Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-02
ARREST CHAUFFEUR
| AFTER BOYS DEATH
Motor Truck Driver on "StraW
Ride" Must Explain to
Police.
DECLARES WATKINS FELL
IN STREAM ON ROAD
Says Automobile Had Stopped Near
Mount Winans, Nd, Before
Accident.

truck which was carrying straw ride
party to Baltimore when Norval A. Wat
kins met his death. was arrested at his
home last night by Detectives Berman
and CornweI and is being held for the
Baltimore county authorities. The coro-
ner. it is understood. wishes the chauf-
feur to recite his version of how Wat
kins was killed.
From the stories of the fatality told by
Ray and by Mrs. E. NJ Jet of 217 III
street northwest. it is hardly possible that
any blame can be attached TO the colored
man Tor Watkins death. At first it was
reported that Watkins, who resided at
GO0 Sth street northeast, and who cele-
brated his twenty-first birthday only last
week, had fallen from the truck and sus-
tanned injuries which resulted In his
death at the Franklin Square Hospital, in
Baltimore. yesterday morning at CLOCK.
Ray said he mad been instructed 10
take the party around the CITY, but mehl-
pers OF the party tod him To go out the
olAoenSourg road. When ne neareo
Contee, Nd, Ray said, he started TO re-
turn to the ely, but some or the men
in the party tod him to 60 ahead anu
he went on toward Baltimore.
Earring Frightened Them.
The driver of the heavy vehicle said
that just after passing culyert over a
small stream near Mt Winans. Md, one
of the front wheels dropped into pile
OF sand and road-menuins material anu
the Earring so frightened several members
of the party that they climbed ooWi
out of the machine.
About five minutes after this stop was
made, Ray declares, the attention Oh tht
members of the Halloween patty was az
IracIed to Watkins, VINO nad laiien Oh
tine cuIvert into the stream DeioW. My
said he aided the lnJuA tu man odch |,
.Ae roau and ISiptu carry HAia ~ g
nearby rOadhouSe.
After unsuccessful attempts to get an
ambulance, the chauffeur SAID, Watkins,
VINO was UNCONSCIOUS, Was paced IN u.
motor truck and three otner men &C
compan.ed hlm to the Franhhn Sauare
Hospital in Baltimore. OIners IN Lhe
party. ray sal0, went TO the statlon on
the electric line to Washington and re-
turned TO this city.
RAY SAID lie went to a police station
after leaving the hospital. and was
Questioned tnefe. The police seemed
perfectly satisfied with the explanation
he gave of the affair and permitted
aim to go, he said. He started to run
the truck back to Washington about s
q
said, but met with delays, and did not
succeed in reaching Washington until
about noon yesterday.
Mrs. Jett, whose son-in-law, Harry
Fiddesop, hired the truck and made
other arrangements for the straw ride,
last night told a Star reporter her YER
sion of the death of young Watkins
Left About 9 O'Clock.
She saws the party left q garage
about o'clock Friday night. after they
nad purcha sed a supply of gasoline.
They went out the Bladensburg road,
she says. until they had reached point
near Baltimore. A long pile Of gravel
and other road material was in the
road at this point, Mrs. Jett said, and
as there was no light on it the truck
was almost on it when the driver saw
1t.
Mrs. Jett said. the chauffeur went too
far to the other side of the road, which
was raised at this point, and one of the
wheels of the truck went over. All of
the members Of the party climbed out,
she said, to make it easier to get the
heavy machine back into the road.
Almost at this point. she related. the
road crossed a small stream and there
was no guard or rail to prevent any
one from falling off. AS there are no
= -
Watkins probably stepped off and fell
down in the dark. She then told of TAX
ing him to the roadhouse. and the vain
attempts to get an ambulance or a
physician.
At the hospital, she said, physicians
said that Watkins jaw was fractured.
and seemed to feel no alarm. She, ac-
companied by the other members of the
party. took the electric train to Wash
ington
night of the fact that Ray was held
pending the result of the inquiry into
Watkins death.
Besides Mrs. Jet and Mr.. Fiddesop.
| the Halloween strawride included Mrs.
Harry F'iddesop, 217 II street northeast:
Miss Nellie Ward, - / street northeast;
| Miss Mary Ballinger. 81 Sd street north
west: Miss Jessie Ward. 81 | street
northeast; Miss Eva Larry. 1912 9Th
street northwest Miss Margaret Dixon.
Miss Katharine Fitzgerald. Miss Helen
Van Overneer, Miss Elizabeth Burns,
Miss Edith Burns and John Bailinger.
GIL Sd street northwest. Raymond Ward,
81 / street northeast, JAY Jett. 211 ii
street northeast; John Stacks. 314 Indi-
ana avenue northwest: Paul Hartranft,
1U7 eth street northeas~; Joseph Norriss,
72S 18th street northeast; Frank Raeder.
800 G street southeast; Matthew WEIGH,
ID l. street northeast; James Cross, K.
Harding, Mr.. Burger and Mr.. Norman
Attended Public Schools.
Young Watkins was born in Washing
ton and was The eldest son of Mr. and
Mrs G. A. Watkins He attended the
public schools IN the northeastern see
ton of the city. and for the past Year
has been employed by a downtown de-
partment store.
Frank Raeder, one of the members OF
the party, went to Baltimore yesterday