Evening star., 1944-03-31

7 Motorists Die
In College Park
Crossing Crash
Second Train Wrecks
Car After First.
Clears Tracks

were riding, and three persons died
In the District yesterday as a re-
suit of traffic accidents. Fatalities
here for 1914 attributable to traffic
mishaps were raised to Is with yes
terday's deaths.
The auto-train crash victims had
stopped to let one train pass and
were killed a moment later by an
other train. The train that hit
them apparently was hidden by the
one they had stopped for.
The auto was dragged about q
half mile down the tracks.
Prince Georges County Policemen
Richard A. Pearson and Adam Lind
say, who investigated the crash,
identified the victims as Emil
Gottesman, 33, 7401 Dartmouth ave-
nue., College Park, and First 1t.
John Cooper, 26, Philadelphia.
Policeman Pearson said both men
were employed as inspectors at the
Air-Track Corp. in College Park.
He said 1t. Cooper had recently
been assigned as an inspector from
Philadelphia.
Employed as Inspectors.
Policeman Pearson gave this story
of how the accident occurred: The
automobile, driven by Mr.. Gottes-
man, had stopped at the crossing
to wait for a westbound train to
pick up and discharge passengers.
AS the train pulled out, Mr.. Gottes-
man started to drive across the
tracks and was struck by an east
bound train.
Both men were killed instantly.
The policemen said the automobile
was crossing from north to south
and that the drivers view apparent
ly was obstructed by the last car
of the westbound train as it cleared
the station.
Says Bells Were Working.
R. H. McCracken, Hyattsville, who
also is employed at Air-Track, said
that when he arrived at the crossing
shortly after the crash the warning
lights and bells were working.
Signal Corps ofIicials said both
men had been at the plant a short
time and were there only tempo
rarily. 1t. Cooper, they said, was
officer in charge of inspection at the
plant. Mr.. Gottesman, they said,
was from Brooklyn.
An autopsy was to be performed
today to determine whether Mark
De Grange, so, headmaster of the
Hill School, Pottstown, Pa, died of a
heart attack before his automobile
ploughed into the rear of a parked
truck yesterday or was killed in the
crash. DR.. Christopher j. Murphy,
deputy coroner, announced. Mean
while, police listed the death as a
traffic fatality.
Inc educator was pronounced dead
late yesterday after his car struck
the rear of truck parked in the
$500 block of Alton place NV.
Mr.. DeGrange was visiting his
W1fes mother, Mrs. j. B. Jacobs. at
III West Virgilia street, Chevy
Chase, Md, and was alone in his
car when the accident occurred. DO
lice said. He arrived here last Sun
day with his wife and daughter, Mrs.
j. P. Knipe, and planned to return
10 pennsylvania today, relatives said.
Believed Heart Victim.
Because of the circumstances, in
vese.gators Of the police accident
investigation unit theorized that Mr..
De Grange may have suffered a
heart attack just before the crash.
George F. Lewis, 60, colored. sur
rendered to police at the third pre-
clnct station last night in connec-
ton with the traffic death of Will
liam F. Riley. 40, of 9I4 TWENTY
third street NV.
Police charged Lewis with being
the driver of a car which hit Mr..
Riley Wednesday night as he crossed
Pennsylvania avenue near TWENTY
first street NV. Mr.. Riley died a
few hours later in Emergency Hos
pital.
The driver of the car pulled to
the curb and fed on foot, police re-
ported. Police yesterday traced
ownership of the car to Mrs. Mar
garet Price, 928 Twenty-fourth
street NV. She disclosed the name
OF the driver, police said, and Lewis
surrender last night followed an
alarm broadcast for his arrest.
Police said Lewis was held on
charges of leaving the scene of an
accident and driving an automobile
without permit.
Man, IS, Killed.
A 75-year-old man who was struck
by an automobile last Sunday, treat
ed for minor injuries and sent home,
died Yesterday after he had been
admitted to Casualty Hospital suf-
ferlng from a heart ailment, police
reported. Because his cardiac con-
dltlon was said by physicians to
have been aggravated by the acci-
dent, police listed his death as a
traffic fatality.
The victim, Charles L. Knowles, of
BIZ Fifth street NE, was struck by a
car driven, police said, by John j..
Proctor, 81, colored, 906 E street
Sc. as he crossed the street near
Fifth and K streets NV. He was
taken to Emergency Hospital, treat
ed for slight cuts and abrasions, ac-
cording to police. and sent home.
Inquest to Be Held.
Mr.. Knowles applied for treatment
Wednesday at Casualty Hospital.
complaining of heart trouble, and
was admitted. A coroner's inquest
will be held.
A coroner's jury yesterday exon
Grated Mrs. Elizabeth E. Tynes, %.
colored, 1443 Duncan street NE, op-
orator of an automobile which on
March % struck and fatally injured
Will Young, 81, colored, It's Sixth
street NE. He died Saturday in
Casualty Hospital of a fractured
skull and internal injuries, police
said