Evening star., 1909-05-22
keniIWorth Car Runs Into a
W., B. & A. Railway Car.
THREE PERSONS INJURED
One Passenger Says He Heard No
Signal Sounded.
UNABLE TO AVERT COLLISION
Columbia Line Car Was Running
Rapidly on the Down Grade-Im-
possible to Check Its Speed.


moved to the hospital and number of
others shaken up about 7:25 o'clock this
morning in a head-on collision of a car
of the Annapolis. Baltimore and Wash
ington railway and car Of the Colum-
bia railway line near the Benning race
track. Christopher, Berkley, a baker.
fifty-three years Of age, residing near
Tuxedo, Md: William Mason. colored.
a watchman. forty-one years Of age, Of
South Kenilworth. d. c., and Benjamin
NJ. Martin, a carpenter, sixty-two years
of age. of Mount Rainier. Md. the in
jured persons, were taken to the Cas-
ualty Hospital in the ambulance, where
1t is stated their condition Is not serious.
They will soon be able to leave the hos
pital.
The accident occurred at the cross
just south of the Pennsylvania railroad
bridge, and not far from the Benning
race track. The Columbia car, No. 332
in charge of Motorman A. F. Clark
and Conductor j. Burch. bound for Ken
iworth. left the terminal at 18th and
H streets northeast at 7:15 o'clock. and
had reached the switch a short distance
from the bridge. The conductor alighted
from the car and threw the switch which
directed the car on toward Kenilworth, in
Chesapeake Junction. After throwing
the switch the conductor boarded the
car and gave the signal to proceed.
Unable to Check Speed.
AS is the usual custom, the motorman
got UP a good speed with his car. while
the conductor pulled the trolley from the
nection with the trolley wire after the
ho@
napolis line.
just as the car neared the tracks Of the
Annapolis line the car Of that company,
No. So, bound from Baltimore to Wash
fngton, and in charge Of Motorman A. B.
Holden and Conductor A. NJ. Rotzlan, ap-
preached at slow rate OF spaced DRliaaS-
torman OF the Columbia car was unable
to stop in time and his car struck the
big Baltimore car q glancing blow. The
entire front of the Columbia car for
distance of six or seven feet was torn
away, while the fender of the big car
was but slightly damaged The former
car had its front truck thrown from the
tracks.
The three injured men. with the motor
sons on the Columbia car at the time of
the accident. A. L. Lambach and j. P.
Egan. members OF No. 1 Chemical En-
gine Company, which rs located near the
scene of the accident, had previously
alighted from the car at the switch. Just
the motOrman jumped from the front
platform, which saved his life. as the
place where he had been standing was
torn into wreckage.
Passengers Helpless.
The three passengers were hardly able
to move from the seats before the crash
occurred. Berkley and Martin were
seated in the front end of the car and
sustained the most serious injuries, the
former receiving laceratiOn of the scalp
and injuries to his body. He is also suf-
fering from shock. Martin received con-
tusions of the body and a slight concus-
seated near the rear of the car, was more
fortunate, and received but a slight cut
on the left side of his head and slight
lacerations of the body.
There were about thirty-five passengers
on the Baltimore car. number of whom
were shaken up by the collision, but no
one was injured.
w. w. Bateman, a wagonman at the
sixth precinct police station, was pas
senger on the Baltimore car. He said
this morning that the Baltimore was
running under the bridge at a slow rate
of speed when the accident occurred. He
did not hear any signals given by the
motorman Of either car.
WatSon'S Account.
When seen at the hospital Watson said
to a Star reporter that he is employed as
a watchman on a new building at Park
road and 10th street northwest, and was
on his way home.
II got on the Kenilworth car at 18th
and III streets northeast at 7:15 o'clock
There were only five passengers on the car
going out. We stopped at the switch and
the two f1remen got OF. After the con-
ductor had thrown the switch he rang the
bell for the motorman to go ahead. He
then pulled down the trolley SO that they
could get q good start on the other side
OF the tracks. when, before l could get
out OF the way. the cars came together.
] managed to reach the rear door. but was
unable to get off and was thrown against
the side Of the car. The other two men
were in the front of the car and do not
know what became of them. The last l
saw of the motorman he was running
across a field. after he had jumped from
the car"
The collision caused considerable excite
ment In the vicinity. A number of per-
sons living I'm the neighborhood hurried
to the place while the passengers on the
Baltimore car alighted. expecting to find
persons on the Columbia car killed or
badly mangled.
Taken to the Hospital.
The conductor of the Columbia car tel
ephoned to the Casualty Hospital and the
ambulance in charge of DIR. Lee started
on quick run for the scene of the acci-
dent The car carrying the injured men
to the city had reached the west end of the
Bennng road bridge when Ii met the
ambulance. Berkley. who had elapsed
into Inconsistencies, was placed on a
stretcher and laid in the ambulance,
while Martin took a seat with the doctor.
Watson. who was the least injured, occu-
pied the front seat with the driver.
At the hospital DIR. Lee, with the as
sistance Of several physicians, admins
tered treatment TO the injured, and they
were placed in beds.
The railway officials were notified of
the accident and soon the wreck wagon
was on the scene. After about an hour s
delay traffic was resumed on the kenil-
worth line. There was but a short delay
on the Annapolis. Baltimore and Wash
ington line.
Russian Priest Murdered.
M