Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-24
JURY PLACES
NO Blame FOR
: BOYS. DEATHS
Exempt Roy Ferguson, Car Driver,
From Blame in Collision With
BObSled.

That the death of Orville London
and Archie Goldberg yesterday. fol-
lowing . collision OF their bobsled
with an automobile, was accidental
was the verdict of the corners jury
at the inquest at 1890 this morn.
ing at the Knox undertaking parS
Tors. The verdict exempting the
driver, Roy Ferguson, farmer liv-
ing near Orion, from blame. was
returned following his testimony
and that Of several others present
at the scene Of the accident at the
time it happened.
Thought Boys We're Pooling.
Mr.. Ferguson testified that he
saw several boys waving their
arms at the corner in signal fash
lon as he came down Seventh ave-
nue. toward Twenty-eighth street.
and that he slowed down his car.
> 1t thinking the boys were fooling
or playing some kind Of a trick, he
did not stop.
A store on the left obstructed
the view of the hill, he said. and he
was unfamiliar with the lay OF the
ground. and unaware that there
was hill.
Mr.. Ferguson stated that he was
going at a speed of not more than
I!e miles an hour at the time OF
the collision. and that the first he
saw of the bobsled was when he
looked from the side curtains, and
saw the sled practically upon the
car.
The sled was wedsed between
the front and rear wheels Of the
automobile and the latter showed
toward the curbing, where it I'M
: mediately stopped.
Place Boys In Truck.
The driver Of the car stated thai
he helped in lifting the car off thu
sled, and in placing the boys II
delivery trucks, where they wert
removed to the hospital. He ther
drove on with his party. Mrs. Fer
guson, her daughter and sister, tt
Davenport for an appointment will
a physician. after giving his nam'
and address at q nearby store. Lat
er he came back to the Rock Is
land police station, where he learn
ed for the first time that the acct
dent had resulted in the death o
the boys.
Mrs. Ferguson supported the ties
timony Of her husband. She sail
that she saw the bobsled approach
ing when 1t was about fifty fee
away, but that the impact was al
most immediate, because Of the ter
rife speed Of the sled.
J. J. Cunningham, proprietor o
an optical business at 3015 Tent
avenue. and NJ. M. Archie, Of POI
Seventh avenue, who helped lift tn,
boys into the trucks following thu
accident, testified, and c. 6. Harri
son, stepfather Of Orville London
told of the boys coasting on tn,
hill in spite of frequent warming
Of the danger.
Victim Bound for Store.
Archie Goldberg. son Of Charlie
J. Goldberg of 2716 Fifth avenue
who died shortly after 5 o'clock a
st. Anthony's, from the sever
bruises and internal injuries sus
tanned In the accident, was on hi
way to the store OF his sister, Mrs
Mary Gambler at 251S Fifth avenue
- den he met the boys with the bob
sled. who persuaded him to joil
them.
Archie was born in Rock Islam
March 2, 1908. He attended tn
Eugene Field school, where he wa
in the fourth grade.
He Is survived by his father
Charles J. Goldberg: two sisters
Gussie and Minnie, at home; tw
half sisters, Mrs. Anna Feganholti
and Mrs. Mary Gambler Of Roc
Island; and two half brothers, Be
and Nathan Harris.
Funeral services were conducte
at the home, 2716 Fifth avenue, thi
morning at II. o'clock. Rabbi Abra
ham Lerman Of Beth Isreal syna
gogue officiating. Interment wa
in the Jewish cemetery in Daven
port.
Others Recovering.
The other boys injured in the az
cident are all reported as on tn
road to recovery. Frank Entler c
.251S Sixth avenue, and Joseph Mad
[W(en; 1415 Fourteenth-and-a- hal
street, both in hospital, sufferin
from bruises and minor injuries, ar
doing we'll. Tom Davis of 732 Thil
tieth street, who was taken HON
following the accident, is reporte
out Of bed and in good conditicr
Robert Cavanaugh Of 2120 FIT
avenue Is in bed suffering from ir
juries which are not expected /
prove serious. Billy Gibson Of 100
Sixteenth street, who suffere
shock and minor bruises, is re
ported as practically recovered.
Funeral Of Orville London,
Funeral services Of Orville Lor
don Of TIA Twenty-nintb street. 4,
first victim Of the accident, will b
held at the sacred Heart Catholi
church at 8 o'clock Friday mornip,
Rev. c. P. O'Neill officiating. II
terment will be at Chippiannoc
cemetery.