"A Dreadful Accident to Automobile Party

Mrs. E. W. Reisinger and John Biggins Killed and Attorney F. W. Downey, Ronald Finch and Natalie Reisinger Seriously Injured.

Struck by Street Car at Canonsburg.

Were Misled by Safety Signal of Watchman at Dangerous Railroad Crossing. Occupants Could Not See Electric Car Approaching at High Speed.

A dreadful accident occurred at Canonsburg, Pa., on Tuesday evening, by which members of two prominent families of Waynesburg lost their lives and three others were seriously injured. As a result of the accident Waynesburg has since been enshrouded in gloom and sorrow.

On Tuesday morning F. W. Downey, Esq., a prominent attorney, Mrs. Emory W. Reisinger and little daughter, Natalie Reisinger, and Ronald Finch left here in the automobile of John Biggins, with Mr. Biggins, as driver, for Pittsburgh, where they spent the day. Returning home Tuesday evening, they arrived at Canonsburg at 6:30. Traveling on the road, via Morganza, as they approached the north side of Canonsburg the road crosses the tracks of the Chartiers Valley Railroad and also of the Pittsburgh Electric Railway. The tracks of both railways are close together, at that point, the Chartiers having three tracks and the Pittsburgh Railways two. The Chartiers Valley Railroad, on account of this being a dangerous crossing and a number of persons having been killed there, employs a watchman. As the automobile containing Mr. Downey and party approached the crossing the watchman signaled to them to come on and pass over the tracks.

All day while traveling through the city they had watched for and obeyed signals and at this crossing were exercising their usual precaution. Freight cars were standing upon the tracks of the Chartiers Railroad so that the line of the Pittsburgh Electric Railway, in the direction of Canonsburg, could not be seen from the automobile and the party had no knowledge of the approach of a car. Believing that the watchman's signal meant that the way was clear over all the tracks at the crossing, the automobile proceeded.

While it was directly upon the track of the electric railway, however, an inter-urban car bound from Washington to Pittsburgh, without having been seen by any of the occupants of the automobile, struck the machine. The electric cars going toward the city pass that point, we understand, at the speed of 45 or 50 miles an hour.

The automobile was a seven passenger Buick. Mr. Biggins and Mr. Downey occupied the front seat, with the former on the left side next to the electric car. Mrs. Reisinger sat on the left side of the rear seat, Ronald Finch on the right side and Mrs. Reisinger's daughter between them. The automobile was entirely demolished, the impact being so great that the heavy inter-urban car partially leaped over it, Mrs. Reisinger's body being taken from underneath the electric car.

All of the occupants of the automobile were rendered unconscious, the first one to regain consciousness being Mr. Downey. He was able to give his name. Ambulances were secured and the injured persons were removed to the Canonsburg hospital.

Mrs. Reisinger's death occurred within a few minutes after they reached the hospital, it being later determined that her skull was fractured and her neck dislocated.

Mr. Biggins died about fifteen minutes later, his body having been badly crushed. Their deaths occurred at 7:30 and 7:45 p.m.

Ronald Finch sustained the next most serious injury, his right ear being almost entirely torn off and a long deep gash being inflicted at the base of his skull. From the latter wound the bleeding was serious. He is in a weakened condition, but the physicians expect him to recover.

Attorney F. W. Downey sustained a deep gash across his forehead, above the eye, which required several stiches [sic] to close; his back was severely sprained and it is believed a bone in his ankle is fractured. He will not be able to leave the hospital for some days, at least.

Natalie Reisinger, aged ten, was severely bruised upon the face and body, and remains in the hospital, though her condition is not considered serious.

When Attorney F. W. Downey recovered consciousness at the scene of the accident and was able to give his name, it was at once associated with the Hotel Downey, Waynesburg, by those who had gathered about him. The first word of the accident was telephoned to his hotel and immediately conveyed to R. F. Downey, Esq., a brother of the injured man. Additional facts concerning the seriousness of the accident were learned and Mr. Downey at once arranged for a special train on the W. & W. railroad, to convey them to Washington.

Those who left upon the special train were Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Downey, Mrs. Nellie Piers, nurse of Natalie Reisinger; Thomas Biggins, father of John Biggins; Register and Recorder Milton Finch, father of Ronald Finch; Dr. S. H. Iams, Robb Ledwith and W. D. Shull, superintendent of the W. & W. Railroad. The train left here at 7:30 and upon reaching Washington the party was able to secure a train at once for Canonsburg, arriving there shortly after nine. They went at once to the hospital and were informed of the sad news which awaited them.

The electric car which struck the automobile was in charge of Motorman D. G. Miller and Conductor W. G. Anderson.

The bodies of Mrs. Reisinger and Mr. Biggins, accompanied by the friends who had gone to Canonsburg, arrived here at 10 a. m., Wednesday. The remains of Mrs. Reisinger were conveyed to the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Downey, corner of Washington and Greene streets, and the remains of Mr. Biggins taken to the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thos. F. Biggins, East Lincoln street.

[Further notices of the deceased will be found in another column of the REPUBLICAN.]"