1902 Pittsfield Streetcar Incident
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The 1902 Pittsfield Streetcar Incident was a collision involving President Theodore Roosevelt, who was traveling in a horse-drawn carriage in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. A speeding electric streetcar hit the presidential carriage as it crossed the trolley tracks, jettisoning Roosevelt who was injured. The accident resulted in the death of William Craig, Roosevelt's Secret Service agent, and injured George B. Cortelyou. Governor Winthrop M. Crane was lightly bruised.[1][2]
 Theodore Roosevelt's carriage after the collision | |
| Date | September 3, 1902 |
|---|---|
| Location | Pittsfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Type | Traffic collision |
| Cause | Miscommunication and operational lapses |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 3 |
| Arrests | Euclid Madden |
| Charges | Manslaughter |
| Trial | Madden found guilty, fined, and sentenced to six months in jail |
Background
[edit]In September 1902 President Theodore Roosevelt embarked on a tour of New England. The President rode in a barouche, an open-top carriage seating four, pulled by four horses. President Roosevelt sat in the back seat beside Massachusetts Governor Winthrop M. Crane, while George Cortelyou, Secretary to the President and former Secretary to President McKinley, sat alone in the front seat facing the rear. On the left side of the carriage's front bench, livery owner David J. Pratt of Dalton, Massachusetts, drove the team of horses, with Agent William Craig seated on the right side of the elevated perch. The carriage left Pittsfield around 10:00 AM and, accompanied by a mounted escort.[3][better source needed]
| People in the Presidential Carriage[3] | |
|---|---|
| Drivers | |
| David J Pratt |  |
| Passengers | |
 | |
 |
_(cropped).jpg) |
Accident
[edit]As the streetcar turned onto the street with the presidential carriage, the driver rang the trolley bell and attempted to stop. However, the trolley hit the carriage. William Craig yelled for the president to “Look out! Hold fast!” before they were both thrown off the wagon. Craig was thrown under the streetcar and killed instantly while Roosevelt was thrown out and hit his head on the sidewalk. George B. Cortelyou, the Secretary, sustained serious injuries. The driver of the carriage was seriously injured as well. Governor Winthrop M. Crane, also in the carriage, escaped uninjured.[4]
Aftermath
[edit]The driver was taken to the House of Mercy, a Cottage hospital in Pittsfield.
References
[edit]- ^ Taylor, Stephen J. (September 22, 2015). "WHEN THEODORE ROOSEVELT WAS HOSPITALIZED AT ST. VINCENT'S". Hoosier State Chronicles. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
- ^ Landrigan, Leslie (February 13, 2019). "The Pittsfield Streetcar Driver Who Nearly Killed Teddy Roosevelt". New England Historical Society. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ^ a b "The Trolley and the Barouche". History Nuggets. July 14, 2015. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
- ^ "Roosevelt in coalition". The Gazette. September 4, 1902. p. 1.