New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-21
5 HURT IN Joy RIDE;
MAN AND GIRL MAY DIE
Car Crashes Into Farm Wagon
on MerriCk Road; Both Are
WreCked-Farmer Unhurt.
DRIVER AND TWO MEN FLEE
Police Seek Garage Man Who
Took Auto, and Owner, a
Manhattan Lawyer, Says
He Will Prosecute.


Manhattan Lawyer, Says
He Will Prosecute.
Dashing along the Merrick road Long
Island, early yesterday morning. an auto
mobile containing eleven persons crashed
irso a farmers wagon while going at the
rA-> o. niue minute and threw every
occupant OF the car out, besides tossing
the farmer into a vacant lot. AS re-
suit of their injuries two of the passen-
gers in the automobile probably will die.
Two others are seriously injured. John
ElEsllon, who was driving the machine.
Is being sought by the police. having dis
appeared Immediately after the accident.
He fad taken the car from the garage
without permission of the owner.
she car is owned by Olncy Mairs. of
No. East SD street, Manhattan, a law
yr. who is spending the summer at Law
rsnce Beach. According TO the police, John
Eugallon, son of the proprietor of the ga
rage in James street, where Mr..
MARS kept his car, took the machine
out secretly some time after midnight and
went TO hall near Far Rockaway. where
dance was held by the Automobile En-
Eneers.
Here, It is said. Ave girls and five young
men entered the machine on what
was professedly a 10y ride" The big
car. new one, costing $500 which the
owner had recently presented to his wife,
vhirled out into the dark road and headed
west.
Had Been Out Two Hours.
Just what course the machine took after
that is not known but two hours later the
car was speeding along the Merrick road,
near Franklin avenue. with Kilgallon at
the wheel There is a steep incline just
as Franklin avenue merges into the Mer-
rick road Here Samuel Cowan, of Spring
field, the farmer who owned the wagon.
vas plodding slowly along toward Man
haitian.
The road was slippery with mud from
the heavy rains, and COwan Kept close
TO the right hand side Of the road as a
safeguard against such an accident as
was to befal him two minutes later.
While the big automobile was still d
quarter of mile distant Cowan could
hear the shouts and laughter of the girls
and men in the approaching machine
lie Rugged the right side of the road
closer, and finally even steered his heaV-
lily laden wagon into the gutter.
Hardly had he done so when, with
roar, the automobile came rushing down
the hill. Just before it reached Cowans
wagon the front wheels struck a puddle
in the centre of the road and the machine
skiddcd turning sharply to the right.
Cowan saw the danger and tried TO
whip up his horses. but he was too late
The speeding automobile crashed into
the rear Of the wagon and demolished
it, throwing CoWan from his seat The
machine then veered again and struck
the curb. turning completely over.
All Thrown Clear Of Car.
fortunately all were thrown clear OF
the car. landing In the roadway. Dor
othy Smith, twenty-five years old, or
No. $40 Walton avenue, The Bronx, was
one of the most seriously injured. Sew
eral ribs were broken and she may have
internal injuries She was rushed TO
St Mary's Hospital.
Cecilia Welstead, sixteen years old,
Of No. IS White street, Far Rockaway,
was partly paralyzed by spinal dis
location. Her recovery is doubtful. She
also was taken to ST Mary's Hospital.
Dora Smith, twenty-one years old, OF
Invood. Long Island. not related to Dor
othy Smith, was taken TO the Jamaica
Hcspital to be treated for broken ribs
and bruises
Luke Eilloran. Of Far Rockaway. is
also in the Jamaica Hospital with con-
cussion OF the brain, bruises and cuts. lie
is not expected TO recover.
The. following members OF the party
suffered from cuts and bruises, but did
not require medical attention: Hilbert
Wheelwright. twenty years old, OF Far
Rockaway; Elizabeth Kelly. of Edge
mere, Long Island; Elizabeth McWill-
Jams, of Paterson. y. j.. and J. J. Gar
land. Of Far Rockaway.
Miss McWilliams is a trained nurse
who is spending the summer at Far
Rockawsy. Wheelwright. according TO
the Jamaica police. is the son Of Police
Lieutenant James NJ. Whcelwright of
the Far Rockaway station The other
men. including Kilgallon, ran away after
the accident.
Tn, machine was mass OF twisted
wreckagc. as was the wagon. but CoWan
was UnhuTt.
When Mr.. MARS, owner Of the car,
heard Of the accident he was extremely
angry and said he would prosecute Kill
gallon TO the limit of the law on a
charge OF grand larceny.