New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-03
Woman Driver, Only Survivor OF
Party in Crash on Long
Island Road, May Die.
LOST CONTROL OF HORSE
Flagman's Warning of No Avail,
and Motorman and Conductor
Are Injured, but Former
Brings Train to City.


another badly cut, when motor train
on the Rockaway branch OF the Long
Island Railroad ran into light spring
wagon at the Trotting Course Lane
Crossing Glendale, Long Island. about
4:3O o'clock yesterday afternoon. The
six persons In the wagon were taking
keg Of beer to the picnic grounds
near by for an evenings frolic when the
accident occurred. The splinters OF the
wagon were scattered for several nun
dred feet along the track. One OF the
bodies was picked up a hundred feet
from the scene.
The fault lay apparently with no one.
The fagman at the crossing waved MS
red piece OF bunting desperately as the
vehicle came toward him at fast clip.
the young woman at the reins seemed
70 be doing all that in her lay to stop
its perilous advance, but the horse re-
fused to heed her frantic pulling. He
paid the penalty for his obstinacy. He
was instantly killed.
The dead, all OF whom were In the
back part OF the wagon. are:
COHEN, Ida, % years. Of No. SIS Avenue b.
Manhattan.
COHEN. Jacob. 90 years. Of the ssns address.
her brother.
GOLDBERG Leah. p years. or NO. @-< fu-
laski street. Brooklyn.
street. Manhattan.
| WEINBERG. Yetts. 10 years. of No. 20 Hester
street. Manhattan.
Mary Sessler, housekeeper at Charles
Jocher's Hotel, Glendale. who was driv-
ing from the front seat, was the one
whose injuries may prove fatal She
was operated on at st. Mary's Hospital,
Jamaica. last night, but the surgeons
held out little hope for her recovery
Conductors Arm Amputated.
The other two injured were OH the
train-the conductor. Richard Creed. OF
No. 40 Beech street. Richmond HILL who
was struck by flying debris from the
shattered wagon while standing on the
front platform OF the train and rendered
unconscious. and the motorman. Harry
Lefferts of No. 304 Beech street VINO
was cut by the glass splintered from
the front of his cab. He. however. pro-
ceeded with his train into the Pennsyl-
vania station. while Greed was taken
70 ST Mary's Hospital. where 1t was
found that compound fracture neoessi-
tated the amputation Of his left arm.
The fatal drive came as the result Of
family gathering at Goldberg Farm.
pouular picnic ground In Glendale. yes
terdav afternoon. The family was one OF
the many which repaired thither to es-
cape the frightful heat that heid the
syeltering city In its grasp; but even
there the breeze was loath TO blow, ana
the scattered trees gave little relief from
the sun that beat down upon the field as
the afternoon wore away. The party
deeided that something was needed to
cool hot heads and moisten dry throats
II being Sunday. no liquor was To be
had on the grounds. But there was one
who knew where II could be had, pro-
vided several went along TO help him
bring it back.
Two young couples and the child
tramped off down the dusty road. merry
in the consciousness of their mission In
due time they obtained keg Of ice cold
beer and proceeded to roll It back tow
ard the picnic ground. But on hot days
even beer barrels are heavy. and when
the quintet came TO Jocher's Hotel they
had come also to the decision that a vehi-
Gle would be OF material assistance. inc
good host lent them his open wagon and
his housekeeper, Mrs. Sesser, to drive
Il over and back. All hands were anx-
ious to make the journey short the horse
no less than the humans he drew.
A few blocks from the hotel Trotuns
Course Lane makes sharp descent tn
cross the railroad tracks There is no
gate. but Louis Ammenworth. the nag
man. was at his station as the wagon
approached. He heard the train coming
westward from Rockaway Beach and ne
waved his flag to warn the merrymakers
of their danger. Mrs Sessler Was seen
10 null on the reins, but the horse.
frightened evidently by the unaccus-
toned rattle OF the beer keg and the
roar of the oncoming train. leaped fos-
ward.
No Time to Apply Brakes.
At the same instant the train bore
down ON the rossng. There was no
time TO slow up, no time TO apply the
brakes even At forty miles an hour II
da shed into the frail conveyance. When
IL did come To a stop with jolt that
nearly threw the passengers from their
seats there were five persons dead along
| the rails.
When the news Of the accident reached
the picnic ground. which the young per-
sons had left SO short time before.
crowds came docking down to the seen;
and swarmod across the tracks Those
particularly I'm the gathering that was
impatiently awaiting the arrival ot the
beer were plunged into uncontrollaoie
woe. most of them being relatives OF the
victims. and many of the women I'm the
| throng tainted at the sight OF the bodies
lying about.
| For n time the tracks were covered
with hysterical persons. and II Vas only
the prompt arrival Of the reserves from
the Ozone Park station that prevented
many OF them from being run down by
the trains soon due i'm both directions.
Finally however. something approaching