Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-11
LOWMAN'S DEATH
IS TOLD AGAIN
CHAUFFEUR ABRAMS is BEFORE
POLICE JUDGE
TRAGEDY OF JULY 2 REHEARSED
BY EYEWITNEssEs
Defense May Show That Merchant
Stubbed His Toe and Fell Be-
fore Struck by Fatal
Automobile

That a strong defense will be made
to disprove the charge of manslaughter
against Monty c. Abrams, the chauf-
feur charged with manslaughter in
causing the death of Isaac l.. Lowman,
prominent Los Angeles merchant, who
was run down and killed at Seventh
and Alvarado streets on the night of
July 2 was evidenced during the pre-
liminary hearing before Police Justice
Williams, which began yesterday morn
ing
Although the attorneys for the de-
fense carefully concealed the course
which they will pursue in attempting
to free their client. it was evident that
the one strong point on which the case
will hinge and which the defense will
seek to establish is that Lowman was
not in an upright position when struck
by the auto that caused almost instant
death.
The defense, it is thought, will at
tempt to show that Lowman became
confused at the approach of the auto
and, in his confusion, made misstep
which felled him to the ground and
that while he was in a prostrate posi-
tion he received the fatal blow.
Few Witnesses Examined
The hearing, which began at 10
O'Clock yesterday morning, did not
develop anything of wide variance
from the testimony given at the time
of the inquest held by Coroner Hart
we'll. Few witnesses were examined
during the day and the court adjourned
at 4 o'clock until $3.50 o'clock this morn
ing, an early adjournment being ne
cessitated on account of Deputy Dis
hox n fa
part in another case which. haG been
set for 4 o'clock.
That the automobile which killed
Lowman was driven by Abrams was
not denied by the attorneys for the
defense, but that the accident was I'M
avoidable and not due to excessive
speed was the main contention of At
torneys G.. l.. Pearson and lie Compte
Davis, who appeared for Abrams.
The attorneys for the defense stated
last night that they would offer no
contradictory evidence at the prelimi-
nary hearing, and that their endeaVors
would be to disprove much of the testl-
mony that had been admitted at the
inquest by cross examination.
That the evidence given by the wit
nesses for the prosecution yesterday
was not as strong as that given at the
inquest was admitted.
Abrams Takes Copous Notes
Abrams, who has been at liberty
under $4,000 bail since few days
after the accident, listened intently to
the testimony of each witness and
took notes of the proceedings which
he frequently referred to his attorneys.
1t is not thought that the prelimi-
nary hearing will be concluded today,
Judging from the detailed examination
which is exacted from each witness
by Attorney Davis.
A feature of the hearing was the
introduction as evidence of the lamp
on the automobile which struck Low
man and which was identified by Henry
Fennimore as the lamp that was on
the right side of the Lozier machine
which was driven by Abrams on the
night of the fatality.
An interesting question arose as to
whether Abrams was in the employ of
Fennimore at the time of the accident.
Fennimore is a member of the auto
mobile firm of Nash & Fennimore.
handlers of the Lozier machines, In
response to the question as to whether
Abrams was in his employ he said
'"That is a matter to be decided, wheth-
er he was in my employ or not?'
Lamp Is Mute Witness
,Fennimore agreed that Abrams was
driving one of his machines. Mr.. Fen
nimore identified the lamp which was
on the machine at the time of the ac-
cident. The lamp was badly battered
and bent and bore mute evidence of
the awful impact that must have hap
pened when Lowman EAet his death.
The position of the lamp on the ma
chine, in regard to it's height from the