Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-22
DEATH Of ELMORE
IS TOLD TO WIDOW
Shock of Double Tragedy Borne
by III Woman with Re-
markabIe FOrtitude
CORONER PROBES ACCIDENT
Officials of Pacific Electric lnVeS-
tigate Tragedy and Exon
crate the Car Crew
CORONER PROBES ACCIDENT

Il
pany conducted an inquiry yesterday
afternoon into the causes that led TO
the death of Samuel Elmore, an aged
capitalist of Astoria, Oregon, and Mrs.
M. e. Garrettson, the pretty compan-
ion of the wealthy tourist.
After hearing the testimony of sew
eral witnesses the board of inquiry
decided that Motorman Thornquist
who was in charge of the inbound
Santa Ana car that struck the auto In
which the victims were riding near
Florencita Park was not to blame for
the accident and exonerated him.
While this Investigation was made
by the railway officials for the pur-
pose of determining in their own minds
whether the motorman was at fault 1t
will in no manner affect the investiga-
ton now being mado by Coroner Hart
well. The county authorities are max
ing a thorough investigation or the
accident and q number of witnesses
have been subpoenaed to appear at the
undertaking parlors Of Bresee Broth
ers, where the inquest over the bodies
of the unfortunate pleasure-seekers
will be held at 10 o'clock this morning.
The funeral of the millionaire will be
held Friday from the Hotel Maryland
If his eldest daughter. Mrs. Louis
Schriber of Oshkosh, Wis, arrives In
time, She Is on her way to Pasadena
with her husband. 1t is probable that
the body will be cremated.
Mrs. Elmore was told yesterday Of
the death of her husband. She Is sert-
ously i'll, but bore the shock with re-
markable fortitude.
Miss Elsie Elmore, the unmarried
daughter, It developed yesterday, was
one of the few survivors of the great
Iroquois theater fire in Chicago several
years ago. She has never fully recov-
cred from the nervous shock she suf-
fered at that time.
The dead man was extensively
known throughout the northwest. He
was president of one of the largest
salmon packing companies in Oregon
and at one time owned a fleet of SAIL
ing vessels. He owned large tracts Of
land in the northwest, including valu-
able mining claims in Alaska, it is
said, and timber lands in Canada.
Elmore, it appears. became acquaint-
ed with Mrs. Garrettson several years
ago, when her husband was manager
for one of Elmore's packing plants.
Later, it seems, Garrettson left the
employ of Elmore and became a trav-
cling salesman for a commission COM
pany at Chicago. Garrettson main
tanned headquarters at Spokane, but
his wife preferred to live in Portland,
where she had apartments at one of
the most exclusive hotels in that city.
KEEP NEWS FROM WIDOW
Elmore usually passed several
months each year in Southern Cali
fornia. His wife has been In Ill health
for several years and the trips south
were made for her benefit. He left
Oregon a short time ago and with his
wife and daughter engaged a bunga-
low in the Hotel Maryland grounds at
Pasadena.
A short time after the Elmores ar
rived in California Mrs. Garrettson
gave up her apartments in Portland
and came to Los Angeles. She regis
tered at the Hotel Van Nuys
Monday afternoon Elmore appeared
at the Van Nuys hotel, met Mrs. Gar
rettson and the auto ride began. 1t
was while on the return trip that FL
more, who was driving the new auto
drove on the tracks at the Merrill ave-
nue. crossing, near Florencita Park,
where he and his companion were
hurled to a terrible death by rapidly
moving Pacific Electric car.
Coroner Hartwell lmpaneled his jury
OF six members yesterday afternoon
and soon afterward they went to the
scene of the wreck and viewed the
crossing. 1t Is not probable that they
learned much from the condition Of
the ground where the victims were
LhlOWAg Go 5hh6 VI bSCllOA
cleared the wreckage Monday night
and smoothed over the ballast where
the auto was pushed along.
HUSBAND SENDS FOR BODY
Those who compose the coroners Jury
are G. B. Logan, merchant; B. Gordon,
tailor; j. w. Dick, floor manager for a
Broadway department store; J. j.
Rutherford, auditor of the Equitable
Savings bank; ]. A. Green, salesman,
and w. A. Herdman, floor manager for
H. Jeyne.
Those who will testify at the inquest
are DR.. w. Hand, d. Jones, F. Crow
foot, T. f. F'laherty, #. e. Starr, Paul
Gage, S. H. Palmer, nephew of the
dead man; Conductor Vacher and Mo-
torman Thornquist.
Bresee Bros. yesterday received tel
egram from the husband of the dead
woman. He is staying at a hotel in
Spokane. He asked that the body be
embalmed and prepared for shipment
to Portland, Ore, for burial.
At the inquiry conducted by the rail-
road officials Motorman Thornquist
told his story of the accident and
despite the fact that he was closely
cross examined his testimony was not
shaken.
1--WE were running at full speed at
the time we were nearing Merrill ave-
nue." said Thornquist. ST sounded the
whistle repeatedly to warn wagon
that was crossing the tracks. A second
wagon, driven by a negro, approached
the crossing. The driver halted his
team and waited to let us pass. This
wagon was on the right hand side of
the road. After it came to stop an
automobile shot past the vehicle and
on to the right of way. AS the auto
crossed the first, or local tracks, I
threw on the emergency brakes.
''The negro was yelling and waving
his arms. This was before the auto
passed him. He told me later he was
trying to warn the driver of the auto
1.-The auto was running at a rate of
about twenty-five miles an hour when
we struck it, The driver of the ILL
fated vehicle had not stopped to look
before attempting to cross the tracks"
Conductor Vacher was on the
rear platform at the time Of the acci-
dent, and his testimony threw but little
light on the case.
Several other witnesses were exam
ined. They corroborated the testimony
of the motorman, and the board of in