The Washington times., 1913-07-07
GIRL RODE WITH
VICTIM, SHE SAYS
Mrs. Saunders Declares That
MotorcycIist Was on Wrong
Side of the Road.

Although entirely unnerved and under
a physicians care, Mrs. Richard Sauh-
ders, Of Potomac. Md, today told her
version Of the fatal accident to Bernard
Sherwood, motorcyclist, of this CITY,
placing the blame on Sherwood
She asserted that Sherwood and Alt
man, his companion, were carrying
girls on their motorcycles, and not
paying attention to the roadway, that
they were on the wrong side OF the
road, and not showing lights as they
should, and that Sherwood ran into
her carriage instead of her running in
to his motorcycle
Keeps a Secret.
She has Just learned of his death, and
Is keeping it from her daughter and
niece, who were with her in the car
riage on Conduit road when the acci-
dent happened. Mrs. Saunders did not
learn that the young motorist had been
hurt until saturday, although she heard
talk of a hospital at the time of the
crash, and knew that one of the party
was being taken to Washington IN an
automobile.
Today, because she wanted to show
that the accident was not her fault. and
10 let Sherwood's mother know she felt
badly about it, Mrs. saunders gave her
story exclusively 10 The Times.
7 haven't tried to conceal my name,
as the papers have said,' she began
II gave my name to Altman, and ne
didn't say anything about it to the po-
lice until Sunday. At first / wouldn't
tell him, becs use the people at the acci-
dent said no one was hurt. Then Alt
man followed me up toward home, and
insisted on having my name, and then
was afraid that somebody was hurt
and gave ii to him.
The accident happened this way. l
had been down to Glen Echo Park
with. nv little daughter and niece. We
were driving back home along the Con-
duit road, keeping well to the rlsht;
Our old horse is used to the road, ana
he always would turn out for teams
or autos.
Then far up the road 1 could see
one little light, which looked like an
electric street lamp or as though some
one were carrying a lantern
The next thing l knew there was a
crash, which knocked the horse down
and sent me TO my knees on the noor
of the carriage. 1t must have Deen
that ] didn't see the motorcycle COM
ing along because the horse was in the
line of vision, but il wasn't my fault.
No. / couldn't help it, and l want his
mother to know that
On Right Side.
1T seemed to me that some one had
struck my carriage, for l was on the
right side of the road and keeping
close TO the grass plot.
The people came running out of Eu-
gene Benson's place, and everything
was confused. / was hurt a little and
terribly excited.
. IT heard a girl scream, oh, my sis
ter And then found out that there
were two motorcycle parties ana that
each had a girl on the little seats to
the rear Mr.. Benson told me he had
passed the same parties while before
and he thought they weren't paying
much attention to where they were
going.
did all / could-and 1 wasn't trying to
hide my name except for the reason
that / didn't want to get into the pa
pers-
That's the only reason l didn't give
my name right away.
found out was Altman, a relative OF
one of my neighbors. asked if had
night on the carriage, and told hlm
that / didn't-that we didn't use them
out in the country and that here wasn't
any light law in Maryland.
Didn't Know.
Il asked him If anyone was hurt, and
he said he didn't know. Then l heard
somebody say something about a hos
pital and just then an automobile came
along. going toward the city. and took
Sherwood away.
'Sh.rwood's friend followed me on
his motorcycle TO near my home, and
then asked again for my name. He
said he didn't know much about the
accident but wanted the name anyway.
So gave it to him. and explained that
Mr.. Benson had advised me that II
wasn't necessary for me 20 give the
name. and / felt that some one had
run into me rather than that ! had
run into some one and hurt him
Il felt that the young men weren't
there was only one light on the motor
cycles as far as I could tell. I'm not
certain which one carried the light
IL was an awful crash. and Sler-
wood must have been riding pretty fast.
because il knocked my horse down and
threw me over to the front of the car
rage / was bruised around the legs.
But there isn't any truth in the story
that Sherwood is said TO have told in
the hospital that he was taken off one
of the shafts and thrown alongside the
road. I guess that he was unconscious
then, and Altman, as he said yester day.
knows II didn't happen that way.
knew that there were people around
there and Sherwood's friend said he
didn't know whether anybody was hunt.
! Eelt afterwGrd that maybe somebody
was hurt. l didn't learn until SATURDAY
that the boy was in a hospital and
didn't know Unit late Sunday afte--
noon that he had died.
Is Sorry.
I'm sorry, very sorry. but I don't
feel that the accident was my fault.
But / do want his mother to know Just
how / feel about II.
Mrs. Saunders has been suffering from
the snock Of the accident but the news
that sherwood had died caused a Eer-
vous breakdown. doctor is now
treating her.
Mrs. Saunders is the wife of a veil
to-do farmer. living about two rliles
from Potomac. Md. The community
regards the family as of the best. and
feels that Mrs. Saunders did. as she
says. use all possible care to keep to