Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-25
CORONER STARTS
AUTO DEATH PROBE
Difficult Task Faced in Fixing
Responsibility for Hitting
Miss King.

W1le an inquest was unoef way TO-
day at the District morgue into the
death of Miss Cecilia D. King, % years
old, s028 Otis street northeast, who sue
Cumbed in Emergency Hospital yester-
day to injuries received Tuesday when
she was struck by the speeding auto
mobile of Battalion Fire Chief Andrew
II. Voter. Her companion, Mrs. Mar
garet- A. Connick, "a years old, 1857
Good Hope road southeast, was still
lying in critical condition in Emer-
gency Hospital. She has been uncon-
SciouS ever since the accident and little
hope is held for her recovery.
The coroner's jury was to attempt
to fix responsibility for the crash.
Following the death Of Miss King
Pvt. William Jaeger, driver of the fire
chiefs car, went to the first precinct
station house and surrendered. He was
later released In custody of Battalion
Chief P w. Nicholson, acting chief,
who guaranteed his appearance at the
inquest today.
Policeman First Witness.
The first eyewitness to testify at the
inquest was Policeman Charles E. Nc
Williams, who said that he stood in the
middle of Fourteenth street at F street
and saw the bodies of both Miss King
and Mrs Connick hurled into the air.
He witnessed the accident from dis
lance of three blocks.
McWilliamS said that he watched the
course of the chiefs car and saw it
when 1t swung to the left of the street
car, the way to the right BENZ OBJ
structed by. vehicular traffic. Both the
young women we're still lying there
when he. arrived at the scene.
Another witness, Berardo Di Grace
mo, laborer for the Washington Rail-
way & Electric Co. stated that he got
OF Of the street car ahead of the two
young women and preceded them
across the street because he felt that
he had enough time to clear the speed
ing car.
The next that he knew was when he
heard the sound Of the collision and
turned around to see the victims hurled
IS $50 feet down Fourteenth street. He
testified that he heard the engines run
ming while he was still on the car and
before it came to a stop to discharge
the passengers but thought that all
had preceded the car down Fourteenth
street.
Assistant Tranac Director M. O..
Eldridge stated that there was no regu-
lation in the traffic act that governed
the course, speed or action OF the fire
alarm or any emergency and that the
driver of the chiefs car, Prvt. William
Jaeger, was within his rights in so far
as the law is concerned in passing the
street car to the LETT when the way
was blocked to the right.
Testimony was expected to take up q
greater part of the day because Of the
technical questions involved and the
array of legal talent representing the
various persons concerned.
The coroner's Jury was faced with q
situation so unusual as to make the
task Of fixing responsibility difficult.
The opinion of members Of the cor
poration counsels office and oficials
Of the Police Department Is that there
was no violation when the speeding
Fire Department car cut to the left Of
q one-naan street car in front Of the
Potomac Electric Power Co., striking
the two young women as they stepped
from in front of the street car.
The law also exemptS the District
Government from liability because OF
an accident by an employe in the per-
Torrance Of his duty. It does not, how
criminal or civil responsibility. The
ccroner's jury, therefore, could take
action, despite the fact that there was
no law violation.
OfaciaI Report Made.
An Official report Of the case, made |
yesterday to Commissioner Proctor l.. |
Dougherty by Nicholson, was held on |
the of1ciai's desk to await the result of |
the inquest.
Funeral services for Miss King will |
be held at O'clock Saturday morning |
at the st. Francis de Sales Catho- |
lie Church. Burial will be in Mount |
Olivet Cemetery.
Miss King is survived by her father |
and mother, Mr.. and Mrs. James H. |
King; 8 sister, Mrs. Mary M. Hayden,
and three brothers, Joseph B. King,
William ]. King, policeman, and e. A. |
King.