Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-11
CROSSING TRAGEDY
ST|RS GLOUCESTER
!, MAYOR TO ACTION
Death Of MotoroyoIist and In
jury Of Companion Rouses
Anderson Against Roads
GATE TENDER is BLAMED
BY OFFICIALS OF CITY
Two Automobilists Killed and
Nineteen Persons Hurt in
| Weekend Accidents

Mayor Anderson. Of Gloucester. will
demand that the railroads place moro
careful watchmcn at grade crossings,
following an investigation Of an acci
dent yesterday at the Kohler street
crossing of the West Jersey and Sea
shore Railroad, in which a motOrcyc'ist
was killed and n companion seriously
hurt.
This and other accidents are to be
Investigated by the nroscnt Camden
county grand jury. Charles W. Lett
gus. city solicitor of Gloucester. saw the
fatal cccident Yesterday at KOhler
street, which Is near his home. and says
the crossing Waterman raised the safety
gates too soon ani let the motorcyrlists
pass In the path "f an approaching cx.
press train.
The watchman. who was attacked
and beaten by angry men who wit
messed the accident. and threatened with
worse treatment, was today committed
to Jail by Mayor Anderson to await the
coroner's action.
Two automobiIists were killed in other
accidents yesterday near Philadelphia.
and twenty three persons were hurt in
various traffic mishaps, according to
police reports.
Detective Investigates
Assistant Prosecutor Burling and
County Detective Doran have Just COM
pleted an invcstieai ion of the Koh'er
street crossing. The man killed was
Paul Pfelcnz. twenty years old. of 31i
Jersey avenue, Gloucester. The owner
and driver of the motorcycle George
McMul!in, twenty years old, Of 225 Mar
ket street, Gloucester. is still uncon-
scious at the Cooper Hospital. Camden.
The gatekecper who was beaten and
is now in Jail was Isaac Christcn n
negro, of zoos South Tenth street, Cam
den.
The gates were down at K0blcs street
when the motorcycle reached the cross
ing.
The motorcycle was stopped while
long southbound freight passed. Then
The gates were raised and the motor
cycle started across. AS il reached the
northbound track it was struck by an
electric express bound for Camden.
Pielenz was killed instantly. his body
being found about fifty feet from the
road. McMullin also was thrown some
distance. lie was placed in n machine
and taken to the Cooner Hospital. Cam
den where his condition is said to be
critical. The motorcycle was wrecked.
Persons who saw the tragedy ran iuI
the gatekeepcr. I1e was struck several
times, and threats of worse treatment
were being made when he was arrested.
A statement made b. the gatekcepcr
that the motorcyclists had raised TIE
gates themselves was denied by wit
pesses.
The latest grade crossing accident
has reused the residents of South
Jersey. The demands to abolish the
death traps are intensified and NIu.vI
Ellis, of Camden. WIS called upon by
numerous citizens to take drastic action.
Fifty Killed in Year
Following the killing of eleven per-
sons in such crash at the Morgan
street crossing, Camden, August 30,
such agitation was begun. In all, more
than fifty persons have been killed in
such accidents in South Jersey this
year.
The other fatal accident occurred at
the Pennsylvania Railroad crossing at
Glen Mills. An automobile in wmrrh
were James Rucherili. seventeen years
old, and john SCotopon, eighteen
years old, both Of Media, was struck
and both were killed.
The boys were going to their homes
IN a new car. According to the police. :
they did not notice the approach of the
locomotive and were slowly crossing the
track when struck.
Irwin Davis, his wife and their two
small children. of this city. were injured
when the motorcycle they were riding
collided with an automobile near Read
ing yesterday. The machine was wreck
ed, and the family was taken to the
Reading Homeopathic Hospital. Mrs.
Davis was the most seriously hurt. with
cuts on the head and body and possible
internal injuries.