The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-26
KILLED BY JOE LETTERS AUTO.
NEGRO BOY EFT BY HIS TOURING
CAR IN WASHINGTON.

witnesses Disagree a. 20 whether or Not
the Chauffeur Was at Fault-He's Ar.
rested-Mrs. l.. y. Letter and Two
Guests I'm the Car with Inc owner.
WASHINGTON. Dec. "a large touring
automobile, the property Of Joseph Letter,
ran over and instantly killed Samuel West
colored, IA years old, at the corner Of Four
zenith street and Columbia road, North
west, at li:15 o'clock this morning. Repre-
sentative Joseph V. Graf of Illinois and his
son. a student at Dartmouth College, had a
narrow escape from being run down at the
same time. according to Mr.. Crafts story.
Joseph Letter and his mother, Mrs. l.. 2.
Letter, and Mr.. and Mrs. Franklin Reming-
ton OF New York. guests OF the Letters.
we're passengers in the car, which was
driven by Charles H. Raymond, achauffeur
who has been in the employ OF Joseph
Letter a few days only. The Letters said
that he had taken the place OF a chauffeur
who was discharged for speeding the ma
chine.
Eyewitnesses of the accident aid that
West alighted from a street car at the cross
ing and started TO run across the street to a
store where he was employed. Immedi-
ately behind came Represen tative Graf
and his son, who left the street car at the
same time that young West did. The auto
mobile struck the boy and the wheels passed
over his head, crushing the skull. He was
instantly killed. Representative Graf
warned his son OF the cars approach, and,
according TO Mr.. Graf. the son got NJ OF
the way just in time to escape being run
down.
The Letter automobile was stopped
Immediately n a policeman who Witnessed
the accident arrested the chauffeur and de-
fui0Ad ,J0Sanh altar and Mra l. ~ Latter
long enough TO take their personal bonds
for their appearance as witnesses at the
inquest, which will be held tomorrow
Mr.. and Mrs. Remington were not required
to appear as witnesses.
Mrs. Letter and Mrs. Remington were
~unnerved by the accident. Mrs. Letter
left word that she be notified as soon az the
family Of the West boy was located. She
expressed great sympathy and regret over
the accident.
Witnesses Of the accident do not agree
as TO the degree Of responsibility attaching
to the chauffeur. Some Of them declared
just after the tragedy that the chauffeur
was guilty OF gross carelessness. The
chauffeur and some other witnesses said
that the motor car was not going above the
rate OF eight miles an hour at the time West
was struck.
Raymond was released late tonight on a
S. 900 bail bono furnished by Joseph Letter.
Mrs. Letter said tonight that the acct
dent was unavoidable. Raymond, the
chauffeur, she declared, was a careful man
who had driven four years for the la tie
Gardiner Hubbard. president ofthe National
Geographic Society. and had beer engaged
by the Letters a few days ago because he
was recommended as an unusually careful
a Mrs. Letter said that he took the
place of a man discharged because he had
violated the speed ordinance.
The automobile, according to Mrs. Letter.
was not going more than six or eight miles
ar hour, and the chauffeur was sounding
his horn at the time the boy was struck
She said she saw the boy carelessly run
directly in front of the automobile.
Mrs. Letters opinion as TO the speed Of
the machine is borne out by the statement
Of a policeman and other eyewitnesses that
the machine was brought to a standstill
within ten feet of where the boy was struck.
Franklin Remington, who with Mrs.
Remington is spending the holidays with
the Letters, is a nephew of Mrs. Letter.