Charles H. Humes attempted to save George W. and C. Thomas Thayer and Freeman E. Ballard, Jr., from being struck by an autotruck, Capitol Heights, Maryland, October 24, 1931. George, 5; Thomas, 3, and Freeman, 4, stood on a street several feet in the rear of an autotruck, which without guidance started to back toward them on a downgrade. Humes, 32, truck driver, ran toward the children, reaching them when the truck, which was moving at a speed of 4 m.p.h., almost had reached them. As he stooped and took hold of George and Thomas at the shoulders, he and the three children were struck and knocked down under the truck. Humes, George, and Thomas were dragged eight feet, and the truck then passed beyond them. George and Thomas were severely injured but recovered. Freeman was not injured. Humes sustained a fractured vertebra and other serious injuries. He was totally disabled for months and is still partially disabled.
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