Evening star., 1932-11-21
POLICEMAN HELD
FOR GRAND Jury
IN HIT-RUN DEATH
Mother and Sister of
SchIoSser Say Car SWerved
to Avoid Woman.
OCCUPANTS OF AUTO
"BECAME HYSTERICAL"
Taxi Driver Denies Other Machines
Ran Over Body of Cook After
Fatal Accident.

Policeman William T. SchloSser was
held for grand jury action today by a
coroner's jury that investigated the
death of Mrs. Mathilda King, 60-year- old
cook, who was killed by a hit-and-run
automobile In the 2900 block of Massa-
chusetts avenue Friday night.
While the jury was deliberating
Schlosser's sister, Mrs. Grace Adams,
1929 Staples street northeast, who had
completed her testimony a few minutes
before, tainted in the vestibule of the
Morgue. She was revived quickly, how
ever.
Mrs Adams, who was riding with her
brother, had told the jury he swerved
his car in an effort to avoid striking
Mrs. King when the woman suddenly
appeared in the center of the street.
Became HystericaL
ct know we struck something, be-
cause I felt the impact" she said. Il
screamed and became hySterical."
Similar testimony was offered by her
mother, Mrs. Margaret Schlosser, who
said the woman was bent down" when
she appeared in front of the machine.
She insisted she was not sure whether
the automobile actually hit the woman
or not, but her son did not stop because
we all became hysterical and lost our
presence of mind"
On the advice of his attorney, James
A. O'Shea, SchloSSer declined to make
any statement to the jury.
THE statement he made to the police
Is sufficient" O'Shea said.
Testimony that Mrs. King had been
run over by an automobile few min
utes after she had been knocked down
by a car driven by SchlosSer was given
at the inquest by Mrs. E. B. Haberstoh,
4403 Fessenden street. She declared
she was parking her machine after hav-
ing discovered Mrs. King lying in the
middle of the street when the injured
woman was run over.
Il was driving along Massachusetts,
avenue" the witness said, when I saw
an object that looked like bundle ly-
ing in the street. I slowed down, drove
up close to the object and discovered
it was a woman. She was lglng on
white just as was parking. dark
sedan sped past, running oveE' the pros
trate woman I heard two distinct
thuds as the front cAd rear wheels
bumped over the boay."
Failed to CT Number.
Mrs. Haberstoh did rot notice the Ii
cense number of the automobile, she
said in response to question of Cor
oner Joseph D. Rogers, bDt she was
positive it contained no che other
than the driver.
John ]. Halloran, 725 Eleventh street.
offered testimony contrary to TINT of
Mrs. Haberstoh. Insisting he was the
first person to reach the scene of the
accident, after finding Mrs. King lying
in the street as he drove past in his
taXicab, Halloran denied that an auto
mobile had actually run over the wom-
ans body. A car passed over the body,
he declared, but the wheels did not
touch it.
Ernest Baur. 2o31 p street, testified
Mrs. Haberstoh told him the body had
been run over and suggested that he
pursue the machine. He said he chased
the car she pointed out as far as the
Japanese legation, where he lost it.
A statement in which Schlosser
was said to have admitted strik
ing Mrs. King, was outlined to the
jury by Detective Sergt. Walter S.
Beck He testified he was called to
the ninth precinct about 6 pm. Sat-
urday by Lieut.. Dennis J. Cullinane,
acting commander, who informed him
SchloSser had some information regard
ing Mrs. Kings death.
SchloSser, according to Beck, said he
swerved his car when Mrs. King sud-
denly appeared in front of it, but was
unable to avoid hitting her. After the
impact, he declared his mother tainted.
He said he lost his head and his
mind became a blank" Beck testified.
Policeman COnfesses.
Lieut.. Cullinane told the jury Schlos-
ser telephoned him about pm. Sat-
urday. an hour after the officer had
completed his 3-hour trick of duty, and
asked him to come to the Staples street
address.
He was very nervous and excited
when I got there" Cullinane testified.
He told me he was in trouble and I
asked him to tell me all about it. He
said he thought it was his automobile
that hit Mrs. King, because it was
damaged and he remembered woman
having appeared suddenly in front of
him as he was driving along MaSsa-
chusetts avenue"
DR. James A. Lyon, 1901 I street,
testified Mrs. King was still lying in the
center of the street when he arrived.
She was breathing laboredly, he said,
and he asked one or two byStanders to
help him carry her TO the side of the
street. While he administered to her
there, he said, he asked one of the men
to go to the Hungarian legation, 1929
Massachusetts avenue, and telephone
for an ambulance. Then, he added, Mrs.
King was carried into the legation
where she died a short time later.
Mrs. King was employed as a cook
in the home of Mrs. Sherman Flint,