New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-28
Second Death in 3 Days
Due to Unguarded Trucks
ArOuSeS Coroner.
DEMANDS INQUIRY TO
STOP CARELESSNESS
Efficacy of Safety First Law
To Be TeSted-Chauffeur
Held Pending Inquest.

Twice within three days a child has
been killed in the streets of Manhattan
directly through the adventurous in
ceruitv Of playmates who climbed into
automobile trucks left unattended at
the curb. The sight OF two little man.
cled bodies has prompted Coroner
Israel Feinberg not only to make thor
ouch Investigations of the accidents,
hut also 10 announce that he will con-
fer with Corporation Counsel Polk to
determine the efficacy of the city's
safety first" ordinance against leaving
motor vehicles unattended.
William. five-year-old son of Mr.. and
Mrs. William Heating, was crushed 10
death Yesterday afternoon under the
right front wheel of an auto truck
owned by the J. y. Greenhut Company,
Eighteenth Street and Sixth Avenue,
and left standing in front Of the child's
home. lO7 West Ninety-eighth Street
His sister. Esther. aged seven. and an
older boy playmate, whose name was
NOT known 10 Coroner Felnberg last
night. were playing in the machine.
The chauffeur, Walter James Rodgers,
twenty OF 40 49, ~, ~"
Street. was held i'm $4,000 bail on a
technical charge Of homicide pending
the coroner's investigation.
Almost in every detail the accident
on Ninety-eighth Street parallels the
death Of four-ycar-old Elizabeth john
son. Who was run down Wednesday by
ao electric truck left in front of 81
Penwick Street Her brother Jimmie,
her sister Agnes and Catherine Slevln
were playing take a ride
Rodgers told the Coroner that he
took every precaution to safeguard the
Greenhut gasolene truck against start
mo when he got out 20 deliver goods
~ house near where the keatings
live The brake was jammed down
hard and held there by a ratchet. the
controlling lever was pushed back. and
the switch connecting the batteries was
thrown of.
For an eve witnesses account OF Just
what happened after Rodgers lett the
machine. Coroner Feinberg took the
testimony Of Mrs. MacAulffe. who
lives on the fourth floor Of an apart
nent house al l07 West Ninety-elghth
Street. Two other witnesses saw three
children climbing up to the driver S
seat. saw the machine start with JERK
and heard a scream.
All the evidence tends to show that
q bow PLAYMATE of Esther Heating, sew
eral wears her senior, suggested the
ride which caused Willie's death.
Come on, Esther, let's take a ride he
WAS heard to say. Although detectives
from the 4th Branch Bureau do not eX-
pect 10 get the boys name and address
until to-day. they learned in an indi-
rect way that he is known TO the
ueighborhood as an "auto bug He
posters chaufTeurs by diving out in the
street at the honk of a horn and often
begs for a ride. Esther and the boy
Jumped in the truck.
Child Goes to Death.
Willie Heating was a little boy. with
short. pudgy legs, and without assist
ance he could not make the lcnG step
that would have brought him halfway
TO the drivers seat. where his sister
Esther sat. He went around front to
climb over the wheel.
His older and more adventurous play
mates were working with childish i'm
patience 20 start the machine. After
pulling and pushing all levers and but
tons they could find, they happened TO
turn on a small electric light near the
footbrake. With a light to work by,
me children brought their adventure
20 a swift conclusion. While the boy
mastered the controlling lever and re-
leased the ratchet that held the brake,
Esther found a way to connect the
switch
Nillie's curly head was just showing
over the wheel when spark met gaso-
lenc spray and the vehicle lurched for
ward. II crushed the child and shot
diagonally across the street. ramming
tree fifty feet away. Esther rolled
from the drivers seat in a faint. Mrs.
NacAuliffe fell back in her apartment
>cuseleSs.
Patrolman Piston. Of the West Tooth
Street station, picked up the body. An
ambulance from Knickerbocker Hospi-
tal. with DR.. Frascolla, came too late
20 be of any assistance. The child had
been killed instantly
First Lieutenant jeremiah W o. Ma
honey, OF Company II in the Coast Ar
tllery 9th District of New York, in
which Rodgers is a member, pleaded
with the coroner not TO hold the chauf-
feur on d homicide charge. Coroner
Feinberg replied that the word tech
nical eliminated all harshnesS from the
charge.