Runaway Auto

 RUNAWAY AUTO HITS ELECTRIC LIGHT POLE 

Driveless Car Performs Capers On Street Here 

The old duty of a patrolman to stop a runaway house was changed to stopping a runaway car of Patrolman Christ Schlmeyer last night. 

William Johannsen of Port Clinton was attempting to crank an ancient and wheezy type of car known as a "Lizzie" 10 or 15 years ago on Columbus-av just south of Market-st.  The crank locked.  Johannsen was attempting to jump up and down on the crank.

"Try putting it in gear and shaking the car", Schlmeyer, who had evidently had some experience with that type of car, shouted in encouragement from his corner at the southwest corner of Columbus-av and Market-st. 

Whether Johannsen did that or not, it started with no driver and Mrs. Johannsen and a child in the front seat.  

The car slowly picked up speed traveling north on Columbus-av without a drive with Johannsen trying to stop it from in front by shoving against the radiator.  Between times he shouted for Mrs. Johannsen to stop it.  But Mrs. Johannsen didn't know how to stop it,  Johannsen tried to shout instructions to her but the car was gaining too much speed and he had to jump from in front of it. 

Sehlmeyer rushed out to give aid.  But before he could do much the car plunged over the curb at the northeast corner of Columbus-av and Market-st, struck an electric light pole, veered off and then crashed into a parked machine.  There it stopped.  None was injured.  The car had traveled about 300 feet.   

The above article was taken from the Sandusky Register from March 14, 1935.  I am equal parts amused and horrified.  It originally strikes me as rather funny to have ones car take off on them simply because nobody was hurt other than I'm sure some broke prides.  I can't imagine how terrifying it would be to have the car I'm in with my child take off on its own and possibly run my husband over before getting into a car accident.  It seems like a wild course of events that a person couldn't make up even if they tried.  I hope they had several good laughs about it after they calmed down.  

Where it fits: William Johannsen is the son of Julius Johannsen and Caroline Japsen.  He was married to Kizzie Ethel McMurray and together they had Sue, Betty, William and Thomas.