Evening star., 1939-06-17
Virginia 10 Investigate
Death Of Col. Peak
In Traffic Accident
Lorton Heads Auto
Crashes Into Parked
Truck Near BeIvoir

Crashes Into Parked
Truck Near BeIvoir
A thorough investigation was or
dered today by Virginia authorities
into the death of Col William L.
Peak, superintendent of the Lorton
Reformatory, killed last night when
his car crashed into a stalled truck
on U. S. Highway No. ! near Fort
Belvoir, Va.
The men, the crew of the huge
truck. were held under 81 900 bond
on technical charges by Virginia
State police and the Fairfax County
coroner, DR.. c. A. Ransom, called an
inquest.
Col. Peak died when his car
crashed into the rear of a gasoline
truck parked at the edge of the
road. He had just come over hill
and apparently did not see the truck
until he was on top of the hill.
Virginia State Policeman Elliott
Howell said the trucks position was
marked by brilliant red flares. It
had been stopped about 2 hundred
yards below the top of the hill when
its clutch burned out.
Had Attended Banquet.
Harold P. Mays. 80, of Baltimore,
driver of the truck, had gone to
telephone for help, leaving Irwin
Hesson, A, of Baltimore, in the cab.
Mr.. Hesson was thrown against the
windshield by the terrific impact,
but suffered no serious injuries.
Mr.. Howell said that Col. Peak
had just left the home of his daugh-
ter. Mrs. Agnes Clark, about miles
from the scene of the accident,
where he had stopped on the way
home from Washington. He had
been in the city to attend a ban
quet at the Continental Hotel in
honor of the Rev. Edward j. A. Mes
tor, retiring assistant pastor of the
Holy Comforter Church.
1t was shortly after II pm. when
he left the Clark home. Mrs. Clark
telephoned her mother in Lorton to
inform her that Col Peak was on
his way. Travelling down the wide
highway. Mr.. Howell said, Col. Peak
passed bus on the way up hill.
about a quarter of a mile north Of
the entrance of Fort Belvoir.
He cut back over to the right side
of the road as he reached the top
OF the hill. Mr.. Howell said. and
then rammed into the parked truck.
The first policeman to reach the
scene of the accident was State
Officer James Clark, son-in-law of
the prison head. Mr. Clark is mar
ried to the daughter whose home
Col Peak had just left.
Bond Set for Truck Crew.
Mr.. Clark aided in extricating
Col. Peak from the wreckage and
rushed him to Alexandria Hospital.
But he was dead upon arrival.
Technical charges of involuntary
manslaughter were placed against
the truck crew and bond was set
for them, according to Mr. Howell.
He said he did not believe, however,
that they could be held responsible
for the accident. The truck was
owned by the American Bitumols
Co. of Baltimore.
Col. Peak. was 81 years old and
had been head of the reformatory
since 1888. He had converted the
prison from trouble-Spot to a
model reformatory and his work
there had brought him wide repute
He had made career of penology,
starting at Leavenworth Prison in
1908 as deputy warden. He came
into the District government in 1919
as superintendent of the District
Jail, holding that post until his ap-
pointment to Lorton.
In 1885, Col. Peak was slightly in
jured when a street car rammed his
automobile at North Carolina and
Pennsylvania avenues Sc. He was
treated at Providence Hospital for
minor hurts at that time.
Advocate Of Kindness.
Widely known and widely es-
teemed here, Col. Peak had inSti-
tuted policy of kindness to prison.
ers when he took over the seething
reformatory in 1888. His velvet
glove" policy included strict dis
cipline, fairness and understanding
for prisoners. He devoted each Sat-
urday to interviews with tile in
mates.
Col. Peak kas born March 7, 1877,
in Livermore, KY, and was educated
in public schools in that State He
fought in the Spanish-American
War and saw action in the Philip
pines.
Later, he enlisted in the Army
during the World War, being sta
toned at Fort Riley, Kans.; Camp
Funston, Ala, and Camp Humphrey.
Va. He was discharged from the
Army in 1919 with the rank Of cap-
tain and took over his post at the
District Jail. He remained active In
the Reserve Corps and was Subse-
quently promoted to the rank of
lieutenant colonel.
Married in 1909, Col. Peak became
the father of six children. His
widow. the former Agnes Mueller,
and the children, survive. They are:
Appolonia Elizabeth, William An
thony, Leo Sylvester and Anna
Theresa Peak; Mrs. Mary Rose Ford
and Mrs. Clark.
He succeeded A. c. Tawse at Lor-
ton, the latter having resigned after