Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-22
RECEIVE CUTS AND BRUISES
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN
ELECTRIC LINE SMASH.
No One Seriously Injured-Mount
Pleasant Car BUMPS into One
of Avenue Line.

IeCPI CoCutdtiSC Jc1M -. SAi0AACS VI Ill
diana and j. A. Tawney Of Minnesota
were among the score or more of passen-
gers aboard a Capital Traction car this
morning when an accident occurred. and
were thrown from their seats and con-
siderably shaken up, as were most of the
other patrons of the car line. but they
sustained no cuts or bruises Hospital am
balances and patrol wagons were sum-
moned to Pennsylvania avenue and Az
street, where the accident occurred, but
hospital for treatment.
Representative Tawney was rather pain
fully. although not seriously. injured. Mr..
Tawney's back was wrenched and he was
badly shaken up. He was not able to
attend to his congressional duties today.
and his doctor has ordered a couple of
days complete rest.
Shortly before 8 o'clock. a green car
with q summer car as trailer stopped at
Pennsylvania avenue and ~ street on its
it started one of the big yellow cars of
the Mount Pleasant division of the road
crashed into the rear end of the trailer
with force enough to do considerable
damage and brighten q number of pas
sengers. Many of those who were seated
in the trailer were thrown from their
seats, one Of them, Mrs. G. G. Griffin,
who is employed in the Congressional Lii
brary. being thrown from the car.
A. F. Hutchinson was motorman and
The latter. who was riding on the trailer.
was thrown to the floor Of the car and
sustained slight cuts and bruises. but was
able to continue in charge of the car.
A. hnighton motorman on the yellow
car. Knighton remained at his post when
he realized the accident was unavoidable.
but was not injured. His explanation of
the accident was that the brakes refused
to work when he applied Them
Motorman Applies Brakes.
1t was stated by one Of the members of
Congress that his car was being operated
at an excessive rate of speed, and he
thought no effort was made to apply the
brakes. but several persons who were on
the sidewalk declared that the motorman
applied the brakes before his car crashed
into the navy yard trailer.
Considerable excitement was caused
when pedestrians and others heard the
noise Of the collision and the crashing
of glass, and in a few seconds several
hundred persons had gathered about TO
passengers, and others being there out of
curiosity. Policemen Mccarthy, Nc
Keever and Beauregard, who quickly
reached the scene. had the ambulance
summoned from the Emergency Hospi-
tai. believing some of the passengers
had been seriously hurt, but, as stated.
the ambulance was not needed. Several
of the windows Of the yellow car were
smashed and the glass scattered about
the street.
The three policemen succeeded in get
ting the names of a number Of the pas
sengers, including Representatives Taw-
ney and CLANCY. and heard their state
ments. The two representatives were on
their way to the Capitol to attend COM
mittee meetings. Benjamin Fiery Oden,
private secretary to Representative Flood
Of Virginia. was one of the passengers.
and received slight injuries, mainly from
shock. Representative CLANCY sustained
a painful injury to his hip and Repre-
sentative Tawney's back was hurt. he
having been thrown against the back of
the seat. Frederick L. Trowbridge. as
sistant manager Of the New England Con-
servatory of Music. Boston. Mass, whose
home is at Newton. Mass, was also a
passenger on the green car on his way to
the Capitol He fortunately escaped Sc
rious injury.
Among the Passengers.
Others who were on the car were Au-
gustus Woods. 1927 LIST street northwest;
August Eccard, 1926 New Hampshire
avenue. and Alice Strong, 631 street
southeast. H. p. Davis of 154 Todd place
was riding on the rear platform of the
Mount Pleasant car at the time the acci-
dent occurred. He was thrown against
the car and slightly hurt. It was not
until some time after the accident &C.
Cured that all the passengers left the
scene and the disabled cars were moved
to the car barn. The accident caused
delay In the traf1c on the eastbound track
for more than half an hour.
August Eccard employed in the office
Of the superintendent Of the Capitol is
reported to be suffering severely from
nervous shock and injury to his back.
Capt Byrnes of the sixth precinct di-
rected that a thorough investigation of
the accident be made, with a view to
taking the case before the Police Court.
In view of the statement of the motor
man. however, that his brakes refused to
respond when he attempted to stop the
car. Capt. Byrnes stated. he thought there
would probably be no prosecution. Wit
nesses to the accident, he stated. declare
they saw the motorman make the effort,
and unless some evidence to the contrary
can be obtained there will be nothing
on which to base a prosecution. Officials
of the CAPITAL Traction COmDanv will