The Washington times., 1913-12-27
Fifteen Killed and 32s Injured,
Forty.two Seriously, Since
January !, 1913.

at any time, succeeded in killing on
out of every 400 Of its population, Will
New York, with record of III death
this year, with It's narrow streets. an'
world, had death record of one kille'
out Of every 2,600.
Records Show s4o Accidents.
The records of the police department
show there has been $40 motor car acci
dents in the District during the year
In 100 of these accidents no one VA
injured, but the automobiles were dam
aged. In seyenty-eight of the accident
no one was hurt and no damage dom
to the machines.
The foregoing figures show an appar
ent discrepancy in the totals, but TIM
is accounted for by the fact that u
some instances several persons Wer'
hurt In one accident.
OF the fifteen fatal accidents, only on'
was FOUND to be due to alleged negli
gence on the part Of the driver: Thi'
Was the case Of Mrs. Pattie l. Collins
the aged empioye Of the 2ostfhcs ne
partment, who was run down and kiileS
on December % at Sixteenth and 4
streets northwest by the automobile OF
Mrs. d. M. Donner, of the Dresden
apartment house.
Held For Acticn.
Charles Draughn. the colored chauf-
four, who was driving the car. was
bound over for the action Of the grand
jury by . coroner's jury.
The drivers Of the other fourteen
cars were exonerated by juries. The po:
lice records show that 1,152 drivers OF
automobiles have been arrested ana tne
cases presented In Police Court Tor al
legged careless driving. These figures do
-
rested for running down persons or for
being In accidents The records do show,
however, that only twenty-one were
dismissed and six nolle pressed. The
other LIS either forfeited collateral or
were convicted.
Ferty-Tvo Knocked Down.
OF the sixty-two persons seriously
hurt by automobiles, forty-two were
Knocked down by the rnachines. Only
one person was seriously hurt In COLI
sions between automobiles; seven were
injured in collisions between automo-
hiies and bicycles; one in a
collision between an automobile and
q street car; one in collision between
a motorcycle and an automobile;
and other vehicles: one by falling from
an automobile, and seven in miscella-
neous automobile accidents such as the
machines going over an emoankmen6 6,.
Klein, OF 1879 u street northwest, Is the
only person In a hospital In serious
condition as the result OF being struck
by an automobile Mrs. Klein was
struck by a delivery automobile driven
by w. B. Greer, colored, who was ar
rested by police Of the Eighth precinct.
During the year the police say there
has been but one accident where any
one was seriously injured by motorists
who did not stop and give their victims
aid after the accident This was the
case Of John Grove, q Tenleytown gro
automobile at Seventh street and Penn
sylvania avenue northwest. Grove was
thrown out and his coIiarbone broken.
1t was thought at first he had been
fatally hurt The police say the auto
mobile which struck the wagon con-
tinued on down Pennsylvania avenue
after the accident
Caught By Detective.
Several days af,e. the accident Detec-
tive o'Brten arrested Charles Klopp-
meyer. Of :ea Fourteenth street north
west, alleged driver OF the automobile.
He was released on 500 bonds.
A striking feature of the police records
for automobile accidents during the
year is the fact that the figures show
they are steadily increasing in number.
although the number of fatal accidents
during the calendar year up to the
present time Is two less than for the
last fiscal year. when seventeen persons
were killed. The increase in the num-
ber Of accidents Is accounted for by the
police by the fact that the number of
automobiles In the District Is increasing
at remarkable rate.
Major Sylvester Talks.
the increase in the number of auto
mobile and other traffic accidents dur
ing the last few years has led Major
Sylvester TO recommend to the Com
nissioners that a bureau of traffic be
established In the Police Department
Speaking Of this. the major said:
Owing to the rapid growth of this
community and the introduction OF
thousands Of motor vehicles as a means
OF transit and the great freedom ac-
coTced pedestrians who patronizc the
vice and well-payed thoroughfares, the
time opportune for the organization
Of bureau in the department, to be
under the direction Of an Inspector,
looking to the control Of all matters
pertaining to traffic, the reporting OF
applications for drivers licenses the
keeping Of records Of all licenses and
peTvision Of officers detailed at inter
secttng streets and of the bicycle oper-
ators In the congested districts.
Aside from these requirements, such
a bureau could be charged with inyes-
tfaGng and reporting upon appIica-
items for Information, which cover
muitftudinous questions of every con-
ceivable kind and which call for con- !
sieerable correspondence"
List of Accidents.
Following is the list Of fatal automo-
bile accidents of the year:
January 1-Percy Williams, colored,
twelve years old. 344 Van street south
west; struck at Third and L streets
by automobile driven by John
E. Simpson, 2142 F street northwest
verdict Of accidental death by coro-
nerss- Jury.
March 1-Alexander Teppens, coIored, |
12i6 Cedar street northwest: struck at |
and u streets northwest by |
automobile driven by John Truly, COL |
ored; verdict OF accidental death by
March iS-Mrs. Margaret T. Collins, |
thirty 1--we years old, 62b North Caro-
lima avenue southeast; struck at |
eegenfh stssst and Rhode Island ave-
nas northwest by automobile driven by !
Arthur l. Williams, Of 1sl2 Sixth street
northwest; verdict Of coroners jury un-
efrf l5-Thoma. Wslcn, coiore6.
hape On motor truck; fell from truck