The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-03
RODGERS AUTO KILLED TWO.
JOHN @. RODGERS, JR., TIE
OWNER, WAS IN 1T.

His Father Surrenders the Driver to the
Police and Says 1t Was Fright That
Led the Party to Scurry Away. Leav.
ing the Victims in the Roadway.
Both the women are dead who were
run down in New Rochelle On Sunday by
an automobile that fed from the spot.
The automobile was owned by John c.
Rodgers, Jr., of 10 St. Nicholas place, Man
haitian, was driven by John Johnston Of
White Plains, a chauffeur employed by
young Rodgers, and carried MIR. Rodgers
and his wife, Mr.. and Mrs. c. W. Collins
and George McNabb.
When young Rodgers's father, John
G. Rodgers, the subway contractor, was
told Of the accident he blamed his son for
running away and insisted that Johnston
should give himself up. Yesterday morn
ing he took Johnston to New Rochelle and
handed him over to the authorities.
The owner of the machine would not see
reporters yesterday. His father said:
According TO my sons story, and I
think he has told me everything, the party
were returning from Larchmont for dinner
and going at a moderate rate OF speed when
the accident happened. AS they ap-
preached a bridge over the road a -four
horse milk wagon came from the opposite
direction. When ~ party was almost
upon the team the leaders swung sharply
across the road directly in the machines
way. 1t was 70 sudden hat Johnston
lad no time to shut of and TO avoid run
ming into the team. He ran the machine
up on the bank until it began TO go over.
Then he wrepched around the front wheels
and tore down the bank directly OF to the
two worhen. whom no one in the car had
previously seen. There was no time Tor
anything and the fact that the machine
had o SO near upsetUing put it practically
out Of control. AS the women fell the
machine came to q stop. heading nearly
across the road.
MY sons hat had blown of and Mr..
Collins sprang out. picked it up and Jumped
in again. My daughter-in-law started to
the assistance of the women, but when our
driver called TO her to come back she got in
again and the entire party-a clear case
Of stage fright in its worst form hurried
home. We are all terribly upset over the
affair and regret it more than we can say.
These accidents are due to the insane desire
for speed. Automobiles houId not be al
lowed to travel more than ten miles an
hour
The women who were run down. as The
ON IOId ySSCSLAzy, "SlC us. Dclt4O
Kuchler, the aged mother Of Carl 7. Kuch!er,
President Of the New Rochelle Board Of
Aldermen, and her sister, Miss Alvine
Stein. Miss Stein died on Sunday. Mrs.
Kuchler's skull was fractured so badly
that the specialists who were summoned
from this city said at the start that the
case was hopeless. she died yesterday
afternoon.
Johnston, who is 20 years old, was ar
raigned before Judge Van Auken in the
New Rochelle police court on the charge
Of manslaughter and remanded until this
morning when it is understood that he
will be held for the Grand Jury under $40, 900
bail. On the advice Of a lawyer retained
by the elder Rodgers, he declined to make
any statement about the accident. Judge
Van Auken was told yesterday that
young Rodgers was sitting on the front
seat Of the car with the chauffeur. The
accident was witnessed by half a dozen
people, who have received ~subpenas to
attend the hearing to-day All say that the
car was gong rapidly. Miss Sadie Scott
took the number Of the machine and gave
it to the police. The accused chauffeur
was formerly in the employof John Hickey.
who owns the fastest machine in Mount
Vernon. lie is single and lives with his
mother. who is a W idow.