Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-10
SAYS OTHERS BESIDE THE
CHAUFFEUR ARE TO BLAME

LOS ANGELES, July S.-LEditor
Herald: There are certain facts in
connection with the killing of Mr.. Low
man by an automobile that have not
yet been brought out I'm public print,
and which 1 think are of sufficient I'M
portance to warrant attention.
Mr.. Fennimore, agent for the Lozier
cars, stated after the Lowman inquest,
in the presence of several reliable Wit
nesses, that the car which killed Mr..
Lowman, and which belongs to Fenni-
more, had no brakes; that Is, that the
brakes were full of grease and would
not operate at all and that retarding
the speed of the car by the use of the
brakes was impossible. He further
stated that Mr.. Abrams, who was driv-
ing the car at the time, was a chauf-
feur who had been hanging around his
place of business waiting for job, and
who had been assisting in getting the
Lozier car ready for the Santa Monica
road race, and on the evening in ques-
ton that Abrams had requested the
use of the car which he afterward
drove in order to go out and get some
supper, which request was granted,
Fennimore knowing that the car was
in the condition described. 1t would
certainly seem that the owner of car
and an automobile dealer who know
ingly allows a car to go out of his shop
under those conditions is culpable and
crminally negligent.
From the testimony at the inquest ii
appeared that the car driven by Abrams
and another Lozier car just like it, oc-
cuped by, DIR. Jams and driven by his
chauffeur, were going west on Seventh
street on the wrong side of the street
at an excessive rate of speed. From
the testimony of those faVoring the
Abrams side Of it at the inquest the
minimum speed was from twenty to
twenty-five miles an hour, but from
the testimony of uninterested witnesses
it would appear that the rate of speed
was nearly double that; and 1t Is COM
mon report that cars had been in the
habit of travelling past this corner at a
furious speed for a long time, so that
there was talk in the neighborhood that
some one would yet be killed on that
corner by one Of them. But even con-
Ceding that the car which struck and
killed Mr.. Lowman was not travelling to
exceed twenty-five miles an hour in
view of the condition of the brakes
it becomes quite clear why it was inn
possible to stop the car, and why the
momentum of the car carried Mr.. Low
mans body for over 100 feet and so
frightfully mutilated it.
DIR. Jams testified at the inquest that
he could stop his car within three feet
When 1t was going at the rate OF tWen-
ty miles an hour, and 1t Is well under
stood that an automobile equipped with
the right sort of brakes, going at the
rate of twenty miles an hour can be
stopped within its own length; and II
the car driven by Abrams had been In
proper condition in all probability the
accident could have been avoided.
In view of all the circumstances, II
does sem that there are several per-
sons in this matter who are as much to
blame as the chauffer who is now In
custody charged with manslaughter.
The Automobile association states in
its communication to the city authorl-
ties that it desires to cooperate In
bringing to justice those persons who
are guilty of the sort of practices
which occurred on the night IN ques-
ton. ] suggest that the facts herein
stated be recommended to the serious
consideration of the officers of the Au-
tOmobile association and to the proper
public authorities, with the suggestion
that the prosecution and punishment of
some one besides a luckless chauffeur
would have a most salutary effect
CITIZEN