Evening star., 1950-07-26
Woman Killed
AS Streetcar
Crushes Auto
6 Others Injured
As Driver Turns at
9TH and Constitution

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A young wife was injured fatally
and six other persons were hurt
early today when a Streetcar and
an automobile collided at Seventh
street and Constitution avenue
NV. Three of the victims in the
crowded car are in critical condi-
ton.
Mrs. Elaine Sherry, 18, of sos
Carroll avenue, aTakoma Park,
died in Emergency Hospital Of q
skull fracture and internal in
jurieS. r
She, her husband and two other
couples were returning home in
an automobile from a moonlight
cruise when the accident occurred,
police said. Mrs. Sherry had been
less than a year.
All were injured. In addition,
one streetcar passenger received
q knee injury. !
Driver Seriously Hurt.
Police identified the driver of
the Car as Fred B. johnson. a.,
Of 4413 Chestnut street, Bethesda.
He is in critical condition at
Emergency Hospital with head
and chest injuries. 2
The other injured. all at Emer-
gency. are:
Mrs. Matte Johnson, IS, wife
Of the driver. fractured collar
bone. ribs. pelvis and ankle; con-
dition- critical. -. =.s.- .-z=s=-.At !.
Douglas Sherry, 10, husband OF
the dead woman, possible skull
fracture and fractured right leg,
condition critical. He Is man.
ager Of the F. w. Woolworth Co.
store in Hyattsville. It took half
an hour to extricate him from
the back seat of the sedan. He
was pinned between the seat and
the right door.
Miss Virginia Campbell, 10, OF
4505 Highland avenue, Bethesda
head injuries; condition serious.
John T. Stang. 10, bricklayer
Route. /, Rockville; fractured
right shoulder and right leg; con-
dition serious.
Also injured was Mrs. John
Hessman. 80. of 2809 Erie street
Sc. She suffered knee injury
and her condition was said to be
not serious.
Auto Crosses Tracks.
Police said the automobile COL
lided when the driver turned left
across the streetcar tracks. The
streetcar, bound for the Seventh
street wharves, was operated by
Clarence Abbott. jr.. 50, of l2303
Selfridge street. Silver Spring. Mr..
Abbott win appear at q. coroner's
jury hearing at time not yet set.
About 20 persons were on the
Streetcar.
Police said the automobile was
proceeding north on Seventh
street. It was struck broadside by
the southbound streetcar. The
front and whole right side of the
car were crushed. The front Of
the streetcar also was damaged.
On seeing the crash. the opera
tor OF northbound streetcar said
he released sand on his tracks to
keep from running into the
wreckage.
-Four ambulances went to the
scene, they came from Fire De-
partment, Rescue Squad, Emer-
gency Hospital and the District
Health Department. A local alarm
also brought an engine company
to wash down spilled gasoline and
help to extricate the victims.
Policeman Near Scene.
Sergt. ]. H. Compton of the
Park Police, who was near the
crash when 1t occurred, was first
on the scene. 4
IT heard screaming" he said.
Two of the occupants were
knocked right out of the car. We
almost had to pry the car apart
to get the trapped ones out. The
crash sounded to me like a rifle
shot,"
Mrs. Sherry's death is the 37th
traffic fatality of the year, the
same number as at this time
last year.
Alexandria Woman Hurt.
An Alexandria woman suffered
a broken leg last night when a
car driven by her daughter COL
lided with another automobile on
Telegraph road near Alexandria.
She is Mrs. Bertha Able, 48, of
312 South Patrick street. She was
admitted to Alexandria Hospital.
Two occupants of the other
automobile also were hurt but
were released after treatment at
the hospital. They were listed by
Fairfax County police as Claude
Lawrence So and Mrs Nellie