Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-03
Automobiles and the Public.

lie. TWO months ago, Wlllam r. lar
ragh ran over a 13-year-old boy with
a 60-horse- power automobile while
travelling at a rate of about 40 miles
an hour. Instead of stopping or
slackening his speed, he made off as
fast as his high power could take him,
leaving his mangled victim behind
him. The sad thing about this So
called accident" was the fact brought
out in testimony at the trial that had
Darragh applied his brake when he
first struck his victim the boys life
would have been saved, and that in
failing to make any attempt to do SO
he was directly responsible for the
boys death. Not only did he run away
after the accident, but he kept on his
way and fed to Texas. There he was
arrested and returned to New York
for trial, which resulted in the jury
returning a verdict for manslaughter.
1t would have been entirely within the
verdict of murder in the first degree
upon the evidence submitted to them,
inasmuch as the present law in force
in New York state covering acts like
that committed by Garragh provides
that 1.-The killing of human being by
an act imminently dangerous to others,
and evincing depraved mind regard
less of human life, although without
a premeditated design, is punishable
by verdict Of murder in the first de-
gree"
It is to be hoped that this verdict
will have a deterrent effect upon the
people everywhere who are disposed to
be reckless in the driving of autono-
b,les. Unquestionably, these vehicles
have come to stay and We may rea-
sonably expect that in the years to
and more common. 1t is of the utmost
importance. then, that people VINO use
them should recognize the rights Of the
general public, and, Furthermore, that
the law defining those rights and estab-
fishing penalties for their violation
should be impartially and rigidly en-
forced.
In this connection, the Journal wishes
to call attention to the fact that right
here in the Kennebec cities and villages
the laws governing the speed at which
drivers may propel their
vehicles upon the public highways are
being constantly and shamefully vio-
lated, and it is time that the authori-
ties took strenuous measures to i'm
press upon the minds of a certain class
Of drivers the fact that the public has
some clear and definite rights and is
entitled to certain immunities which
they must respect. Failing to do this
they need not expect to escape the
penalties provided by law.
Within the past week we have seen
SVihSiCn SUNG tiiAouou "aSSi
street at the rate of 20 miles an hour,
and we have seen a number of them
take Rines Hill at a rate of 40 miles
an hour. This is all wrong and should
not be tolerated by the community. II
the drivers of automobiles persist in
such open and gross violation of the
law, they should be brought into court
and given the full penalties provided
by the statutes. When this is said.
however, the fact must be recognized
that the local regulations touching the
speed at which automobiles may be
run should be so essentially fair that
they will be supported by a sound
public sentiment, and therefore be cap
able of rigid enforcement. Some of
these regulations strike us at the pres
emit time as exceedingly unwise and
short sighted. This is especially true
Of those communities which limit the
rate of speed at which automobiles
may Dt lhOpciIcu oii tit puOIC iAi6H-
ways to eight miles an hour, when
drawn by horses frequently
go back and forth over the same high
ways at a rate of speed considerably
in excess of this limit We believe
that an automobile should have the
privilege of going at a rate OF at least
10 miles an hour on all the highways
of our state and we are inclined to
think that even at IL miles an hour
no serious results would follow if the
laws establishing such speed limits
and providing penalties for the VIOLA
ton thereof were impartially and hon
estly enforced upon all drivers of mo-
tor vehicles without fear and without
favor
This whole matter is one which
should be adjusted upon a fair and lib
eral basis for all parties concerned.
The owners and drivers of automobiles
should be given all the privileges that
are consistent with the public safety,
and, on the other hand. the community
owes it to itself to see to it that own