Evening star., 1931-06-17
T-AND-RUN DEATH
DRIVER CONFESSES
Charles E. Derby Held for In
quest in Accident to Viii
liam Settle, 7.

Charles E. Derby. 53 years old, today
admitted he was the driver of the hit
and-run automobile which yesterday
killed 7-year-old william Settle, jr., of
Silver Hill, Nd, on Naylor road near
Thirtieth street southeast, according to
eleventh precinct police.
Derby, who lives at 44o0 First street
southeast, made the admission, Capt.
William E. Holmes, precinct COM
mander, said, under questioning this
morning. Previously. the captain ad-
ded. Derby had emphatically denied
having hit the boy.
In signing, the confession Derby said
he was so nervous after striking the
boy that he did not know what to do.
He was still too upset to realize fully
what had happened when Policeman
Thomas Hayes took him into custody.
Charges of speeding and failing to
exhibit a registration card already have
been placed against Derby, who is
being held at the eleventh precinct
police station, pending an inquest which
probably will be held tomorrow.
If the jury decides Derby had
nothing to do with the youngsters
death, Capt. Holmes said. the other
charges will be prosecuted. Although
no Gate has been set for the inquest, it
is expected to be held tomorrow.
On Way from School.
The Settle bcy and william Won Gar
rel, also Z, were on their way home from
the Stanton School when the accident
occurred. That was shortly after 3
O'Clock yesterday afternoon.
The youngsters, who were inseparable
companions, were walking on Naylor
road, near Thtrtieth street southeast,
when an automobile approached on the
wrong side Of the thorcughfare.
The Won Garrel boy leaped from the
7ruad as the car approached at what he
later described as a terrific speed, but
his companion did not move so quickly.
Hurled Into Gully.
The left front fender of the machine
struck the Seattle youngster, hurting
him into q gully about 10 feet below
the surface Of the road
Too frightened to notice where his
companion had landed, the Won Garrel
boy wandered up and down the road
calling him.
A short time later, he met Albert
Havenner, IL, who also lives in Silver
Hill.
After searching the roadside for about
an hour, Albert went home and returned
with his brother, j. L. Havenner. 23
The latter went to the police booth on
Good Hope road and asked Policeman
J. w. Kidwell, on duty there, to help
hnd the missing boy.
The ohicer, aided by several civilians,
searched the vicinity in which the mis-
nap occurred, but it was MT until after
8 o'clock that the Settle boys body was
found. The discovery was made by N.
L. Lucas, 1920 G street southeast, who
came upon the body in a clump of
bushes
About q half hour after the accident
Derby had been arrested by Policeman
Thomas Hayes. The cfficer reported
Derby was travelling about 35 miles an
hour when he picked him UP near Fiji
teenth street and Alabama avenue
southeast. Unable to post collateral on
the two charges placed against him,
Derby still was being held at the
eleventh precinct station when the Set
tie boys body was found.
The auto fitted the description given
by the Won Garrel ycungster, who told
police the hit-and-run car was of a
dark color with yellow wheels.
Owner Of Auto Heard.
The owner of the machine, Irving
Lumpkin Of Congress Heights, said the
dent was not in the fender when he
lent the automobile to Derby short
time before the accident.
Derby. according to Capt. Holmes,
admitted having been on Naylor road
at about the time of the mishap. He
also acknowledged having seen two boys
answering the descriptions of the Settle
and Won Garrel youngsters, the cap
tain said.
However, he emphatically denied hav-
ing hit the boys, Capt Holmes said,
and insisted the fender was dented
when he struck a fence. He was under
the influence Of liquor at the time of
his arrest, the captain added.
The Settle boy was the only living
child of Mr.. and Mrs. William Settle,
ST. His sister, Marjorie, died about
six years ago, when she was 3 months
old.
While arrangements for the funeral
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