Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-20


Noble L. Davis was crushed to death
under an automobile which turned tur-
tie shortly after II o'clock last night while
the machine was spinning at fifteen
Baltimore boulevard near the old Bladens-
burg dueling ground beyond the District
of Columbia line. Three companions, two
young women and man, who were with
him in the auto, were slightly injured.
An inquest was held this morning in the
office of Acting Coroner Dahler in Bla-
densburg The jury through it's foreman
Charles A. Kicks of Beltsville, returned a
verdict of accidental death.
Davis, who was twenty-one years OF
age, was employed by Joseph Strasburger,
proprietor of the Family Shoe Store in
Washington, as chauffeur.
He was given permission to use his
EMPLOYERS automobile and in company
with J. H. Scarvel of 1898 l. street and
the Misses Helen Pulliam and Susie
Rowzee of this city, took trip for
pleasure into the country yesterday after
noon.
They stopped at the Pan Electric House
in Bladensburg few moments. On the
return to Washington they proceeded
along the Bladensburg road.
When descending the hill leading to the
old dueling grounds Davis, it is thought
believed the machine was going to hi
the bank on the right of the road. At.
tempting to bring the heavy 35-horse-
power Wayne machine into the middle
of the road, the front wheels skidded.
Machine Turns Turtle.
The machine, after sliding along for
several yards. turned completely over
Scarvel and the young women were
thrown oat into the road. The chauf-
feur was buried beneath the heavy ton
neau and his life crushed out.
AS soon as Scarvel and the women
could get themselves together, they look
ed for Davis and found him pinned I'M
der the car. So far as they know he
never uttered a sound after the car fell
on him.
Scarvel testified before the coroner's
jury today that the auto was proceeding
at the rate of about fifteen miles an hour
when it suddenly hit the mud on the
side of the road; that Davis at
tempted to turn the machine sharply into
the road. and after sliding along few
yards it turned turtle; that he, himself,
was thrown suddenly to the ground and
for moment was stunned. Davis had
informed the witness that he had trouble
with the steering apparatus some weeks
ago.
One of the young women was in the
front seat, laughing and chatting with
Davis, when he was suddenly launched
into eternity. 1t was in evidence that
Davis was not under the influence OF
liquor.
Helped to Extricate Body.
Herman E. Burgess testified that he ar
rived on the scene about five minutes
after the accident occurred and, with
Harry Riley. assisted Scarvel to lift the
big automobile off Davis. He observed
that the whole weight of the car was on
Davis chest. He believed this caused
death.
Riley corroborated Burgess story. DIR.
Harry Nalley of Mount Rainier testified
that Davis was dead when he arrived,
and that he did not make an examination
to ascertain positively the cause of death.
The members of the jury were Charles
A. Kicks, Lewis Magruder, A. ]. Costello,
c. F. Seuberlich, Dan Bachelor, William
d. Ross, A II. Dahler, Herman ]. Miller,
Morgan Joyce Robert Lehman, Walter
Cumberland. Harry l.. Mccormick and
Henry J. Vogt.
Brother Is Grief-Stricken.
Carey A. Davis, a brother of the dead
man, and also chauffeur, was present
at the inquest, and was unable to con-
troll his grief. He feared that his broth
er's death would kill his mother
Noble was the youngest of four broth
ers. He and Carey Davis were the main
support of their widowed ulother, Mrs
Mary A. Davis.
In the dead mans pockets was found
500 After the inquest his hat, coat and
other belongings We're turned over to the
brother, who was told that he could take
charge of the remains.
The body was brought to WASHINGTON
this afternoon.
A pocketbook containing $3.50 and re-
ceipted bills from the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company made out In
the name of Miss Helen Puliiam, is in
the possession of Coroner Dahler.