The San Francisco call., 1896-07-05
She Saw Her Boy Smile and
Then Disappear Beneath the
Grinding Wheels.
WAS THERE a WARNING BELL
The Motorman's Explanation-A Mis-.
sion Tragedy That Darkened
Holiday Celebration.

Walton Manning. years of age, son of
James w. Manning, an employe of the
Market-street Railway Company, who re-
sides at 2614 Mission street, was crushed
TO death beneath the wheels of car 1904
near the corner OF Mission and Twenty
third streets at o'clock last evening.
The little fellow was on an errand for
his mother when he met his shocking
death. His parents were seated near a
front window watching him as he crossed
the sidewalk and started toward the rail-
road track.
He turned around and smiled at his lit
tie brother and sister who were playing on
the porch and then continued on his er-
rand. He did not glance down the track,
however, and the noise of exploding bombs
drowned the sound of the electric car as 1t
bore down upon him.
Without looking to the right or left, he
turned to cross the track, and in an instant
the car struck him. Being little boy, the
fender did not throw him from the track,
but on the contrary it helped to crush out
his life
Thadey Begley, the motorman, had not
seen the boy on the track and was uncon-
scious of the accident until the screams of
lurches of the car as it crushed its victim
informed him as to what had happened.
He then put on the brakes, but before the
car came to standstili the child's body
had been dragged and bumped over the
cobbles for fully 100 feet.
Mrs. Manning, the boys mother, wit
messed the accident from her win dow.
She rushed downstairs screa ming, and
ba -
ers to save her precious boy to take him
from beneath the wheels that she might
try to save his life.
Her appeals were without avail how
ever, and when the motorman and Martin
Quinlan, who had witnessed the accident,
attempted to lift the remains from under
meath the car they found that the rear
wheels were resting on the child's body
and it could not be removed. Try as they
would, they could not remove the mangled
remains from beneath the wheels. The
car was then moved forward over the body.
1t seemed cruel thing to do, but there
was no help for it, and the remains were
recovered from their awful position.
sheet was then procured, and after care
fully wrapping the body it was carried to
the side of the street and the Coroner's
Office was notified.
Deputy Coroner J. G. Tyrrell and Mes.
senger I. Smith hurried to the scene that
the body of the little boy might be re.
moved before large crowd congregated.
Fragments of the poor crushed flesh and
bone were found here and there by Mes
senger Smith, who walked along the track
with a lantern the entire distance the
body had been dragged.
Mrs. Manning swooned away. She was
carried into her home by her husband and
bystander. She is prostrated with grief
and the father is also heartbroken over the
death of his oldest child.
mo bell was sounded to warn the child
that car was approaching. said Martin
Quinlan last night. ~ was standing on the
porch of my residence 2021 Mission street.
at the time of the accident and am posi-
tive that if the bell had been sounded Wal
ton Manning would now be alive and well.
My little daughter, Irene, as standing on
the sidewalk just In front of the place
where the boy was first struck. She says
that the motorman was busily engaged
watching some children set off fireworks
and was not looking ahead of his car as lie
should have been doing"
Thadey Begley, the motorman, was ar
rested by Sergeant John Martin. He was
taken to the City Prison and released on
his own recognizance by Captain Gillen.
Begley, who lives at 10 California ave-
nue., said: II did not see the child. I felt
jolt and then some people on the side
walk shouted to me that had run over
boy. l Immediately stopped the car.
That is all l know about it,