The Penn's Grove record., 1911-08-25
How The Accident Occurred

August 70, 1911.
William A. Summerill,
Editor of PENIS Grove RECORD,
DEAR SIR:
I am writing to you with reference to
a most unfortunate accident which / had
OIL Wednesday evening, August 10Th, in
the City of Philadelphia.
l was going west on Walnut street in
my automobile, and was crossing the
Walnut street bridge over the Schuylkill
river and was riding at a rate of speed
of about eight miles per hour. The
bridge is paved with large Belgium blocks
and the riding is very rough. I had
crossed over the main part OF the bridge
and had reached the incline leading down
from the main part of the bridge to 33rd
street, where the first crossing is, and
just when I had passed from where 32nd
street would properly come, if it ran
across the bridge. | met a covered wagon
going east and Immediately before the
front part of my automobile reached the
rear OF the wagon, a little girl about 9
years old, Mariana MarcalIs, darted out
from back of the wagon at full speed
right in front of my automobile. / call
ed to her, at once, to stop; with my left
foos disconnected the motor from the
car, thus shutting off the power, with
my right foot put on the foot brake and
with my left hand grabbed the emergency
brake and with my right hand tried to
steer the machine away from the little
girl, at the same time that | was endeay-
oring to stop the car. She ran into the
/ gas lamp, which protrudes farthest in
front OF the car on the side from which
she was coming, that knocked her down
in front of my left fore wheel which ran
over her. l stopped the car before the
rear wheel passed over her. From the
time that | first saw her when she darted
from back of the wagon, until | had
brought my car to a full stop, the car had
! not run more than ten or twelve feet.
1 Immediately got out OF the car, pick
ed up the little girl into my arms and
was fastened to the University Hospital
! as quickly as possible, but she was dead
before she reached there. / went over to
the 2lst District Station House and sur
rendered myself, and | want to say right
here that the 21st District has a set of
mighty fine men, who are capable and
careful, but at the same time know how
to be courteous and c%onsiderate to a per-
son who is in trouble. They allowed me
the largest liberty possible under the
circumstances
This morning the Coroner held his in
quest and ~exhonorated me from all liza
bility, saying that it was impossible under
the circumstances for the accident to have
been avoided.
While / am glad Of this fact and while
l was running my car as carefully as |
could and while | did everything under
the circumstances that could have been
done to prevent this unfortunate accident,
and while 1 appreciate with all my heart
the evidences of sympathy and acts OF
kindness which have been extended to
me on every hand by my friends, and
even those with whom l have not been
acquainted, yet my own deep sympathy
goes out to the fullest extent for the be-
Teaved parents in their sad little home.
I wish that l might be able to trans
fer all of the sympathy which has been
extended to me and every kind act which
has been done for me over to the stricken
family.
Yours truly,
J.. WARREN DAVIS,
5O4 Weightman Building.
Philadelphia.