New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-18
DEATH FALLS FROM SKY.
Terra Gotta Drops from MCAIpin
Roof. Crushing Woman's Skull.
CRASHES INTO TROLLEY CAR
Five Other Passengers Hurt
Foreman Arrested, but Acct
dent Is Not Explained.

with tho force Of a projectlle, a solid
Mock Of terra Gotta dropped from the roof
=, ,be new McAlpin Hotel and crashed
,hroush the roof of nOrthbound Sixth
avenue car breaking a woman's skull and
;r,u-Ing five other passengers. yesterday
,oorniuC. The piece of masonry. one and
one.half feet square. and weighing at least
df,y mounds. was dslodged by some I'M
known cause from the twenty-hfth floor,
and. striking a projectile gallery on the
uroadvay face of the building. bounded
of and ten feet out into traffic choked
= BROADWAY and Sixth avenue, at a time
when people were pouring like sands
through this narrow part OF the hour glass
lust north of Greeley Square.
The identity OF the accidents chief VIC
lin, remained unknown until her clothing
VAS examined at Bellevue. when the name
NJ L. Chadwick was found in some Of
il. Her cuff links bore the corre-
sponding initials. She might have been
Identified by silver mesh handbag she
rad carried. but the same passenger who
told tho police ne had seen 1t, said sneak
thief ierked Il from her wrist Just as she
fell unconscious TO the seat Of the car. The
Bellevue doctors said there was no hope
for her. although an operation was per-
formed
The northbound car was moving slowly
iusr south OF the 3ith street crossing, when
the piece Of terra Gotta came plunsing
down The stone struck the middle Of the
car. rlppod a hole five feet long, and de-
scended intact Oh the head Of the woman.
The motorman put on his brakes. the car
stopped. and most of the passengers piled
or pell nell, but Patrolman Andrew
Vinegar, of Traffic Squad g. and the
Rev. Father Michael Collins, Of Holy limo
cents, both passengers. ran to the woman.
The priest knelt beside her and admins
tered the last rites Of the Church
The sidewalks were Congested with peo-
pie and those passing under the safety
roof on the east side OF the hotel raced
madly for a point out of danger. Women,
shocked and terrified began 10 scream.
Policemen came running in answer TO the
Whistles of their comrades Soon an am
bulance from the New York Hospital
changed its way TO tho scene. The surgeon
gave attention TO I'VE passengers cut by
splnters and then took the woman TO
Bellevue.
>t'Stdlit Y 'lN dgr VI lllt w tSt GUN street
station, went TO the wrecked car with re-
serves and cleared away the big. excited
crowd and then climbed to the top story
o. the hotel TO make an investigation. He
arrested Arthur Murray, of No. 229 Wilkin-
son avenue. Jersey City, foreman OF
masonry, on a charge Of criminal negli-
gence, but Murray could throw no light on
the accident. He said he was not Oh the
TOP floor when the accident occurred.
Manager GerreI. Of the Thompson-S
rett Construction Company, was very much
puzzled over the accident. lie said he
thought 1t queer that although the safety
platform. fenced on the outer side with
wire netting. projected over the street, the
stone went out into the street beyond.
While he did not care to make accusations.
he said, IL looked 10 him as IL some
malicious person had got by the Waterman
on tho first floor and thrown the stone
from The building.
7as3fDu remember when the Rector was
being built. a plank fell into Broadway,
and there was story about some one
throwing it just to see how much of a
stir Il would make" he added.
The police went 10 work on this angle Of
the case.