New-York tribune., 1920-09-13
DIR. G.. I'll. Mcclure, One of
Richest Men i'm Bronx.
Killed and DIR. Spellissy,
of Philadelphia, Injured
New Workers. Car
Skids Over a Wall
His Wife, Son, Daughter
and Sister Lose Lives: {:
Pennsylvanian's Wife
Perishes i'm Collision

Seven persons were killed between 3
and o'clock yesterday morning near
Dobbs Ferry, when the automobile in
which they were riding plunged over q
stone wall and fell twenty-five feet to
the ground below in the midst of a
heavy rainstorm. One child alone of
the party remains alive. He is in
Dobbs Ferry Hospital in critical con-
dition.
The dead are DIR. George H. Nc
Guire, fifty-eight years old, one Of the
most widely known physicians in the
Bronx, whose home was at 2519 Cres-
ton Avenue; his wife, Mrs. Florence
Mcclure, fifty-two; George H. Mcclure
jr., his son, sixteen; Mary Mcclure, his
daughter, thirteen; John j. Howley, Of
2437 Valentine Road. thSs Bronx,
brother-in-law of DR.. Mcclure; Mrs.
John ]. Howley, sister of DR.. Mcclure,
and Edward Mulrooney, fifteen, son of
Police Lieutenant Mulrooney, of the
West 152d Street station.
Another noted physician. Or. Joseph
NJ. Spellissy, Of Philadelphia, received
injuries which may cause his death
when an Atlantic City express struck
his automobile at Point Pleasant Beach,
N. j., yesterday. MRS. Speilissy lost
her life in the accident.
Dr.. McGuire's twelve-year- old son,
Francis, the only survivor Of the acci-
dent near Dobbs Ferry, has a fracture
of the thigh and other injuries.
Road Poorly Lighted
According to DR.. Edward T. Higgins,
former chief surgeon Of the Police De-
partment, who is brother-in-law Of
Dr.. Mcclure, the accident was largely a
result of inadequate lighting facilities.
Death to those caught beneath the car
was virtually instantaneous.
DR.. Higgins, as the nearest available
relative of the family, received friends
and messages of sympathy at the Nc
Guire home yesterday afternoon. He
said he had gone to the scene of the
accident early yesterday morning after
being notified. and had found that DR..
Mcclure, uncertain as to the course to
be taken at q road Intersection, fol-
stead of turning to the left. Just after
the machine left the road which would
have brought him safely to New York
it came to a steep incline, unfamiliar
to Dr. Mcclure. who was driving. At
the bottom of the incline stone wall,
leading to a railroad bridge, loomed up.
Auto Apparently Skidded
From marks in the muddy roadbed, it
was apparent, DR.. Higgins said, that
DR.. Mcclure had struggled with the
steering wheel in an attempt to follow
the roadway, which now took sudden
turn to the right. But the machine
crashed onward, skidding apparently on
the pavement. The left fore wheel
struck the stone wall first, it was evil
dent. Then the big touring car body
swung about and plowed through the
stone wall, dropping to q side road and
railroad tracks below.
The machine, with all storm curtains
down. turned completely over, pinning
the occupants beneath it. Only Francis,
who probably rode in center collapse
seat backs and steering apparatus. 1t
Is believed he was caught in the "well"
of the machine, or that part just be-
hind the front seat and in front of the
rear seat, and thus was saved from
death
The rain and wind storm was at its
height, but a party Of motorists whose
machine had been stalled at the brow Of
the hill heard the noise and ran to the
cSeuC " iLU tUS dIu VI oiAahh POSASS
lights they saw one small foot NOV
ing beneath the wreckage and extri-
Gated the boy from the mass Of twisted
wood and steel They rushed him to
the hospital. An ambulance, with Dr..
Harold Storms in charge, reached the
spot few minutes later, but all OF
those remaining beneath the machine
had been killed.
Motorists Raise Machine
Scores Of passing motorists stopped
and assisted in raising the machine
from the bodies and they were taken to
the undertaking rooms Of P. G.. Muir
ply, 343 East Fordham Road. They
will be taken to the homes this morn
ira
The party of eight had Left New York
esrly Saturday morning to go to Orange
Lake for the purpose OF bringing back
TO New York DIR. McGuire's son George
and the boys chum, young Mu!rooney,
both Of whom attended Fordkam Uni
versitY preparatory school. The school
urn opens to-day.
Il have never known q more cautious
driver than my brothcr-n-!aw." DR..
Higgins said. "He has often told me
twenty miles an hour in good weather
is fast enough for any man to drive. lie
often warned me that would be killed
did not drive more slowly and more
cautiously. DR.. Mcclure was an cxpe-
tcest.aued % ease thrse)