Evening star., 1932-10-16
Charges He Was Urged to
Drive Fast Ahead of Presi-
dental Party.
HELD FOR GRAND JURY.
IS RELEASED ON BOND
Workmen's Compensation Exam.
liner Says Lawyer Was Driving
at "1nordinate' Speed.

A plea that he was obliged to drive
beyond his usual speed bv traffic
policemen clearing PENNSYLVANIA ave-
nue. for President Hoover and his party
failed to prevent a coroners jury YES
terday afternoon from holding Capt.
Clarence c. Calhoun prominent at
torney Of Chevy Chase, Md, for grand
jury action in connection with a fatal
traffic crash Thursday morning.
The victim of the crash Henry c.
Littlefield, 49, chief of the educational
division, United States Shipping Board,
was hurled to the pavement when his
car was in collision at Tenth street
with Capt. Calhoun's machine, which
YVES about 100 feet in advance of the
presidential party and proceeding east
on pennsylvania avenue to the corner
stone laying at the United States Su-
preme Court Building.
BIames Officers Signals.
In voluntary statement at the in
quest. Capt. Calhoun said that traffic
polcemen at the intersections of Four
teenth and Eleventh streets (on Penn
sylvania avenue. beckoned to him to
increase his speed. He explained that
while he did not know that the Presi-
dents car was behind him, he drove
. faster than was his custom because of
the emphatic signals of the officers.
Hamilton Murray, San Francisco at
| torney, stopping at the Grafton Hotel.
told the jury he also was driving to the
cornerstone laying He testified that
as he passed along PENNSYLVANIA ave-
nue an escort of motor cycle officers
issued from the White House grounds
and waved him en- ahead of them.
The attorney told the jury that at
various intersections along the Avenue
! traffic policemen waved at him to clear
the way ahead Of the Presidents car
! and that he became frightened" at
the speed of the eastbound traffic in
! which he found himself and slackened
! his pace. pulling in to the curb just
| before the collision at Tenth street and
the Avenue.
Frank O'Connor, an examiner for the
District Workmen's Compensation Bu-
| reau, testified he was standing on the
southwest corner when ne saw Capt.
Calhoun's car approaching at an in
ordinate" speed Of. between 35 and 40
+ miles an hour. The witness said Little
! fields car was proceeding straight
| across Jlle intersection at mOQerdCe
speed. although Capt Calhoun insisted
the other car was coming west on Penn
sylvanla avenue and made a sharp left
turn into Tenth street
Guard Backs Testimony
! O'Connor's testimony was corrobo-at-
4 ed by the next witness. Richard R.
/ CLANCY a guard at the Smithsonian
/, Institution. who declared that Capt.
Calhoun's automobile was moving three
or four times as fast" as the other
| machine. which he said was going
directly across the avenue.
Pvt c. II. Miller Of the Traffic Bureau
told the jury the windshield of Capt.
Calhouns car was obscured by dust
when he examined it after the accident.
| This was borne out by c. A. Kensinger,
taxi driver. who was nearby when the
accident occurred.
Capt Calhoun was released on bond
following the inquest. He was booked
at the Traffic Bureau after the accident
and placed in custody of his attorney
for appearance at the coroner's inquiry.
MI Littlefeld lived in Clarendon. Va.
and had been associated with the Ship
ping Board for many years.