The Washington times., 1909-12-31
BANKER IS KILLED
WHEN FREIGHT HITS
MONTREAL EXPRESS
Spencer Trask, New York
Millionaire, Meets Death
In Collision.
BIG ENGINE PLOWS
INTO REAR SLEEPER
Block Signals Overlooked. Is Be
lief Of OfRcials-Investi-
CATION Starred.

BduOH OlaILSA
NEW YORK, Dec Sf-Spencs
Trask, millionaire New York bank
er, head of the great private banking
house of Spencer Trask & Co. wa,
instantly killed at s O'Clock this
morning, when the Montreal ex
press of the New York Central
stnding on the main line at Gro
ton, thirty-four miles from New
York, was run down by a south.
bound freight train.
Two negro poters, James E
Bell and Scipio Jackson, were in.
jured, and taken to a hospital II
Ossining. Their injuries are moi
serious.
No cause for the wreck has yei
been assigned, but the officials Of
the road intimate that it was caused
by the negligence of the crew of th.
freight train, an of whom escaped
injury.
CAUSE CT WRECK.
The second section Of the Mont
real express had been stopped at
Croton station BY the automatic
signaling device, which warned the
engineer that tnera was 4sfa IL
the block ahead
A similar signal had been set
to warn the engineer Of the follow
ing freight that she express had
stopped. The warning was evident
ly ignored. for the massive freight
crashed into the rear end Of the ex-
press.
The Trask family has had many mis-
fortunes IN the past few years. FIis
four children died within a single week.
and Mrs Trask has been an invalid
ever since last August In an sartouo-
bile accident IN Boston. the glass wind
shield was smashed. and TrasRs eye so
seriously injured that the surgeons had
to remove it 70 save the sight OF the
other eye.
Trask lived most OF his time at hts
Saratoga estate. coming once or twice
week 20 his business in New York.
At Saratoga he had 200 acres. including
a lake and many beautiful drives. Il
was one OF the show places 90 Saratoga
and visitors were welcomed In the
grounds.
4 second summer home OF the dead
muiti-mlIlionsire was his Twin Island
Retreat AZ Lake George.
Trask occupied the drawing room on
the rear sleeper OF the Montreal ex-
press. into which the heavy freight en-
gine plowed He was instantly killed.
The Montreal express consisted OF one
baggage car. two 6ay coaches. and hve
sleepers. Il runs over the Delaware
and Hudson line to Troy, and from that
city TO New York runs over the tracks
Of the New York Central
Tho southbound freight in charge OF
Engineer Flanagan and Conductor Shu-
-elt. was following the express.
Signals Overlooked.
For some unknown reason the freight
Jailed to see the block signals. and
struck the last car in the express with
terrific force. The heavy engine pIowed
It's way over ard through the last of
the PulImans.
TraslS, who was returning to New
York from HIS count place at sara
-oga, was IN the room at the
very end Of the ian. The heavy
engine made .. 4dl,ag wood OF the
drawing room. and Mr.. Task. horribly
nangled. was instantly killed.
A porter on the sleeping car. name
IL yet unknown, was killed, and the
officials OF the New York Central de-
,lure one other person was killed.
hough It has been impossible yet 10
earn wh7 It was.
Only two cars In the express train
we're damaged
WTeckeTS Sent Out
Wrecking trains were sent out from
New York and Ossiuing and from the
after place. several doctors being sent
o take care OF the injured.
An official Of the New York Central
that the road has installed IN
has part Of the line the anest auto
matte block signals obtainable, and ad-
ed that while the cause Of the wreck
lad not been ixCd. the officials could
Tot see how the freight crew had en-
cred the block with the express. intI-
mating that the signals hao been ig-
Iored.
Traffic was rot long delayed. the
srecklng crew getting the two damaged
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