Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-14
PRESIDENTIAL CAR
IN HEAD-ON CRASH;
OCCUPANTS UNHURT
CONTINUED From First Pagel

month-old baby, and their 7-year-old
daughter. The others were not hurt.
The party was returning from New
York to their home in Luray.
Motor Cycle Escort Urged.
The accident spurred advisers of the
President today to urge inclusion of q
motorcycle escort in future excursions
TO the Blue Ridge lodge. Pressure on
the President was brought to bear a
week ago after another accident mar
roWly was averted, but Mr.. Hoover had
oeen reluctant to consent to the escort.
IL was indicated today that he might
acceoe 10 the wishes of his friends.
1t was said today that the Pesident
now realizes that he and Mrs. Hoover
had a narrow escape, and those in the
car which was struck are to be con-
graduated on their good luck at not
being injured in any way as result of
the accident.
1t was thought that the quick think
ing on the part of Francis Robinson, a
White House chauffeur, who was driving
tfle car occupied by the President and
MRS. Hoover and Senators Allen of
kansas and Thomas of Idaho, saved the
P PoSioeI car from being struck.
Robinson said he noticed the car COM
ing toward them at high rate of
speed, running on the wrong side of the
road, while overtaking other cars.
He noticed also that the oncoming
car was not being driven on a true
course. 1t was careening from one side
OF the road to the other. He slowed
down the Presidents car and in doing
SO saved it from being sideswiped. The
careenlng machine also nearly struck
the secret service car Immediately be-
hind the Presidents car, and. in avoid
ing collision with it, partially left the
road at diagonal line and ran directly
into the third car of the presidential
party. The force of the collision was
so great that the White House car bare
~ escaped being toppled over. The
cooIness OF the chauffeur is thought to
nave held it on the road
Caravan Comes to Halt.
The Presidents car and the others
IN the caravan came to stop and
one OF the secret service men was sent
PACK by Mr.. Hoover to make inquiry as
to the extent of the accident and see if
any one was injured. When he was in
formed few moments later that no
one was hurt, but that the cars were
damaged, the President declined to re-
sumo his Journey but sent another
secret service man back for Verification
OF the first report.
Mrs. Hoover's personal automobile,
which she had driven to the camp on
saturday and which was trailing the
party, was then turned over to those of
the White House party whose car had
been damaged. The latter group in
cluded Mrs. Boone and her little daugh-
ter Susanna. Before the caravan re-
Sumed its homeward journey, the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Hoover insisted that the
members OF the party who figured in
the accident drive up alongside of their
car so that they could personally assure
themselves that all were uninjured
One member of the White House party
said there was every reason to believe
that Mrs Beach lost control of her car
while passing the line OF cars ahead
of the Presidents party. Another mem
Der OF the party said Mrs. Beach placed
the blame OF the collision upon her hus-
band, saying that he grabbed the wheel
when her car partially left the road
after narrowly escaping hitting the
Presidents car and the Secret Service
car, And it was during this confusion
that the car headed in the direction OF
the Boone and Richey car.
The side of the White House car was
badly denied and two of the tenders
mashed, but otherwise it was not seri-
ously damaged. The remainder of the
journey to Washington was made with
out difficulty. Mrs. Beach's car was
virtually wrecked. One of the front
wheels was knocked of, the radiator
was badly smashed and other damage
was done. A. w. Mills, county officer,
investigated the crash.
The presidential party had left the
camp at O'Clock in the afternoon after
happy and restful week end. The
President, Capt. Boone and Secretary
Ritchey played medicine ball us usual
this morning with other members of the
medicine ball cabinet and showed no Ill
effects from the experience.