The Detroit times., 1911-06-12
TWO ARE CRUSHED
TO DEATH UNDER
CAR WHEELS
Italian Babe and Unknown LabOrer
the victims-Motorman of Trolley
That Kills Child Narrowly Es-
capes Being Mobbed.
Street Cars Are Also Responsible fol
A Half Dozen Minor Acct
dents, Sunday.

Another Sunday has passed without
any serious automobile accidents,
thanks TO the new vehicle ordinance.
The street cars, however, claimed a
number OF victims, killing two and In
juring about half dozen others. The
dead are Frank Mercurio, an Italian
child OF Is months. and an unidentified
man about 80 years old, dressed as q
laborer.
The Italian boy was run down early
In the afternoon by Trumbull car No.
1864 while playing in front or mis-
home, No. SO Fort-st. east. AS the car
approached he ran toward the street
car tracks and the motorman, Edward
Sleeth, aged "a. was unable to stop II
In time to avoid hitting the child. He
admitted afterwards that he was too
excited to lower the tender, which
knocked the boy down In the path OF
the wheels"
The accident took place almost In
the heart OF the Italian quarter, and
the dark-skinned sons OF Italy came
swarming from every quarter as the
news OF the accident spread quickly
through the settlement. While the
police and others were trying To re-
lease the body, the Italians, led by the
father OF the slain boy. were looking
for the motorman. When they finally
located him In the crowd they began
to attack him viciously. Sleeth was
rescued by police officers and taken 10
the police barn. Later he was re-
moved to police headquarters as a
prisoner, but was released on the or
der Of the prosecutor, after the latter
had taken his statement. Sleeth
agreed to call at the prosecutors office
when wanted.
According to Sleeth's statement, the
air brakes failed to work because OF
smooth wheels He tried TO stop the
car as soon as he saw the boy running
toward 1t, he said
As soon as the lads body was re-
leased, the half-crazed father picked
mp the bleeding and mangled form
and started TO run with IL toward his
home. He was stopped by policemen,
who took the body from him and
placed 1t In the street, where II lay,
covered with a sheet, until Coroner
Burgess arrived and ordered It's re.
movai to the ff1orgue.
The boys mother, when she learned
what had happened, was temporarily
bereft OF her reason and tried to
choke herself to death Her face was
black when neighbors ihterfered
Motorman Sleeth has been In the
employ OF the ID. " r. since last
February. He comes from near
Peoria. Ill.
The unidentified man was struck by
a west-bound Michigan-Gratiot car at
Michigan and vermont-aves., Sunday
evening, while attempting to cross the
street. He was carried In an uncon.
scious condition to the office of DR..
Thomas +. Spillane. No. 598 Michigan.
ave., and was later sent to st. Marys
hospital, where he died an hour later
from fracture OF the skull. Coroner
Burgess also took charge of this case
and had the body removed to the
morgue to await Identification. The
victim was about 80 years DID, Ave
feet 10 inches tall and weighed about
160 pounds. He had black hair and
his face was smoothly shaven. The
car, No. 1880, was in charge OF Motor.
man Frank Scott, No. S58 Twenty
, ffth-st., and Conductor Charles Aller-
dyes, No 1909 Michigan-ave.
There were several minor accidents
during the day Adolph Title. No
sos Ferdinand-ave., fell OF Sherman
car at Dix and Scotten-aves and was
injured about the head. He has taken
to Solvay hospital in the auto patrol
James Kottelman. No. 432 Hastings-st.
was injured Internally and his right
: knee was spratned In collision be-
tween two Michigan cars at Gratiot-
ave. and Chene-st. early In the morn
ing. John Hodgens, No. $50 Mt FL
liott-ave.. sustained two broken ribs In
the same accident. Both men were
taken to their homes In auto patrols.
Both were passengers on one OF the
cars. Herman Wax, aged 10, No. ITO
Muifettst., was struck by Sherman
car at Hastings and Mullett-sts., while
riding a motorcycle. He was injured
about the legs and body.
Wilhelmina Ruaska, aged IS, No.
1873 Thirtieth-st., was injured by fall
ing of a car at Michigan and Wabash
ayes. and was taken home I'm a patrol.
Tom Lonzo. No LAT Catherine-st.. and
Nicholas Marrino. aged 6, same adj
dress. were thrown from wagon
when an automobile driven by McKin-
stry Bart, No. 1913 Jefferson-ave.. ran
into II at Canfield-ave. and RusseIi-st
The boy was painfully injured and was
taken home In an auto patrol