The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-17
WRECKED AUTO IN THE DITCH.
TWO VOC No WOMEN, BADLY HURT,
LEFT IN FORDKAM HOSPITAL.
The Machine Was r.. y. Rickert's and He
says Ills Driver, Eis&ll. Had It--Ihe
Injured Girls Worked In Department
store Their Companions Disa appeared.

A mounted policeman riding along Je-
rome avenue, in The Bronx, yesterday after
noon, found a wrecked automobile in a
ditch near Mosholu Parkway. The ma
chine, a big touring car with u canopy top,
was crushed in the fore part as II 1t had been
hit with triphammer. There was blood
on tho seat and bloodstains OH stones in the
roadway.
An iron pole which supports trolley wires
was out of plumb a little, and the police
man got the idea that the auto must have
run into 1t at full speed. No report of an
accident had been made and he was puzzled
He notified Capt. Davies of the Bronx
Park station and the captain put two Of his
sleuths on the case. They went to Ford
ham Hospital on a chance, and got news
right away. Two young women were there
badly hurt-one witha fractured skull, who
may die; the other with broken jaw. Both
were bruised badly.
Clerk Gale OF the hospital told the de-
tectives what he knew about the ma tier.
He said that about 2 o'clock yesterday
morning man who looked like an English
man and who talked like one came to the
hospital carrying one woman and sup
porting another. The man was hurt him
self His face was cut and bleeding and
he seemed unnerved.
He said that with Il friend and the two
women he was on his way from Yonkers
to the city. In avoiding a ditch at Jerome
avenue and the Parkway the wheels slued
and the auto crashed into a trolley pole.
The auto was going fast at the time The
two women we're pitched out on their heads
and he and the other man were thrown ont :.
but were not badly hurt.
A northbound car came along while the
women were unconscious. He hailed it
and asked the conductor where the nearest
doctor or hospital was. He was told to
take a southbound car and go to Fordham
Hospital. One came along after while,
and he got the two women aboard somehow,
leaving his friend in the automobile and
promising to return to him quickly.
Clerk Gale said he did not ia Ike the names
of the persons then. thinking he would get
them when the man returned to the hospita
with his friend. The man saw that the
women were properly attended to and
left, saying he was going back to his friend
in the wrecked machine. That was the
last seen of him at the hospital
The detectives interviewed the women.
They said they were Marie Phelan Of 1872
West Twent y-first 81 rect and Mary O Council
Of the same address. They said they were
on their way from Yonkers to their home
when the accident happened, That was all
the detectives could get out OF them. They
refused to give the names Of the men who
had been with them
1t il a furnished room house at 1872 West
Twenty-first street, and Marie Phelan
and Mary O'Connoll live there. Both
work in department store. Miss Phelan
is pretty and blond and Miss O'Connell
is pretty and brunette.
1t was said at the house last night that
both girls had gone out Thursday evening
and had not returned.
Can't Davies sent his men ont to find out
who owned a machine with New York and
New Jersey numbers l7243 and 1886 respec :
lively.
At the Peerless garage. in West Forty
first street last night it was said the wrecked
machine belonged to f. j. Rickert, who
is in the real estate business at West Thirty
fourth street and at II Broadway. and lives
at $40 West lOith street. Mr. Rickert said
last night
THE first l heard OF the accident was
when l called up the garage yesterday
morning and told them to send up my car.
| was informed then that an hour or so
before my driver, man named Jack Ed
SAIL had telephoned to the garage to send
a wrecking outfit up to The Bronx some
where to recover my machine, which had
been badly DANA ed. | have tried all day
to find Edsall. but without success.
He took the car from the garage at II
O'Clock Thursday night on the plea that it
was not working properly and he wantel
to test it. AS | understand, he should
not have been allowed to take it without
the consent OF the owner. He got it any
way and he took his own friends out in it.
! have not the least idea who they are and
know little or nothing about the accident.
except what have been told"
The wrecked auto was brought back last
night. The Peerles So people said it was the
worst damaged machine they ever saw.