Evening star., 1928-01-27
EDUCATOR KILLED
BY STREET CAR
Prof. John S. Bassett Uniden.
titled for Two Hours After
Accident.

Struck down by a street car as he
was crossing the street 10 enter the
Cosmos Club. at Madison place and H
street, John Spencer Bassett. nationally
known authority on American history,
for % years a professor at Smith Col
lege. Northampton, Mass, the Presi-
dents home town, lay unidentified at
Emergency Hospital until his death two
hours later.
Unrecognized by members OF the club,
where he was an infreQuent visitor,
Prof. Bassett was lifted into a passing
truck loaded with stone and rushed 10
the hospital.
The motorman of the Washington
Railway e. Electric car, Nathaniel S.
Apple white. a. years old. 100 East
Capitol street. and the conductor,
Ebert 3. Queen, "a years old. PAT Della
ware avenue southwest, were arrested
and released to appear at the inquest
tomorrow.
The accident occurred shortly after 8
O'Clock and was witnessed by many
persons Failure to identify him sooner
was due In some measure to delay in
the police report of the accident. which
was not made until after noon. and
a
ported the name incorrectly.
Picked Up BY Driver.
The police reported that Prof Bas-
Sett stepped OF one street car and walk
ed into the path Of another, going in
the opposite direction.
Mr.. BaSsett arrived in Washington
this morning 10 attend the sessions OF
the Council of Learned Societies and
took a street car TO the Cosmos Club,
where he was 10 stay. He alighted
from the car and had started across
the eastbound tracks when he was
struck by an eaStbound car. He vas
thrown across the other tracks.
David r. Shay. manager OF the club.
who saw the accident nom his once
window. said Mr.. Bassett was crying out
in pain and bleeding profusely from a
cut In his head. Mr.. Shay, who did
not recognize him. and ]. w. Padgett
truck driver, lifted him into the truck
and padgett drove him 10 the hospital.
Mr. Shay said everything was done to
make him as comfortable as possible
on the rough stone. one of radgett' S
fellow employees holding his head in
his lap.
Identified by Letters
Mr. Bassett was identified by several
letters in his pocket. He died Of a
fractured skull.
Mr.. BaSsett was secretary OF the
American Historical Association and
had attended its sessions here about
a month ago. Although he had not
made reservations at the club. IL was
assumed that he was intending TO stay
!. there during the two-day session Of
the Council Of Learned Societies. the
meetings OF which are being held ~
the club He was carrying q suit case
when the street car hit him.
Prof BaSsett was the author Of 6
score OF volumes dealing With Ameri-
can and European history. His latest
works were The Lost Fruits Of Water
loo" and Our War With Germany 4"
He was born in Tarboro. N. c.. in 1867
and held degrees from Trinity College
In that State. and Johns Hopkins Uni
can history at Trinity from 1898 Go
1906. when he went 10 Smith College at
Northampton.
From 1909 to 1905. he served as editor
OF the South Atlantic Quarterly. He
lectured at Yale and New York univer-
stiles. Prof. BaSSett was member OF
the Massachusetts, Historical Society
Wrete on Slavery.
Many Of his early books dealt with the
slavery problem in his native State OF
North Carolina, Among them are Con
sltutional Beginnings OF North Caro-
Tina" slavery and Seryitude In the
Colony OF North Carolina" The Regu.
lators Of North Carolina" "Ansi>Slavery
Leaders Of North Carolina" and Slavery
In State OF North Carolina"
Other volumes he produced were The
Federalist System" Life Of Andreg
Jackson" "A Short History Of the United
States" The Plain Story OF American
History" and The Middle Grcup ci
American Historians"
NORTHAMPTON, Mass, January sT
tT,-~John Spencer RaSSett, killed hy a
street car In Washington today, was the
second Smith College professor within q
month TO meet accidental death. Prot
Harry w, Gardiner MAS killed by an
automobile here on the night OF
December -.
Prof. BaSSett had gone 60 Washington
In connection with the raising Of an
endowment ts,nd for the American
Historical Association, Of which he waS
secretary,
Q