The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-07
BOY DRIVER HELD IN
RIVER AUTO SMASH
William Bittles Accused of
Manslaughtcr-TwO Of
Three Bodies Found.

KEARNy. ~ j.. April 6.-The bodies
Of two OF the three young men who
were drowned in the Passaic River early
this morning, when an automobile con-
tanning a party of seven went through
the safety gates on the plank road
bridge and plunged into an open draw.
were found this evening after an all
day search. They were the bodies OF
John Gordon Knapp. %. son OF w.
Nelson Knapp, president of the East
Orange Playground Commission. 1853
Glenwood avenue. East Orange. and
Clarence stanton, 10. n freshman at
Williams College. son OF John +. STAN
ton. Eastern agent of the Crucible Steel
Company of America. of 1853 Lincoln
avenue. Newark.
The body of the third victim. Eugene
stephens, 81, Of 36s Seventh avenue.
Newark. son of George H. stephens of
stephens. Adamson 4 Co, 80 Church
street. Manhattan. had not been re-
covered up 10 a late hour.
The automobile was raised twenty
! feet from the bottom of the river at
dusk by derrick lighter OF the Public
Service Corporation. II was unchanged
except that the mudguard was bent.
WILLIAM J. Bittics. 10. of 4l3 Mount
Prospect avenue, Newark, son OF Will
lam y. Blttles. president OF the Wagner
Pastry Company. who was driving the
car, was arraigned this morning before
| Recorder Leonard a. Winner on "a
| charge OF manslaughter preferred by
| Chief of Police william Tolen. lie was
! later taken before County Judge Mark
| A. sullivan In Jersey City and then re-
leased In $4,000 bail.
The others I'm the automobile party
/ were Alfred i. Skinner. ISL Lincoln ave-
nue., Newark, son of former Judge Al
fred +. skinner; Lyman Andrus. 351
! Hartford road, South Orange. and Ken
meth Hays, a sophomore at Yale. living
AT Du Bots. Pa. Andrus. skinner. Hays,
stephens and stanton were all graduates
Of the Montclair Academy In the class
of 1919. Knapp was former student
there but did not graduate
Bittles attended dinner of the
alumni association Of the Montclair
! Academy at the Hotel Martinique. Man
haitian. as the guest OF Knapp. the pair
driving to the city in Bittles's car. The
/ five other young men We're invited 10 re-
| turn with them In the automobile after
| the banquet.
The car got onto the plank road nj
/ | 80 o'clock. Bittles said that h. didn'.
see the red lanterns giving warning
I lHat tne ufdW was open until ne was
| within twenty fee. Of the gates. lie
/ applied the brakes. he said. but the
! car rammcd It's way through the gates
| shot forty feet into space, turned partly
around and dropped into the river.
Arthur II. Matthews, the bridge
| tender. living at l6 Hampdon street
I Newark. was struck by the automobile
and thrown 20 an abutment OF the
bridge. from which ne rolled into the
| water. lie was rescued by Valentine
Cregin and John Radel boatmen.
In the meantime Bttles managed &
swim to the abutment and helped
skinner. Andrus and Hays TO safety
, Knapp came 10 the surface once. cried
for help ana then went down. but SIAN.
ton and stephens didn't appear
Matthews, the gatcman, was taken
10 tn" city Hospital IN Newark suffer
Ing from a broken left arm, dislo
Gated lcf; shoulder and torn scalp.