Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-09-11
FreehoIder Investigates.

FreehOlder investigates.
Freeholder Alfred T. Kerr, of
South Amboy, made a detailed inves-
tigation of the accident this morn
ing. From the information gath
cred from the bridge tenders the
cause was due to the fact that the
wagon was heavily laden and going
down an incline. 1t Is declared that
the truck, new one, was equipped
with a brake, but Voznfak could not
reach it from his position high on
the bags of flour.
At the time of the accident Voz-
MAX was on his way across the coun-
ty bridge with the load Of flour to be
delivered In South Amboy. The
horses walked slowly over the north
erly part of the bridge, there being
an incline and bend. After leav-
ingthe bend the rig went down grade
towards the open draw. The heavy
load forced the animals ahead be-
yond the drivers control, 1t Is claim
ed, and they started to run. Voz-
niak tugged vainly at the reins in
an endeavor to stop the horses. He
could not secure a good foot hold, 1t
is declared, and he failed to even
check the speed of the animals be-
fore he started on his fatal plungs,
the gate tender on the scene de-
clares.. AS the draw had been open
ed to admit tug through the bridge
and up the river the iron gates at
both ends of the bridge had been
closed by two gate tenders.
Story of Gate Tender.
Christ J. Jorgensen Of sos Charles
street, was in charge of the pair OF
gates struck by Metzendorf's rig
claims they were closed properly and
SO satisfied Freeholder Kerr during
the investigation. Jorgensen says
the horses and wagon struck the iron
gates with heavy impact. They only
open in a northerly direction and
when closed go up against iron
stops When hit the easterly gate
was twisted southwark to a slight
degree. The force of the impact
hurled the driver with the top Of the
load over the northerly abutment.
Spectators south of thed raw say it
Is possible the man struck part OF
the framework supporting the abut-
Iment and was killed before he touch
ed the water, but the general belief
is that he was drowned. He had nc
sooner gone over than the horses and
wagon followed The end Of the
heavy vehicle was whipped skywart
and turned over southwark, in al
probability landing on top of the
man. 1t sank and it was afterwardf
believed it pinned the man to the
bottom of the channel, a depth OF
fu Aun foot OF hiph tide
| Attempt to Rescue Driver.
! Workmen on the bridge made q
hurried but futile attempt to recover
Vozniak dead or alive. They cut the
Ihorses out of harness which was
holding them down and both animals
started for then ortherly shore. One
swan directly towards the c. Pardet
! Works and after reaching shore was
| barely able to walk. The other
started for shore on the Chesebrougt
Vaseline Works property and after
swimming about twenty feet became
caught between three piles under the
easterly side of the bridge. Thomas
| Feeney, engineer on the bridge;
Alexander Steward, day gate tender
at the northerly end of the draw;
Peter Brogger and John Lotus
sawed one of the piles in two and lib,
Grated the animal. 1t then contin'
ued its course to shore and after
reaching there almost dropped from
exhaustion. Both animals were
taken to Mr.. Metzendorf's stables
They are heavy draughting horses
claimed to be about the best of theil
kind In the city.
| Tries to Stop Horses.
Christ Jorgensen, the night gate
ltender, shared honors for here'~u
! with the victim of the fataliT il