An electric car fatally struck an Edgefield, Ohio man in 1904. I’m posting this here because we seem to forget that early cars were electric and were powerful enough to cause serious injury and even death.
Killed Instantly
EDGEFIELD, Oh. August 9, 1904. — James McLinden, aged 63, was struck and killed by a car in Akron on Saturday evening around 9 o’clock. Mr. McLinden, a resident of Edgefield, two miles north of Canton on New Berlin Road, was returning from Canton at the time of the accident.
Motorman Hitz, who was operating the car, stated that he did not see McLinden until the collision occurred. The wooden beam at the rear of the fender crushed his skull, causing immediate death. The body was taken to the Miller-Blanchard undertaking rooms.
Coroner Schiltz viewed the remains and will take testimony on the matter this week. The cause of death was determined to be a fracture of the skull. McLinden is survived by his widow, two sons, and five daughters.
The funeral will be held at St. John’s Church on Tuesday morning at 8:30 o’clock, with burial to follow at St. John’s Cemetery.
Source: The Stark County Democrat. (Canton, Ohio), 09 Aug. 1904.
