Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-09
JOSEPH S. MCCOY, Ct,
DIES DRIVING AUTO
Government ACtuary Expires
Suddenly While Changing
Parking Space.

Joseph S. Mccoy. the Government
actuary. whose mathematical calcula-
tions had provided the Government
through many administrations with ex
pert statistics of all kinds on Govern
ment income and expenditure, died sud-
denly shortly before noon today in his
automobile while driving at Fourteenth
street and Ohio avenue. He was 81
years of age.
Mr.. Mccoy, whose wizardry with sta
tistics held the admiration Of both
Democratic and Republican officials
through several administrations, and
was called upon by both the executive
and legislative branches for expert
testimony, had been considered one OF
the pillars" of the Treasury Depart
ment.
Had Gone to Move Car.
He came to work today in apparently
good health, and in good spirits,
according to his associates. He chat
ted with his associates and with his
daughter Anita, who is employed in
his Office with him. &
He had parked his car on the EllipSe
and about an hour later went out to get
it to drive it to parking place near the
Treasury reserved for him by the de-
partment.
At Fourteenth street and Ohio ave-
nue., with Mr. Mccoy the sole occupant,
the machine bearing its stricken driver
rolled slowly into a parked machine near
the intersection and came to a halt.
Police of the first precinct sum-
moned an ambulance from the Ener-
gency Hospital and the man was
pronounced dead by DR.. S. c. Schwartz
bach of the hospital staff upon his
arrival
The body was removed to the District
Morgue, where an autopsy will prob
ably be ordered by Coroner hewitt to
definitely establish the cause Of the
mans death.
Native of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Mccoy, who was born in Penn
Sylvania, was a graduate engineer, and
a lawyer. He entered the Government
service in 1887 as a clerk at a salary
Of $1,000 and rose through the ranks
until he occupied a position of great
responsibility, in which he received a
salary Of $4,000, which is exceeded in
the Secretary only by the Secretary OF
the Treasury himself.
Mr.. Mccoy was a graduate Of
Stephens Institute of Technology, at
Hoboken, N. j., and a graduate of law
at Georgetown University. He resided
in Beltsville, Md.
Mr.. Mccoy was widely known not
only in departmental circles, but also
among members of Congress, before
whom he had testified for years.
The exact cause of Mr.. McCoy's death
remained a mystery early this after
noon. He had gone alone to his car.
After an absence of about an hour, j.
F. Moody, private secretary to Mr.. Nc
Coy said, his associates became alarmed,
when the police called the Treasury to
tell Of his death.
Had Good Health.
In leaving home this morning, Miss
Anita Mccoy, who came with her
father, said they had trouble in start
ing the car. She thought it might have
been likely that he had difficulty in
starting it again in the cold. and he
might have reSorted to cranking it. Mr..
Mccoy, however, never complained of
heart trouble, and had been in good
health, suffering only from occasional
colds.
News of his death came as a great
shock to his daughter in the Office, and
to the home in Beltsville, where Mrs.
Mccoy was notified by Mr.. Moody. Sur
viving are the widow, Mrs. Ella Mccoy;
six daughters, Anita, Maud, Nellie,
Philemon, Grace and Bessie, and two
sons, Joseph S., Sd, and Fred, all of
whom reside with the family in Belts
Vile
Funeral arrangements had mot been
made at an early hour this afternoon.