Evening star., 1928-11-01
CONNICK REQUESTS
CURB ON SPEEDING
Husband of Woman Injured
by Fire Vehicle Asks
for Regulation.

Edward Connick, husband of Mrs.
Margaret Connick, who was seriously
injured when her companion, Miss Ce-
celia King, was killed october % by the
automobile of Battalion Chief Wolter,
today appealed to the District Commits
sioners to take steps to prevent the
vehicles of the Police and Fire Depart
mentS from running through the streets
of Washington at dangerous" speed.
Connick's plea was made through his
attorney, Austin F.. Garfield, and Will
be given consideration by the Commis-
sioners in connection with the recon-
mendations of the coroner'S jury, which
in, estigated the accident, that a draS-
tic curb be applied to the speed of fire
apparatus and police and emergency
vehicles. The Commissioners are now
giving serious and careful thought to
the report of the coroner's jury, but
they announced today that definite ac-
ton would not be taken until views OF
Traffic Director Harland, Police Supt.
Hesse and Fire Chief Watson are OBJ
tanned Commissioner Dougherty who
has supervision over the Police and Fire
Departments, several days ago asked
these three officials for report on the
recommendations of the coroner's jury.
Garfield pointed out in his letter that
the Connick family is not vindictive
over the accident and the only con-
ISOLATION they expect to get out OF their
misfortune IS that action will be taken
to assure the people Of Washington that
their lives will not be 'Snuffed out"
without warning.
The text of Canfield's letter to the
Commissioners follows:
ION behalf of Mr. Edward Connick
of this city, am addressing this let
ter to you as an intended constructive
criticism of the District of Columbia
Fire Department, based upon the fol-
lowing facts
"On the 23d of October, while re-
spending to an alarm of fire in one OF
the Government departments, the auto
mobile used by Battalion Chief Wolter
and driven by Pvt. Joeger, both Of the
District of Columbia Fire Department,
ran into and collided with Mrs. Mar
garet Connick and Miss Cecilia King,
probably fatally injuring the former and
causing the death of the latter.
"At the hearing before the coroner
the testimony showed that the said
automobile was driven on the left-hand
side of a standing street car at
great rate of speed The coroner's
Jury has, as you know, exonerated the
driver of the car and everybody else
concerned on the ground that 1T was
N~SAA~SN~~SNN
al unavoidable accident.
INV client desires to assure you that
neither he nor the other members OF
Mrs. Connick's family are indicative
against the unfortunate driver of that
car. They feel that since no civil la
bility appears to follow from the trag-
edy and that they never will be COM
pensated in any wise, the only thing
that can be gained, so far as they are
60 a4 baf
and should serve as a corrective meas
ure or a deterrent against a recurrence
of a similar tragedy. They feel that
some measure should be taken by the
authorities of the District of Columbia
to prohibit fire, police and emergency
automobiles from travelling through
the streets of the District of Columbia
at such dangerous and reckless speed
so as to endanger the lives of the in
nocent persons in and about the thor
oughfares of the city. This is particu-
larly necessary during the periods OF
the day when so many of the Govern
ment workers are hurrying to and from
their respective Office buildings.
"It is not their desire to limit the
speed of the fire and police apparatus
to a minimum rate, for they, like every
other citizen of this city, believe that
public safety depends in large meas
iIre upon how soon these nun cipal
agencies reach their point Of destination
in response to an alarm or an emer-
gency call But they do feel that too
often, without any necessity therefor,
fire and police apparatus and ambu-
lances are caused and permitted to race
breakneck through the streets of this
city, thereby imperiling number of
lives and making possible such an acci-
dent as has occurred.
They therefore call upon you with
the hope of getting some consolation out
of their great misfortune to use this as
a means of avoiding repetition and
to take such steps as to assure the peo-
pie Of this city that their lives will not
be snuffed out without moments
warning to them"