New-York tribune., 1910-03-25
Nj MANKlLLEDBY AUTO
CH4UFFEUR SAID TO
HAZE BEEN RACING.
Priest Speeds on Bicycle to
Scene to administer Rites
of Church.

Antonio III Persia. a grocer, Of 80. 31l9
Albany avenue. The Bronx was killed
last night when he was struck az 231st
street and Broadway by an automobile
driven by lie Roy Moody. of Bayside.
Long Island general manager Of the
Berkshire Automobile Company, No. 1898
Broadway. hi Persia's skull was tract
ured and his body was mangled Moody
was locked up in the Kingsbridge police
station. charged with homicide.
According 10 George Halpin, who ru.s
a roadhouse near the scene Of the acct
dent. the automobile Moody was driving
was going south on Broadway at a high
rate Of speed. u is said % have been
racing with another machine. and as Di
Persia stepped from the curb he was
struck bv the front wheels of the car
and tossed more than twenty feet.
After striking the man Moodys car
swerved and almost ran into the other
machine AS soon as he could bring his
car TO a stop Moody jumped out. ran
back To- where Di Persia lay and carried
him 20 the sidewalk He then tele-
phoned 10 the Kingsbridge police station
and Patrolman Culhane was sent 10 the
scene He arrested Moody and f. A.
Percy. Of No. 137 West 18th street a
demOnstrator for the Berkshire COM
pany. who was in the machine with
Moody Percy was held as a material
witness.
The car with which Moody is said to
have been racing did not slacken its
speed for an instant, but disappeared
down the road in a cloud of dust
While CuIhane and the two prisoners
waited for the arrival Of an ambulance
surgeon from the Fordham Hospital n
large crowd gathered. mostly Italians.
who had know Di Persia and they
made threatening demonstrations. but
were kept i'm order by the patrOlman.
Father Kelly. Of 81. Johns Roman
Catholic Church, 232d street and Kings
bridge avenue. heard Of the accident
and. jumping on his bicycle went at top
speed 10 where the body lay on the side
walk Di Persia was one OF Father
kelly's parishioners. and he pushed his
way through the excited men and women
gathered about In the gloom the priest
found several matches lying near where
the dead man had dropped them lie
lighted these, and by their feeble glare
he performed the last rites over the body
Of ri Persia. the dead mans friends
kneeling by the priest with bowed heads
AS the priest arose and turned To leave
the friends % Di Persia gathered and
held whispered consultation. Before
anybody could be made aware of their
intention the men in the party, together
with Di Persia's widow and a daughter,
made rush Tor the body of the dead
man. They tried 10 drag il away from
the patrolman. saying thcy wished to
carr il 10 Di Persia's home PatrOIman
Culhane drew his nightstick and stood
guard over the body. saying that il
should not be disturbed until the Cor
Oner had given orders for its removal
The body was finally taken To the
Kingsbridge police station. 10 await the
arrival of Coroner ShOngut Moody told
the police that the car was a new ono.
which he had bought in Yonkers yester-
day. lie was on his way to the Broad
way saIesrooms when the accident hap
pened.
Moody's machine was smashed ty the
accident. and had 20 be left in the street.
The police are said 20 be looking for the
car with which Moody is alleged to have
been racing. Witnesses OF the accident
say that the two machines were making
nifty miles an hour az the time