nutty, Herman
G. F. Beissert, jr., Lottie Beissert and
Albert Beissert.
The Rev. Frederick w. Hoeh, pastor
of the Second Presbyterian Church,
ofidiated at the services this after
noon.