THE OXFORD STREET FATALITY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 April 1919, Page 3

THE OXFORD STREET FATALITY.

THE CORONER'S INQUEST. CIA It DRIVER CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER. An enquiry into the circumstances touching the death of Mr R. H. Frcchtling, who was 'knocked down by a motor tar in Oxford street last Monday evening and subsequently died on Thursday in the Otaki Hospital, was opened in Otaki on Friday and adjourned to Levin, where it was continued yesterday before Mr W. C. Nation, 'District Coroner. Deltoctive-Sergeant Quirke conducted tho enquiry and Mr R. Moore (Foxton) was present ton behalf of Hohepa Wiremu, also known as Joe Wiliams, the driver of the ear concerned in tho accident. THE OTAKI EVIDENCE. The evidence of Dr Huthwaite, taken at Otaki, was to the effect that he examined the de.'-eased on admission to tho hospital and found him unconscious. He had a largo wound on the right rfdo of the head. Deceased never thoroughly regained carsciousness and died on the 24th inst. Witness made a post mortem examina' rn and found that the factiire was four inches long by two inches wid" There were also bruises on the hip, both knees and the left ankle. Death was caused by the injuries to the -kail and brain. H. B. F, brother-in-law the deceased, gave evidence of ;ident!fica-

WHAT EYF-WITNESSES SAW. Richard Allan Prouse, .farmer, was the first witness caled in Levin yesterday. He said that at abr;B p.m. on Monday last .lie was in Oxford street. At thr L time he saw a car proceeding along Oxford street towards the railway station. The ear had one front light on its right-hand side. Witness also noticed a man riding a bicycle in tho samp direction as the car, and about a chain and a half ahead of the car. The car was about the centre of the road, and the cyclist about 12 feet off the footpath oil his proper side of the road. The car would be going a't about 12 or 15 miles an hour, and was being steered at an tnale towards the left of the road. The street was well-lig.hlted at the time and witness could see everything distinctly. There was nothing on the road 'to witness's knowledge t>i obstruct the motorist's view of the cyclist. Witness saw the car overtake the bicycle and strike it. Witness next saw the cyclist on the left hand mudguard of the ear. The cyclist's feet appeared to be mixed up with the Jiieycle and car and appeared to keep him on the mudguard. He appeared to be sitting on the mudguard, with his head inclining downwards. Witness then saw 'the cyclist fall off the car on to the road near the kerbing and the left front wheel seemed to crush him ngjiinst tho kerb. After that the car drove away without stopping. To the Coroner: After striking the cyclist, lie was carried for about 24 yards before falling to the roadway. Continuing, witness stated that the ear went away at the same pace towards the south. The car made an unusual noise in driving away and witness believed it carried away the bicycle with it. He later examined the road and found deep scratches in the surface as though caused by the bicycle. There was no tail light on the car and witness could not see the number. The car was a ti-cylinder Buick. Witness went to the injured man's assistance, and saw .his head was bleeding very badly. Where he was crushed against the kerbing there was a pool of blood. Fragments of broken glass were also found. No effort was made by the motorist to pull up or stop his car. It went on at- the same pace. There was plenty of room on the road for the motorist to have avoided the accident. If the brakes had been applied when it struck the cyclist, the car could have been stopped in 12 feet. To the Coroner: The glass fragments found were from the headlights of a

motor car. Frederick William Jones, stationer, Levin, staled that he was standing in "his shop doorway at about 8 o'clock on the nip:ht of the accident. He saw tlio motor ear drive up from the. direction ■of the post office, and when opposite his shop it swerved to t,!io left and ran alone; between one of the trees and the footpath. Witness heard a crash, and the car drove away at what appeared to he an increased speed. He endeavoured to ascertain the car's number, but could not rTo so as there was no tail light. He could .see the car was driven J by a. Maori, and it appeared to be travelling at ton or eleven miles an litaur before the collision. Witness crossed the road and saw a man being held up and identified him afterwards as Mr Frechtling. His head was badjy injured. There were lights in the street that ni<rht but they were dim. To the Coroner: The night was fine and calm. To Mr Moore: Witness did not see the cyclist before he was struck. TRIED TO STOP THE CAlt.

