The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-14
KILLED BY A CAR
Old Man Never Regained Con-
seriousness.
DID NOT HEAR The BELL
Moiorman Did All He Could
TO Stop the Car.

William Grove was struck by a street
rar yesterday at fifteen minutes past
Twelve near the corner Of Usage street
and Douglas avenue on the west side
The car was in charge Of William Penny
and the car left the corner Of Main and
Douglas avenue at twelve minutes past
twelve. It was going at the regular
rate when it came to Usage street. The
motorman saw the old gentleman coming
across the street going toward his eleva-
tor. The motornan rang his gong, but
did not slacken speed because he thought
the old man heard the bell. About the
time Mr.. Grove reached the track re
turned to the east and walked directly
howard the car. The motorman kept
ringing the bell and when the man did
not pay any attention 10 the gong he De-
gan to yell and tried in every way to stop
The car. He set the brakes and reversed
but it was too late. The car struck the
man on the right side and threw him
about ten feet out into the street. The
car ran about thirty feet before 1t could
be stopped after it struck the man. Mr..
Grove was picked up and carried into the
Office of the West Side Lumber company
and Drs. Hoffman and Purdue were call
ed. The police ambulance was sent for
and the injured man was taken to his
home on the second floor Of the Sunfower
block at the corner Of Seneca and Doug
las avenues. His wounds were dressed
and about two o'clock he was removed to
the Wichita hospital where a thorough
examination was made Of his injuries.
There was a large scalp wound on the
right side of his head and his right thigh
was fractured and it is thought that he
susutained internal injuries. He is a very
old man ana the doctors had little hope
OF his living through the night, and he
died at about II o'clock last. He was
unconscious when picked up and was
yelling and screaming all the way TO his
home and there until the doctors arriv-
ed and administered opiates. This quiet
ed him but he did not regain conscious
ness.
The eye witnesses of the accident say
that the mOtorman was not to blame for
the injury of the man. He did all in his
power to stop the car when he saw that
the man did not hear the bell. Mr.. Grove
was the proprietor of the elevator on the
West Side and was one of the Oldest resi-
dents of this city.
His SOC, Abe, has been an employe Of
the street railway for q number Of years
and is one of their most trusted en-
ployes.
A reporter for the Eagle talked with
William Penny, who is the motorman Of
car rs, which struck Mr.. Crow. He
said; It was running along at a moder-
ate speed and as the car approached
Usage street, saw Mr.. Grove start to
walk across the track; he reached the
middle Of the track, when he seemed to
change his mind and turning towards the
direction from which the car was coming,
walked right straight towards the car,
with his hat pulled down over his eyes
and his head seemed bowed in thought
I had already put on the brakes as some
one had rung the ben TO get of. but it
was beyond human power to have stop
ped the car before it struck the old gen
flemau. although 7 had applied the re-
verse and did everything in my power.
Seeing that the constant ringing OF the
bell did not attract the unfortunate mans
attention, I began yelling b. this also
FAILED and the car ran into the man. hit
ting him on the side Of the head. As the
car struck him it seemed TO have been
the first inhmation he had that car was
anywhere near him. and throwing up
both his hands over his head as the car
struck him throwing him out into the
street. The car ran past the man, about
a car length before succeeded in bring
sng It to a dead stop"
Mr.. Penny feels very bad over the &C
eident. it being the first accident he has
had since he has been 4 motorneer.