Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-20
WOMAN FATALLY HURT
KNOCKED DOWN By TRUCK OF
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Death Ensued Early This Morning at
Providence Hospital-Inquest
to Be Held,

While on her way to the pump at Cd and
o'clock Miss Mary McNerny about eighty
years old. was knocked down by one OF the
horses drawing truck @ to a fire In South
Washington. and was fatally injured She
died at Providence Hospital this morning
about l 80 O'Clock. A report sent to Chief
Belt by Capt Hooper. who was on the
truck at the time the accident happened.
stated that the accident was unavoidable.
Miss McNerny was an old resident of the
southeast section. and had spent many
years Of her life with her sister, Mrs
Butler, at 81 d street southeast. Last
night shortly after I o'clock. she left the
house to go to the pump. Before going
out she told her sister where she was
going, and that she would return in a few
minutes About the time she started from
her home an alarm was sounded from box
424 because Of fir. In a tent on 1st street
southeast.
Then came the noise made by the fire ap-
paratus, and people who were hurrying to
st Peters Church stopped along the line
OF curb TO see the department horses pass.
Billy" Red BIZ and "Goldie" the horses
drawing the vehicle, presented a magnifi-
cent sight as they were being driven west
on North Carolina avenue from Seward
Square.
Miss McNerny was partly across the ave-
nue. before she became aware Of the pres
ence OF the fire apparatus on the street
She hesitated a moment. as IL she were
going to retrace her footsteps to the south
side OF the avenue, but. giving the matter a
second thought she concluded she could
cross In front of the horses and reach the
north curb before the animals reached the
crossing.
Futile Effort to Avert Accident.
George Boyd had the lines. and Capt.
Hooper was at his post beside him. The
horses were well under control. and were
going trife slower than usual because
tney were nearing D street. where they
would have to make slight turn Driver
BOYD pulled his three horses to the south
when he discovered the pedestrian. but she
had not cleared the path OF "Goldie," the
on horse. and was knocked down, as stated.
len feet away the horses were brought to
run stop Private Orpin was told bv
capt hooper to care for the victim and see
tnat she was taken to Providence HOSPITAL.
Inc condition Of the aged woman did
not appear to be serious There was q cut
In her scalp on the back of her head and
small quantity OF blood was lost Miss
McNerny had not lost consciousness at
the time she was sent to the hospital. but
shortly after reaching there the surgeons
discovered that her condition was seri-
Gus. 1t appeared that there was a frac-
tufe or the base of the skull, and her
death occurred about the time stated
coroner hewitt was notified of the dea tn
or the aged woman, and he decided tn
hold an inquest at the morgue tomorrow
morning at II o'clock.
Chief Belts Report.
Chief Belt submitted report Of the at
fair to the District Commissioners, in
which he told of the fatal accident His
report recited the facts in the case sub
stantially as stated He made I'D his re-
port from the report sent him by Capt.
Hooper.
In his report the captain stated that his
company was responding to the alarm turn
ed In from box 424 and that Miss McNerny
was going north on the crossing at Sd
street; that she hesitated and then started
to- cross In front of the apparatus and
was showed down by the off horse He
also gave the information that Private
Orpin was left at the scene of the acct
dent to take care of the victim
Undertaken J. William Lee took charge
of the body, and the funeral will take
place from the chapel in his establish
ment at 1872 Pennsylvania avenue Satur-
day.
Commissioner mcfarland is not salts
fed with the report made by Chief Belt
concerning the death and has ordered the
chief to make a thorough and complete
investigation of the facts and circum-
stances. SO that the negligence, If any
can be aScertained.