THREE HURLED TO GROUND IN CRASH

Rock Island Argus
August 29, 1913 (Home Edition)

Speeding Auto Strikes and Demolishes Rig Driven by East Moline Man.

CLOSE CALL FOR OCCUPANTS

H. H. Little of Geneseo Arrested and Held on Suspicion of Being Driver of Car.

Struck from the rear by a speeding automobile a buggy driven by Frank Pulcher of East Moline was completely demolished last evening. Riding with Pulcher were his sister-in-law, Nellie Vick, aged 16, and his 17-months-old baby. All three were thrown out, the driver being dragged two blocks by the horse and the girl and child landing on soft ground beside the pavement. None was seriously injured. The accident occurred in front of the McKinley school at Fourth avenue and Fortieth street at 9 o'clock.

After the police were notified they instituted a search for the driver of the auto, who got away from the scene as quickly as possible. H. H. Little, a tailor from Geneseo, was arrested at Fifth avenue and Twenty-second street and is held on suspicion. His case has been continued till Wednesday and he is under $200 bond to appear for a hearing.

PULCHER TELLS STORY.

Pulcher told the police today that he was driving west when struck by the auto. He had passed so many machines that he was keeping as close to the north curb as possible to avoid a collision. He said he had no warning before his rig was struck, the first intimation he had coming when he found himself flying over the dashboard. His hands became entangled in the reins and he was dragged for some distance before the horse collided with a tree and stopped. The shafts were broken off.

LITTLE'S MACHINE DAMAGED.

Little, when arrested, was lying on the ground in an intoxicated condition, according to the police. A boy was endeavoring to replace a damaged tire on one of the front wheels of his machine. The lamps were broken and the mud guards bent. Little protested his innocence and finally became abusive, so he was locked up. He claims that the injury to his machine resulted from running into the sand where the brick had been taken up for the repaving of Third avenue and says he can prove an alibi.

Police chief Bisant says that the accident may have been due partly to poor lighting on Fourth avenue, several similar mishaps having taken place there in the past.