Evening star., 1942-09-14
Radiator Ornament
Leads 10 Arrest Of
Man in Hit-Run Death
Driver Admits Auto
Struck Mother of
Three, Police Say
D. c. Traffic Toll
Killed in 1912 42----------7 70
Killed in same period 1871 SO
Toll for all of 1941- 95

/. Police today were holding a 81
year-old labor foreman who, they
say, has admitted being the driver
OF an automobile which killed Mrs.
Freda Alpert, 38-year-old mother of
three children, early Saturday. The
man, arrested yesterday after bro
ken radiator ornament, handful
of dirt and telephone tip led police
to him, was to appear at coroner's
inquest today.
In Fairfax County the traffic toll
was increased carly today with the
fatal injury 81 Aubrey Curtis, So, st
Whatton, N. j., in an accident on
The Lee boulevard.
Mrs. Alpert, who lived ut 1927 B
street NE, was struck by car at
Seventeenth and G streets NE. and
her body was hurled rs feet through
the air, police said. She died be-
fore aid could reach her.
Started on Search.
The broken radiator ornament
and the handful of dirt found at
the scene started 1t. William j.
Liverman and members OF the ac-
cident investigation unit on 27-
hour search for the driver of the
death car. Police said the orna-
ment, metal ram, was type used
only on one model automobile. The
dirt, which had high clay con-
tent, exactly matched that found
on the grounds of the new Pentagon
Building, where, it later was
learned, the suspect was employed.
/. The climax to the hunt came
early yesterday, after Henry v.
Morris of 521 Longfellow street NV.
appraiser at the Stuart Motor Co..
advised police that an automobile
with the radiator cap missing and
the front damaged was in the shop
for repairs.
The ornament fragment found at
the accident scene At perfectly, 1t.
Liverman said. The suspect was
arrested q short time later at his
home, In Jefferson Heights, Md.
and held at the 18th precinct sta
ton.
The man at first denied knowl-
edge Of the accident and told police
he had not even been In Washing
ton Friday night or Saturday morn
ing, they said. Later, according to
members OF the accident investiga-
ton unit, he admitted he had been
driving the automobile.
Body Was Unidentified.
Mrs. Alpert's body was unidenti-
ned for several hours Saturday.
Her husband, David Alpert, a tailor.
finally made the Identification. He
said his wife had left their home
a short time before the accident
to return to the home of a friend
where she had left her purse.
Mr.. Curtis was injured fatally
wnen an automobile driven by his
wl1e, Mildred, left the road and
struck a culvert on Lee boulevard
near Annandale road He was taken
TO Georgetown Hospital, where he
was pronounced dead on arrival
Mrs. Curtis told police she must
nave been nodding" at the wheel
when the accident occurred. She
was treated for shock, and four
cnlldren, riding In the car. were
treated for slight injuries.
SIX soldiers were injured. none
seriously, according to fourth police
precinct, when the reconnaissance
car IN which they were riding was
"a collision with a streetcar at
Maine avenue and M street S.W.
Inls morning. They are James =
Floyd, Samuel M. Rizzo, Daniel I
auloo, William S. Tindesle, Alex-
ander T. Ritter and Alfred r. Con-
;tanzo. All were treated at the Army
war College Dispensary and re-
turned to their base in Anacostia.
The Army cara "jeep'' type-was
badly damaged, police said. I
Winfield Hopkins, 81, OF the Car
nay Trailer Camp at Hyattsville,
Mo-, was admitted to Casualty Hos
pital yesterday for treatment of
lacerations to the face and chest |
injuries received in an automobile |
accident at Cherry Hill road and
the Baltimore pike. George Ris-
oiek. SO, Of Berwyp, Md, injured |
n the same accident, was treated |
Tor lacerations and refused hospi-
talization.