The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-28
Bio Cadillac Car Owned by Hitler Of
kahoka, Starts at Fourth and High
and Runs Five
Blocks.
PAUL BETTER STRUCK
Water Plug Broken at Fourth and Ex-
change Changes Course-Stops
Car In Front of Swift's
Plant.

| Pedestrians in the vicinity OF
Fourth and Main streets were startled
| last night at 5:45 to see large
| Cadillac touring car come careening
down Fourth street, strike boy on
bicycle at Fourth and Main and go
on down Fourth to Exchange where
1T was stopping by hitting and break
| ing off a water plug. Starting at the
corner of Fourth and High, the heavy
car gaining momentum with every
/ foot, crashed through one of the
busiest street intersections IN the
city and how fatality did not occur
Is miracle to eye witnesses OF the
cars mad flight.
The car owned by Mr.. Hill
Ter from Kahoka, Mo-, and carry
ing the Missouri license number
472S8, had been left standing in front
Of house at Fourth and High
streets, according to Harry Martin
of Kahoka. who was with Harrod
Hitler, the driver of the car at the
time. Mr.. Martin stated that the
engine had been stopped and that
the brakes had been set before they
left the car and in fact they knew
nothing of the flight until coming
out of the house. Whether someone
had meddled with the brake levers
or whether the emergency brake had
slipped, allowing the car to start on
down the grade cannot be de-
| termined. The most logical conclu-
sion seems to be that the brake
slipped, this being an occurrence
| that can easily happen
Ran Over Boy.
| At Fourth and Main, Paul Better.
who was riding east on a bicycle, was
struck and rolled underneath the
, car with his wheel. Witnesses stated
that the boy was dragged and rolled
clear across the street, but was for
tunate enough that the wheels of the
car did not pass over his body. Had
they done SO he would have undoubt-
eddy been killed. His escaping as he
did was miraculous. After the car
had passed over him, young Better
got on his feet, although in a dazed
condition. When asked which hos
pital he wanted to go to he replied
| that he would rather go home. Miss
Mary Irwin who was passing at the
! time, took the lad in her car and he
was rushed to his home at 116
North Seventh street, and doctor
was called. The first examination re-
vealed no broken bones and evidently
but slight bruises, although he was
in a very nervous condition which
would naturally result from the
shock. =,
After striking young Better the
car continued its dash down Fourth
street as far as Exchange street. At
this corner it struck a water plug
on the northwest corner of the street
intersection, breaking 1t squarely off.
A veritable geyser Of water spouted
from the broken plug for some time
after the accident, attracting no little
from it's course by the water plug,
the car finally stopped tn front of
Swift and Co.'S plant. Examination
revealed that about the only damage
done to the car was the bending Of
the front fender guard and few
scratches on the body.
The boys parents stated this morn.
ing that aside from the shock and
bruises already mentioned, that he
was getting along in good shape. They
also stated that they absolved Mr..
Hitler of all blame, that he inquired
at once as to the boys condition and
was willing in every way to do what
was right in the matter. The boy,
his parents and family and also Mr..
Hitler can feel mighty thankful that
the accident, unexplainable as it was. |
did not have fatal results.
Some Theories.
The engine of the Hitler car was
shut off, and the brakes were believ-
ed to have been set. 1t is thought