Evening star., 1924-11-16
Eight Detectives Are Detailed
Specially to Solve Quar-
tet of Accidents.
''GET THOSE MURDERERS."
GRANT TELLS OFFICERS
Woman Badly Hurt Last Night by
Autoist, Who Also Speeds
Away.

With police and detectives already
working at high tension in a city
wide attempt to solve the four traffic
murders" since Halloween, in which
motorists sped away after fatally IN
juring pedestrians. another woman,
Miss Mary Ford. As, of 1901 Fifteenth
street was knocked down by an uni
IDENTIFIED automobilist last night and
left unconscious in the street, while
he put on more speed and disap-
peared.
Miss Ford was crossing Rhode
Island avenue at Iowa Circle, when
the machine rushed down upon her
She was seen reeling to the paving,
and the driver continued on his way,
leaving her for another motorist to
take TO Emergency Hospital, where
her condition late last night was
considered serious.
Less than "a hours previously, Miss
Margaret Hefiin of 1114 King street,
Alexandria, Va, was knocked down
and fatally injured as she walked
into the street to board a car at First
street and Florida avenue.
Special Men Detailed.
Inspector c. L. Grant, chief of de-
eight detectives had been specially
assigned to the cases, and that each
central Office man had been posi-
lively instructed to turn every possi-,
BILE effort toward the detection of
the drivers responsible for the acci
dents.
They're murders and nothing less
Inspector Grant told the detectives at
roll call yesterday. IF a mans heart
is good, he would not drive away and
leave the person he injured to suf
fer while he used the. time which
might save the victims life to make
good his escape. 1t is murder, cold
and simple, and the malice in this
case differs from that Ia which a man
shoots another down in cold blood
only in the fact that it becomes evil
dent after the act instead of before
it-~~So l want you men to realize the
tremendous importance of the task
assigned you. Find these men II it
is humanity possible to find them, and
bring them in to answer to the law"
The accident preceding that which
resulted in the death of Miss Hefiin
was the death of William Riley OF
sos Irving street, a week ago last
night, who was killed at Georgia ave-
nue. and W street by an automobile,
the driver of which went on after
striking Riley. Detectives Sweeney
and Waldron are working on this
case. Four suspects were arrested
last week, but were released Friday
when they proved alibis.
November l, J. n. Powell was fatally
injured by a bootleg automobile
which threw a smoke screen into
the eyes of pursuing policemen who
were chasing it, just before the acci-
dent. at New Jersey avenue and
street. In this case Detectives Brodie'
and Vermillion are seeking the oper-
ator of the automobile.
Police of the second precinct CO.
operating with headquarters detec-
tives, arrested Bernard Ransom Of
1880 SiX-and -One-Haf street. short
ly after the death of Powell. He was
indicted as an accessory before the
fact and at the trial of the charge of
throwing a smoke screen was given
years sentence at Occoquan. The
name. of the driver Of the automobile
is known to the police, and search
for him is being made.
Doctor Loses Life.
The other ,'traffic murder took
place at Twelfth and U streets, when
DIR. William A. Pethel was knocked
down and fatally injured by a group
of Halloween celebrants. Police be-
lieve they have a clue in this case
WHICH may ledO ultimately TO the
arrest of the driver and occupant OF
this automobile. Detectives SPRING
man. Darnall. Sweeney, Waldron,
Brodie and Vermillion have been
working constantly on the case.
AS a result of the recent traffic
murders" Inspector Grant said police
and detectives have been shown the
need for strict enforcement of the
regulation which compels automobiles
to stop 15 feet in the rear of a street
car about to load or discharge pas
sengers.
There has been no trace OF the au-
tomobile which knocked down Miss
Hefiin and seriously injured a girl
companion, Miss Anna Stevens of
917 Eleventh street northeast There
is vague report that it carr1
Maryland license tags.
Despite the battling features of Il :
cases, however, detectives were fail
ly will satisfied that there would be a
break" on one or all in the imme-
diate future.
MAN YYYTrn Yy ~pAcry