Henry Groomp, mechanical apprentice, Levin, save evidence to the effect that at about 8 ■o'clock ion Easter Monday night lie was near Holdawav's garage when ihc saw a car going towards tlie Station with a bicycle mixed up with its underwear and dragf;in<r along the ground. The car was travelling at from 12 to 15 miles an hour, and to all appearances was being driven in the ordinary way. Witness ran out ahead of the car and called to tlio driver to stop hint lie kept on. The oar was a 6-cylin-der Buick. He did lint know who was driving the ear, but could tell it was a 'M.nori. Witness heard there was an accident and went up the street to whero it happened. He saw the deceased lying on the ground, also broken glass from what he thought was a car lamp. He also found a bicycle lamp (produced) a. few feet from wlieiv deceased was lying. The lamp was warm and appeared to have been recently alight. Alan Grant, agricultural instructor at the Central Development Farm, said lie was on the Reach road about 8 o'clock on Easter Mondav night, when lie saw a car coming alon<r with one dim lisrlit and sparks coming from underneath it. Wlien the ear passed; lie tinw that the spaks were coming from the near front wheel. The car was making an unusual noise when it passed, as though a tyre were punctured. James Edward Connor, tailor, said he had been emploved by the late Mr Fi cehtling and he identified the portions of' a bicycle produced as belonging to deceased's machine, which lie was riding when the fatality occurred. To Mr Monro: The_ deceased was very hard of hearing. Witness had heard of deceased being bumped by a car previously. BEMNW XTS OF BICYCLE FOUNT). ■Constable Greggan. of Levin, said that about 8 p.m. on Easter Mondav, lie was coming towards Levin from the railway station. Near the school he saw a motor car being driven towards the station. The. car only had the right hand light burning. The car was travelling at about 12 miles an hour and was making an unusual noise. On coming up the street, lie .found an accidentbad happened and Mr Freehtling had been taken to Mr Remington's chcmist shop. Witness got a car and removed the injured man to the hospital at Otaki. About 11 p.m. witness accompanied Constable Ragrie to Hiokio beach .mcl( interviewed a Maori "there named .Toe Williams. He was the driver of a O-cylinder motor car, which was in his J possession. Questioned about the acj cident. Williams denied meeting with I an accident that evening, and said he I had not been further down Oxford (.street than the Levin Hotel, and the way lie went to the Beach was through the ICnwiu. round the Cemetery road to the Beach road. His reason for going that way was that he had no lights and wanted to dodge the police. Wi't-

ness saw Williams's car next morning. The near front wlieel showed signs of recent scratching and chips knocked off it and the inside of the off : hind wheel had several bloodstains. Witness recovered the portions of the bicycle produced in a swamp about 30 yardis off Beach road, and about two miles from Levin. The remains of the bicycle had been identified by Mr Connor as being part of the machine belonging to deceased. Williams said he had no light on his car for a fortnight previous to to the accident.

Constable Bagrie stated that he visited the scene the accident and saw marks on the Toadwav ■which ho concluded ivere made by the motor dragging the bic.vcle along. Witness accompanied Constable Greggan t<? Williams's house the same night. He asked Williams to bring his car to the police station next morning, which he did. Witness- found! several scratches and chip marks on the wooden rim of 'the left hand front wheel. On the inside of the wheel tho spokes were deeply marked as thonglv .something had become entangled with the oar. Both glasses were missing from the lamps, and tho left reflector was tarnished. The other was clean and bright, which witness considered showed l 'that the glass had only been recently missing; or broken. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon, Williams to-ok -witness to the scene of the accident in Oxford street. Pointing to' a spot near a tree he said, "That is the spot where I struck the bicycle." When the route he had taken was pointed out Will iams said he had no recollection of having driven into the kerb than out again. I On being asked by the Oorioner whei ther he would make a statement, Williams said he would not do so. THE VERDTCT. The Coroner stated 'that the verdict would be : "That the deceased. Richard Henry Frechtling. met his death by being run down by a motr car on April 21. The Coroner added that from the epidetiee of Constable Bagrie it appeared* •"hat the driver of the car was .Toe iWil- ,; ani«. Tt was piet his duty to go into fl'-e matter further but to leave it to sro before a Magistrate. WTLLTAMS ATS R ESTED. Williams was then arrested by iDetec-tive-Sergnnrit Qm'rko and "brought before Mr B. R. Gardener, J. I'., oflWh*. following charge: i That on April 21, 191!). at T.evin, ibv an unlawful act, to wit. negligently driving a motor car. did kill one Richard Hepry Frechtling. Accused was remanded] to appear at !1 .30 a.m., on May 1, 1019, at the Levin Court. Bail was allowed in two sureties nf £200 each.