Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-17
AUTO AND
TROLLEY
COLLIDE
One Man Killed and
One Hurt in
Smashup
Mining Engineer Akers
Steered His Own
Machine
Mexican Youth In Speeding Convey
ance Seized Wheel, but Too Late
to Prevent Accident-Victins
Caught Between Cars

In collision between an automobile
and Mateo street electric car at Sixth
and Spring streets late last night a
man Identified as william A. Akers
was fatally hurt and Mexican boy,
who was in the machine, was also in
jured.
Akers died at the California hospital
at 1:35 o'clock this morning.
William A. Akers, mining engineer
with offices at 512 Union Trust build
ing, accidentally steered his automobile
into northbound Mateo car on the
Los Angeles railway line, resulting in
the probable fatal injury of himself and
serious injuring a Mexican boy who
was also in the machine
According to the story that Manuel
Garfas, the Mexican lad, told when
lying on a cot at the receiving hos
pital they had been to Hamlin garage
at S06 South Main street to get the
automobile which had been cleaned and
belonged to Akers.
After riding about the city for a short
SD1lIl&
street about 10 o'clock and When they
reached a point about half way be-
tween Sixth and Seventh he noticed
that Akers steered the machine in such
q manner that it wobbled.
Boy Grabs Steering Wheel
Garfias saw the Mateo street car COM
ing toward them when they were going
at about twenty miles an hour and too
late realized that Akers was steering
directly toward the car.
Garfias grabbed the steering wheel
but not in time to avoid an accident.
The machine struck the front steps
of the trolly car and was telescoped,
throwing the two occupants between
the car and the automobile.
Passengers on the car said that the
motorman attempted to stop, but that
this was impossible on account of the
speed at which the automobile was
moving.
Pinned Between Cars
With the aid of the passengers, the
train crew picked up the two injured
men.
The rescuerS were compelled to move
the automobile in order to release Ak
ers, who was pinned between the ma
chine and the coach.
Akers was taken to the receiving hos
pital after a quick run by the ambu-
lance.
Garfias was taken to the hospital in
an ambulance.
An examination was conducted by
the police surgeons under the super
vision of DR.. Quint. Akers was found
to have sustained compound fracture
of the left leg below the knee and a SER
ious fracture of the skull just above the
left temple.
DR.. Quint said at a late hour last
night that in his opinion there was
little hope for the mans recovery.
Garfias sustained a compound frac-
ture of the left knee and was cut about
the mouth. He was still conscious when
taken to the hospital. The doctors say
that his condition, while serious, is not
considered to be dangerous.
Z Garfias Is a refugee from San Fran
cisco, having been made homeless by
the fire. Since coming here he has been
living at the home of Mrs. Jarchow, at
20S East Thirty second street. Mrs
Jarchow telephoned to the station last
night and inquired as to the lads
condition. She said that she would have
the family physician take charge of the
boy after his wounds had been dressed
by the police surgeons.
Perform Delicate Operation
The wound on Akers' head was pc
culiar one and necessitated a difficult
operation. A piece of the skull about
an inch and a half long and an inch
wide had to be removed, as it was de-
pressed more than an eighth of an
inch. A hemorrhage was found to ex-
ist under the broken bone that was
with difficulty stopped.
The machine that was occupied by
the two men was a Franklin runabout.
1t was considerably damaged, but not
beyond repair. One of the cylinders
was broken and the body was splintered
and broken in places.
DIR. Tate and DR.. Chase were among
those who were on the street car when
the accident happened. They said last
night that they saw the machine COM
ing while 1t was some distance from
them. Just before II reached them they
say that 1t appeared as though the man
who was guiding the machine attempt
ed to cross the street in front of the
car
According to their statement the ma
chine was moving about fifteen miles
an hour or more and that the motor
man did all in his power to stop the
car
Mrs. Akers arrived at the hospital
about midnight and while she was Sc
verely shocked by the news of the acci-
dent, bore up braVely. She said that
they came TO California last December
from Lexington. No. and lived at 324
Westlake avenue.