Evening star., 1951-01-02
Holiday Traffic
Costs Lives Of 8
From DC. Area
Crosh at Savage, Nd,
Kills Six, Including
3 Washington Men

CludeQ fVe washington area resi-
dents following the death of an
other man from injuries received
in a head-on collision between two
cars on the Baltimore boulevard.
Three Washington men were
killed yesterday in the boulevard
crash at Savage, Md, about 2
miles north of Laurel, and three
other persons lost their lives in
the same collision.
A University of Maryland
student was killed and another
critically injured in Easton, Pa,
yesterday when their car collided
with a Greyhound bus.
A Washington resident sta
toned at Fort Myer,. Va, died in
Mount Pleasant, Pa, yesterday of
injuries suffered Saturday on the
Pennsylvania turnpike.
Since the New Year, Maryland
has recorded at least Is deaths
and Virginia has counted ac-
cording to the Associated Press.
Minister Among Victims.
The Baltimore boulevard crash
yesterday morning was the worst
accident reported. One other per-
son was badly hurt in the crash
which tied up traffic in both direc-
tions for several miles. One body
was recovered rs feet from the
road.
Ore of the victims was widely
known Presbyterian minister, the
Rev. John H. Gross of LanSdowne,
Pa. Also killed were his wife,
Mrs. Kathryn Gross, and Miss
Marjorie B. Tobey, a teacher in
the Montclair IN. j. public
schools, who was riding in the
Gross car.
The Washington men killed
were Vivian Short, 20, colored, 900
block of Third street NE: Cleve-
land NJ Walker, 80, colored, 600
block of Callan street, N. E. and
John Y. Beale, 10, colored, 600
block OF L street N. E. The latter
died at University Hospital, Balti-
more. yesterday afternoon.
Teacher Critically Injured.
Miss Virginia T. Gross, also a
teacher and daughter of DR.. Gross
was critically injured in the crash.
She suffered a fractured skull
two broken legs, a broken arm and
possible internal injuries.
In the EaSton crash, Morteza z.
Khaje Nouri, 300 block of Mill
tary road NV, was killed in the
auto-bus collision. Injured was
Friedoun Vassei, 81, of the, 5000
block of 0 street NV. He was SO
severely injured that the Penn
sylvania authorities who believe
he was the driver, delayed ques-
tioning him further.
Both young men, pre-medical
students at the University of
Maryland, are from Teheran, Iran.
Embassy officials said Mr.. Nouri
had been here about two years
and Mr.. Vassei, a graduate of the
Honeywell School, about five
years. Mr.. Nouri's father is en-
ployed by the Iranian Finance
Ministry and Mr.. Vassei's father
is physician in Teheran.
Passengers Escape Injury.
The Associated Press quoted
Easton police as saying the car
carrying the two young men
skidded on patch of ice and
crashed broadside into a Phila-
delphia to - Syracuse Greyhound
bus. The driver and 13 passen-
gers in the bus were not hurt. The
crash occurred on route GIL in
Easton and the bus driver was
listed as Oren r. Alt, Philadelphia.
Sergt. Joseph Kelley, 81, sta
toned at Fort Myer, Va, who lives
in the 1000 block of Lamont street
NV, died yesterday of a frac-
tured skull suffered in an auto
truck collision on the Pennsyl-
yania turnpike near Doengal.
His wife, Minnie, is in fair con-
dition at Frick Memorial Hospi-
tai, Mount Pleasant, Pa. She is
suffering a neck injury and shock.
Two other persons were injured
Saturday when the car in which
Sergt. and Mrs. Kelley were pas
sengers collided with a trailer
truck, according to the Associated
Press.
Sheriff's Deputy Arrested.
A Baltimore sheriff's deputy
was arrested by State troopers
and charged with drunken driv-
ing after his car ran through the
scene of yesterdays Baltimore
boulevard crash.
He identified himself at the
Waterloo State police barracks as
Samuel Cortez, 20, and was re-
leased after posting STAT coll
lateral.
Police reported that Cortez sped
through the scene IF the collision
near Savage and failed to halt
when State trooper hailed him
The car continued past a parked
ambulance. forcing persons at the
scene to scatter, police said
Trooper Robert Wolford pursued
the car and stopped Cortez after
about a nile and a half.
Funeral arrangements for DR.
and Mrs. Gross were to be made
at Lansdowne. DR.. Gross was a
trustee of the Princeton Theolog-
ical Seminary. where he. was
graduated; the Presbyterian Hos
pital at Philadelphia, Howard
University and the College of the
Ozarks, in Arkansas.
DR.. Gross was ordained a
minister in the Presbyterian
Church in 1912 and served
churches in Ohio and Kansas un-
til 1925 when he became treasurer
and investment officer of the
Board of Pensions of the Pres
byterian Church in the United
States of America. He remained
in that position until he became
an investment counselor in 1885.