Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14
KILLED IN HIS AUTO
O. c. Williams of Baltimore
Meets Death Near BerWyn.
COMPANION is INJURED
Miss Helen Griffith of Roland Park
Narrowly Escapes Death.
RUNS INTO DROVE OF HORSES
Car Said to Have Been Going Forty
Miles an Hour-Miss Grifith
Brought Here.
COMPANION is INJURED
RUNS INTO DROVE OF HORSES
Special Dispatch 10 The Star.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star. :
BHRWYN. Nd, May 13.-Oliver c. Will
liams, 1917 st. Paul street, Baltimore,
Nd. was instantly killed and Miss Helen
Griffith. Elmhurst avenue, Roland Park,
Md, was seriously injured at $50 o'clock
this evening on the Observation-Disclosures
boulevard when a big touring car in
which they were riding collided with one
Of drove of horses and upset.
Mr.. Williams was at the wheel of the
car. which, according to statements of
witnesses, was running at a rate of al
least forty miles an hour, and he at
tempted to pass on the wrong side OF
the road without Stacking his speed
One of the front wheels struck a horse
and threw the machine to one side The
car skidded into the ditch and out again
and one of the rear wheels collapsed. In
an instant the big machine was over
turned and its occupants thrown to the
roadbed.
Mr.. Williams was pinned under the
car, his skull, jaw and one shoulder be-
ing fractured, so that death must have
been instantaneous. Although Miss Grit
fifth was badly cut and bruised, she man
aged TO gain --er feet and was, in dazed
way, attempting to aid her companion
when bystanders reached the scene.
In Washington Hospital.
Drs. A. o. Eddy, Allen Griffith, Guy w.
Latimer and E. o. Ettine were summoned
by telephone. They found Mr.. Williams
beyond assistance, and, fearing that Miss
Griffith probably was injured internally,
they ordered her removed to n hospital
In Washington. She was taken to WASH
ington in an automobile belonging to Will
liam H. Barnes of Washington, who was
returning from Baltimore with william
H Marr. They carried her to Casualty
Hospital She was not told of the death
of Mr. Williams.
: Miss Griffith's father was notified Of
the accident by telephone and he started
for Washington by automobile.
Justice of the Peace Richard Beall,
deputy coroner of Prince Georges county,
reached the scene of the accident prompt
ly and Immediately fmpaneled a jury.
Testimony Of several eyewitneSseS was
heard, and the jury returned verdict
that Williams came to his death in an
automobile accident, which was the re-
suit of criminal negligence on his own
part In that he violated the speed limit
ard attempted toss pass on the wrong
side Of the road.
The members of the jury were A. J.
Sanford foreman: George Bewlie, Charles
W. Sanford. Jean Belford. Harry Thomp-
son, George May, Henry Dovenan, Harvey
Taylor, Edward Shea, George Hardy.
George Gowdy and D. W. hermann.
Car En- Route to Baltimore.
The car in which the unfortunate
couple were riding was en- route from
Washington to Baltimore, and 1t was
driven through Berwyn at speed which
bystanders afterward said must have
been fully fifty miles an hour. The couple
had been in Washington at dinner.
About one-haf mile beyond Berwyn.
where the road descends at a sharp down
grade, williams approached from the rear
drove of five horses, which We're en-
route to the Baltimore horse market.
Luther Christman was riding one Of
the horses and leading the rest. and was
about in the center of the roadway. AS
the searchlights on Williams car were
lighted he had opportunity to realize the
possible danger when he was yet 100
yards from the horses.
He failed to slacken speed, however.
and sought to pass the horses on the
right. Obeying the rule of the road"
Christman guided his animals in the
same direction, and the inevitable col
lision followed.
Body Taken to Berwyn.
After the physicians had given first
aid treatment to Miss Grifith. and she
had been safely started on the way to
Washington. the machine was lifted
from the ditch and the body OF Mr..
Williams was taken to the undertake
ing establishment of Joy & Sons. Ber-
wyn. The body will be sent to Balti-
more tomorrow morning. The auto
mobile, a irty-horsepower. five-pas-
senger Cadillac, was totally wrecked.
Residents of Hyattsville. after hearing
of the accident, declared that the same
machine passed. through that town at a
high rate Of speed shortly before the Ia
tality. and left dead dog in it's wake.
Mr.. Williams was secretary and treas
urer Of the Madison Motor Car Company
of Baltimore.
Miss Griffith was not considered fatally
injured by physicians at Casualty Hos
pital at a late hour last night, although
she suffered somewhat from nausea,
which might indicate internal injuries
She was bruised on one elbow, on the
back Of her head and on one hip.