Oakland, CA Automobile Accidents, Aug 1924

EVANGELIST IS KILLED BY TAXI

Rev. Arthur O. Dowe Run Down By Oakland Driver; Others Injured.

Two men, an Oakland minister and a San Francisco grocer, are dead today, another man, a member of the Albany board of trustees is believed to by dying, and five other persons are suffering form injuries as a result of a series of automobile accidents which occurred in the bay district during the past 18 hours.

Rev. Arthur O. Dowe, 43, 554 Vernon Street, an evangelist attached to the Presbyterian Home Missions was instantly killed late last night when he was struck by a taxicab at Seventh and Washington Streets. Harry Butler, 1788 Fifth Street, driver of the automobile, is being held in the city prison pending an investigation while police are searching for a woman and a man – said to be Butler’s brother – who accompanied the evangelist’s body to the hospital, but left before they could be identified. They are wanted as witnesses.

Circumstances, which seemed to the police peculiar, regarding Dowe’s death, were cleared up today when a post-mortem examination performed at the county morgue by Autopsy Surgeon E.V. Tiffany showed that the accident victim died from a fractured skull. A cursory examination of the body had failed to disclose any wound believed sufficient to have caused death.

Although he denied it, Butler, police say had been drinking. He told the officers that he had just returned form taking a party of two men who were under the influence of liquor to an address on Eight Street, and was on the way to his home with his brother and the woman when the accident occurred. Dowe was talking with two men, who refused to come to the hospital, he said.

Dowe is survived by a widow and a son, Oscar, 18. Both are visiting in Dinuba, according to friends.

Joseph Popovics, grocer, living at 2810 Pine Street, San Francisco, died today at the St. Francis hospital from injuries suffered in an automobile crash a Scott and Pine Streets in that city. As the result of his death the driver of the automobile which is alleged to have run into his machine, faces an additional charge of manslaughter. He is Robert Connevy, concession man at San Francisco beach. Following the accident yesterday he was arrested, charged with driving while intoxicated, failing to render aid and reckless driving. Two other men who were with him were hurt but not seriously.

D.C. Maner, 55 city trustee of Albany, and attorney for the Pacific Gas and Electric company, is at the Berkeley emergency hospital today fighting an apparently losing battle for his life as a result of an automobile accident, which occurred early last night at the Marin avenue-Santa Fe crossing, Albany.

The Albany trustee is suffering from a fractured skull, and physicians at the hospital declare that it is doubtful if he can survive the day. He was driving his automobile en route to a meeting of the Albany trustees when the accident occurred.

As Maner’s machine approached the railroad crossing, he apparently did not see the approaching west-bound train, and the locomotive crashed into his automobile, hurling it several feet. The injured man was taken to the Berkeley emergency hospital, where an operation was performed in hope of saving his life. Maner resides at 961 Ordway Street, Albany.

Billy Tures, small son of William Tures of San Mateo, suffered severe internal injuries late yesterday when he was struck by an automobile driven by G. Parodi at Cypress and E. streets, San Mateo. The child was riding on a coaster towed behind the bicycle of a playmate, and was being hauled across the street.

Joseph D. Webster, 8, of 2534 Clinton way, Berkeley, sustained cuts and bruises when he was struck by an automobile driven by O.W. Phillips, 903 Neilsen street, at Shattuck avenue and Dwight way. The boy ran directly in front of the car, according to the police report.

Passed by more than a dozen cars before he could get one to stop and take him to the hospital for treatment, 5-year old Jackie O’Neil, who was struck down by an automobile driver who escaped in heavy traffic, lay bleeding in the street at Van Ness avenue and Eddy yesterday for a long time. Finally a car driven by Henry Grey, a tourist of Eureka, heard the child’s cries for help and stopped. He took the boy to the Emergency hospital, where it was found he was suffering from a serious scalp wound. He will recover. Police are searching for the unidentified automobile driver.

Two mechanics were injured while working at a bench in the H.O. Harrison garage, 1200 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, yesterday, when an automobile driven by George [illegible] Kar, 2940 Van Ness Avenue, that city, crashed into them. Kar, who was driving into the garage for repairs to his machine, accidentally stepped on the accelerator. The injured men are J.E. Moore, 653 Twenty-Ninth Street, and Robert Munwaring, 1200 Franklin street. They sustained cuts and bruises.

Oakland Tribune, Oakland, CA 13 Aug 1924
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Transcribed by Pam Whitmer. Thanks Pam!