Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 248, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1913 — LITTLE BOY GETS BADLY BROKEN LEG [ARTICLE]

LITTLE BOY GETS BADLY BROKEN LEG

Child Tried to Climb on Running . Board of Tourist Auto and a Wheel Passed Over Limb'. Charles Gundy, 5 years of age, suffered a severely shattered fracture of his left leg, just above the ankle Thursday afternoon at about 3 o’clock when the rear wheel of a tourist automobile passed over his leg. Mrs. C. A. Gundy, of Fair Oaks, moved here recently in order to give older children in her family the advantage of a high school education. She has apartments oyer Warner Bros.’ store. Charles has been in the habit of playing in the street at the foot of the stairs and several say has frequently climbed on to the running boards of auto mobiles. He was playing with two other children Thursday afternoon when J. S. Jones, of Chicago, and his chauffeur, in a big Stearns touring car, came slowly along the street, traveling east. The chauffeur saw the lad dart toward the machine and sounded she hone. At -the same instant almost he felt the rear part of the car raise as it passed over the boy’s leg. The car was stopped instantly, so soon, in fact that it barely cleared the prostrate form. ■ Mr. Jones, the owner of the car, saw the little fellow run toward the machine and try to Climb on the running board and made * quick reach for him, but failed to grasp his clothing. L. S. Reeves, of Kentland, was standing on the sidewalk near the machine and picked up the child and carried him across the street and Charley Clift, the barber, carried him upstairs to his home and Drs. Washburn and Johnson were called and found both bones of the left leg severely crushed just above the ankle. It was decided not to try to set the bones until the swelling had subsided to some extent and this Friday morning there were some indications of gangrene and it was deieded to take the boy to Chicago to be treated by a specialist and accompanied by his mother and physician was taken to Chicago this afternoon. Mr. Jones, the owner of the automobye, was returning with his wife and two other ladies from a visit to a farm he owns in Ohio. The ladies had left the automobile at the Rensselaer Garage corner and were walking slowly up the street and the car was going at a snail’s pace. The accident was seen by a dozen or more ’Persons, all of whom told the same story and this entirely exhonerated Mr. Jones from-any blame. He was visibly affected by the incident, however, and his conduct not only proved ihiS manliness but also his generosity. He guaranteed, the doctor’s bill and 'gave Sirs. Gundy S2O, and waited for some two hours to ascertain the lad’s condition. Mr. Jones is the senior member of the coal firm of Jones & Adams, with offices in the Steger building in Chicago. He also leases and operates the Grand Pacific hotel. In conversation with the writer he related having had a brother who was a conductor on the old narrow guage railroad just after it was constructed as far north as Rensselaer. His brother was slightly crippled and will be remembered doubtless by many of the older residents of this city.