Evening star., 1951-03-08
Chapman

Chapman
Continued From First Page.)
him listening to something he was
saying.
"The man appeared to be in
great pain. The steering wheel
had been pushed up almost to the
roof and the metal steering coll
umn was bent back against the
dashboard. The whole front of
the car was pushed back against
the body.
Suffered From Shock.
Another motorist was there and
he told me that the Plymouth had
passed him while he was driving
|southbound on Connecticut avenue
just before the crash. He saw the
accident and he told me the car
swung over into the northbound
lane as if he were planning to
make a diagonal left turn into
Van Ness street. He struck the
front of the truck right at the
entrance to a gasoline station
driveway"
Chief Don Huntington of the
rescue squad said Senator Chap
man was suffering from shock
and talking incoherently when
he reached the scene.
He was bleeding badly from
six or eight cuts on his face and
head and from deep cash in his
Leg" Chief Dunnington said. 1--WE
bandaged his wounds and splinted
his leg and he lost consciousness
entirely before we got him out
of the car
Senator Chapman lived at the
Army and Navy Club. There was
no information available imme-
diate1y on where he had been last
night.
Hal M. Thurmond, the Senator's
cousin who works as a Capitol
doorman, said he last saw Mr..
Chapman at $50 pm. yesterday.
The Senator asked him to open
the door of his Office, explaining
he had lost his key. Mr.. Thur
mond said.
How late the Senator worked
or where he went after leaving his
Office had not been determined to-
day. The route of the Senator'S s
car indicated he may have been
returning from Chevy Chase or
some other point in nearby Mary
land.
AS member OF the Senate
Armed Services Committee, Sena-
tor Chapman played an active role
in drafting selective service legis-
lation now before the Senate and
in the troops-for-Europe hearings.
He supported the Administration s
viewpoint on both measures.
Worked Late 2 Nights.
Senator johnson, chairman Of
the draft subcommittee of the
Armed Services Committee, said
Senator Chapman had been work.
ing late for the last two nights
preparing arguments in defense of
the Administrations version of the
draft bill.
The Kentucky Senator had been
assigned to take charge of the
Armed Services Committee pro-
visions for permanent system of
universal military training, Sena-
tor johnson said. Two hours had
been allotted today for debate on
that issue and Senator Chapman
had been preparing a speech to
cover the affirmative side.
Senator Mcfarland said the
Senate would adjourn at noon
today out of respect for Senator
Chapman.
Capt. Gross Attended.
Valiant efforts were made al
the Naval Hospital to save Sena.
tor Chapman's life. Attending hin
when he died were Capt. Herman
A. Gross, chief surgeon for tn,
Naval Hospital; DR.. Frank S. Ash.
burn. thoracic consultant ant
Comdr. F. v. Berley, a surgeon.
Capt. Gross said that Senator
Chapman suffered fractured jaw
and shoulder in addition to hi!
chest injuries.
The Senator's administrative
assistant, Clyde Watson and hi.
secretary, Mrs. Helen Fleming
and Mr.. Thurmond, hastened te
his bedside soon after he was in
jured.
The first bulletin issued by the
hospital said that Senator Chap
man had been admitted for
surgery and that the prognosis
of his condition was guarded. -
A short time later it was learned
the Senator had been placed on
the critical list and then his death
was announced at 1920 am.
Supported Tobacco Growers.
Senator Chapman was a mem
ber of the House from 1925 to 1913
a 23-year record broken only by a
tWo-year stretch after the Hoover