Evening star., 1936-04-06
CHERRyBLOSSOM
CROWDS ADD TO
WEEKENDHAZARD
Ernest ]. Payne Pinned Be-
meath Car as 1t Hits 0xon
Run Bridge.
JAMES QUIRK STRUCK
AND DIES IN HOSPITAL
Seven Persons Escape as Car Is
Demolished by Train at
Beltsville.

With Washington streets and nearby
roads crowded with cars bringing
thousands to see the cherry blossoms,
the week end traffic toll in the Dis
trict showed today two dead and
score of injured in hospitals.
The deaths of Ernest j. Payne, 80.
of 1874 K street southeast, and James
Quirk, As, of 1914 Tenth street. brought
the 1886 total to 25.
Payne vas almost instantly killed
early yesterday when his car strucs
a bridge abutment over Oxon Run on
Livingston road and Valley avenue.
Payne, an automobile mechanic. IS
survived by his wife, Mrs. Dorothy
Payne, and two daughters, Dorothy.
l3, and Patricia, g.
Dies in Hospital.
Quirk died last night in George
Washington University Hospital of in
juries sustained Saturday, when he
was struck by car while walking
through an alley from Thirteenth to
Fourteenth street north of H street
with Charles R. Rogers, 10. Of 466
Massachusetts, avenue.
Rogers suffered only minor injuries.
Police at the first precinct booked a
l5-year-old boy, James E. Belts, ll9
B street northeast, for leaving after
collision and driving without District
permit. After Quirk's death, the book
ing was changed to hold for the
coroner"
Seven persons escaped injury and
possible death by only a few minutes
when the car in which they were riding
came to sudden halt on the Balti-
more g. Ohio railroad crossing at
Beltsville early yesterday.
A fast express train demolished the
machine and strewed wreckage along
the tracks for about 300 feet.
According to A. G. Sampson of Lam
ham, owner and operator of the car,
the front wheel locked as he COM
menced to negotiate the crossing,
causing the machine to Swerve. A
wheel wedged in the track.
Efforts to free the machine were
vain and as the headlight of the on
coming train appeared Sampson
frantically tried to flag the train with
lighted paper. The engineer ap.
parently failed to recognize the signal
as a warning and drove the train
through the car.
In Critical Condition.
Brought here from T. B.. Md. wherl
he was struck yesterday while walking
near his home, Robert Dorsey, 80, was
in Gallinger Hospital today with frac-
lures of the left arm and leg. internal
injuries and possibly a fractured
skull. His condition was reported
critical.
Struck by bicycle while walking
on the sidewalk in the 2300 block of
Cathedral avenue, Arthur L. Edwards,
IS, policeman at the Zoo, was taken
to Emergency Hospital yesterday in
serious condition. He is under OBJ.
servation for skull fracture. His
home is at 4831 Nebraska avenue,
Police listed the bicycle rider as Guy
N. Ullman, jr, II, 2907 Cathedral
| avenue.
Alice Aston. "a, colored, was taken
to Casualty Hospital yesterday with
head injuries after she was knocked
down by an automobile while walk
ing on the sidewalk IN the 300 block
of independence avenue southwest.
According to police. a car operated
by Arch Mccoy, 80, of 1430 Morse
street northeast, ran over the curb
and struck her. Mccoy is being held.
The victims skull is believed to ba
fractured.
Messenger Badly Injured.
The condition of William Spirer, 81,
a Western Union messenger, of 1911
N street, was reported serious after
he was struck by an automobile near
Columbia and Ontario roads. He was
taken to the Emergency Hospital with
both legs broken, internal injuries and
possibly fractured skull. Police listed
the driver of the car as Wilford c.
White, "a. of 3l00 Warder street.
John H. O'Brien, 81, of 1000 Massa-
chusetts avenue northeast, was
knocked down by an automobile early
today at Tenth and Massachusetts,
avenue northeast. At the Casualty
Hospital, his condition was unde-
termined. He suffered head injuries,
The car was operated by George
Cassidy. As, of 3O3 Seventeenth street
southeast. according to police.
Fourteen-year-old Cecil Dellinger,
Clinton. Md, was brought to Provi-
dence Hospital early today for treat,
ment for injuries suffered in an acci-
dent near his home. He sustained
several fractured ribs and possibly q
fractured skull when struck on the
highway by a car operated by Howard
Walls, 20, colored, also of Clinton.
His condition is serious.
Leonard Murphy, 40. colored. of
1924 Seventeenth street, sustained q
fractured leg and head injuries yes
terday when he was struck by a car
in the $500 block of Georgia avenue.
He was taken to Freedmen's Hospital
for treatment. Eugene Robertson,
colored, of 1135 Columbia road, was
booked for reckless driving at the
tenth precinct and later released on
81 900 bond.
Struck by car while crossing Third
and H streets today, Charles E. Coff-
man, so, of lit G street was taken
to Casualty Hospital in serious
condition, suffering from internal in
juries and cuts on the head. The
driver Of the car was listed by police
as Quincy s. Shr1er, "a, of SOL e
street northeast.