Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-21
C0RONER'S INQUEST
INTO HUBBARDD DEATH
Widow of Scientist Victim of
Auto Collision With
Trolley Car.
HER SKULL is CRUSHED:
She DIES AT HOSPITAL
Charity Worker and Mother-in.Law
of Prof. Alexander Graham Bell.
WITNESSES TELL OF ACCIDENT
Work Car on Connecticut Avenue
Said to Have Been Running at
High Rate Of Speed When
Collision Occurred.

SoI1lSIou OccurreQ.
Washington has never been more shock
ed than at the news of the death Of Mrs.
Gertrude NJ. Hubbard Of Twin Oaks,
which occurred last night as the result OF
injuries received in a collision between
her automobile and a work car of the
Capital Traction Company, on Connecti-
cut avenue near Macomb street Mrs
Hubbard was riding with her sister. Mrs.
Charles Mercer Marsh OF New York, who
escaped injury. Mrs. Hubbard was
thrown out Of the car, her head striking
the pavement, fracturing the skull She
was rushed to Garfield Hospital where
the physicians endeavored to save her
life by an operation. She died two and
half hours later, at S:25 pm.
The motorman and conductor Of the
work car were not arrested. as the com
pany assumed responsibility for their
presence at the inquest conducted By the
coroner this morning.
Mrs. Hubbard was the widow of Gard-
ner Greene Hubbard, and mother Of Mrs.
Bell, wife of DR.. Alexander Graham Bell.
scientist and inventor of the telephone,
and of Mrs. Charles j. Bell She was in
her eighty-third year. She was promi-
nent Tor years as a philanthropic worker
and endowed Hubbard Memorial Hall in
memory of her husband
Among the friends and relatives who
were at the bedside when Mrs. Hubbard
died were Mr.. and Mrs. Charles ]. Bell,
Mr. and Mrs. David Fairchild, Mr.. and
Mrs. Gilbert H. Grosvenor. Julian Ripley
and Mrs Ripley who is q daughter OF
Mrs. Bell and granddaughter of Mrs. Hub
bard: Stuyvesant Pilot and Mrs. Pilot.
vino is a daughter Of Mrs Grossman and
granddaughter Of Mrs. Hubbard.
Never Regained Consciousness.
Mrs. Hubbard did not regain conscious
ness after the accident Her death came
quietly, and the physicians at the hospital
said it was due to two fractures of tho
skull. DR.. L. H. Reichelderfer was the
operating surgeon. After he reached the
conclusion that the patients condition
was hopeless he permitted her friends and
relatives. who had gathered in the recep-
ton hall Of the hospital awaiting news, to
enter her room.
Accounts of the accident vary in a few
details. 1t occurred shortly after dusk in
Connecticut avenue extended between
Newark and MacOmb streets, where Cap
ital Traction Company's work car No Ii
crashed into the rear Of her automobile,
a seven-passenger White steamer Mrs
Hubbard was seated in the tonneau of
the car with her sister, Mrs. Marsh.
Alexander Nelson, who had been Mrs.
HuDbardS chauffeur for several years,
was driving the automobile
When just south of the Cleveland Park
station Nelson guided the machine on the
track. one side of the road had been
barred to traffic because of improvements
that were being made in the roadbed.
He was going south at a moderate rate
of speed when the rumbling of a car be-
hind him attracted his attention. AS he
turned the glare OF the cars headlight
blinded him. and before he could get his
ooh ina af he Slaa1
into 1t, pushing it along the track for
some distance and throwing it against a
pole.
Mrs. Hubbard was thrown forward out
of the tonneau and was lying uncon-
scious when the machine was brought
to a stop. Mrs. Marsh was thrown into
the bottom of the car but was not hurt.
AS the motorman brought his car to a
disabled machine and started to carry
Mrs. Hubbard to the Cleveland Park
station. Maj. Henry G. Cole. L. S. A..
and Maj. Harold Reisinger of the
Mrs. Hubbard was lifted into this ma
chine and was supported by Patrick
Caughlin. a watchman on duty near the
scene. while Maj. Cole rushed the car
as fast as possible to Garfield Hospital.
where the patient was taken into the
emergency room. Her forehead was
found to have been crushed and tho
skull fractured at the base.
Cleveland Wiley. the motorman of car
Il. which struck the automobile, and
at the car barn at Chevy Chase lake, but
they were not arrested Alexander Nell
son, the chauffeur. returned to Twin
Oaks. Mrs. Hubbard's residence. after
midnight. but was SO affected by shock
due to the death Of his employer that he
could not give a clear account of the &C.
cident
Had Just Left Granddaughter.
Mrs Hubbard left her home in Woodley
lane yesterday afternoon to pay visit
to her granddaughter, Mrs. David Fair
child, at North Chevy Chase. where she
remained for about an hour. 1t was
nearly dark when Mrs Hubbard and her
sister started for Twin /. axis. After they
were in the machine Mrs. Hubbard kissed
her granddaughter goodbye
The chauffeur took ,,na the acn,ne ane,n .meoa agd
turned south. Some distance behind him
was the car occupied by Mai Cole. who
was returning from the Chevy Chase
club. The railway work car. which
struck the automobile, passed Maj coles
machine a short distance north of Cleve-
land Park station.
Born in 1927.
Mrs. Hubbard was nearly eighty-three
years Of age and was remarkably active
for one Of her years. She was the widow
Of Gardiner C. Hubbard. inventor. scien-
tist and philanthropist. who died several
years ago. She was born In New York
city. March r. 1927. Her father was
Robert H. McCurdy, a wholesale dry
goods dealer. Her brother. Richard A.
McCurdy of New York was former presi-
dent OF the Mutual Life Insurance Com
pany. Mrs. Hubbard Is survived by two
sisters. Mrs Charles Mercer Marsh OF
New York. who was in the automobile
when the fatal accident occurred, and
Mrs Elias J. Marsh of Paterson, N. J.
When eighteen years Of age and q
society belle Of the metropolis she be-
came acquainted with Gardiner G. Hub
bard, who was making upward strides as
young lawyer. The acquaintanceship
soon ripened into love and they were mar
ried and went to Boston There her hus-
band engaged in the business life Of
Boston, and soon made his CTay to sue