0 j Plunges to Death I 0 j 5 rr I i COL ALEXANDER WILLIAMS MARINE OFFICER fR IN fATAl PLUNGE ON WATERFRONT Col ol Williams Defendant in Butler Cocktail C Gate Le Drowns in in S. S F. F Bay SINKS THIRTY FEET Automobile Shoots Out Into Water After Swerving Swerving Swerving ing Across Sidewalk SA SAN FRANCISCO Oct 1 I AP APA AP- AP A board of inquiry of the United States marine corps was called to meet today to inquire into the thee the death leath of Colonel Alexander S. S Williams Willams Wil- Wil lams Hams drowned when his automobile automobile automobile automo automo- bile plunged off a San Francisco pier last night The coroners coroner's office announced that an autopsy will be held to determine the exact cause of ot Coland Colonel Colonel Colo Cola nd nel Williams Williams' death eath The coroner said there was nothing to indicate thus far that the colonel was not in full tull possession of his faculties when he drove his machine into the bay Colonel Williams last night was the guest of George eorge Hatfield UnIted United United Unit Unit- ed States tates district attorney at the club They had dinner together and attended the club play After Atter the play the they had a light luncheon and Colonel Williams left the tire club for home Colonel and Mrs Irs Williams had been married a year A son Wistar Wistar Wis- Wis tar 12 years old by a former marriage mar mar- alQ also s. s SAN A FRANCISCO I CISCO Oct 1 United Press Press Colonel Alexander Williams Wil Wll- liams IIams United l s rn marine rl e corps defendant in th the General Butler cocktail case was drowned here early today when his automobile plunged into nto San Francisco Franciso bay from the Embarcadero His body recovered alter after several se hours work was identified by pa papers papers papers pa- pa pers in the pockets He was lodged behind th the wh whee ci of the car which plunged into thirty feet teet ot of water Mate Williams left home last night to attend a dinner telling his bIs wife he wo be late te in n returning h home heme me Williams ms it it was v revealed t today day was a dinner guest of George H. H Hatfield United Stat States s. s district attorney attorney at at- torney at the club Once during the evening the pe colonel telephoned his wife and told and told her he was having hav hay ing ing- inga a wonderful tur Th The wife identified the body at atthe atthe the morgue morg S ONE WITNESS Only one m nin man n Frank Moore loore a sailor on the steamship Admiral Peary Pear witnessed the fatal tatal plunge and he was unable to explain the accident He lIe said said- the car travelIng travelIng traveling travel- travel Ing at a high rate of speed alon along the bay side of the Embarcadero Continued on page 8 S. S MARINE OFFICER IN FATAL PLUNGE ON WATERFRONT Continued from page 1 I. suddenly swerved bounced up on the sidewalk and shot out into the wa water ter Several tugs and the police patrol boat responded to the call and worked to raise the machine a coupe The machine slipped back Into the water twice after attel being raised to the surface and it was only af after after af af- I ter tel several se hours work that It was finally recovered Identification of the machine as belonging to Colonel Williams was possible through the license number number num num- ber and Mrs 1 Williams was summoned summoned summoned sum sum- to the morgue where she Rhe identified the occupant as her husband Mrs Williams said her husband left leCt home early last evening saying he was waR going to a dinner at the Bohemian club I dont don't know why wh he should have 1 been heen down by th the J Embarcadero Embarcadero unless unlesS' It was because we are arc comparative strangers here and he did not know his way My husband was Invited to dinner dinner dinner din din- know and ner by Jy persons person I did not he probably became confused confuse in driving homo home and lost his direction going by the bay NO TRACE OF LIQUOR Police Pollee reported there was no trace of liquor in the macHIne Colonel Williams came Into national na- na national national na na- last March in San Diego when he was court- court on charges of Intoxication tion preferred by Brigadier General Smedley D. D Butler Buller commandant of or orthe the marine corps station there The board found Colonel Williams guilty and he ho lost rank Later he was transferred to San Francisco and given ghen charge of the survey of the Western Vestern division and Western Vestern I recruiting SAN DIEGO Oct 1 United Oh Press Press Oh my nay Oh my gasped Brigadier General Smedley Butler commander of the marine base here when informed today of the tra tragic ic death of Alexander Wil 11 Williams liams by drowning at San Francisco Francis Francis- co this morning General Butler Huller asked for the message to be repeated to him hlin severa several several sev sev- era eral I limes times over the telephone Perfectly terrible he continued contin contin- Perfectly awful The rhe two officers had known each other moro more than twenty years ears and often served on the same foreign d details The recent charge of In Intoxication Intoxication intoxication In- In brought by General Butler Butler Butler But But- ler against Colonel Williams is the first difference known to have nave oc occurred occurred occurred oc- oc between the two marne marine officers of of- of