MAYOR SPRINTS TO BERATE SPEEDER

The New York Times
December 5, 1922

Auto Truck Narrowly Misses Him and Grover A. Whalen and Hurries Away.

CROWD CHEERS REBUKE

One Reckless Driver is Fined, Another Jailed—Policeman and a Child Die in Jersey.

Returning from luncheon to City Hall yesterday noon Mayor Hylan and Grover A. Whalen nearly were run down by an automobile truck at Park Row and Ann Street.  They were crossing Ann Street when the automobile turned in suddenly from Park Row.  The Mayor and the Commissioner of Plant and Structures jumped just in time to escape being struck by a mud guard.

The machine sped toward Theatre Alley and the two officials sprinted after it, overtaking the truck as the driver slowed down.  A crowd, recognizing the Mayor, cheered the pursuit, and gathered around to see what would happen.

"You are very reckless," shouted the Mayor angrily.  "Just how fast were you going?"

"Eight miles an hour," replied the driver.

"No, you were going faster than that," said the Mayor.  "It is drivers of your sort that cause peril to pedestrians and who are responsible for their maiming and also for many deaths."

Mr. Hylan then directed Patrolman Tom Reilly, his personal bodyguard, to take the name and license number of the driver for possible future action.  The crowd cheered again as the Mayor adjusted his cravat and went on his way.

Alfred Osterland, 60 years old, of 8,543 Eighty-first Street, Woodhaven, Queens, was seriously injured last night by an automobile driven by Charles Spindler of 9,514 111th Street.  Spindler took Osterland to the Bradford Street Hospital.  Later he was sent to the Kings County Hospital with a fractured skull, a fractured left arm and numerous lacerations.

Witnesses said the injured man walked directly in front of the vehicle.

Charged with reckless driving and operating an automobile without a license, Julius Begdon of 21 East 105th Street was fined $30 by Magistrate Douras in Morrisania Court yesterday.  He drove an automobile which collided with a Willis Avenue surface car crossing Willis Avenue bridge.  Several passengers were thrown to the floor.

William Zeltner of 49 Winans Avenue, Newark, was sentenced to seven months in the Essex County Penitentiary by Judge Flannagan in that city for the death of Albert Manturo, 5 years old, of 36 Smith Street, Irvington, who was killed by a motor truck driven by the defendant.

Zeltner declared that the boy ran in front of his truck, and that, though he was going only twenty miles an hour, he was unable to stop because his brakes were not working.  Witnesses said that the truck went 100 feet after striking the boy.  Zeltner was charged with manslaughter.

RAHWAY, N. J., Dec. 4.—Motorcycle Policeman Harry Orr died in Rahway Hospital this afternoon from internal injuries received when his motorcycle crashed into a motor truck in Lincoln Highway, near Sycamore Street, here, on last Friday night.  Another patrolman said that the motor truck displayed no rear light, but Luis A. Jacobs of 170 Livingston Street said that when he left Philadelphia, an hour before, the rear light was lighted.

SPARTA, N. J., Dec. 4.—Edward Ford, about 3 years old, son of the Rev. E. S. Ford, a Protestant Episcopal clergyman here, was killed late last night when he was struck by an automobile driven by a man from Paterson.  The boy was playing in front of his home.

The driver took the child to Franklin Hospital, but he died on the way.  No arrest was made.