1915-02-19ag

“Leslie L. Glennie, 200 Lottridge street, an insurance agent, was instantly killed a few minutes before 1 o’clock this afternoon.”

Hamilton Spectator.    February 19, 1915.

Just minutes after the accident occurred, the Hamilton Spectator sent a reporter to the scene. He quickly gathered as much information as possible, enough to get the news of the fatality included in the late afternoon edition of that day’s newspaper.

Leslie Glennie, a married man 35 years of age, was an agent for the London Life Insurance company. He was known to many in the Spectator newsroom, as he worked out of an office in the Spectator building on James street south.

Glennie used his bicycle to visit customers, usually for the purpose of selling insurance policies, or collecting money to pay the monthly charges on policies previously sold. Even in the dead of winter, he used his bicycle to get around.

Early in the afternoon, Leslie Glennie was cycling west on King street, heading downtown, when he collided with a Hamilton Street Railway streetcar:

“The accident occurred at the corner of King and Steven streets. One wheel passed over the unfortunate man, almost completely decimating him. His head was crushed so as to be unrecognizable and he was not identified until nearly an hour afterwards.”¹

¹ “Fatal Plunge Under Wheels of Street Car.”

Hamilton Spectator.    February 19, 1915.

According to witnesses, Glennie had been cycling directly in front of the streetcar for several blocks, but when Steven street was reached, he skidded on the wet pavement and fell in front of the oncoming car :

“”The motorman applied the emergency brakes, but before the car could be stopped, the man was beneath the wheels.

“The car was crowded with passengers hurrying to work, and many ran to Glennie’s assistance, but death was instantaneous. The body was firmly wedged beneath the front trucks so that the car had to be jacked up before the remains could be extricated.”¹

It was a horrifying scene for all who witnessed the aftermath of the accident. At first, only Glennie’s mangled legs could be seen protruding from beneath the streetcar. Several women fainted at the sight.

By the time, two doctors and the police arrived on the scene, there was nothing that could be done until the streetcar was lifted off the unfortunate man.

Glennie’s identity could only be determined after his clothing was searched and several insurance papers were found in his pocket.

At first, there were rumors that Glennie’s bicycle had been struck by an automobile which had left the location hastily. That story was determined to be untrue.

Passengers on the streetcar stated that the motorman was entirely blameless, and that he had done everything possible to bring the car to a stop as quickly as possible.

The remains were removed to the city morgue, where a hastily-assembled coroner’s jury viewed it. It was decided that the circumstances of the sad incident were clear, and that no blame could be attached to anyone. It was concluded that a formal inquest was not necessary.