Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-06-26
MOTORIST KILLED AT WESTERLY
Louis DOoo Drives Over Crossing and His Car Is Struck by
Trainsudden Death Of James R. Johns Enthusiastic
Meeting IN Aid Of Irish Widows and Orphans Relief
Seven Hundred Voters Register.

Louis Dotolo. aged SO. a promine-A
mason contractor living at Pierce
street was struck by a train on the
New Haven railroad at the Palmer
street crossing and instantly killed
early Saturday evening The automo-
bile, of which he was the sole occu-
pant, was totally destroyed and the
pieces scattered along the tracks for a.
distance of over sixty yards Mr.. Do
tolo, who had been transacting BUSH
ness in the lower part of Pawcatuck,
was on his way to Wilford court
where he was doing some contract
work. He went down Prospect street
and turned up Palmer street, going,
it is claimed, at a fast rate Of speed.
He did not slacken his speed as he
approached the crossing but drove di-
rectly onto the tracks Just in front Of
train No. 624, a local from New Lon
don to Westerly.
The engine struck the machine
Squarely in the center and hurled it
several feet into the air, reducing it to
saw DotoIo hurried into the air fully
forty feet. Parts of the automobile
landed in the field east of the tracks
and other parts were strewn along
the tracks nearly to the West Broad
street bridge. Dotolo landed by the
side of the west bound tracks. 1t is
thought that death was instantaneous.
The train, which was in charge of
Conductor Harry Darling, came to a
stop as soon as possible and the con-
ductor and engineer. Joseph Bosworth,
went back to where DotoIo lay. They
offered their assistance to take him to
the station, but Medical Examiner
Stanton gave permission for the re-
moval of the body to local undertake
ing rooms.
DR.. Michael H. Scanlon, medical ex-
aminer of the town of Westerly, who
eIIY
pronounced him dead, but being from
the Rhode Island side of the river he
was unable to act as medical exam
iner. He called DR.. George D. Stan
ton, medical examiner of the town of
Stonington. DR. Stanton was i'll and
unable to leave his home, but he gave
permission Nor the removal of the
body, and telephoned to DR.. Main of
North Stonington to act for him as
medical examiner. The two physicians
made an examination of the body at
the undertaker'S rooms and found a
compound fracture of the left leg, a
fracture of the right leg, left shoulder
broken, two bad scalp wounds, one
over the right temple, and fractures
of all the ribs on the left side.
Dotolo was later removed to under
taking rooms in Westerly where the
body was prepared for burial
Several people living in the neigh
borhood said that the bells at the
crossing were warning the approach OF
the train, but either the automobile
was making so much noise that Do
tolo could not hear the bells, or he
| heard them and thought he could gel
across before the train reached him
for he apparently did not sIacken his
speed. The gates at the crossing are
operated during the day but the gate
tender goes off duty at 6.45 o'clock, sc
that he had been gone only about hall
an hour when the accident happened
The train which is due to leave New
| London at Gil and due to arrive al
| the Westerly station at 6.55, was late
and extra steam was being applied tc
make UP lost time. A passenger or
the train said that he thought they
were going about 40 miles an hour. Il
was about 10 minutes past o'clock
| when the accident happened.
| Louis Dotolo was born in Italy IS
years ago, the son of Mr.. and Mrs
Rafael Dotolo. He came to this coun-
try about 16 years ago. He has beer
making arrangements to become an
American citizen and Saturday was
going to Providence to take out his
/ naturalization papers, but because OF
/ the pressure of business had post
poned the trip to today. He is sur
vived by his mother, who lived neal
Naples, Italy, and his father who lives
with son, Joseph, at 80 Pierce street