Evening star., 1909-04-21
Mrs. Sarah E. Thompson Vic
tim of Street Car Accident.
MAY DIE OF HER INJURIES
Led Calvary Raid in Civil War for
Federal Cause.
CAPTURED GEN. J. T. MORGAN
Only Member Of Her Sex Carried on
Pension Rolls as Veteran-Was
on Way to Work.

Struck and knocked down by q car of
the Capital Traction Company shortly
before $50 o'clock this morning, Mrs.
Sarah E. Thompson. seventy Ae years
of age. lies in q critical condition in the
emergency ward of the Casualty Hospital
with badly fractured skull and a terri
BILE laceration on the side OF her neau.
where. it is believed. one wheel of the
car passed over her.
| Mrs. Sarah e. Thompson Is said to be
the only woman borne on the rolls of the
pension bureau, and at the department
where she is employed, as a soldier OF
the United States. She Is q native of
Tennessee and during the civil war
rendered service to the Union cause
which has given her name prominent
place in the history Of that strife.
She discovered the hiding place OF Gen.
John T. Morgan. the noted Confederate
raider. and informed the general COM
manding the United States forces Of his
whereabouts. Then, in person. she led a
force OF Union cavalry to the place. In
the fight that followed Morgan was
killed.
Accident Causes Tie-Up.
The accident, happened at 1st and B
streets southeast, where the yellow cars
| of the Union station branch Of the Capt.
tai Traction Company turn northward
from the main tracks toward the rail-
road station. The cars were crowded
with government employees going to their
places Of business. The serious happen
ing resulted in tie-up of many cars.
Mrs. Thompson has just left the home
of her son-in-law, Orville L Bacon. 316
| list street southeast, within but short
distance of the scene OF the accident. She
was proceeding to the Post ONCE Depart
ment, where she Is employed as money
order assorter In the division Of the sixth
auditors Office under Capt. Lee M. Lips
comb.
1t is believed she went to the car tracks
for the purpose Of boarding westbound
car for her ONCE when she became con-
fused by the simultaneous approach Of a
green car, bound east, and yellow car
| from the navy yard, which was making
the turn into 1st street going toward the
Union station. She was between the
tracks Immediately in the middle Of the
| curve at the intersection of 1st and B
| streets as the oars approached.
Eye witnesses say Mrs. Thompson was
struck by the yellow car. bound for the
Union station. The police later found
blood stains beneath the car.
The car in rounding the curve into
1st street is said to have struck the wom-
| an and knocked her to the concrete road
way. her head lying partly on the rail.
One wheel passed over the side of the
head. tearing the flesh and hair away.
man. whose name could not be OBJ
tained and who claimed to be an eye
witness, stated that Mrs. Thompson be-
came excited upon seeing the cars ap-
preaching from opposite directions and
got between the tracks, where she was
struck.
Slender Chance Of Recovery.
Agreat crowd collected. A hurry call
was sent to the Casualty Hospital, the
ambulance responding quickly. The In
| jured woman was taken to that institu-
| ton.
Upon examination it was found that in
| addition to her other injuries she was
suffering from shock and internal hurts.
The surgeon at the hospital at once pro-
nounced her condition critical with slight
hope Of saving her life.
! trephining operation was performed.
Late this afternoon the chances for her
/ recovery are slender.
] IRE citizens who assembled about the
scene Of the accident demanded that the
| authorities station q crossing policeman
| at 1st and B streets southeast as they
declared 1t is q point Of great danger. II
was said the Commissioners will be asked
| to station a guard at that point to pre-
vent the recurrence Of similar accidents.
| The railroad company maintains a sig
mailman perehed In i;S tower on tn. the , south
| man declares he did not the aged
woman when she was struck His duty
is to fash electric signals to the cars
giving them the right of way.
| Two policemen from the fifth precinct
we're at once assigned to investigate the
| circumstances of the accident. IL is said
they encountered considerable difficulty
in getting at tangible information.
| Many years ago Mrs. Thompson was
appointed to government Office through
| the influence and efforts Of former Sena-
/ tor Pritchard, whom she had befriended
| when he was barefooted boy In the
| mountains of Tennessee He never for
4
| In the sixth auditors Office, where she
| is employed. she is familiarly known as
| Mother Thompson" because Of her kind
| ly and gentle disposition. although in her
! young womanhood she faced scenes OF
carnage in warfare that would make
| men shrink.
| Her Services to the Union.
For work in connection with locating
Gen. Morgan Mrs. Thompson received
high concentrations from Gems. Grant
Sherman. Rosecrans and other Union
commanders. She preserves the letters
as priced mementos Of the stirring days
| of the war i'm Tennessee.
Mrs. Thompson was employed by the
Union armies operating in the southwes,
| as spy and scout. and was entered
| upon the army rolls as soldier. Ae
| a result of her prowess and daring a
scout she received a severe wound
through the arm from a bullet of the
| enemy. and bears the scar as an honor
| able mark Of war.
Her first husband. Col Scott, organized
a regiment of loyal Tennesseeans for
service In the Union army. while she led
parties of Union sympath zers through
the Confederate lines to join the regi-
ment and other commands.
Capt. Lee NJ. Lipscomb. chief of heI
division In the sixth auditors Office,