The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-09
DIPLOMATS IN AUTO ACCIDENT Guatemalan Minister Fractures Skull. FOUR OTHERS ARE INJURED Accident Caused by Machine Skid
 ding and 0verturning. The Party sf Five Dipiomats Were Re- turninx to washingtea from
 Virginia, Where They Had
 spent the Day. .

.E Foreign Affairs. who is in Washington on a special mission for his Govern ment. was probably fatally injured and Senor pr. Don Luis Toledo her rarte. Guatemalan Minister to the United, States, and Gen. Jonn Drum mond. a wealthy conee planter n South America, were badly nurt m an autonnobile accident late. today.
 The diplomats were riding In . heavy touring car, when it turned turtle just after passing over the highway bridge into Virginia, the oc- cupants being hurled beneath the car and pinioned under the tonneau. when they were extricated' they were sP parently unconscious and were bleed- ing freely from face and scalp wounds George starIing. the chauffeur. who was driving the machine at swift speed, escaped with bruises about the head and legs.
 sanor BarriOs. who was Fsmeyed to the emergency hospital in an amea- lance with the other three occupants, is suffering from coueusston of the brain, and Is supposed to have sustain ed a fracture of the skull aside rom internal injuries.
 Condition Is Critical
 Late tonight he Is ati1 uneonsc1ous' and physicians say his condition IS critical. pr. HeFrarte was badly cut
  ditfnn is not serious. He was re- moved to his apartments in the High lands and will be under special treat ment. General Drummond suffered Iaeoraticns of the face and head. When the accident happened, the par ty was proceeding toward Mount N%er- % non and Senor Barrios was carrying a massive wreath of evergreens, srni- lax and green leaves to place on the tomb of Washington, at the speciat request of President Estrady Cabrera of Guatemala.
 AS the automobile left the bridge which spana to Potomac, 1t was almost dusk and the chauffeur started down the turnpike at rapid pave.
 After the car had proceeded about fifty yards, it came upon a small bug xy drawn by a spirited horse and driven by an unknown young woman, fashionably dressed. To avoid crash ing into the rig, the chauffeur swerVed the car to the right of the roadway. hut the front wheels of the speeding car smashed against a slight obstruc- lion. the force of the impact causing the car to turn sommersauft. Passers- by lifted the machine off the injured occupants and sent for an ambulance. Dr. Hsrrarte regained consciousness on his way to the hospital and sudden Iy realized that about $3.00o, some of which was in gold, had dropped from his pockets during the accident, The surgeon notihed the police, who went to the scenean recovered nearly $2,OO0 of the money.
 A small crowd attracted by the ac- ciaent had entirely dispersed when the police arrived
 Efforts to Identify the young woman. who. the police say. became confused at the sight of the automobile. and failed to turn out of the way, thus far have been unsuccessful.
 Accident Unavoidable.
 The chauffeur stated tonight that the accident was practically uaavoid- able He was driving his car at great speed, he said, in order to reach Mount Vernon before dusk.
 The news of the accident spread rapidly through the diplomatic corps. and soon messages of inquiry began pouring into the hospital to which the victims of the accident had been taken.
 Senor BaFrios. accompanied by his secretary, Senor Francisco Senchez Iatour, has been in Washington a short time on a special mission to thank the President for various acts of cordiality expressed by this Gov ernrnent towards Guatemala.
 Minister HerraFte was one of the popular member of the Latin American diplomatic corps at Washington. He has been an enthusiasttc student of affairs pertaining to the development of good relations between the United States and Central America and was a prominent figure in the Latin -Anfertcan peace conference last year. He came to washington in March, 1907. The Guatenalan legation tonight cabled to President Cabrera of that country an official report of the accident, an nouncing the critical condition of Sen or Barrios. General Drummond. one of those injured, is 50 years old, a Guatemalan, but formerly a resident of Alabama.
 It was at first thought that large amount of the money the foreign Min ister had in his possession had been lost hut when he was taken to tht hospital one of the nurses found the money in his pockets. It was mainly tn Guatemalan currency.