Evening star., 1938-07-26
CO[0RED DRIVER
IS HELD TO JURY
IN BOYS DEATH
David M. Mockabee Died
After Being Struck
by Car.
ACCUSED SAYS ANOTHER
AUTO FORCED ACCIDENT
Inquest Held as Police Open Drive
to Curb Rising Toll of
Children Killed.


A coroner's jury today held Walter
jackson, 27. colored, 624 B street Sc
for grand jury action in connection
with the traffic death Friday of r.
:. year-old David Marshall Mockabee
616 L street Sc.
The boy died in Providence Hos
pital as a result of injuries received
i. when crushed between a double
parked ice truck and the car driven
by jackson earlier that day.
Policeman Edwin Fitzgerald of No
precinct. who arrested Jackson and
charged him with driving while drunk
testified the motorist told him he had
been forced to hit the truck by an
other car coming in the opposite di-
rection.
Several other witness declared, how
ever, that they had seen no other car
such as Jackson described.
The inquest was held as police
opened a drive to curb the rising toll
of children killed by automobiles. All
precincts were under special orders
from Police Supt Ernest w. Brown
to tighten enforcement of the traffic
laws and keep the children from play
ing in the streets.
The police superintendent empha-
= traffic accidents here since June in
dicate "a lack Of proper supervision OF
children while on public space" al
though "the motorist has an important
responsibility in avoiding accidents" ="
Cooperation Asked.
His special orders, appealing for
full cooperation on the part of mo-
torists. parents and police" in safe
guarding children, were issued to pre-
cinct commanders as Traffic Director
= William A. Van Duzer and Inspector
William E. Holmes called a parley Of
traffic policemen to discuss plans for
the safety drive.
Mr.. Van Duzer urged strict enforce
ment of minor as we'll as major traffic
regulations at the meeting in police
headquarters yesterday afternoon.
Inspector Holmes said he believed
ylllA OuU INuJs olO"A o o4A W
try to stop children from playing in
the streets would cut down the num-
Der OF fatal accidents.
Woman Is Injured.
Mrs. Rose L. Dierkin, 60, Of 80 New
York avenue NV. was injured today
when she stepped from q street car
loading zone into the side of taxicab
at Seventh and K streets NV.
She was taken to Casualty Hospital,
where physicians said she was suffer-
ing from severe arm injuries.
Police said the taxi was driven by
Robert Raiford, colored, GIG Third
. street NV. =.
Drivers Exonerated.
A coroner's jury exonerated the
drivers OF two automobiles involved in
fatal mishaps last week. One Of the
victims was Robert Williams, 8, of
1902 Forty-third street NV.
Witnesses said Robert rode his
coaster into the side of q car driven
by Mrs. Marie Eisinger, 40. Of 1900
Brandywine street NV. Mrs. Eisinger
said she did not see the boy, and
was driving only 10 miles an hour
Also exonerated was Donald A.
I Swope, rs, of 915 Tenth street NE,
whose car fatally injured Joseph Lee,
IS. colored, 666 Callan street NE,
last Thursday Witnesses said Mr.
Lee stepped from between two parked
cars into the path of Mr.. Swope's
machine during rain.
Child Injured Yesterday.
One child was injured severely yes
terday. He was Kinchen Fennell, jr.,
8, colored, 916 N street NV, said to
have run into the street from between
parked cars and been struck by an
automobile driven by John c. Palmer.
jr., 80, University Park, Md. He was
treated at Children's Hospital for bad
cuts and possible internal injuries.
Mr.. Palmer was charged with reckless
driving by thirteenth precinct police.
The text of Maj. Browns order to
precinct commanders follows:
"SinceJune six children have been
killed in motor vehicle accidents in the
District. One Of these was 2 years
old, two were 3, two were 8 and one
was IL.
These six deaths indicate lack of
proper supervision of children while on
public space.
you will instruct the members OF
your command, wherever children OF
tender years are found at play in the
public streets, to endeavor to ascertain
the name and address of their parents
and advise their parents or guardian
OF the danger involved where small
children are permitted in the public
streets without adult supervision.
Members Of the department should
discourage 20 far as possible playing in
the public streets and encourage the
use Of the Fairgrounds.
while the motorist has An impor-
tant responsibility in avoiding acci-
dents, an important responsibility rests
not only with parents, but also with
the police, in seeing that children are
properly supervised and not permitted
to engage IN play at locations where
they may be seriously injured or death
may result.
Full cooperation on the part of
motorists, parents and police is abso-
. lutely necessary in safeguarding chill
dren."
MAN HELD SUICIDE