To this day, we have had no presidents who have died as a result of a vehicular collision. However, one of our presidents came close, and this was a man who would survive taking a bullet on the campaign trail…Theodore Roosevelt. The year is 1902, and Roosevelt is out on the campaign trail to support Republican candidates for the midterms. In September, he is touring New England and after visiting retired Senator Henry Dawes in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, he takes a carriage with his entourage from Pittsfield to Lenox. His entourage included his secretary George Cortelyou, Massachusetts Governor Murray Crane, driver David J. Pratt, and bodyguard William Craig. Unbeknownst to Roosevelt as orders had gone out to close the road to trolleys, the executives of the Pittstown Electric Street Company, either out of ignorance of or disregard of the order, wanted to take a trolley to meet President Roosevelt downtown. However, others wanted to board the trolley too, and this delayed scheduled departure by 15 minutes. The driver, Euclid Madden, was ordered by the executives to try to make up for lost time, thus the trolley was barreling along. After a sharp curve, Madden saw to his horror that the trolley was on a crash course for the president’s carriage, and although he rang the bell it was too late.

CRASH!

Roosevelt’s bodyguard, William Craig, was pulled under the trolley, crushing his skull and killing him instantly, one of the horses was mortally wounded while the others broke ranks and fled. The other four occupants were thrown from the carriage. Pratt was seriously wounded from his fall and had to be hospitalized, Cortelyou was knocked out and bleeding from the neck but ended up being okay, Crane only received light bruising, and President Roosevelt’s face landed in the mud. He was slightly injured, including a wound to his shin, a bloody mouth, and a swelling face. After inquiring about the well-being of others, he furiously stormed towards the driver, accusing him of negligence and shouted expletives at him, and when the driver argued that he had the right-of-way, Roosevelt shook his fist and shouted through his blood-stained teeth, “this is the most damnable outrage I ever knew!” and had to be restrained from attacking him (History Nuggets). The president was distraught over the loss of Craig, who was close with the Roosevelt family and was the first secret service agent to die protecting the president. Roosevelt’s continued participation in the 1902 campaign would be complicated as his shin wound would turn out to be more serious as it become infected weeks later while he was campaigning in the Midwest. Two operations ended up being necessary to prevent sepsis and Roosevelt used a wheelchair during his recovery. Two men were prosecuted for this incident – Madden and conductor James Kelly. Although Kelly served no jail time, Madden was hit with a heavy fine and served six months in jail. The Pittstown Electric Company, fully aware that they had urged Madden to go fast, paid the fine and compensated him throughout his time in jail, and he resumed his employment on release. Roosevelt would later tell an audience, “If you’re set on risking your life, go to Pittsfield, Mass., and take a trolley ride” (New England Historical Society).

References

President’s Landau Struck by a Car. (1902, September 4). The New York Times.

Retrieved from

The Pittsfield Streetcar Driver Who Nearly Killed Teddy Roosevelt. (2024). New England Historical Society.

Retrieved from

The Pittsfield Streetcar Driver Who Nearly Killed Teddy Roosevelt

The Trolley and the Barouche. (2015, July 14). History Nuggets.

Retrieved from

https://historynuggets.squarespace.com/nuggets/2015/7/14/the-trolley-and-the-barouche

When Theodore Roosevelt Was Hospitalized at St. Vincent’s. Hoosier State Chronicles.

Retrieved from

When Theodore Roosevelt Was Hospitalized at St. Vincent’s