Evening star., 1920-02-17
G, v. RAFSDEATH
REEVES CHARGES
OF army SPEEDING
Drivers for Department in
Washington Have Figured in
! Many Complaints.

Killing Of George w. Rae. District
poundmANer. In . crash between the
Districts dog wagon and an Army mo-
tor delivery wagon at 18th and T
streets yesterday. has revived inter-
est in the numerous complaints OF
rscklessncss on the part Of drivers OF
Army motor vehicles.
Recklessness Of several such drivers
was the subject of testimony given
at ipquests held at the morgue in traf-
nc fatalities. It also has been the
subject of numerous complaints by
residents Of different localities.
During the war. when hundreds OF
such vehicles were on the streets At
practically all hours. many OF tho
drivers il was asserted. displayed an
utter disregard Of the trahic regula-
tions. In other words. such reguia.
tions meant nothing to them. and 1t
was a case Of driving pelllmen over the
public thoroughfares In the city and
on the roads In the more densely pop
ulated portions Of the county.
That many deaths from Army
trucks were not caused: was re.
miraculous. It was a case of pedes-
trians being forced continually 70
dodge the heavy trucks. however, to
keep down the mortality.
Conferred with Department.
30 dangerous did the condition be-
come that Maj. Pullman. superintend-
ent Of police. had to make = move to
protect the lives Of pedestrians. Com
plant after complaint about failure to
comply with trafhc regulations and OF
Army vehicles were heard, and Maj.
Pullman took up the question With
war Department onicials in an effort
to rid the city Of the danger.
Col. Eby Of the Motor Transport
Cerus was In conference with MAJ.
made It known that he was fully in
sympathy with the efforts of the po-
lice department. to compel observance
Of the trA6ac regulations. more espe-
cially the speed law. In an order is
sued April .. 1919. Maj; Pullman ad.
War Department cooperation in the
enforcement Of the trafnc laws and
gave the following order:
n ODeed law violations . soldier
operator should be warned in mild
cases and arrested IL there 10 . ma
Soldier operators who are arrested
for violation Of the law should be
tarned over to Col Eby or his repre-
sentative.
'Civilian operators of War Depart
ment cars should be handled the same
- any other civilian and taken into
court along with other trafdc arrest
cases"
During the war. 1t is stated, most Of
the drivers complained against were
soldiers, many Of them from distant
parts Of the country. and in several in
Of the regulations were made. It was
the belief Of the police, however, that
most drivers thought they were priv
ileged to do as they pleased because
thsy were In the Army.
Orders to Drivers.
Orders issued to drivers soon deprived
them Of opportunities to plead ignorance.
the Districts tramc laws. Even the is
euAnce Of tie orders, It is declared, did
not have the effect Of putting q stop to
the dangerous practice, and surprise has.
been exprNsed that more arrests Of
Police Of tha eighth precinct today
are looking for additional witnesses
to the fatality that happened yester-
day. Although the accident occurred
and 1T an hour when many persons
were on the street, 1t 10 stated. few
witnesses have volunteered to appear
at the inquest this afternoon.
Frederick Byrd. driver OF the pound
wagon, and Joseph Burrell. one of the
eolored assistants. the latter pain
fully hurt, will be among the wit
Aeoses examined, and Louis Howard.
the colored driver Of the Army We
hiele. also may give testimony.
George Tinney, the other assistant.
may have q fractured skull, 1t was
reported this morning, and may die as
a result of the injury.
Driver Byrd declares the Army truck
was speeding, but the driver of the
latter vehicle takes issue with him.
Byrd told a Star reporter he was told
that the Army car was racing, Dut
police of the eighth precinct said
they had obtained no witnesses TO
show that such was the case. Not
many witnesses to the accident have
been obtained, according to q police
statement today. and it may become
necessary to ask Tor q postponement
of the hearing in order to give time
to and others who witnessed the kill
ing of the pOundmaster.