The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-22
FRANK CROKER BADLY HURT.
R4CfNG AFRO WRECKED AND HIS
DRIVER, RiOUL, KILLED.
Tries TO Dodge n Motorcycle while speed
inE His Machine ut 80 Miles an Hour
an the beach AT OrmOnd-Croker

breaks n Lee anu ATUl anu ITref KIDS,
ORuoND, Fla, Jan. Frank Croker
was badly injured and his auto driver,
Alex Raoul, killed instantly this afternoon
by the oyertuning of Cookers racing car
on the beach here. A motor cyclist ran
in front of young Croker, who was driving
north at high speed and Croker turned
sharply, grazing the motor cyclist and
throwing him to the ground breaking his
leg.
Croker's machine lost n front tire and
darted into the ocean. turning over twice.
Raou was crushed to death, and Croker
received compound fracture of the right
leg and one arm and had three ribs broken.
He will live.
Dr. j. Wilson Parks of Boston, assisted
by four local physicians, set the fractures
and dressed the wounds Of Croker They
say that his life is in no danger, and that
# he is hurried to New York the fractures
can be cured. There ia a possibility that
the left forearm may have to be amputated.
Croker's injuries are a fractured right
leg at the knee joint a badly fractured
left arm at the elbow three ribs broken
on the right SIDE the thumb of the right
hand broken in two places and many cuts
and bruises Croker's friends are arrang-
ing TO start him for New York as soon as
possible Mrs. Croker, his mother. il on her
way to Ormond and has not been reached
H., SalograDb vat
The body of Alexander Raoul still lies on
the beach and the Coroner is holding an
inquest in the garage here. The wrecked
machine was lowed out of the water by a
team loaded on truck and hauled TO the
garage Several witnesses, among whom
are two Of Mr.. Cookers friends, Fred NJ.
Enolles and Edwin j. Conley, agree to the
following version of the accident:
Croker. accompanied by his mechanican,
Alexander Raoul was driving north on
the beach at speed of IS miles an hour.
As they neared the point Of the beach
opposite the Hotel Orrnond he caught up
with Mr.. Stanley. a nephew Of P. T. Stan
ley OF Newton, Mass, the builder OF steam
propelled motor cars, who was riding u
motor cycle in the same direction.
Some say that Stanley saw the fast
approaching racing car and lost his head
steering a zigzag course; but this point Ia
not clear. Croker started 70 pass to the left
Of tho motor cycllst, but for some reason,
perhaps because the motor cyclist turned
that way. too he threw his car sharply
10 the right heading 1t for the water. His
car swerved and grazed Stanley's motor
cycle. throwing him violently to the beach
Croker after turning was unable 10
straighten his car out and the continued
skidding caused the throwing Of the left
front tire The left front wheel then stuck
in the soft sand and the car turned COM
pletely over twice before throwing Croker
and Raoul out and then rolled out into the
two feet OF water.
Several other automobiles we're on the
beach near the scene OF the accident and
several scores Of people from the hotel
were gathered on the bluffs not 200 feet
away. dozen men rushed into the water
and picked UP the two unconscious and
apparently dead men Croker's head was
under the water when he was picked up
and IA be was carried up the beach his
groans gave evidence that he was alive.
Or. Parks Of Boston and DR.. Miller of this
place were hurried to the beach, and arrived
within FIVE minutes Of the time the accident
occurred. They pronounced Raoul dead
and said that death had been instantaneous
and resulted from the crushing in of the
head and chest. A piece Of board was
pressed into service and Croker's fractured
right leg placed In a temporary spint.
A cot was quickly secured and dozen
men carried Croker on ii to the Hotel Or
mond. an eighth OF a mile away Three
doctorsP. X. Bennett, Franklin F Marsh
and H. X. Seely--were hurried down from
Daytona, and at Gao p. NJ. Croker was put
under ether and the work Of setting the
fractures and dressing the wounds con
tinued for an hour, DR.. Parks acting az
head surgeon. Before going under ether
Croker was unable to tell anything about /
the accident and asked his friends what
had happened.
Stanley who was knocked of the motor
cycle, suffered a compound fracture OF the
hight leg and is now resting in q cottage
adjacent TO the ormond. Arrangements
have been made to start him for st. Angus
tine at o'clock tomorrow morning Stan
leys version of the accident is that he
knew nothing about the approaching car
until it hit him. He denies that he turned |
and saw It,
Al eyewitnesses agree that Croker did /
all IN his power 10 avoid hitting the motor
cyclist and that he is experienced !
enough TO know the risk he ran when he !
turned his car to one side going at the.high |
speed that he was Several well known
racing car drivers who are here condemn /
Stanley for getting in the way of a racing
car and scout the idea that he did not know !
racing car was approaching.
They said that had they been in the ,
position Croker was they would not have !
'r1ed to turn out. for to do so at the speed at /
WhchCroker was travelling was to invite sure /
death. II is certain that Croker did all he |
could 70 avoid hitting Stanley, and well knew |
he usk he ran in turning aside William |
Wallace, + r. Thomas. Fred NJ. Knowles /
and Edwin j. Conley, all close friends Of /
Croker are with him, and everything
possible is being done to provide for his /
comfort and relief
l'f Parks, in a statement late tonight, |
said that he was afrnid that Croker's left |
arm would always be stiff, but otherwise