Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-01
Spencer TraSk Killed by
Collision While in Pri-
vate Compartment
SEVERAL ARE INJURED
Noted Banker, Power in Wall
Street, Meets Death as Re-
suit of Mysterious Rear
end Crash in New York
Associated Pressl

NTEW YORK, Dec. S1.-Spencer
M Trasl1, head of firm of bankers
~ which for many years acted as
fiscal agents of the late Queen Vic
toria, was crushed to death in his pri-
vate compartment today when return
ing to New York from his Saratoga
country place.
Mr.. Trask's compartment was at the
rear of the last car, sleeper The
train. known as the Montreal Ex-
press, on the New York Central rail
road, halted near Croton, N. Y, and
was supposedly protected from the
rear by the block signal system, but
if had hardly come to a rest when
heavy freight struck it from behind.
The rear CT Mr.. Trask's car was bat
tered in and the front of 1t telescoped
with the sleeping car ahead.
Vice President DAILY of the New
York Central said:
"Oficials of the railroad are unable
to explain the accident. The line was
completely signaled, and the track to
Croton was practically straight. The
air was clear"
The accident occurred not far from
Croton. One other passenger was SO
seriously injured that he could not
give his name. The porter also was
badly hurt.
Banker Half Dressed
Mr. Trask, who was coming into the
citv from his home at Saratoga, was
dressing in his compartment when the
freight train plowed into the heavy
passenger train known as the Montreal
express. When his torn body was re-
moved from the wreckage 1t was
L. 4 Tz.,% oV-ff1
himself.
The express had been stopped by
block signal and why the freight be-
hind it was not stopped has not been
explained.
The freight struck with such force
that it demolished the rear end of the
sleeper and telescoped the front end
of it with the sleeper ahead Many
occupants of the five sleeperS had not
fully dressed and they were thrown,
half-clad, into snowbanks.
Wrecking and relief trains were dis
patched from the Harlem yards of
the New York Central and officials
hurried to the scene.
The last two sleepers had been
hurled across the tracks with the
freight engine in such a manner that
the traffic was delayed more than two
hours.
Brakeman Blamed
Passengers on the Montreal express
say that when the train stopped the
rear brakeman did not go back to dis
play a danger signal. The weather
was clear and the block signals were
working accurately, the company re-
ports.
None of the passengers in the for
ward cars is reported severely hurt,
although every one in the train was
badly shaken up by the shock of the
collision.
The news of the bankers death had
no effect upon the stock exchange,
where prices were slightly above the
close of last night.
Spencer Trask was one of New
Yorks leading citizens and one of the
country's best known bankers His
financial acumen was recognized, and
he became power in the banking
world.
Mr.. Trask early became impressed
with the genius of Thomas A. Edison
and identified himself with the Edison
electrical enterprises. The banker was
director in many realty companies
and was deeply interested In several
educational and philanthropic enter
prises. Several years ago he bought
and reorganized the New York Times.
He was president of the National Art
club and member of numerous other
prominent New York clubs.
Married Playwright
Mr.. Trask was married in 1874 to
Miss Katrina Nichols.
The descendant of Puritans, Mr..
Trask was born in Brooklyn in 1874.
He graduated from Princeton with
the degree of master of arts. He
entered the banking business with
Henry G. Marquand, his maternal
grandfather. In 1870 he succeeded to
the business and became a member of
the New York stock exchange.
In 1881 the firm assumed its present
name and had become widely known
as a strong and reliable house of far
reaching connections.
There Is no we'll founded estimate
available of Mr.. Trask's fortune One
rumor this afternoon placed it as high
as $50, 100000, but better informed opin-
ion held that his total estate would
not reach more than half that.
In recent years he had not been
active in business and his name ap-
pears on only few directorates.
Mr.. Trask leaves a widow well known
as an author of fiction and of the plays
1.-THE Little Town of Bethlehem" and
"King Alfred's Jewe4" Their four
children died twenty years ago.
Last September Mr.. Trask was Sc
! riously injured in an automobile acci-
dent at Cambridge, Mass. He recov-
cred but lost the sight of one eye.
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