Evening star., 1920-02-18
ARMY TRUCK CASE
BEFORE CORONER
Witnesses Tell of Speed of
Vehicles at Time G. w.
Rae Was Killed.


to summon a witness to Monday
streets, which resulted in the death
of George w. Rae. District pound
master. and serious injury to George
Tinney, one of his colored assistants,
Coroner hewitt was unable to con-
clude the hearing at the inquest yes
terday afternoon.
The hearing was begun at the
morgue at o'clock. Assistant United
States Attorn- y Glenn b. Willett was
in attendance as the representative
OF the civilian branch of the govern
| ment interested in the case. while the
military branch was represented by
Lieut.. w. T. Crozier, U. S. A, an Army
vehicle of the pound service. Attor-
ney James A. OShea represented
Louis Howard, colored. driver of the
Army truck.
Witnesses Heard.
| Wilbur Clements. Brentwood, Md,
told the jury he heard the noise of
the crash and ran to the scene of the
accident. c,' reaching there just as Fred
erlck Byrd, colored, driver of the Dis
trlct vehicle. was crawling from be-
| meath the overturned machine. He
| thought the conditions suggested that
| the Army truck struck the pound
vehicle
| Harry F. Frazier. colored employe
or the quartermaster department of
the Army, who was riding with
! Howard. told the jury that the Army
| truck was going at speed of about
| ten OF. twelve miles an hour, while
the pound machine was going at a
speed of about eighteen miles. and
neither driver sounded a warning.
The witness declared that the
brakes on the Army car refused to
work. The brakes, he said, needed
Az
ported they were out of order be-
fore taking the truck from the
garage.
Howard tried all he knew how
to prevent the accident" Frazier de-
! clared.
He said Howard made a turn south
on 18th street when he realized there
| was danger of a collision. The Army
car was on the north side of 7 street
not more than two or three feet from
the curb. he stated.
| Did the pound wagon have the
| right of way?" Frazier was asked.
Yes, sir" was his response.
The Army car was about ten feet
from the corner. Frazier stated, when
| Howard tried to apply the brakes
Hedge Obstructed View.
Frederick Byrd. driver of the
! poundmasters vehicle. told the jury
ne was driving his car at a speed
d
! when he reached 18th and T streets
| A hedge on the east side of the
street partly obstructed his view of
the crossing, he testified. and he did
not see the Army truck.
Asked by Attorney O'Shea if he
knew the traffic regulations, he an
swered in the Affirmative and said
he made an effort to lower the speed
| Of the wagon little when he reached
the intersection of 18th and T streets.
lie also said he sounded a warning
| when he approached the crossing.
| Coroner hewitt announced that the
taking of testimony would be re-
| sumed al o'clock this afternoon.
+! Boy Hit by Motor Car.
Samuel Perl, five years old, 1882 CO.
| lumbia road, yesterday afternoon
about 5:15 O'Clock was knocked dowr
by an auttomobiie driven by Charles
| W. Coates. 1859 Sherman avenue al
| sherman avenue and Euclid street
| and slightly hurt about his legs. He
was given first aid at a physicians
| Office.
Wilbur Holland. seven years old, so7
| 9Th street northeast. was knocked
down by a street car while crossing
| at Sd and H streets northeast yester.
| day afternoon. He was taken to Cas-
ualty Hospital and treated for slight
| injuries to his head and face
| Mrs. c. w. Ferguson sixty years
| old. 331 Missouri avenue. was knocked
down by street car yesterday after
noon while crossing in front OF 31t
| Pennsylvania avenue and was serious.
ly injured. She was taken to Emer-
gency Hospital, where surgeons treat
ed her for severe injury to her head
probably fracture of the skull, and
probable internal injuries.
| 1t was not until some time after the
| accident happened that police of the
| sixth precinct learned of her identity
| Her husband. c. w. Ferguson. em.
ployed at Indian Head, Nd. was sum.
moned home on account of the seriou.
condition of his wife.
! Mrs. Nellie Harrison, sos Queer
street. Alexandria. Va. was knocked
| Dawson, 119 Maryland avenue north.
east at Pennsylvania avenue and 18TH
street yesterday afternoon and seri
ously injured about her head. She wa.
taken to Emergency Hospital
Steering Gear Failed.
A defective steering gear was
blamed for an accident to an Army
truck from Boiling Field on Nichols
avenue about 7:15 o'clock this morn.
ing. The truck, on its way to the
city. came through Sumner road to
Nichols avenue, and shortly after
making a turn to the left. it is
stated, Private William T. Taylor. L.
S. A, acting as chauffeur, was unable
to control it on the down grade
! Swerving to one side of Nichols
telephone pole, and was prevented
from going over an embankment by
coming in contact with the wall of a
culvert. Slight damage to the auto.
mobile resulted