New-York tribune., 1907-08-19
THREE In AUTO KILLED.
RACE WITH TRAIN LOST
WeaIthv Manufacturer, Mother and
4unt Victims- Tzco Others Hurt.
IRv Telegranh 10 The Tribune. J

Great harrington. Mass. Aug 1S.-Three hves
were sacrificed and the other two of party Oh
five in an automobile injured one probably
fatally as the result of the effort of the owner
and driver of the machine to beat an express
train to a crossing at Ashley Falls. twelve miles
south of this city. az noon to-day
The dead are Charles J. Root, fOrty-fve years
Old wealthy manufacturer OF Bristol conn.,
Mrs Joel H. Root. eighty-two years Old his
mother and Miss Candace Roberts. seventy
wears old her sister. The probably fatally
injured is Miss Mary p Root, fifty years old
sister of Mr. Root. Miss Catherine Root four
teen years old his niece, was badly cut anu
bruised but is expected to recover.
The race which ended in death lasted for half
a mile The road on which the automobile was
speeding at the highest attainablc limit runs
parallel to the tracks, but while the oncomlhS
train could be heard it could not be seen IL
was the evident hope of Mr. Root to make the
crossing, which is at curve, before the tram
was within the danger zone, but when the ma
chine dashed around the corner the train when
was the New York-Pittsfeld express on the
New Haven road, was rushing to the crossing at
the rate of sixty miles an hour.
Such was the impact when the collision oc-
CURED tina; the automobile was lifted oodly
high into the air and tossed twenty feet to one
killed. his mother survived him only few min
utes. and his aunt died while on the way to
hospital. His sister and his niece received Sc
we're internal injuries. besides numerous cuts and
bruises all over their bodies, and the doctors re-
ported tonight that their condition is critical
with only remote hope of the recovery of MISS
Mary Root
Friends of Mr Root who came here from
Bristol tonight said that he was troubled with
extreme deafness. His mother and aunt TOO
were hard of hearing and the former was also
blind The motorists familiar with the
road over which they were travelling as they
have often come here to visit friends.
Bristol. Conn, Aug. 1S.-Charles J. Root ana
his four companions left here At $50 O'CLOCK
this morning for trip through Lenox, Lee and
the FScrkshires All the members of the party
with the exception of the little girl. were deal
ans il is thought here that the approach OF the
train may not have been known to them LOT
that reason. Only brother. Theodore =
Root is left here. He is the father Of Miss
Catherine
Mr. Root was manufacturer of-elocks and
counting machines of all kinds and OF registers
He was also a large dealer in real estate MISS
Root his sister, is we'll known about the state
through her writings for the Daughters of the
American Revolution. of which society she is a
member. a number of books on old Revolu-
tionary families. in the nature Of biographical
works and also q history OF the Catherine
Gafiord Chapter, d A r., Bristol. were writ
len by her. She is the president of the Nassar
College Alumne Association.
Two automobile parties left here this after
noon for Ashley Falls. one contained Robert a
Potter, county commissioner a cousin of the
dead man, and Willis II. Bacon, and the other
A. F. Rockwell and F. c. North.