The Minneapolis journal., 1905-04-10
CHAUFFEUR WAS
LOOKING TO REAR
HIS AUTO CRASHED INTO AN OLD
MANS WAGON. ,s
Those Who Saw Incident at Lake Street
and James Avenue Declare the Driv-
er Was Maliciously Neglectf ful-De-
mand for Greater Care in Running
Fast Motor Cars.

William G. Hicks, 3l44 Girard avenue
S, floor manager for the Powers Mer-
camille company, and his wife and
chllren We're walking on Lake street,
near James avenue, at $40 O'Clock last,
evening, when they saw sight that
made their blood ruin cold. -. ~
A large auto touring car had turned
from Calhoun boulevard and was speed
ing east on Lake street. In the front
two stylishly dressed women. A few
yards in front Of Mr.. Hicks, an old
man was driving a peddler's wagon
slowly along near the right hand curb. .
Gradually the auto closed in on the
wagon. Mr. Hicks wondered why the
chauffeur didn't turn out, for he was
bearing down upon the vehicle directly
from the rear. Then the pedestrians
saw that the chauffeur was not looking
his seat and engaged in conversation
with the women. ,%,~..
AS it sped on, the auto did not
swerve, altho there was plenty of room
the whole street, in fact-in which
it might have circled~ the slowly NOV
ing wagon. The horse and driver passed
under the arc light. at the corner of
James avenue, and directly in front Of
the home, of L. II. Lincoln; but even
then the chauffeur didn' t see or regard
them. His machine scooted noiselessly
along and the old man sat on the seat
unmindful of the danger. When the
auto was within a few feet Of the
rickety wagon, and almost directly op-
posite them, Mr.. Hicks shouted and
Mrs. Hicks screamed. A moment later
the big touring car crashed against the
little rig. .....
Then there was tremendous hubbub.
+, The wagon was badly wrecked and with
tits remains the horse broke and ran,
throwing the gray-haired driver to the
pavement. The women in the car
screamed, and one of them turned to
weeping. Mr.. Hicks and others were on
the scene in a minute. A dozen hands
tried to minister to the aged victim
There were cries for some one to get a
waited for some one else to act. The
women in the auto implored the
chauffeur to put the old man in the
car and take him to a>hospital,: but the
chauffeur expostulated. He said he
would 20 for a physician. Leaping into
his machine, he whisked it around ant
sped to Lake and Hennepin. He left
word with a clerk at Washburn g dru}
store at that corner that man was in
ing his auto "chuffed' off and was mo-
seen again.
The old man so recklessly run dow1
was Raphael Brooks, Hebrew peddler
9O3 Third street n" His injuries ar
painful, but not serious. Mr.. Hick
and L. T. Lincoln declared that it wa
a case Of malicious neglect. Mr.. Lin
coin Immediately inquired Of the crow
if anyone had seen the number Of tn
automobile. Several persons said the.
had seen the; chauffeur, in the excite
inent, rush to the rear Of his car an
/ take something from it, presumably tn
number, which nobody had seen. =.
The incident has been the chief topi
in that section today. It was. declare'
by many that some auto drivers ar
very careless in handling & their; cars
! that, while they may not exceed x .h tn n
and endanger lives by lack of considera
1 ton for those who have to travel o:
foot or with horses. - ,.'r s.. -.