The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-05-23
Finds Court In the Case Of
Richard H. StandisIl
WHO ENTERS AN APPEAL
First Case Tried III Local City Court for
Careless and Negligent Driving Of
Motor Vehicle Policeman Safd
He Went 20 Miles an Hour


After several witnesses had testified
in Barre city court yesterday afternoon
that Richard Fl. standish Of Montpelier
drove an automobile on North Main
street at rate Of 90 to rs miles an
hour on May re-, Judge Scott aajudged
THE respondent guilty and fined him $40
with costs Of s2l52. The respondent
lat once gave notice Of an appeal to
county court, and Il. s. Meigs of Mont
pelier was recognized as bondsman.
This il the first case Of automobile
over speeding to come up III the local
city court. At the outset Attorney w.
A. Lord, appearing for the respondent,
asked to have his clients plea Of not
guilty retTacted, which was allowed.
Then the respondent filed a demurrer
Ito the complaint and at the same Tins
asked the court To overrule it, SO that
the respondent could again plead not
guilty That was the method of pro-
cedure, and the trial was started.
Patrolman Frank Hamel, who arrested
the respondent, was the first witness.
Ha said that Standish passed along
North Main street running very fast,
came back at the same speed, whcreat he
(the officer) stuck mp his hand and cried
Too fast, whereupon Standish smiled
at his male companion in the automobile
and went along at the same pace. He
again passed at relatively the same rate.
When Grand Juror Davis who, with
~ Ward Carver, was prosecuting, asked
chow fast >was he runningi" Attorney
Lord objected on the ground that the
officer was not ali expert witness Then
the grand Juror developed the officer as
an expert on speed by having him tes-
tify that be had run on the front end
Of an electric car for thirteen years and
for four years drove horse cars, to say
nothing Of driving back Of some good
horses.
Attorney Lord again objected but the
court ruled that Hamel was expert
enough to pass judgment on speed, and
The officer gave his opinion that Standish
was travelling st rate Of from 20 80
25 miles an hour
@Was he running the machine IN q
careless or negligent manneriH was the
next question Of the prosecution.
Objected TO by the defense and OBJ
lection sustained.
The grand juror next attempted to
show by the location of streets and oh
structions Of the view, as told by tile
witness. thar the respondent did run
lcarelessly and negligently. Witness said
that Pearl street made a particularly
dangerous point Of entrance to Main
street, and when the grand juror asked
lif an automobilist on Main street would
be able 70 stop his machine when he saw
team coming from Pearl street. Attar
nsv Lord again objected on the ground
that tho witness was no Judge OF a
chauffeurs ability to stop his machine
AT this point the grand juror concluded
discrimination and turned TO the next wiz
mess. William Perry, b city street EN-
ploye He said Standish was going %
miles an hour, "pretty good speed, he
thought. Bert Humphrey also estimated
The rate at rs miles. The latter also
saw the officer throw up his hand and
say something to Standish about going
too fast
The prosecution, although it had six
other witnesses in court, suddenly rest
cd. The defense did the same, and Judge
Scott declared that inasmnch as the wit
nesses had testified that the respondent
was travelling more than 10 miles an
hour it was prima facie evidence that he
was running HE machine "carelessly and
lnegligently" and adjudged Standish
guilty. Grand Juror Davis said he would
be satisfied with fair-sezed fine and
Attorney Lord asked the court to use
Foreigners as well as he would resi-
dents. A 6ne Of ten dollars was the re-
suit, with the consequent appeal