I have several of the newspaper articles and saw the death certificate. Elias was killed when he was struck by a trolley on Main Street in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia, in front of the 13th District Station House. He was actually struck twice when the conductor panicked and reversed direction, hitting him again as he lay in the street. According to family tradition and one newspaper article, Elias was actually decapitated in this accident. His wife was left with 5 children, the youngest only one year old. Here are the articles.
"Philadelphia Ledger
Sunday, August 19, 1906
Killed by a Trolley Car
Lyle Engel, 38 years old, of 310 Cotton Street, Manayunk, was instantly killed last night by a Ridge avenue trolley car. He was crossing the street and, becoming confused in trying to get out of the way of one car, stepped directly in front of another. His body was ground under the wheels. The accident happened directly in front of the Manayunk police station and several policemen ran to his aid."
"Manayunk Sentinel
Thursday, August 23, 1906
Cut in Two by Trolley Car
The fast running of a trolley car is claimed by the police to have been responsible for the death of Elias Lengel of No. 310 Cotton Street, on Saturday night. The man was run over by car No. 1289 at Main and Carson Streets. Half a block above where Lengel was killed is the terminus of the Ridge avenue line. Frequently half a dozen cars are blocked at the end of the line, and getting behind time the cars on starting are run at very high speed. Lengel, wanting to catch a car, started to run across the street, when he was knocked down, run over, and his body cut in two. He lives a widow and four children in destitute circumstances."
The death certificate (only a handwritten copy but I did see the original) lists Chief Cause of Death as Injuries Accidently Received: run over by car of PRT Co.
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