New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-11-27
BOY SPIITED ON
FRONT OF AUTO
IuP4LED At PL1Y IN
SNOW.
Hit by Big Electric Truck
U'hile Playing IN TIE
Street -UGy Die.

Another victim will be added to the
slaughter that has been caused by the
long list of automobile accidents in this
city III fve-year-old John Roach. of No.
169 West End avenue. dies in the Flower
Hospital. where physicians say that he
has small chance of recovery from in
jUries received when he was run down by
motor truck at West End avenue and
18th street yesterday afternoon.
With several companions the Roach
boy was digging in the snow and slUsh
when the motor truck. which the police
records show is owned by the Monarch
Motor Works. of Broadway and 18th
street. came along. The little fellow be-
came terror-stricken as the big truck
lOOmed up in front of him. and the
shouts of bystanders only served To in
creased his confusion. The driver of the
truck. John j. McGOvern. of No. 5l6
West 13Jth street. tried 20 stop the
vehicle. but it slipped and skidtled over
the slippery pavement several feet past
the spot where the boy disappeared from
view.
McGOvern. in state of collapse.
Edward MathesOn. a maChinist OF No.
231 West 18th street. who was with him
az the time. went 70 the rescue of the
little fellow. Expecting 70 find him
ground under the heavy wheels of the
vehicle, they We're even more Mortified
10 ind that he had not been touched by
the wheels. but had been impaled on q
lamp bracket from which the lamp had
been taken
William Vogt. Of No 212 West 66th
street. ran to the assistance of McCiov-
orn and Matheson. and together they
worked for some time before they were
able to free the hoy. The bracket had
penctrated his cheek under the left Jaw
bone and ne was being nd up IN this
manner. He was unconscious when re-
moved from the bracket and taken over
20 the sidewalk 70 await the arrival OF
DR. Brewster from the Flower Hospital
When the physician arrived he found
that the boy required hospital attend
anCe as soon as possible, and the am
bUIanCe made a record run. An ex-
animation showed that the victim was
suffering from a compound fracture OF
the jaw. Iacerations of the throat ahd
cheeks and concussion Of the Brain. The
boy was also suffering from shock, and
an inflammatory attack Of tonsillitls
added a further complication. which led
the physicians To bslieve that his re-
covery was doubtful He is the soz ot
John Roa h. chauffeur for Myron S.
Falk. a civi. engineer, who lives az No.
II West I'D street.
PatrOlman Boyer arrested MCGOveTn
and took him 10 the West 6Sth street
station. lie was charged with feIoniOUs
assault and an additional charge Of oper-
ating a motor vehicle without a license
was entered against him. He admitted
that he was at the wheel at the time
the accident happened. but said that he
was a machiniSt and had never taken
out a chauffeUr's license. lie said that
he was running slowly az the time and
that the Roach boy darted in front OF
the machine in his confusion
Nearly four days have gone by since
Miss Alice MOhen. &C No. 612 West 13Jth
street. was struck by an automobile ar
Broadway and 18Th street and dragged
a block. and the police have made no
machine. Commissioner Baker. who on
Wednesday described such accidents as
that which befeU Miss MOhen as wanton
murder. repeated last night his state
n,ent that the police We're practically
powerIess To check tho wholesale slaugh-
ter that has resulted in this city from
reckless driving of high powered auto
mobiles and motor trucks
I'VE have no control over them unless
they are guilty of reckless driving OF
figure in a serious accident" continued
the Commissioner. and until the Leg
isIature passes law making the grant
ing of a license TO a chauffeur contingent
upon ability 70 operate a motor vehicle
this slaughter will continue in spite OF
the efforts of the police 10 stop ii.
'As long as / am in the Police Depart
ment / shall fight for legislation that
will put the chauffeur in the same class
as the man who runs a donkey engine.
Unless the latter can show that he is
qualified TO operate a donkey engine he
cannot get a license from the Police De-
partment. Any one who can get the
owner OF a machine TO let him run il can
get a license at Albany as a chauffeur.
But after all il Is up 10 the citizens. II
they want laws 20 protect themselves
from death or serious injury at the hands
Of reckless and incompetent drivers
those laws viii be passed