The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1920-12-16
YOUNG BOY HIT
BY AUTO, DEAD
Iz<tIe George Francis Warren, Playing
= Street, Ian ii Front of Moving
tar- IJnavoidsbIe A Accident"
Verdict 81 Coroner's Jury.


evening tragedy that cost the life Of
Little George Francis Warren, and
brought untold anguish to two well
known Mena families.
Shortly after o'clock Sunday even
ing. while Jesse I.auck was driving
the family car along Eighth street, it
struck and almost Instantly killed the
Warren child the tragic accident hap
penIng ia front of ST. Agnes Catholic
church. III view of number of parish
0ncfs gathered for the vesper service.
The Injured child did not speak after
having been struck BY the car. DR..
r M Fletcher, who lives not far dis
tant, was summoned, but found the
boy gslsning his last when he reached
Tie church.
Police Magistrate S. II. Smith,
whose home is only block distant,
WIS called and at once arranged to
hold i coroner's inquest in the tragic
happening Acting Mayor C. L. Baker
Wae directed to impanel jury, and the
body Of the dead boy was taken to the
par1oxS of Alex Patton.
Car Dodged One Boy.
Evidence gathered by the officials
40 conducted the legal inquiry
showed that young Mr.. Lauck, in COM
p61x with Edward Leeper, was driv-
Iuf southWard On Eighth street in
tHs L8uck car. They and other wit
neEeca testified that after crossing
walnut street, for which they were
compeiied 70 slow down on account of
i lad covering over culvert, boy
X1G 4een to dart ACROSS the street. The
~ turned to the left TO avoid strik-
ir& the boy, who had stopped near the
coulter of the thorofare in front of the
church. Az the moving car turned to
the left another boy appeared from
behind an auto parked in front of
the j H Mailer residence and stepped
directly ii front Of the moving ma
The unfortunate child, who was
latter identified as Francis Warren,
was struck by the front fender, it is
VbdIieved, and was hurled with force to
lha ground There was no mark on
the auto to Indicate the collision had
taken place. but both the young men
Ii the car realized they had struck the
X XQu0E Iz1uck WINS so unnerVed by
the affair that he was unable to stop
tie car and young Leeper took COM
4nland. driving around the block and
returning to the church corner at once
10 learn THE result Of the accident.
Playing *Tae" in the Street.
Testimony Of Witnesses was that a
number Of boys, including young
Warren and Raymond Fried, were en-
&aeInR IN boyish game of tag in the
street. prior to opening of the even
inR service tile church, to which they
belonged b. ~. Shutters car had
hoen driven up and parked in front of
Na1er's residence only a short time
kGEcto the L.auek car appeared.
Is If Wns brought out at the official in
xASfiNatiof1 that young Lauck was not
<IriVfnR his car faster than usual,
dill 4n<nf witnesses estimating its
speed from 10 To is miles per hour. 1t
also developed that no horn was sound
"A Or otksr alarm given of the cars
approach.
d2g morning IN the Office of Justice
Smith. eight witnesses were exam
inea. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
~ " III ATAt "4e pteseh. 10 see IL
there mad been any criminal act COM
r7Iss<1 IA the a1falf-
- $50 II =; kcd Up Injured Lad.
s. 1 e. = n z1ifoiter, 4 young man, testi-
i4d 20 seeing the boys playing in the
street. and saw a car coming from the
/ north It looked that one of the boys
fxn directly ii front of the moving
fHr. He went out and picked the boy
IN affor he;nr str,rck He estimated
-, t.s,- Was slss'sE fravsiIng IL to is miles
: g honr. 80
W Rav MaIonev another spectator
kz18 a fbe hs,va nIaving tao ia the
1l<erf aid believed that the one struck
~ IiUhtx q, and was not running
- s5<6r Carroll. said there were z
8 Z k6z7~ x.la,z{no Il fhe street inst he
{<x1 I'm f.al1e3< ear apneared II was
y "a 6o;rxr 'verv fast. he testified. He
@iX RI wae MI known who was in the
-. xr... p~u,
Err 'one"
Df. c<cner testined the
zkEsn cnliq Qle9 rom the e1ects o.
1s ~ s 5;a ~ ~ y tb;ns ntetiai tha car neinor rar
soSsr fhs boy He also testified that
fke vos11 = ster i evesight was poor and
4 tk<f ke vgore nlsSSes generally. but did
y I[ = 7z-~ !. '@['1-lzl q ~ .s-s, ~