Evening star., 1940-12-16
-Four Are Killed,
Many Hurt,
In Traffic
Government EmpIoye
Surrenders in Death
Of Woman, 73

A toll of four deaths and several
injuries in weekend traffic acci-
dents in the Capital and nearby
States was counted today as plans
were made to take a Government
Printing Office employe before
coroner's jury in connection with
one of them-the hit-and- run death
of Mrs. Elizabeth Swartz, 73, of the
National Lutheran Home for the
Aged.
Mrs. Swartz was killed at Eight
zenith and Douglas streets NE.
Saturday night and the Federal
worker, Henry E. Matheny, 2205
Newton street NE, surrendered to
police yesterday. He was released
on $1,000 bond pending a coroners
inquest at 1870 o'clock tomorrow.
Two separate accidents resulted
in the deaths of three Montgomery
and Frederick County, Md, men.
They were:
Garry j. Staley, 80. of Frederick.
Stanford E. Wood, 80, of Barnes
vile.
Ruben Bishop, Sc, of Frederick.
Were Directing Traffic.
Mr.. Staley and Mr.. Wood were
fatally injured in an accident on
the Georgetown pike, about 2 miles
south of Frederick. Maryland State
Policeman Truman Moon said Leroy
Belts, 80, of Route 2, Frederick,
struck the two men late Saturday
night as they were directing traffic
around the scene of minor traffic
accident which had occurred short
time before.
Mr.. Stanley died at the scene,
while Mr.. Wood died at the Fred
erick City Hospital several hours
later. A reckless driving charge
was placed against Mr. Belts pend
ing further investigation, police told
the Associated Press.
Struck by an automobile on JEFF
ferson street, in Frederick. M.
Bishop died as he was being carricd
to the Frederick Hospital in the
which hit him. State Policeman
r. Pearson filed a reckless-driv
charge against the operator Of
automobile, Russell Strube, Route
Frederick.
Five Sent to Hospital.
An accident on Old Georgeto
road, in Bethesda, Md, sent I.
persons to Georgetown Univers.i.'
Hospital yesterday afternoon.
The most seriously hurt. Mrs Vir-
ginia Fuller, %, of 2801 CORTLAND
place NV, suffered a fractured
pelvis and a broken right arm. while
severe head injuries were sustained
by Douglas R. Beach, jr., 26, Gath
ersburg, Md.
Mrs. Fuller's husband, Wilfred
Fuller, 20; their 13-month- son,
George, and Randolph Beach, II. of
1902 Eighth street NV. escaped with
slight hurts.
Montgomery County police said
the five were injured when auto
mobiles driven by Mrs. Fuller and
Randolph Beach collided at the in
tersection of Old Georgetown road
and Beach avenue Bethesda Fire
Rescue Squad removed the injured
to the hospital.
Woman Hit by Car.
Cuts and bruises of the head.
hands and chest were suffered by
Mrs. Vera Gerhart, As, of 2O9 East
Uhler avenue, Alexandria, when
struck by an automobile in the 2400
block of Mount Vernon avenue,
Alexandria.
Claude G. Raiford, 46, of 220 East
Howell avenue, Alexandria, told DO
lice the woman stepped from behind
parked machine into the path of
his car and that he was unable to
avoid collision. She was taken to
Alexandria Hospital.
Traffic on the Washington Rich
mond highway was tied up for more
than an hour in Alexandria this
morning when tractor trailer
loaded with lumber skidded on the
wet highway and overturned on
South Patrick street extended near
Hunting Creek Bridge
The truck toppled over lengthwise
across the street, completely block
ing the thoroughfare. Traffic had
to be rerouted over the Mount
Vernon boulevard, among the cars
forced to detour being many carry
ing workmen to the cantonment
project at Fort Belvoir, Va.
The truck driver, johnson C.
Lacey, 10. of Richmond, Va, was